Recap of driving the Sky as a turbo-4 and then getting swapped to a big cam 480-hp LS3 with Camaro 2010 6-speed. Includes starting, idling, driving, and autocross footage.
Thanks man, well done video. I put a Perf Autowerks Stage II turbo on my 2.4L base, '06 Solstice. Blew my engine when the cheap wastegate melted down. Anyways, swapped out the engine, bought a quality wastegate and had no more trouble. Recently sold the base and bought a Mallet (400HP, LS2 V8), 5SP standard. I do autocross and time attack. These are great cars.
Definitely appreciate the video.. very interested and purchasing a sky or solstice and doing the LS swamp... Was curious like everyone else is to roughly what was the amount to get everything to the point you have it but I see it's clear you're avoiding that question... Thanks again for posting
Totally happy with my Sky and can shift with two fingers. Do love to see what other Sky owners can do with theirs though. They can go sideways in an instant and your kind of horse would get me in trouble.
Great video. You asked if driving the Sky stock was more or less fun then with a LS. The stock 2.4 is a very torquey motor and had a lot of fun with it but I couldn't leave it alone :) First putting the DDM works MP62 kit on it was fun but I wanted more so I built a 1.6L screw Lysholm (Swiss made Wipple) supercharger kit for the 2.4 with 2.0 head and comp cams pushing right at 430 hp was a ton of fun and fast. Now here is your answer lol actually more fun than my full race 700hp LS3 stroker. Unless you're racing it, it just has too much power for fun spirited street driving. Does it go?? Oh Hell yes it does. I had the motor built for me but I did everything else myself with some help over the phone from Brian Cooper (KappaHause) I did it quick becasue I was excited but now after a few years I'm going to pull the engine, rerun wires and clean things before putting the engine back in. I need to make less of a race car and more of a fun street reliable car again. Hey a quick question what battery are you running? This 650 CC Am battery barely starts this stroker. Tried a red top gel and those are junk. I may install another battery in the trunk not sure yet. Thanks
I have an Optima red top and it starts my car just fine. I’ve had a couple over the years and they have always been ok for me. I also had a lithium battery, and I love that it’s only 5 pounds, but I was having some electrical gremlins and I was not sure if it was because of the battery or something else in the car, so I put the regular battery back in so I could see if that changed anything or made any problems go away, now they weren’t very often or persistent. It was very sporadic, so it’s hard to say if the lithium battery was actually creating a problem or not.
I have 480 HP and that is just about right. Much more and it would be all tire spin. I agree 700 is way too much for the street, maybe even for a track.
Wow. I want to LS swap my Solstice one day. Right now it's just got a tune and some bolt-ons, stock turbo and puts out around 300hp. I remember one time I pulled up to a meet and one of the Corvette guys said "He got a small engine"!! 😂
Very cool. Did you switch to a TR-6060 transmission? One of these is next on my swap list. Currently shopping for the right deal on sky. Wife wants a 2dr roadster with a manual and these are perfect. Right now I’m putting an ls3 into an s10. I went with the 430hp version from GM and swapped in just a slightly bigger cam than the 480hp version. Too close to 500 to not push it over. I’ve since picked up a gen 4 aluminum 5.3 core and I’ll be building a supercharged stroker out of that for the s10. Then put the ls3 into a sky.
Yes, a 6060 from a 2010 era Camaro. One thing is I want to adjust the position of the shifter handle, for autocross I like to sit a little closer to the wheel and the shift lever feels a little too far backward. So, make sure you tweak your placement before buttoning it all up.
This build look so much fun for the track. So nice to ear the V8 sound without a roof in the summer, how does it handle and would you say 430hp is enough power instead ?
Handling is still very good, obvi it's heavier now but the added power and torque make up for that for acceleration, cornering is still very good, and I didn't have enough time this fall to really truly test the handling limits now. Acceleration is great at all RPM's, so you can't feel the weight from a pure speed point of view. Is 430HP enough? For most people probably yes. If you don't actually race (autoX or drag or timed track events) then it's enough. I can spin my street tires (245s) in 1st, 2nd, 3rd gear if I'm not careful, and that still might be true of 430hp, but if you keep it hooked up, it moves.
Yes its the factory rear, but I later changed it to a different ratio. There are a couple different ratios and case styles with different nose mounts. It cost a lot.
Aluminum. The LS plus transmission added about 200 pounds, but it's still balanced 51/49. But I can feel the front is heavier during autocross. With all the power I need the back heavier to have traction!
Hey I have quite a few questions ld like to ask u I also have a sky and looking to go ls if u have any ways of messaging besides the comments please let me know
You should join the Facebook group "KappaSwap" and can ask there, or also read up on SolsticeForum or SkyRoadster.com (not all swaps but other general discussion).
The cars dynamics are destroyed..big heavy v8 in the front, destroying the balance and handling..the car will understeer much more than normal and now the rear will want to sing out because its so light in comparison to the front. Good for straight line performance but that is not what the car was designed for in the first place.
