LS7 bottom end not very strong??
07-14-2016, 07:21 PM
#1
Heel & Toe
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LS7 bottom end not very strong??
I don't see any somewhat high hp stock bottom end Z06 cars around this forum. I'll be soon purchasing a Z and will be looking to make 800 to 850 on stock bottom end for a while. Is that possible with these? I know on the ls3's it's very doable and a bunch of people do it. Don't see very many people here doing it. Or I might not be looking hard enough
07-14-2016, 08:25 PM
#2
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St. Jude Donor '15
RWHP or flywheel HP?
07-14-2016, 08:32 PM
#3
Advanced
I don't see any somewhat high hp stock bottom end Z06 cars around this forum. I'll be soon purchasing a Z and will be looking to make 800 to 850 on stock bottom end for a while. Is that possible with these? I know on the ls3's it's very doable and a bunch of people do it. Don't see very many people here doing it. Or I might not be looking hard enough
Many have done 800-850WHP on stock LS7's with pump gas and meth or E85.
07-14-2016, 08:45 PM
#4
Team Owner
That's about the limit. Stock pistons don't like much more. With a good tune and octane it is doable but not as stout at the ls3.
Either way plan on $1000 or more to fix the heads.
Either way plan on $1000 or more to fix the heads.
Last edited by Unreal; 07-14-2016 at 08:47 PM.
07-15-2016, 05:43 AM
#6
Heel & Toe
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So if you were to pull the Pistons for some forged pistons and leave stock crank and rods I would be fine up into the 800's? Well more reliably into the 800's lol? Yeah I plan on h/c/i as soon as I pick it up.
07-15-2016, 08:21 AM
#7
If you're opening up the engine do rods and pistons the price for rods is cheap and to swap pistons the rods come out anyways.
Curtis the Z06 is on kill....very nice. If you're ever back in Orlando we need to meet up.
Curtis the Z06 is on kill....very nice. If you're ever back in Orlando we need to meet up.
07-15-2016, 02:08 PM
#8
Heel & Toe
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yeah im from camaro5 unreal I see you over there a lot. the ls3 is way tougher im starting to see more than this ls7. do the pistons melt at that hp level? what causes them to fail? nitrous will be in the mix when I go to 800's. until I save for TT's.
07-15-2016, 02:14 PM
#9
Safety Car
People on this forum say that the cylinder liners are thin and prone to cracking under high HP applications. I don't have any experience with it though, but it will at least give you some information to search for and make up your own mind.
07-15-2016, 05:20 PM
#10
Heel & Toe
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I would think if it's the cylinder liners being thin it wouldn't be a piston issue, forged Pistons wouldn't fix that. Having the block sleeved would fix that issue.
07-15-2016, 05:59 PM
#11
Drifting
Cylinder liners would be fine for that HP level
07-15-2016, 06:40 PM
#12
Safety Car
07-16-2016, 12:03 AM
#13
Supporting Vendor
The reason people dont push them, is due to cost. Its easily 10k.
Why push a stock LS7, when you can pull it, and put in something stronger, for the same/little more money?
The engines are able to make more than a stock LS3, but no one does, because its not economical. Period.
Why push a stock LS7, when you can pull it, and put in something stronger, for the same/little more money?
- Crank is the same twist forged crank design as the LS9, LSA, LS3 GS
- Rods are Ti, have yet to see one bend or fail, but big ends do wear
- Sleeves are thin, detonation will crack a sleeve quickly, even at stock power level
- pistons are Mahle OEM hyperutectic, similar to LS3, only weak when tuned incorrectly
The engines are able to make more than a stock LS3, but no one does, because its not economical. Period.
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07-16-2016, 08:36 AM
#14
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The reason people dont push them, is due to cost. Its easily 10k.
Why push a stock LS7, when you can pull it, and put in something stronger, for the same/little more money?
The engines are able to make more than a stock LS3, but no one does, because its not economical. Period.
Why push a stock LS7, when you can pull it, and put in something stronger, for the same/little more money?
- Crank is the same twist forged crank design as the LS9, LSA, LS3 GS
- Rods are Ti, have yet to see one bend or fail, but big ends do wear
- Sleeves are thin, detonation will crack a sleeve quickly, even at stock power level
- pistons are Mahle OEM hyperutectic, similar to LS3, only weak when tuned incorrectly
The engines are able to make more than a stock LS3, but no one does, because its not economical. Period.
the reason for wanting to "push" them is not many people just want to dump $10k+ on a motor and then another $8k+ on FI to make 800+hp. when you can put that $10k+ into something else. these motors might be cable of making more power than an ls3 but maybe for one or two dyno pulls.
07-16-2016, 09:06 AM
#15
Supporting Vendor
if 800 is pushing a stock ls7 then they are no where near stout as an ls3. they run 800-900 all day stock. ive seen one DD in a 5th gen Camaro a little over 1k hp stock bottom end.
the reason for wanting to "push" them is not many people just want to dump $10k+ on a motor and then another $8k+ on FI to make 800+hp. when you can put that $10k+ into something else. these motors might be cable of making more power than an ls3 but maybe for one or two dyno pulls.
the reason for wanting to "push" them is not many people just want to dump $10k+ on a motor and then another $8k+ on FI to make 800+hp. when you can put that $10k+ into something else. these motors might be cable of making more power than an ls3 but maybe for one or two dyno pulls.
The LS7 engine, in stock form, with proper tuning, is stronger than the LS3.
07-16-2016, 09:12 AM
#16
Team Owner
Gspeed nailed it.
You can sell a good running ls7 bottom end for $4k, and do a nice aluminum ls3 based motor to hold more for slightly more. It isn't economical to just put pistons in it either.
Liners are weaker than ls3, but not weak like a lot of people claim. They just are not as strong as ls3.
Gspeed nailed it. It is a risk that just isn't worth it when other options are there. Hell if you don't have a car yet, I would just grab a grandsport.
You can sell a good running ls7 bottom end for $4k, and do a nice aluminum ls3 based motor to hold more for slightly more. It isn't economical to just put pistons in it either.
Liners are weaker than ls3, but not weak like a lot of people claim. They just are not as strong as ls3.
Gspeed nailed it. It is a risk that just isn't worth it when other options are there. Hell if you don't have a car yet, I would just grab a grandsport.
07-16-2016, 10:48 AM
#17
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so whats the benefit of going Z06 route over base or GS? just to say you have a Z? are there any reasons why people or I should look into a Z vs. anything else? I don't have one yet that's why im asking. I sold my Camaro for one, but now im thinking I shouldn't have.
07-16-2016, 09:05 PM
#19
Burning Brakes
if 800 is pushing a stock ls7 then they are no where near stout as an ls3. they run 800-900 all day stock. ive seen one DD in a 5th gen Camaro a little over 1k hp stock bottom end.
the reason for wanting to "push" them is not many people just want to dump $10k+ on a motor and then another $8k+ on FI to make 800+hp. when you can put that $10k+ into something else. these motors might be cable of making more power than an ls3 but maybe for one or two dyno pulls.
the reason for wanting to "push" them is not many people just want to dump $10k+ on a motor and then another $8k+ on FI to make 800+hp. when you can put that $10k+ into something else. these motors might be cable of making more power than an ls3 but maybe for one or two dyno pulls.
-Curtis
Last edited by C6 Curtis; 07-16-2016 at 09:05 PM.
07-18-2016, 01:39 PM
#20
Drifting
An engine you can sell for more, mag subframes, aluminum chassis, better gearing in the trans for bigger power. The 2.97 gear in the Z51/GS cars are useless with anything over 600rwhp on anything but a dedicated drag tire. That gear is also weaker.