Which is the best c4 factory engine?

Who was the numb nuts that told you that?
les differentes versions du L98 sont des moteurs tres coupleux mais la puissance chute rapidement apres 4500 RPM.
un LT1 legerement preparé ou un LT4 stock ont une plage d'utilisation de 1000
à 6000 RPM avec tous le couple necéssaire .
:chevy
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I don't see how this can even be a "discussion" but the LT5 is the best motor for the C4. The LT4 is great performer and is more than just a head/cam factory lt1, but the LT5 was a big leap for GM and the sports car world.
That said, they are all great motors and can be moded to suit the owners' needs and out-perform the stock version of any other C4 motor, so the best one is what is in your own garage!
of course i can read and write english but i appreciate to speak french in this forum.
but as you perhaps know french people are non-comformism.
i see that you are a teacher so you can try to understand the language of Voltaire.
with all my frienship
Michel :chevy
Late LT5(But you said don't include)
LT4
LT1(94-96)
LT1(92-93)
L98(of which I would say newer is better)
L83
Calloway isn't included, as it was more specialty and is an L98 with Turbo, not a motor alone.
Each has its pros and cons. I'd prefer an LT4 as its easy to modify and gives you a good base. L98 is cheaper to modify and maintain. LT5 is the best but hardest to modify.
Past this, you start a pi$$ing contest.
I am going by memory, but I thought that Lotus engineers designed the LT-5? I don't know where they were actually 'built", but I don't think that it counts as being built by the General! I am sure that this going to be like peeing on an electric fence, generally unpleasant.
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They were built in Stillwater Oklahoma. Designed by Lotus and built by a Marine company (forget the name).
[Modified by _freakmonkeydogboy_, 5:06 PM 11/17/2003]
-To bore the block you need new sleeves for the cylinders ($$$$).
-To change cams you need 4 of them ($$$$) AND you have to get them ALL timed correctly.
-Not everyone makes pistons and rods to fit them ($$$$).
-Parts are REALLY expensive ($$$$$).
-You need that very special limited-production throttle-body to make it all work.
Not knocking the motor, but spare parts are at a premium for them since they didn't build a gazillion of them.
Yeah, the do-it-yourselfer CAN work on them, but man it is different than a good old push-rod V8.
I think the L98 feels stronger then a LT1 or LT4, but every one knows its not faster. I think for day to day driving the L98 give more seat of the pants feeling when floring the gas pedal for a few secounds down the street.
At a drag strip or highway, the LT1 and LT4 is better
[Modified by TheStef, 6:06 PM 11/17/2003]

-To bore the block you need new sleeves for the cylinders ($$$$).
I can get any major rod & piston manufacturer to send me "almost" whatever configuration I want for a SBC and they'll have it "on-the-shelf" and it won't cost me a small fortune to get it. The same can't be said for the LT5. I got a complete forged bottom-end from Crower for less than $2,500...including the pistons.
Sure you have to sleeve an LSx motor...BUT we are not talking about C5's in this thread, are we? The question asked was the best motor for the C4.
You asked "what makes an LT5 hard to modify"...parts availability at REASONABLE prices is the answer to the question. If you have unlimited funds, then play with that LT5 all you want.
Man, sometimes you LT5 boys can be such bigots. Anybody even "questions" the heritage of the Mercury Marine LT5 and you fly off the deep end. Sure it is still an internal combustion V8, but it is NOTHING like a SBC. It is MUCH more complicated, has a gazillion parts and has 4 cams (no SBC I ever saw has that....)
I think if you read back through the entire thread you'll see that I said somewhere that I'd LOVE to have an LT5 sitting in the garage next to my beast.
But would I modify it?
Most likely not....I can invest 1/2 the amount of money in my L98 and get a much bigger bang for the buck than doing the LT5.
It's just life man....yeah, it's a rare beast...but you'll pay a lot to have it fixed when it finally breaks 10-20 years from now unless someone starts to manufacture parts for the darn things.
Heck, Lingenfelter wants $14.5k just for the "low horsepower" LT5 build of 475HP...that's about what I have invested in a completely new 427 SBC I'm building. For that I'll have about 750 FWHP...and I still have my original motor....



















