Hey guys. I'm planning a build on my boosted stock bottom end LS2. I want to go forged, beef it up a little, and not worry so much about grenading it everytime I go WOT. I had a few questions I'm sure everyone's experience can easily answer.

Motor is relatively mild right now with an A&A V2 kit making 11.8 lbs of boost. ZR1 cam, full return style fuel system, kooks headers and flowmaster exhaust gives me 650 rwhp and 600 ft lbs. I do not want to make more power in the future, I only want to make this motor bullet proof at the current power level for many future miles and drag passes. I don't want to go down the slippery slope of going overkill with it and spending more than I have to, but I'm will to put money where I need to in order to do it right.

Current build plan is as follows

Wiseco pistons. Would be hard to talk me out of this one. Should I keep stock CR though? Their only shelf-stock items other than stock CR are like 9.5 CR which seems too low for my boost level and I dont want to get custom ones made.

ZR1 head gasket, stock crank with Clevite P series cam, rod, and main bearings.

ARP main studs and head studs. Hone .005 over with torque plate and line hone the main.
Check the deck on block and heads and machine if necessary.

Upgrade pushrods, not sure what kind yet, suggestions for stock replacement? Upgrade stock rockers with bronze bushings. Valve springs are already upgraded.

Balance rotating assembly.

And the rods, my real question. I'm between Wiseco Boost Line rods or Texas Speed and Performance I-beam rods. I would love to use the Wiseco rods cause they're sexy as hell and I like Wiseco, but I think they are over kill and weigt a lot, 700 grams. Stock rods weight around 650 grams. Not sure what the TSP rods weigh. I really don't want H-beam either. I know everyone seams to use Compstar but I'm hesitant. Do you think the Wiseco rods weigh too much for my hp levels conpared to what they can handle? Will the weight increase be too much of a sacrifice for rev-up speed, bearing life, vibration, ect? I dont want to make more power but I don't want to lose power either or sacrifice anything else.

Let me know what you think and if Im missing anything. I plan on doing the tear down and assemble myself so I'll do a build thread once I get going. Might be a few months though as I'm deploying, but it'll give me time to acquire everything. Thanks.

 

What fuel? I wouldn’t lower it that’s for sure. Callie’s rods are what I’d get.

 

You mentioned that you want the motor to be bullet proof at 650rw for future miles and drag passes.

I would say that what you have is currently up to the task. There aren't any forged parts that you can add to the car that will keep it from failing if something goes wrong. Make sure that your tune is conservative for all operating conditions that the car will experience. Maintain it, keep the oil changed, use fuel with the correct octane.

I personally would not spend money on a forged engine to make 650rw. I might at some point change the head gaskets and use new studs or bolts depending on the mileage and how hard the car gets ran. Other than that, enjoy it.

 

Thanks for the replies. Car runs on 93 octane currently in Florida, no meth or E85. It was tuned in Las Vegas last with only 91 octane available. I've always asked for a super safe and conservative tune, this car has never been about making the most power and to be honest, what I have now is plenty.

I want to change out the pistons because I'm worried about that upper ring land breaking off I hear of so often. Since I'm getting pistons might as well do rods too, especially because finding pistons for stock rod length is difficult.

I really want to change out the stock head gasket for an ls9 gasket and ARP studs, but don't want to put the studs in without honing it first with a torque plate.

I don't know if its the catless headers and flow master exhaust making her scream when I get on it, but it makes me afraid to really get on it anymore, its so loud I'm always afraid somethings about to go. I just want to be able to get on it again without being worried all the time.

 

my 05' ls2 has wiseco pistons (4.005) that are supposed to be stock like compression minus a little for cutting for valve reliefs, k1 rods @ 6.125, and k1 crank at stock specs... all the bearings are coated... ls9 headgaskets... arp bolts and studs everywhere throughout motor... lingenfelter oil pump... texas speed pushrods... brian tooley trunions for rockers... brian tooley valvesprings... Johnson lifters... cam motion blower cam...

 

So I decided to just go with the Wiseco Boostline rods. I emailed them about a piston in my target C/R range and asked about getting a custom set made. I've decided that since I'll have the motor to handle more power, I'll just offset any disadvantages of heavier pistons and rods by putting a smaller pully on the S/C and upping the boost a little. Its got a 3.8" pully now with stock diameter HB so theres room to spin it faster. This will means the boost will come on sooner too which will be nice. I've got the fuel system to handle it so why not. I'll just need a retune but thats no big deal.

 

I live 6 miles from the plant. My good friend Jeff handles most of the custom piston orders for them. I Know a lot of guys that work there and they really do, do nice work and care about what they do. I run there stuff and have zero issues. You will be happy with what you get.

 

Next time you see Jeff, ask him why it took about two months to get a set of custom pistons for a 427 shipped to Texas.

 

I will