wanted to get the forums opinion on which direction to go with my engine build/upgrade. a little info on my car... its a 98 coupe with 95k miles 6sp daily driven with a small cam and ls6 heads. power level currently @ 396rwhp 386tq. dont get me wrong Im happy where the power is at in the car its a torque monster but like anyone else I want MORE ! that being said I am looking in to boosting the car within the next year or so. given the miles my car has I know that bottom end should be upgraded or worked on to make the motor last, my question is would my current block last if internals were swapped for forged and or if bored and boosted? what would be wiser to do:

A) Forge internals on current ls1 THEN boost?
B) Bore ls1 with forged internals and stay N/A
C) Bore ls1 with forged internals and eventually B o o s t
D) find a used iron/alu block [lq4/9, ls2] with forged internal and boost
E) look for a built bottom end made for boost

ultimately I would like to be mid 700rwhp range when all is said and done. Im trying to get all my ducks in a row before I start investing towards my next mod so it would really help to see everyones input on this.. which way would YOU go and which direction do you think would be most cost effective? Thanks in advance

 

Slap on the S/C first, 95K miles in nothing for an LS motor if it's maintained properly. My company Chevy truck has 200K miles on the iron 6.0 and still runs like a champ, and it carries pallets of tile and slabs all day. Run your LS1 at 8 psi and enjoy the power for now.

Then, start to plan for a forged motor. My car has been boosted for 6 years now and still tickin. I'm slowly gathering parts for a forged LS2 build.

Of course all of this is null if you have fat pockets you can just build a forged motor w/ blower and drop all that in together. Do it in stages so you learn the power then step up. You will always want more power later.

Good luck

 

lets say I do boost the car first... what would be the most cost effective way to build a bottom end for boost? rebuild my current block or find a used bigger block and build for boost? this will definitely be a budget build thats why i am making sure which options I have.

 

Plan things out ahead and do it right the first time. Having to do things over and over is expensive. Experience talking here

 

Boost it with a A&A or ECS kit and a meth kit-600-650 rwhp easy.

When you go forged, LS2 block-stock crank, pinned caps, H-beam rods, LSA heads-900-1000 rwhp-easy breezy!

 

would installing s/c before building the bottom end taking steps backwards ?

i know for sure when and if i decide to install a blower prior to bottom upgrade I would do a clutch upgrade along with a meth kit and a trans brace for some insurance, just hoping that my 100k block will hold

 

At first it seems like throwing some rods and pistons in your motor would be the cheapest route but with all the machine work involved, balancing your crank to the new pistons/rods, etc. I think you'll find it's better to buy a built short block and perhaps selling yours.

 

this isnt the first time I have heard this.. how much does a built short block run vs upgrading stock block?

 

TSP is a good place to look for short blocks, if nothing else to build different blocks with different components and see what it runs.

Thne price out similar pistons, rods, crank, bearings, main studs, and call some machine shops to find out how much individual things cost like line hone (or check), bore, hone, deck, clean, crank balancing, main and rod clearance checking, ring filing, and you can crunch numbers on building yours, buying a new block and rotating assmbly, or an assembled short block.

 

I thought the blocks come ready to go

 

If you don't go to ARP mains you won't need to do a line hone. It can definitely be cheaper to have your block built, it all depends on how much down time you are okay with.

First thing OP needs to do is pick a power goal. Too many people on here spend $$$ to build their motor for 1200 hp when their drivetrain and fuel system can only support 800 hp.

Something to consider.

 

Power goal is be able to support 800 to rear and be daily driven

 

If you want 800 whp build it to handle 1,000 WHP

 

3.898 pistons and rods can be had for very cheap... for 800hp.. nothing else needed... But i wouldn't even forge it for that.. I would just let it fly..

 

An 05+ motor especially would probably live for a very very long time at 800 with a good tune