Ls7 swap in C5
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,643
Likes: 1,085
From: Chattanooga tn
Ls7 swap in C5
Well finally almost done with my ls7 swap. I had a friend do most of the wrenching as I was very time limited. This has been a VERY expensive ls7 swap and if I had to do it over I would have just ordered a ls3 crate motor and been done with it. Here are the specs...
ls7 bored 4.130 with
Mahle forged pistons
Block decked .008
New main, rod, cam bearings
Ragin Racing Lethal cam
Heads are stock ls7 heads with valve job and .008 milling with NEW stock exhaust valves and new guides.
New ls7 lifters.
Stock crank and rods.
Stock ls7 intake and stock throttle body.
Lingenfelter 24X to 58X converter
Wet sump with mellings oil pump
1 3/4 slp longtube headers with X pipe and stock z06 exhaust
Vararam intake.
HP tuners with custom OS
Stock maf
Mcloud twin disk RST clutch.
New throwout bearing and remote bleeder
Compression around 11.8
It was ready to crank today but I ordered the wrong injector connectors . I ordered EV1 to EV6 instead of EV6 to EV1
Here are some starter pics..... More to come...
ls7 bored 4.130 with
Mahle forged pistons
Block decked .008
New main, rod, cam bearings
Ragin Racing Lethal cam
Heads are stock ls7 heads with valve job and .008 milling with NEW stock exhaust valves and new guides.
New ls7 lifters.
Stock crank and rods.
Stock ls7 intake and stock throttle body.
Lingenfelter 24X to 58X converter
Wet sump with mellings oil pump
1 3/4 slp longtube headers with X pipe and stock z06 exhaust
Vararam intake.
HP tuners with custom OS
Stock maf
Mcloud twin disk RST clutch.
New throwout bearing and remote bleeder
Compression around 11.8
It was ready to crank today but I ordered the wrong injector connectors . I ordered EV1 to EV6 instead of EV6 to EV1
Here are some starter pics..... More to come...
Last edited by superramvette2; Nov 1, 2012 at 10:21 PM.
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 122
Likes: 0
Did you rebuild the LS7 because of need or desire? I would think a used LS7 would be cheaper than a crate LS3.
Depending on your HP desires, I think the bigger bore is the better route as well.
Can't wait to see it running!
Depending on your HP desires, I think the bigger bore is the better route as well.
Can't wait to see it running!
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,643
Likes: 1,085
From: Chattanooga tn
It was rebuilt out of necessity. I bought a used shortblock and noticed after receiving that it had trash in the number 1 main bearing and some slight scarring on the cylinder walls of one cylinder. I chose to bore in .005 and polish the crank. Figured I might as well forge it while I did that. Of course that meant balancing etc. which added to the cost a bunch.
Racer
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 399
Likes: 1
From: Jasper, GA
St. Jude Donor '10
Dang brother, sorry to hear about extra costs. The only extra costs I had more than the LS3 route was the additional costs for the LS7 block. I will tell you right now, you aren't going to regret it after you break it in. I forged my bottom end also and used studs on both the mains and the heads. I have a baby cam in my LS7 w/ LS3 TEA heads and 1 7/8 headers. I ran a 151.8 in the 1/2 mile shootout. C5s are just plain out wicked with LS7s. Even with 315s on the rear, lot of feathering through 3rd. Anyway, you will have one big smile once you quit turning the wrenches and start shifting the gears. 
Mike C
Mike C
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,643
Likes: 1,085
From: Chattanooga tn
I sure hope so. I have an appointment next week for the dyno to get a baseline tune. What did you do for your startup tune? I have HP tuners but I am worried I will hurt it trying to tune it myself so I am going to tow it right to my tuner.
