65silververt

Is there any way to distinguish one LS3 motor from another. How can a buyer tell if a car has the 480hp version installed or the 525?

capevettes

The LS3 was rated at 430 hp (436 with manual transmission). The LS7 was rated at 505 hp and came with the C6 Z06. The LS3 had black valve covers and the LS7 had red valve covers. The horsepower numbers you quoted were never produced in any LS motor.

I assumed you were talking about stock LS3 motors from an existing C6 to put into a resto rod. I think John has more relevant info for you.

John McGraw

There are multiple versions of the LS3, but no way I know if to determine which horsepower one is, without checking the cam lift and duration. There is the 430, the 480 and the 525 horse LS3. The 525 has some definite idle roughness, but the 430 and 480 both idle pretty smooth.The 480 horse motor is probably the most poupular of the bunch, since you really do not have to give up any driveability with it like you do with the 525. I was going to use a 525 hp LS3 on my current project, but after driving one for a few miles, I realized that the 525 had no business being in front of an automatic with a stock stall converter. I ended up going with the 480 hp engine. There is probably a way to cross reference the engine from it's serial number, but I have never had to do so.


Regards, John McGraw

Plasticman

John,

Where were the higher HP LS3 motors used?

Here is some additional info on the LS series of motors from Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GM_LS_engine

Plasticman

John McGraw

They were never used in production cars. They are available from GM as a brand new crate engine, with full warranty. The 525 engine has the ASA racing camshaft, while the 480 engine, has the GM "hot cam" in it. Otherwise, both engines are pretty much stock 430 horse LS3 engines. It speaks volumes about the engine platform to realize that you can wring an additional 100 hp out of the engine with just a cam swap. My 67 Chevelle wagon makes 436 rear wheel horsepower from a L76, with nothing but a cam swap. The L76 is just a 6.0 liter version of the LS3, that was used in the G8.


Regards, John McGraw

Plasticman

John,

Thanks for the info!

Plasticman (another John)....

65silververt

So how does a consumer know when buying a restomod if the car actually has the motor stated. In other words, if there is no way to determine that the motor is the chevrolet performance 525hp version, then the seller could easily say that the motor is 525, when he actually has the 430hp engine. Now, the savings are only about 1300.00, but some people will do anything to stretch their profit. I want to be able to show people, other than on a receipt, that my car has the 525hp motor, but i guess if there arent any markings or stampings, then that is not possible.
Thanks

mark6669

There is no way to tell the difference and they all light up the tires till you let off the gas. The price difference was only $200 between the 430 and 485 when I bought mine.
Mark

jdk971

ask for paper work. bill of sale of engine. i have mine. jim

mikey

3 dyno pulls cost less than 100 bucks.

solidaxel

Where are you buying these engines?

INMYBLOOD

???

John McGraw

At Pace performance right now, a 480 horse engine is about a $400 premium over a 430. A 525 horse engine is about a $1200 premium over a 480, but that includes shipping as well. Shipping runs about $350, so the actual premium is closer to $850. There are special rebates from GM occasionally, on a particular engine, that will close that gap substantially.

Pace has consistently had the best pricing on "connect and cruise" combinations, that I have been able to find.

Regards, John McGraw

jdk971

that is where i got mine. jim

badold65

On 12/14/2012 I bought an LS376/480 from Hudiburg Chevrolet in Oklahoma for $6,525.00 plus another $1,015.00 for the harness and module for a total of $7,540.00 delivered to my door in California. This was a couple hundred under what Pace was offering at the time. I found them on Ebay and they were very helpful. Also because I bought on Ebay I got $100.00 in Ebay bucks added to my account. I highly recommend checking with Hudiberg Chevrolet if your looking for an LS3.