Biomechanoid

I'm trying to piece together my heads and bottom end- everyone tells me that I need to choose ones that work together, but no one is telling me what makes them work together, and what I need to look for. I was told that going with ported heads would increase my expected HP output, but that I need to carefully select a cam to go with it... essentially:

HOW do I choose a head/cam/crank/piston combo? and any links on how they effect each other and how I would estimate/compute my expected compression ratio and HP would be greatly appreciated. (yes, this is the 1st time I'm building an engine rather than replacing parts stock for stock.)

jrp

iTrader: (16)

https://ls1tech.com/forums/showthrea...&highlight=cfm

read it.

jrp

iTrader: (16)

oh yah

http://www.rosspistons.com/calculator.php

John95Z28

Well, you could try shopping for (ported) heads that have the power potential you're after, then call up some camshaft manufacturers
---->
and ask them "I've got such-and-such cylinder head with these flow numbers, what can you recommend for a cam?". Talk to a bunch of people to get their advice, then decide from there.

"The power is in the heads"

Biomechanoid

thanks. I think I'll take John's suggestion and choose a high-flow head set and then decide on what cam to get, and then a bottom end after that. good read too with the links

Jason 98 TA

iTrader: (4)

Do you know what year car your going to be buying? If its a 98 car then your best bet would probably be the Patriot Stage 2 Perimeter heads. They feature the same ports as the 5.3l heads, but they sell for $999 outright!!! Another good option is the 5.3l heads. The 5.3ls go for $1295 complete Either set of heads feature 2.02 1.57 valves, double springs, titanium retainers, & viton seals

Biomechanoid

actually, I'm looking for a non-LS1 body to put this in. I'm hoping to have the engine running without a car before I drop it in something. right now I have a fiero, but the tranny's fuct and a host of other missing parts (like windows, interior, tires, brakes, etc.)- so I'm also looking at other candidates like a CRX, Daytona or RX7 if I can find one cheap at the 'yards.

John95Z28

Man, you really enjoy a challenge, don't you? Are you related to that guy from Monster Garage?
An LS1 dropped into a Fiero or RX7 would be hella fast, even without ported heads / aftermarket cam. Have you thought about getting an LS1 drivetrain from a donor car (wrecked Camaro) just so you can get the project car running? You might find that you've already got more than enough power for your needs

Biomechanoid

Not related, but I love doing challenging things. and to complicate matters, this is the 1st enginge I'm actually building, as opposed just replacing stock parts for stock parts (did that with a 305 for a dune buggy it was stoopid fast 12.12 and zero traction most of the 1/8 ). I have thought about getting a drive train from a donor car, as there's 2 4th gen camaros and a 4th gen TA in the local junkyard with mostly complete drive trains on them.

Personally, I'm really liking the weight of a CRX, but the engine bay is about 10" too short for me to get the engine and transmission in there (unless I want to stick the transmission through the firewall). The Fiero is something that I've always liked- a fast mid engined sports car, but I don't have a transmission for it, and considering that I just paid $150 for the entire frame, I'm still considering getting a different frame to put the LS1 in and sell the fiero for scrap.

an RX7 would be nice, but I haven't stumbled across any rolling fames or anything that would be salvagable in the junkyards. dunno... my time frame for getting this engine running on a dyno is by late summer of 2005 so, there's still plenty of waiting to do. in the meantime, I'm still planning out this beast.

I'm pretty much set on getting some 300CFM heads (probably done up by z28vf from these boards), and going with open headers- oh and an LS6 intake as well. I've decided to just get forged internals with stock spec, and then taking all the intake/header/head info to a cam designer and have them make me something custom. though this will probably blow my entire budget out of the water, I'm hoping for about 420HP/400TQ when all is said and done.

and then comes the fun part of installing the beast my goal is by early 2006 to have the engine powering some lightweight vehicle for fun times with no traction. work with the drive train to get the power to the ground will be an ongoing process while the finished beast gets some road and track use.

[edit] I can't type on a laptop[/edit]

cyphur

iTrader: (10)

hah i got a 280zx i'll sell ya for a grand ;-) cars light as hell and fun too. in good condition, right now it even still has the straight six in there, just needs the front end of the motor put back on LOL. anyhow, i thought about putting an ls1 in there, and it'd be a hella tight fit. not sure it'd clear without custom k-members and engine mounts, not to mention you'd have to cut the firewall to accomodate it LOL. anyhow, that's gonna be a hella fast car. if you're just lookin for 420rwhp, there's really no need to go with anything but stock spec'd forged internals, and any of the race shops to the right --> can help ya there. most head/cam packages will work out nicely. a pair of ls6 stg2 heads with a 231/237 would push your car past 420 will all the bolt-ons. slap a little nitrous on it and say good bye to any sort of wish for traction.

John95Z28

Hmmm... just thinking out loud here - not to talk you out of the LS1 approach (which would certainly have all kinds of HP) but you probably stuff the transverse mounted Northstar V-8 from a fwd Caddy into the Fiero. The front drive wheels would become the Fiero's rear wheels, and you'd have your transmission issue solved With a turbo it'd have some pretty good
Just a thought...

Biomechanoid

that is actually one of the most common fiero swaps- with a SC on it I settled on the LS1 because it was something different and I like the technology behind the block

John95Z28

Okay; didn't know thatHow about the LS1 mounted in the Fiero mid-engine, connected directly to a C5 Corvette rear transaxle? That way you'd get an independent rear suspension, although I'm sure you'd have to stretch the wheelbase many inches to make it fit

Otherwise I think you're stuck turning it transversely and trying to join it to a FWD car's tranny to make it work

hourang

iTrader: (6)

280z with a ls1 in it i sooo want to do that, i think i seen one with a lt1 in it before and heard of a lot of ppl putting 350s in them, would be awesome

hourang

iTrader: (6)

nah you need a porche transaxle.

John95Z28

Late model Porsche 911 tranny, you mean? I wonder if it could take LS1 torque levels - even the current 911 turbo barely puts out 400 lb-ft of torque

Besides, aren't Porsches rear engined instead of mid engined?

Biomechanoid

actually, that's a transmission that I was told to look for as a replacement for my currently busted tranny- but I dunno how the LS1 would mate up to it and how it would work out size wise

hourang

iTrader: (6)

http://www.markkoch.net/canamMain.asp

they did it on the ultima gtr swap, used a used g50/50 trans out of a 89 turbo porche, if you go to the costs page they show they used an adapter for the ls1. not sure if this would all fit in the fieros, but ive seen many fieros with 350s in them and even ones with 454s, so its possible.

Biomechanoid

v8archie.com has adaptor plates for the stock fiero trannys, but I'm not sure if those plates would work with the porche tranny. I'll have to see what the 'yards have in ways of porche transmissions next weekend, and compare that with my busted tranny