LS series engine questions

[Tucson Z60]

I know my around an engine but have been out of the business for sometime now. I know nothing about the LS series and cast iron counter parts.

So is the LS1 and it's cast iron twin the same engine? If I am not mistaken the 5.7 truck uses the same heads but just cast block vs aluminum, I would guess the cam is different but what about the rest.

Or are they completely different.

Same question with 6.0 and the LS3.

What about the 5.7 and the 6.0 in the trucks from I think 2009 (might be 2007 up). Is it just stroke change or is the block/bore different and the stroke the same? What about the difference from the cast and aluminum engine.....I don't think they have the aluminum counter part to the 5.7 or 5.3 do they in the later years?

My 67 Camaro has it's original 327, I love the engine and I like the looks of it currently in car (it's not stock but not performance engine). I am thinking of looking for an LS series engine to swap in at some point which will be long way down the road but I started thinking about the difference in them all.

I will not be going with the fuel injection. There are aftermarket manifolds that you can use that allow the use of a carb which will keep my conversion cost way down, that and I like a carb on my old ride .

I also want to use the 6-speed auto trans which I know will need a TCM for. I think with this combo I can have 400 H/P easily and with the trans get possibly in the 25 MPG range.

 

[Zembonez]

I'm no expert, but many parts exchange on the LS engines. 4.8-5.3-6.0 all use the exact same architecture. Some are cast iron block and some are aluminum, but the difference there is mainly overall weight. Drag racers around here are running LS engines in a lot of their rods, but most of the ones I have seen were running cast iron blocks. This may be because of availability or simply an old school mentality... not sure.

Running a carb will have an adverse effect on fuel economy. I say keeping it FI is a better way to go. It is supremely reliable and meters fuel a thousand times better (for power and economy).

 

[mr_bots]

The iron blocks are probably more common because they're more readily available (aka cheaper) due to them being in all the trucks.

They're pretty closely related, the truck engines tend to have taller intake manifolds but those swap over pretty easy. Don't know about the Gen III, but I believe the Gen IV has two different sets of heads one for the 4.8 and 5.3 and one for the 6.0 and 6.2 (no 5.7 Gen IV). Also, the only 5.7 was just in Vettes and F-bodies, they never put one in any trucks so I don't think there was an iron block 5.7.

Plenty of info scattered around the net if you wanna Google around. Great engine and makes lots of power easily and reliably. I personally believe they blow the original SBC out of the water and the next generation has a lot to live up to.

 

[Zembonez]

Here's an article I found recently when researching some cam and head work on my spare engine.

http://www.carcraft.com/techarticles/general_motors_gen_iii_engine_cylinder_heads/viewall.html

 

[Tucson Z60]

Was going to start looking more around the net but thought I would ask here first since everyone here with the later Chevy has one. I have not done much with mine except lift the hood and clean it...hell I pay the dealer to change the oil.

 

[svensk]

LS engines run like a beast with a carb. Honestly, there are so many differences between all of the engines we could go on for pages detailing them. Heads change drastically with each iteration, some of the truck/car LS engines have VVT w/cam phasers and active cylinder displacement others like the LS/1/2/3/6/7/9 have neither... It's an entire different world from the SBC.

 

[Tucson Z60]

LS engines run like a beast with a carb. Honestly, there are so many differences between all of the engines we could go on for pages detailing them. Heads change drastically with each iteration, some of the truck/car LS engines have VVT w/cam phasers and active cylinder displacement others like the LS/1/2/3/6/7/9 have neither... It's an entire different world from the SBC.

I checked out the link posted by Zem, do you have sites that might be good reading/information?

 

[Zembonez]

I'll go see if I save some other links.

 

[svensk]

Ls1tech, performancetrucks.net, yellowbullet, etc... Lots of dickholes on those sites, but at the same time tons of great info.

 

[Alljackedup408]

LS motor for the win. We have many customer's calling in at work wanting to do these swaps.. we sell the conversion kits and sell the crap outta em for the first Gen Camaro's!