Ls3 C5Z swap
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 218
Likes: 3
Ls3 C5Z swap
Hi
I sold my LS6 and is building a LS3.
Old setup: 435whp Ported and cammed ls6.
New setup
LS3 block, LS6 crank (24x), LS3 rods, Mahle 4.070 power pack pistons -4cc.
Heads: LS3 PRC heads from Texas Speed with hollow stem intake valves complete with their double springs.
Cam: LXL lobe 226/238 LSA113 ICL111
Intake: LS3 with LS2 throttle body.
Exhaust: TSP headers and straight pipes.
Tune: self with HP Tuners SD tune
ATI balancer
Will it make 500rwhp?
Here is the car
Cheap labour
Complete drive train removal
I sold my LS6 and is building a LS3.
Old setup: 435whp Ported and cammed ls6.
New setup
LS3 block, LS6 crank (24x), LS3 rods, Mahle 4.070 power pack pistons -4cc.
Heads: LS3 PRC heads from Texas Speed with hollow stem intake valves complete with their double springs.
Cam: LXL lobe 226/238 LSA113 ICL111
Intake: LS3 with LS2 throttle body.
Exhaust: TSP headers and straight pipes.
Tune: self with HP Tuners SD tune
ATI balancer
Will it make 500rwhp?
Here is the car
Cheap labour
Complete drive train removal
Last edited by Z06VENOM; Mar 4, 2015 at 02:24 PM.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 218
Likes: 3
Old engine ready for new owner
New short block
Drilled the lifter buckets and installed the LS7 lifters and new cam last night
Modified engine mount
Ev1 - ev6 adapters (ford racing) and Casper electronics, knock Sensor harness, throttle body adapter and map extension
New short block
Drilled the lifter buckets and installed the LS7 lifters and new cam last night
Modified engine mount
Ev1 - ev6 adapters (ford racing) and Casper electronics, knock Sensor harness, throttle body adapter and map extension
Last edited by Z06VENOM; Feb 1, 2015 at 12:58 PM.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 218
Likes: 3
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 218
Likes: 3
Tranny maintenance: we need a new 1-2 synchro and new 3-4 fork pads... Grrrr
Last year it was 3-4 keys
I'll take more picks when I get the new stuff in to compare.
Update: new 1-2 synchro is here and was about to put it all back together when I found the 1-2 outer blocker ring busted
Last year it was 3-4 keys
I'll take more picks when I get the new stuff in to compare.
Update: new 1-2 synchro is here and was about to put it all back together when I found the 1-2 outer blocker ring busted
Last edited by Z06VENOM; Feb 18, 2015 at 08:07 AM.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 218
Likes: 3
I went with the Moroso HD oil accumulator for this build... Looks like a very nice unit with screw in end caps.
And all the hardware: hoses and a custom fitting to screw into the block with ports for the accumulator and extra 1/8NPT ports, an adjustable oil pressure light set at 40 psi, 2 x pressure gauges - 1 for the charge side so I can keep an eye on how much reserve I have and 1 for actual oil pressure.
And all the hardware: hoses and a custom fitting to screw into the block with ports for the accumulator and extra 1/8NPT ports, an adjustable oil pressure light set at 40 psi, 2 x pressure gauges - 1 for the charge side so I can keep an eye on how much reserve I have and 1 for actual oil pressure.
Last edited by Z06VENOM; Mar 5, 2015 at 11:32 AM.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 218
Likes: 3
Ls6 oil pan with a Texas Speed ported Ls6 oil pump...
Mock up of the drain lines. I will be using stainless braided lines and 1in longer fittings at the heads to move away from the head ports... Note the custom 3 into 1 manifold👍
Mock up of the drain lines. I will be using stainless braided lines and 1in longer fittings at the heads to move away from the head ports... Note the custom 3 into 1 manifold👍
Last edited by Z06VENOM; Mar 5, 2015 at 11:45 AM.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 218
Likes: 3
Thank you.
It's going slow waiting for parts and working a real job to pay for it all
Update: I have the tranny all done and ready to go back in... Ended up making a new shim (+.003) to bring the end play into tolerance.
And more parts came in: ls3 intake and ls2 throttle body. ATI harmonic balancer, a blemish product but you can't tell. And a new ls6 bellhousing.
It's going slow waiting for parts and working a real job to pay for it all
Update: I have the tranny all done and ready to go back in... Ended up making a new shim (+.003) to bring the end play into tolerance.
And more parts came in: ls3 intake and ls2 throttle body. ATI harmonic balancer, a blemish product but you can't tell. And a new ls6 bellhousing.
Last edited by Z06VENOM; Mar 2, 2015 at 10:31 AM.