The handling is not "destroyed", when I got it weighed it was 51/49 still, tho that belies that there is +200 lbs up front, really (I would like to get it on a better set of scales TBH). Yes I can feel a difference, because I'm tuned to it more than most. But it's not "real bad". Yes it could definitely use more rear weight now, with a lot more low RPM torque, it will be able to spin tire a lot quicker than even a well tuned turbo car. I can say this is a LOT more fun than before at all speeds, and handles just about as well at most speeds, and is a lot faster accelerating than before.
@@SuperMacGuy I shouldnt have used the word "Destroyed" but most def the cars handling wont be the same. Alot more fun that what?...the standard 2.4 ?? or the GXP 260 HP?...Are you saying the LS3 is only 200 pounds heavier than the 2 L??? Sorry that I cannot believe, seems like it should be about 350 pounds heavier at least. To each his own I guess, but my GXP with 330 HP is super fast and I wouldnt want the handling to be degraded because where I live I can do some spirited driving and like the way the car behaves. Also, unless you get that car on a track and push it to its limits then you will really see the difference in handling with the bigger motor.
Enjoyed watching & listening to your review & perspective of a LS3 V8 Kappa.
Thanks man, well done video. I put a Perf Autowerks Stage II turbo on my 2.4L base, '06 Solstice. Blew my engine when the cheap wastegate melted down. Anyways, swapped out the engine, bought a quality wastegate and had no more trouble. Recently sold the base and bought a Mallet (400HP, LS2 V8), 5SP standard. I do autocross and time attack. These are great cars.
What was total price for engine and cost to swap out?
AWESOME!! the Sky looks way better than the Solstice 👍👍
Absolutely!
Dave does nice work at performance auto works. I bought the assassin's package rockin 550 horse i love dat v8 roar very nice enjoy 😊
Definitely appreciate the video.. very interested and purchasing a sky or solstice and doing the LS swamp... Was curious like everyone else is to roughly what was the amount to get everything to the point you have it but I see it's clear you're avoiding that question... Thanks again for posting
Totally happy with my Sky and can shift with two fingers. Do love to see what other Sky owners can do with theirs though. They can go sideways in an instant and your kind of horse would get me in trouble.
Great video. You asked if driving the Sky stock was more or less fun then with a LS. The stock 2.4 is a very torquey motor and had a lot of fun with it but I couldn't leave it alone :) First putting the DDM works MP62 kit on it was fun but I wanted more so I built a 1.6L screw Lysholm (Swiss made Wipple) supercharger kit for the 2.4 with 2.0 head and comp cams pushing right at 430 hp was a ton of fun and fast. Now here is your answer lol actually more fun than my full race 700hp LS3 stroker. Unless you're racing it, it just has too much power for fun spirited street driving. Does it go?? Oh Hell yes it does. I had the motor built for me but I did everything else myself with some help over the phone from Brian Cooper (KappaHause) I did it quick becasue I was excited but now after a few years I'm going to pull the engine, rerun wires and clean things before putting the engine back in. I need to make less of a race car and more of a fun street reliable car again.
Hey a quick question what battery are you running? This 650 CC Am battery barely starts this stroker. Tried a red top gel and those are junk. I may install another battery in the trunk not sure yet.
Thanks
I have an Optima red top and it starts my car just fine. I’ve had a couple over the years and they have always been ok for me. I also had a lithium battery, and I love that it’s only 5 pounds, but I was having some electrical gremlins and I was not sure if it was because of the battery or something else in the car, so I put the regular battery back in so I could see if that changed anything or made any problems go away, now they weren’t very often or persistent. It was very sporadic, so it’s hard to say if the lithium battery was actually creating a problem or not.
I have 480 HP and that is just about right. Much more and it would be all tire spin. I agree 700 is way too much for the street, maybe even for a track.
Would have been nice to hear more about the procedure. Like, transmission? Mounts? Wiring harness? Rear axle?
Wow. I want to LS swap my Solstice one day. Right now it's just got a tune and some bolt-ons, stock turbo and puts out around 300hp.
I remember one time I pulled up to a meet and one of the Corvette guys said "He got a small engine"!! 😂
Very cool. Did you switch to a TR-6060 transmission? One of these is next on my swap list. Currently shopping for the right deal on sky. Wife wants a 2dr roadster with a manual and these are perfect. Right now I’m putting an ls3 into an s10. I went with the 430hp version from GM and swapped in just a slightly bigger cam than the 480hp version. Too close to 500 to not push it over. I’ve since picked up a gen 4 aluminum 5.3 core and I’ll be building a supercharged stroker out of that for the s10. Then put the ls3 into a sky.
Yes, a 6060 from a 2010 era Camaro. One thing is I want to adjust the position of the shifter handle, for autocross I like to sit a little closer to the wheel and the shift lever feels a little too far backward. So, make sure you tweak your placement before buttoning it all up.
I own a redline and it is fast enough for me.. I leave everyone when I step on the gas. It is fast enough and handles great.
