LS3 performance?
Racer
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 473
Likes: 1
From: Oklahoma
My gs weighs 3277 with 5 gallons in it. My 02 ta weighs 3452 with 5 gallons in it. Both are listed on the title.
Thats a 200 pound difference. Now a formula tells us that 200 pounds is in the ballpark of 20 hp sotp feeling. Now if his ta had 430 at the wheels compared to an ls3 which has roughly 380 to the wheels. Thats 50 hp difference. His ta should still feel faster because it has 30 more real world power (minus the 20 for weight).
But i was in the same boat. The ls3 feels (and is) much faster and more powerful than my modified ws6.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 2,246
Likes: 5
From: West Coast
One forum member was running meth, 7psi, conservative tune and his engine grenaded around 30k miles. He even admitted that a FI LS7 will eventually fail in the short term.
BUT if guys run FI, I don't see the motor lasting for more than 50k miles with that setup, without encountering major problems.
Now, with the LS9, that is a totally different animal. Think about it, at 650HP, boost and with a 100,000 mile warranty.
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 11,734
Likes: 15
From: SC
Does it really matter if the LS7 can handle FI for 100k miles?? It's already a 10 sec car with DR's bone stock. A mild cam+bolt-on's would make it what? Mid-low 10 sec potential? The LS7 is suited for NA, with all the mods available a reliable streetable setup is cheaper staying NA then going blown in Z06 world. That's where I'd be headed if I wanted more hp with an LS7.
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 19,459
Likes: 48
From: Schaumburg IL
CI 7-8-9-11 Veteran
St. Jude Donor '06-'10, '13
What I see is guys running conservative tunes, low psi (7 or less), are getting around 30k miles before they have catastrophic problems (engine failure).
One forum member was running meth, 7psi, conservative tune and his engine grenaded around 30k miles. He even admitted that a FI LS7 will eventually fail in the short term.
I believe the LS7 is a great motor (except for the dropped valve issue/rocker arm issues) and in stock form (maybe a small tune) can easily see over 100k miles.
BUT if guys run FI, I don't see the motor lasting for more than 50k miles with that setup, without encountering major problems.
Now, with the LS9, that is a totally different animal. Think about it, at 650HP, boost and with a 100,000 mile warranty.
One forum member was running meth, 7psi, conservative tune and his engine grenaded around 30k miles. He even admitted that a FI LS7 will eventually fail in the short term.
I believe the LS7 is a great motor (except for the dropped valve issue/rocker arm issues) and in stock form (maybe a small tune) can easily see over 100k miles.
BUT if guys run FI, I don't see the motor lasting for more than 50k miles with that setup, without encountering major problems.
Now, with the LS9, that is a totally different animal. Think about it, at 650HP, boost and with a 100,000 mile warranty.
I wonder if the LS9 will last into the C7, or better yet, the next LSx motor for the C7 could just be the LS9 platform.Yea, I think people have to look at the LS7 for what it is, more of a NA beast
and that is what it was designed for. On the rocker arm issue I think you referring to the needle bearing problem correct? That was an isolated issue I think on early built 07's from what I read on the thread in the Z06 forum.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 5,709
Likes: 6
From: Midwest
Well just using math and weight/power ratio's i'll say this.
My gs weighs 3277 with 5 gallons in it. My 02 ta weighs 3452 with 5 gallons in it. Both are listed on the title.
Thats a 200 pound difference. Now a formula tells us that 200 pounds is in the ballpark of 20 hp sotp feeling. Now if his ta had 430 at the wheels compared to an ls3 which has roughly 380 to the wheels. Thats 50 hp difference. His ta should still feel faster because it has 30 more real world power (minus the 20 for weight).
But i was in the same boat. The ls3 feels (and is) much faster and more powerful than my modified ws6.
My gs weighs 3277 with 5 gallons in it. My 02 ta weighs 3452 with 5 gallons in it. Both are listed on the title.
Thats a 200 pound difference. Now a formula tells us that 200 pounds is in the ballpark of 20 hp sotp feeling. Now if his ta had 430 at the wheels compared to an ls3 which has roughly 380 to the wheels. Thats 50 hp difference. His ta should still feel faster because it has 30 more real world power (minus the 20 for weight).
But i was in the same boat. The ls3 feels (and is) much faster and more powerful than my modified ws6.
One would think that the 300# difference would mean 30whp.
It didn't.
Same with the Camaro SS's I ran. Most dyno around 370whp-380whp. I guess my WS6 prolly made around 300whp (stock 6-speed). With me in it, it would have weighed 3820. Yet the Camaro SS's I ran were also dead-even with me.
That means that the SS with 1 average guy in it (in one case) has to weigh 4620#.
It's possible, but I don't think they are THAT heavy.
Last edited by BSSN; Jul 22, 2010 at 01:51 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 30,183
Likes: 313
From: Lake Norman NC
Does it really matter if the LS7 can handle FI for 100k miles?? It's already a 10 sec car with DR's bone stock. A mild cam+bolt-on's would make it what? Mid-low 10 sec potential? The LS7 is suited for NA, with all the mods available a reliable streetable setup is cheaper staying NA then going blown in Z06 world. That's where I'd be headed if I wanted more hp with an LS7.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 5,709
Likes: 6
From: Midwest
Agreed. I re-read your post. I agree the F-body cars were very close 1/4 mile wise to the LS1 C5's.. normally that comes down to a drivers race since the cars essentialy have the same engine...in fact, I know myself being a former Z28LS1 owner, the F-body cars are alot easier to launch vs the launching the Vette with its IRS.
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 30,183
Likes: 313
From: Lake Norman NC
Most of my runs were highway punches. This all but eliminated driver-error and should have been power/weight only. Yet I never lost to a stock C5 and was dead-even with every 2010 SS I ever raced after the first 1/4 second where they would pull about 1 yard on me and then stay dead-locked (maybe that 1 yard was b/c I always gave them the hit and punched it after I saw the nose lift?).
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Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 5,709
Likes: 6
From: Midwest
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 30,183
Likes: 313
From: Lake Norman NC
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 5,709
Likes: 6
From: Midwest
Yeah, when I was younger I didn't know what the big deal was. Now that I have decent income, I see how ugly they can be. Especially considering that they go to things that I think are wasteful and encourage sloth. I am all for maintaining roads, public libraries, health-clinics, etc. But WIC, HR3200, etc. etc. is a joke (a bad one). It gets milked more than it gets used based on what I have seen when I was rotating through the WIC and other financial assistance type centers.
