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There are hundreds of different engines you can swap into a car. The LS swap is one of the most popular and most hated on in the car scene. Here’s my argument for why it’s the only engine to pick for a build.
LS swaps are VERY popular. There's a Porsche running around the Cary NC area with an LS1 in it. I saw it parked near a repair garage. Couldn't tell there was a LS stuffed in there.
I have no idea why the Forum Editors linked it to the C7 section. I would have thought the C5 or C6 would have been a better choice.
LS swaps are VERY popular. There's a Porsche running around the Cary NC area with an LS1 in it. I saw it parked near a repair garage. Couldn't tell there was a LS stuffed in there.
I have no idea why the Forum Editors linked it to the C7 section. I would have thought the C5 or C6 would have been a better choice.
Well, the C7R uses a LS7 7L block and not a LT1 or LT4 block, for their premiere race car(a C7).
It's what the sanctioning body will allow, if the Supercharged LT4 was legal for competition there, I'm sure it would already be there.
As for the point of the mod, perhaps this is in part a response to several of the threads I've seen posted about people with various LT engine failures (so far I've only seen modified ones failed, but I'm new here ).
As the LS itself would be a cheap replacement, the question then is how expensive it would be to get the car to operate how you want it.
In a no longer street driven competition vehicle, or track day screamer, it might be less expensive than building a damaged LT to your chosen power level.
On a street car, I would expect a significant expense ($$$$) just to get it to stop throwing codes, never mind the legality of it with emissions; unless you con them into signing off an e-Rod LS3 package, which costs more than an LT1 "take out."
To be clear, in this case I'm including salvage yard engines in "take out" (found a just short of $12K dry sump LT1 W/ a claimed 10 miles on it in Phoenix )
Last edited by Nexxussian; 10-16-2017 at 05:19 PM.
It's what the sanctioning body will allow, if the Supercharged LT4 was legal for competition there, I'm sure it would already be there.
As for the point of the mod, perhaps this is in part a response to several of the threads I've seen posted about people with various LT engine failures (so far I've only seen modified ones failed, but I'm new here ).
As the LS itself would be a cheap replacement, the question then is how expensive it would be to get the car to operate how you want it.
In a no longer street driven competition vehicle, or track day screamer, it might be less expensive than building a damaged LT to your chosen power level.
On a street car, I would expect a significant expense ($$$$) just to get it to stop throwing codes, never mind the legality of it with emissions; unless you con them into signing off an e-Rod LS3 package, which costs more than an LT1 "take out."
To be clear, in this case I'm including salvage yard engines in "take out" (found a just short of $12K dry sump LT1 W/ a claimed 10 miles on it in Phoenix )
The choice of the block casting has nothing to do with what the sanctioning body will allow in the case of the C7R. The choice of the LS7 block casting has nothing to do whether the production model has an engine that is forced induction or normally aspirated.
The LS7 block casting is a better choice in which to make a 5.5L engine from and is actually cheaper/easier/stronger to reduce the displacement down from 7 liters to 5.5 liters vs a LT1 or LT4 block casting. The 5.5L displacement is the only thing the sanctioning body is concerned with as far as the block goes, and that the engine is normally aspirated.
While the C7R uses the LS7 block casting, it does use special heads that are based on the LS7 heads that have Direct Injection instead of the stock LS7 heads that have port injection.
The choice of the block casting has nothing to do with what the sanctioning body will allow in the case of the C7R. The choice of the LS7 block casting has nothing to do whether the production model has an engine that is forced induction or normally aspirated.
The LS7 block casting is a better choice in which to make a 5.5L engine from and is actually cheaper/easier/stronger to reduce the displacement down from 7 liters to 5.5 liters vs a LT1 or LT4 block casting. The 5.5L displacement is the only thing the sanctioning body is concerned with as far as the block goes, and that the engine is normally aspirated.
While the C7R uses the LS7 block casting, it does use special heads that are based on the LS7 heads that have Direct Injection instead of the stock LS7 heads that have port injection.
Thanks, I was referring to not being able to run forced induction, in the Corvette at least, in those racing classes.
I've long said I preferred the feel of the LS motor over the LT. I've never been able to put my finger on why... I had 3 ls powered cars the c5, c6, and gen 2 cts v and never wanted more power in any of them. The lt1 in my c7 never gave me the feeling that my LS motors always did. I loved my c7 but it always felt less powerful to me even though HP ratings said otherwise (not counting the V).
Last edited by brooklync5; 10-16-2017 at 07:02 PM.
inexpensive, powerful, relatively simple, dependable, low height...I could go on and on; my son bought a '92 Nissan 240 SX with an LS swap and the correct Tremec six speed. An amazing car to drive and reasonable to own.........I won't even begin to account for all the different makes and models with LS swaps!
The LS3 in our 2009 C6 (traded for C7) is my all time favorite engine. Yes, our LT1 makes a little more power, but despite the flat power curve it seems a bit erratic in normal driving. Maybe because of the V4 mode.
The LS3 in our 2009 C6 (traded for C7) is my all time favorite engine. Yes, our LT1 makes a little more power, but despite the flat power curve it seems a bit erratic in normal driving. Maybe because of the V4 mode.
That's not a fair comparison then. Disable the AFM on the LT1 and then compare them.
I can't do any comparison at all at this point though, even though I have a C7 on order I have actually never driven one! But I do have experience with LS motors though, I bought a 98 Firebird Formula (LS1) brand new in 98 and kept for almost 3 years, and then I had another LS1 (98 Corvette) for 9 years and for the past 4.5 years I've had my LS2 Corvette.
10-16-2017, 11:46 AM
Why the LS is the Greatest Engine
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