Wormwood

I'm looking into using an LS4 for a swap I will be starting soon where I don't have as much room as I'd like for an LS1 in the engine bay. I know the accessories on the LS4 are shorter than the LS1's, but by how much? I'll most likely be mounting the engine longitudinally for the swap as well.

Thanks for any help!

GXP25

iTrader: (3)

According to fieroguru, the LS4 as a whole is actually longer than the other LS engines.

91parkave

iTrader: (4)

That dosent make any sense, with the engine being the same as other LS engines. but instead we use a more compact accesory drive and shorter crankshaft, how could our engine come up longer???

Wormwood

Yeah, that makes no sense. But if it's true, it'll make my swap a whole lot easier on my wallet.

x11 nut

iTrader: (3)

What are you wanting to put it in ?? If I recall correctly, the LS4 block is a little longer on the back end, but overall with accessories is @3" shorter...

Wormwood

I'm planning on putting it in a Suzuki Esteem that I have sitting around because the engine in it at the moment is pretty lame.

Is there any way to use LS4 accessories on an LS1 block?

x11 nut

iTrader: (3)

The crank in LS4 has a shorter snout, not seen it done but would think you could have the LS1 crank machined to fit LS4 balancer and line up the accessories.

There's a Corvair build thread that used a LS4 water manifold and such but don't recall which LS the guy used.

tonypaul

iTrader: (2)

What transmission/ engine mangement will you be using?

Wormwood

I probably could get that done to the LS1 crank, but frankly I think it'd be too much trouble for this build. I may just use an electric water pump on an LS1 and keep the other accessories just to keep a few inches off the front.

For transmission, I'll probably just go T56 since there are some at a junkyard here for not much. Not sure on engine management yet, I'll just have to see about that once I get the swap to where I have the engine and tranny in. I may just pull out most of the pre-existing electronics and put in some new stuff.

fieroguru

iTrader: (1)

The LS4 block is about 3/16" longer than a RWD block. The Metric bellhousing is raised from the SBC bellhousing pattern so it clears the bolt heads from the rear camshaft cover.

The LS4 crankshaft is shorter on both ends, and the balancer is much, much shorter. So the overall installed length of the LS4 can be much shorter than the RWD versions, but its block is actually slightly longer.

You won't be able to bolt the T56 to the LS4 block - wrong bellhousing pattern.

Wormwood

I know about the bellhousing pattern on the LS4, and if I do decide to go with an LS4, I was gonna get a 700R4 that had the 60* bolt pattern. I only thought of the T56 if I went the standard LS1 route.