Generation V V8: The future of performance
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Correction: GM had a DOHC V8 -- a 4.6 Liter unit called the Northstar. It was dimensionally larger, heavier, less powerful, used more gas and was more expensive that the current 6.2 liter Pushrod motors. It was discontinued.
Don't mind Powell, the last time he turned a wrench on an LS motor was likely a Gen III. Things have changed quite a bit since then, which I can tell he hasn't studied up on.
The only benefit of OHC engines is the ability to run higher rpm more efficiently. But, that doesn't matter if you aren't spinning the engine up over 8,000 rpm. Anything under that, and pushrods keep up just fine. I'd love to see a 10,000 rpm OHC V8 produced in an affordable car, something with at least 6.0L would do. It won't happen. Manufacturers know that RPM kills engines and reliability.
VVT and DI are already on quite a few GM cars. GM also has turbos on a few current cars. Neither of these are new topics for GM. Even the 08+ Viper has VVT with an OHV engine. GM already has this technology in-house, on production cars. Adapting it to a V8 is just adding two more cylinders.
Tony
The only benefit of OHC engines is the ability to run higher rpm more efficiently. But, that doesn't matter if you aren't spinning the engine up over 8,000 rpm. Anything under that, and pushrods keep up just fine. I'd love to see a 10,000 rpm OHC V8 produced in an affordable car, something with at least 6.0L would do. It won't happen. Manufacturers know that RPM kills engines and reliability.
VVT and DI are already on quite a few GM cars. GM also has turbos on a few current cars. Neither of these are new topics for GM. Even the 08+ Viper has VVT with an OHV engine. GM already has this technology in-house, on production cars. Adapting it to a V8 is just adding two more cylinders.
Tony
Don't mind Powell, the last time he turned a wrench on an LS motor was likely a Gen III. Things have changed quite a bit since then, which I can tell he hasn't studied up on.
The only benefit of OHC engines is the ability to run higher rpm more efficiently. But, that doesn't matter if you aren't spinning the engine up over 8,000 rpm. Anything under that, and pushrods keep up just fine. I'd love to see a 10,000 rpm OHC V8 produced in an affordable car, something with at least 6.0L would do. It won't happen. Manufacturers know that RPM kills engines and reliability.
VVT and DI are already on quite a few GM cars. GM also has turbos on a few current cars. Neither of these are new topics for GM. Even the 08+ Viper has VVT with an OHV engine. GM already has this technology in-house, on production cars. Adapting it to a V8 is just adding two more cylinders.
Tony
The only benefit of OHC engines is the ability to run higher rpm more efficiently. But, that doesn't matter if you aren't spinning the engine up over 8,000 rpm. Anything under that, and pushrods keep up just fine. I'd love to see a 10,000 rpm OHC V8 produced in an affordable car, something with at least 6.0L would do. It won't happen. Manufacturers know that RPM kills engines and reliability.
VVT and DI are already on quite a few GM cars. GM also has turbos on a few current cars. Neither of these are new topics for GM. Even the 08+ Viper has VVT with an OHV engine. GM already has this technology in-house, on production cars. Adapting it to a V8 is just adding two more cylinders.
Tony
I rev'ed my car to 7800 RPM (could have gone to 8k, but we were already making way more than double the stock output of the stock engine/cams/heads in my car why just taunt blowing it up even more). There is no OHV motor that will do that with stock valvesprings, retainers, valves, cams, etc... Made power to 7800 as well and I've got every dyno to prove it.
Regardless of the fact another thing mentioned was the adaption of new PCM's as well. I have a bit of experience in that portion, not all hands on but I've been explained and showed a lot about the later generation ECUs that plenty of companies use (most not to be "spread" out on the internet). I do know if they use a Motronic ECU you will see a drop in actual "tuners" by a BIG amount. Remember Porsche/BMW/Audi/VW/Lambo/Ferrari/etc... are all using the same type of Bosch ECU... The DI motors use the Siemens ECU, but it still writes just like the Bosch... I don't know a tuner in Houston that does LS1's that has the knowledge themselves to write the software and do everything themselves. You can go a buy a Byteshooter and a few other neat little tools but the actual file you modify is not as easy as people think (after spending $30k in hardware/software, if not more). Now throwing a standalone on to do everything is possible but you do lose some things. Adapting it is not as easy as on most cars because just like on the C5/C6/etc.. you have multiple computers that control everything and if you remove one you have issues of making them play together.
New generation of ANY car means more of a headache for **** to work together... Anyone that's had new cars that use new platforms can verify that.