Boost didn't drop... Max Air Load Torque dropped prior to fuel cut. :)
This build look so much fun for the track. So nice to ear the V8 sound without a roof in the summer, how does it handle and would you say 430hp is enough power instead ?
Handling is still very good, obvi it's heavier now but the added power and torque make up for that for acceleration, cornering is still very good, and I didn't have enough time this fall to really truly test the handling limits now. Acceleration is great at all RPM's, so you can't feel the weight from a pure speed point of view. Is 430HP enough? For most people probably yes. If you don't actually race (autoX or drag or timed track events) then it's enough. I can spin my street tires (245s) in 1st, 2nd, 3rd gear if I'm not careful, and that still might be true of 430hp, but if you keep it hooked up, it moves.
The handling will be severely degraded...if I put my 320 HP Solstice GXP on a track vs this car I would get better lap times...
I used to race with a guy that had a Supra swapped inline 6. He would flat out annihilate dodge vipers in the straightaways.
Did you keep the factory rear end? How much did the shop charge for the work?
Amazing vid, thx
Yes its the factory rear, but I later changed it to a different ratio. There are a couple different ratios and case styles with different nose mounts. It cost a lot.
Awesome build!! What location is this?
Ok so how much total to do this ?
A lot.
nah I done this for $4k plus the motor in 04@@SuperMacGuy
So several people asked what the cost of this swap was but no replies 🙄
Great video! What wheel and tire setup do you have on your Sky?
Stock rims currently "for the street" with Conti DWS06; for autocross its BCForged KL01 style 18x11 with 315 BFG Rivals
@SuperMacGuy oh wow. The 315s fit without rubbing? Attempting to put together a decent tire rim combo with Michelin Pilot Sport 4s.
Is your LS3 an iron block or aluminum? How much more does the LS weigh as opposed to the I-4? Looks like a nice conversion.
Aluminum. The LS plus transmission added about 200 pounds, but it's still balanced 51/49. But I can feel the front is heavier during autocross. With all the power I need the back heavier to have traction!
Nice trailer hitch, can you still buy that and if so where?
I got it from ETrailer.com, it is the Curt brand, but seems like that might not be made any more. There were other brands as well.
How did you modify the center counsel so nicely for roll bar to clear?
I carefully cut circular holes but left the leather on, and then used contact cement to re-glue the leather around the edge of the holes.
@@SuperMacGuy I see. What did you use to cut the holes I assume from underneath? I have a GXP and looking at getting the roll bar.
How car i get that roll cage in my Saturn?
RPM Rollbar: www.rpmrollbar.com/collections/gm/products/pontiac-solstice-rollbar
What coolant temps are you seeing?
195 while driving, 203 while sitting idling, in ~70 degree air temperature.
You talked way too much about the trip to PAW and skipped what transmission is installed
Sweet
What did you pay total for swap?
A lot.
@SuperMacGuy I have the car and the motor. Just trying to get an idea what it's going to cost to bring it to life with swap
Hey I have quite a few questions ld like to ask u I also have a sky and looking to go ls if u have any ways of messaging besides the comments please let me know
You should join the Facebook group "KappaSwap" and can ask there, or also read up on SolsticeForum or SkyRoadster.com (not all swaps but other general discussion).
that exhaust would get annoying after 2 days
Only if you don’t like V8s I guess 🤷♂️. Because it’s awesome like it is.
You put me to sleep
The cars dynamics are destroyed..big heavy v8 in the front, destroying the balance and handling..the car will understeer much more than normal and now the rear will want to sing out because its so light in comparison to the front. Good for straight line performance but that is not what the car was designed for in the first place.
The handling is not "destroyed", when I got it weighed it was 51/49 still, tho that belies that there is +200 lbs up front, really (I would like to get it on a better set of scales TBH). Yes I can feel a difference, because I'm tuned to it more than most. But it's not "real bad". Yes it could definitely use more rear weight now, with a lot more low RPM torque, it will be able to spin tire a lot quicker than even a well tuned turbo car. I can say this is a LOT more fun than before at all speeds, and handles just about as well at most speeds, and is a lot faster accelerating than before.
@@SuperMacGuy I shouldnt have used the word "Destroyed" but most def the cars handling wont be the same. Alot more fun that what?...the standard 2.4 ?? or the GXP 260 HP?...Are you saying the LS3 is only 200 pounds heavier than the 2 L??? Sorry that I cannot believe, seems like it should be about 350 pounds heavier at least. To each his own I guess, but my GXP with 330 HP is super fast and I wouldnt want the handling to be degraded because where I live I can do some spirited driving and like the way the car behaves. Also, unless you get that car on a track and push it to its limits then you will really see the difference in handling with the bigger motor.
@@FyreSturmOfficial had lots of V8 cars in my life..not envy just the facts..
why factory exaust? poor saound
It’s not factory exhaust, it’s full custom. It sounds great. Log shaped headers because no space for tubular.