I so agree. When I was a teen in the '70's, I always assumed that the golden age of hot rodding ended by 1972. Now, you see guys our age doing LS swaps into cars from our era. I'm starting to pull my head out of my ass and catch up to the times, lol
The LS has gotten so good and so affordable that even the guys with Japanese or German sports cars are putting an LS in their car when the time comes. For example: ua-cam.com/video/nCXfXX8z8wQ/v-deo.html Why? Because even an LS 6.0 iron block gives an old Nissan 300ZX a better weight distribution and reliability versus the original twin turbo V6 iron block engine: ua-cam.com/video/nCXfXX8z8wQ/v-deo.html
My teacher was mr Brian O'Connor he told me engine rebuilds are a dying art and i shouldnt focus to hard on it... here i am building a 5.3 in my apartment as a blown g35 waits in the parking lot
If you look at the videos I've uploaded, you'll find one titled "Callies 4.6 inch Ultra Billet crank in an RHS block." That is the bottom end of my 502ci/8.2L LS in my 2007 Z06 (the yellow you see at the edge of frame). It's pretty wild hearing that many cubes spin 7200 RPM. It makes approx 800 horsepower naturally aspirated.
I love your videos man, but that dog killed it for me in the background on this one. You are very accurate and honest with your opinions and facts. Thanks
It’s so cool listening and learning from you. Love how you explain complex stuff, make sense of it all with an unbiased angle, so laymen like me can understand the intricacies of building engines, thus giving guys and Giles the confidence to go ahead with a project. An Honest, true, fair, knowledgeable, gracious, genius. Please keep making these videos. Regards
There use to be a saying, " fast, cheap, reliable. You can only pick two. Fast and cheap won't be reliable. Fast and reliable won't be cheap. Reliable and cheap won't be fast." The 3rd gen sb or "LS" changed that!
great video. I'm an ls1 owner soaking up real world knowledge of the platform. I find input from people like you absolutely invaluable. it carries so much more weight to me than any corporate tv show or blog. I love what you are doing. I am going to search your previous video posts for oil based content. What you use and recommend seeing that are really building and running these motors. If you haven't done any vids about your oil experiences I think it would be like youtube biblical content. it's impossible to find real information that isn't bought and paid for on youtube or any other communication platform. So if have posted that kind of video I'll find it if not please pass on your wealth of knowledge please. I just subscribed and am looking forward to more of your posts. thanks brother.
I've rebuilt many old school small blocks. Always wanted to do an LS. The electronics intimidate me though. Glad you're doing this series. Will follow this series closely. Thank you very much.
Don't forget the SBC is a 23-degree head vs a 15-degree LS head. Plus GM put really big runners on the LS @ 210cc vs the small 170cc stock heads. That valve angle is key in head flow. That's why all the really serious SBCs that run big HP #s are 18 degree or more on the valve angle.
You should show a radical SBC like the SB2.2 ( If you can find one ) You can tell Chevy took a lot of engineering from the Nascar SBC's and put them in the LS.
The LS engines are id say just about the best design out there , the Nelson brothers have been making massive power numbers and very strong design also
You mean the experimental "Crammer" engine that was not available to the public ? Don't really count man if the public did not have it. Anyways OHC was not created by ford. Dusenburg was making DOHC in the 20's.
Engine was far from experimental. It was ready to go until NASCAR changed the rules to outlaw them. Ford sold the engine direct to customers. The engine was very successful in drag racing. I never said Ford invented OHC...those are your words. I referenced an OHC engine that predated the Lotus LT5 by 25 years.
Excellent video! Everything you said is spot on. Anyone who has built old style small and big blocks who thinks an LS build is beyond their ability is wrong, I speak from personal experience. Super affordable, easy to build, and super rewarding when completed! 👍🏻
I stumbled upon your video because I'm doing research for the LS3 to go into my 69 Camaro. You just validated my decision to take this route vs SBC. I've now watched several of your videos, very easy/informative for DIYs like me. Thanks from Colorado!
I owned 3 2nd gen Camaros, I can tell you why. The exhaust routing puts the collector flange right under the front floorboards because the engine is set so far back. All you have is a thin firewall between you and the 4 inches your foot is from the head pipe.
vintage iron.. oh ya !! I backyard built a 454 with LS5 heads, bowl job with a comp 2030 cam, headers and an rpm and quadrajet. Stuffed it into an 80 trans am with a built 700R4... and the thing has no faults … really. pulls the front end enough to loose steering and gets 30mpg on the highway !!! no faults that I can see. BUT, I get it. the LS is an awesome platform and i'm going to have to try one. soon. That being said, … would you recommend a mild vortec 454 or an LS for a beautiful 85 chevy camper van... it's raised roof, only 60k miles when I got it and the tired old drivetrain had the hell beat out of it from the PO , from what i'm reading, trying to keep it from stalling when the choke and the spartk control stuff stopped working correctly. Haven't weighed the van yet, but it's a heavy chevy and it's going to take lots of low end torque to keep me happy.