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 3,904
Likes: 29
From: Vancouver Washington
Just finished my 408
CNC Motorsports all forged 408
Eagle Crankshaft and rods
Diamond 11540 forged flat top pistons
Compression 11.7:1
AFR 230 72cc heads milled to 67cc (reduces compression to 11.5)
Morel Lifters
Jessel rockers
Smith Brothers restricted flow push rods .040 oil
Drilled lifter trays
Brian Tooley Stage IV Cam 235/242 .620/.593 -3& on 111 separation
Fast 102 with a Nick Williams 102 Throttle body
1 3/4 Dynamax Headers, X pipe, & Borlas
The car makes 525 rwhp so I would think you would be very close to this.
Make sure you use the restricted push rods and drill the lifter trays.
CNC Motorsports all forged 408
Eagle Crankshaft and rods
Diamond 11540 forged flat top pistons
Compression 11.7:1
AFR 230 72cc heads milled to 67cc (reduces compression to 11.5)
Morel Lifters
Jessel rockers
Smith Brothers restricted flow push rods .040 oil
Drilled lifter trays
Brian Tooley Stage IV Cam 235/242 .620/.593 -3& on 111 separation
Fast 102 with a Nick Williams 102 Throttle body
1 3/4 Dynamax Headers, X pipe, & Borlas
The car makes 525 rwhp so I would think you would be very close to this.
Make sure you use the restricted push rods and drill the lifter trays.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 218
Likes: 3
Got it thanks. That is a strong build!
Any more options other than Comp cam High Tech and Smith Brothers for those pushrods? One of the local engine builders here mentioned another name but I can't remember it now...
I am also running 6 (3 per head) external oil drain lines.
Any more options other than Comp cam High Tech and Smith Brothers for those pushrods? One of the local engine builders here mentioned another name but I can't remember it now...
I am also running 6 (3 per head) external oil drain lines.
Last edited by Z06VENOM; Mar 3, 2015 at 02:37 PM.
Supporting Vendor
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 3,332
Likes: 195
From: Frederick Maryland
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12, '14-'15-'16-'17-'18
We made 511 RWHP with 22X/22X 112 LSA cam. Bone stock LS3 heads with upgraded valve springs and RKT Performance ported stock LS3 intake and LS2 TB. You should be over 500. 
__________________
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 3,904
Likes: 29
From: Vancouver Washington
[QUOTE=Z06VENOM;1589095302]Got it thanks. That is a strong build!
Any more options other than Comp cam High Tech and Smith Brothers for those pushrods? One of the local engine builders here mentioned another name but I can't remember it now...
Those are the only two that I'm familiar with too.
I am also running 6 (3 per head) external oil drain lines.
SWEET! Oh I wish.
Any more options other than Comp cam High Tech and Smith Brothers for those pushrods? One of the local engine builders here mentioned another name but I can't remember it now...
Those are the only two that I'm familiar with too.
I am also running 6 (3 per head) external oil drain lines.
SWEET! Oh I wish.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 218
Likes: 3
Must be your intake porting. Pm me some more info on that please.
Last edited by Z06VENOM; Mar 5, 2015 at 11:52 AM.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 218
Likes: 3
[QUOTE=Last C5;1589104646]
Yeah I hope this will deal with the LS3 oiling problems. With under $500 and a few hrs of machining invested in this I can alsways go dry sump later, figured this is worth a shot👍
Got it thanks. That is a strong build!
Any more options other than Comp cam High Tech and Smith Brothers for those pushrods? One of the local engine builders here mentioned another name but I can't remember it now...
Those are the only two that I'm familiar with too.
I am also running 6 (3 per head) external oil drain lines.
SWEET! Oh I wish.
Any more options other than Comp cam High Tech and Smith Brothers for those pushrods? One of the local engine builders here mentioned another name but I can't remember it now...
Those are the only two that I'm familiar with too.
I am also running 6 (3 per head) external oil drain lines.
SWEET! Oh I wish.
Last edited by Z06VENOM; Mar 5, 2015 at 12:05 PM.
Supporting Vendor
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 3,332
Likes: 195
From: Frederick Maryland
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12, '14-'15-'16-'17-'18
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 218
Likes: 3
Oil drain lines
Ls1/6 map sensor
I ended up using Ls1/6 knock sensors
All ready to go in.
A few questions on the tuning/wiring.
1. Will my Bosh 36# injector tables work for the LS3 injectors?
2. What about the fuel return setup? Do I just block off the return fuel line and leave that little plug hanging? What if any do I need for the fuel system?
3. Ls2 Throttle body... Any programming needed to run?
Thanks
Ls1/6 map sensor
I ended up using Ls1/6 knock sensors
All ready to go in.
A few questions on the tuning/wiring.
1. Will my Bosh 36# injector tables work for the LS3 injectors?
2. What about the fuel return setup? Do I just block off the return fuel line and leave that little plug hanging? What if any do I need for the fuel system?
3. Ls2 Throttle body... Any programming needed to run?
Thanks
Last edited by Z06VENOM; Mar 30, 2015 at 09:38 AM.