The main reason I won't swap one into a classic truck or car is they dont have the SOUND. They just dont. I dont care about 1000 horsepower and all that....im good with 400hp. But in a old school truck it just doesn't sound right without the old school motor thumping under the hood. The LS just sounds totally different
I love what I had done with my 04 5.3. Fully decked heads, some kinda hot cam, long tubes, electric fans, cold air intake, 4:10 gears, and nicely built 4l60 with a good stall converter. luckily though, I I had a tuner who knew what he was doing. the engine runs so smooth and effieciently, it's a total joy to drive. only complaint is that the engine is in a 6800 lb. crew cab siverado but it's still able to light'em up. down the road i plan on putting a ls3 in some light car using a tremec 6 spd.
My LS swap the hardest thing for me was figuring out the wiring harness and learning how to use HP Tuners software but once I figured it out I can tune that thing how ever I want and that just blows my mind that ANYONE at home can do these things only serious racing teams and engine builders could do
I have a 4.8 block that has over 316,000 miles on it. All the bores are in phenomenal shape... it did unfortunately eat all of the cam bearing journals, but actually drove into the yard.. these things are amazing.
to me ,its laughable when guys try to compare an old engine to an LS.. I own a BB and have wet dreams of getting an LS into my old car. Better mileage , efficiency and power.
Myvintageiron7512 hello sir, Thank you for these informative videos. You have great knowledge and explain things well to us. I am wanting to know what oil you. Recommend for my LS 408 stroker. I am running 13:0.1 compression a 236/244 .626 .626 114lsa camshaft Cnc ls3 heads and a fast 102mm intake. On e85 too. I was thinking something thicker than the factory like a 15w 50 or a 10w 60. Would really appreciate your advice. Thank you
I was going to say the same thing, the Ls doesn't leak oil like the sb with its two peice seals. Much better design all round and it's packaged size allows for easy fitting into just about anything. I've seen bigger double cam 4 cylinders. It's a dinosaur engineered to NASCAR specs.
@@Myvintageiron7512 one thing i don't like or understand why they made them this way is the fact that u have to pull the heads to get to the lifters...especially considering there's no water in the intake they could've just done a valley pan like a old mopar and made it super easy.
My old man needs to hear this. I am doing a LS swap on a project car he is helping my with and he just can't get the small block and TH400's out of his head. Thanks for the talk.
I still run the old 400 sm. blocks (2 of them) but now I'm looking for a LS to move forward. Your vids are really good and I thank you for all your help..
Please listen to this guy. He's the best on the internet when it comes to sharing tested knowledge. Him and engine masters will save you the r&D and cash on the build you might be doing.
Thank you so much for making this video commentary. Love to go deeper and technical into engineering and some other topics. And love to hear the perspective from an experienced mechanic always just as well. Thank you for your effort into sharing knowledge with us youngsters.
Just as a quick note: Chevy did use an all aluminum 5.3l for a couple of years around 2010, 2011 or so. Only came in the 4 wheel drive models. If you're in the market for an aluminum LS keep a sharp eye out at the wrecking yard. The VIN code is 3. The engine designation is LC9 (the "flex fuel" version of the LH6).
Love your vids. Thanks for the lesson . The dog is a nuisance. I have my own shit eaters that I holler at at times. Got a rat terrier that is fearless and hunts constantly in our wooded surroundings. If she barks , it s a critter on the defensive for good reason.
Man, I am so glad I found your channel. So far I have been binge watching you. I obviously have a couple of questions, (as I am just a novice). I have an extra 2001 LQ4 that I plan on re-gasketing. I was told it had 130,000 miles and was in a plow truck. I plan to change timing chain, oil pump, complete gasket kit and main seals. Probably water pump too. Question, Do I need to lubricate the threads on the new OEM head bolts prior to installation? Question 2, Would it be better if I install the oil pan before installing the front and rear main covers. I bought a hub style cover / seal install kit, so I could do it either way. I just figured it would be better to mate them up to the oil pan? Thank you for your knowledge... Ok, back to more of your videos. Mike
one thing that is awesome about the ls is that it accepts previous sbc bellhousing. this is one of the things that make it better than hemi's for hot rodding. also the gasket in is absolutely awesome. As far as the coyotes (or any ford mods), I think that along with cost, the ohc design make it more complicated for Joe blow to dig into it.
yep Ford is way more complicated and expensive they make good power but who can afford it and who want's to work on it not to many the LS is an engine that anyone can build
@@charlesvilleneuve4052 The physically larger size and weight of the overhead cam motors is a key point. I always try to explain that to the Ford guys, and they cannot comprehend it. I always get, "But the LS has more cubic inches, it has to be bigger." And the dohc engines have a bunch of their mass on top of the engine! Making the weight higher up and even worse for balance.
The LS/LT platform are certainly superior to the SBC’s of yesteryear and of course as you said you get them for a much better price than a Coyote or Hemi and the aftermarket is so much better. I have an 86 Grand National, knowing what I know now I would’ve pulled my stock drivetrain and put an LS based motor and a built 4L60 or 4L80 in my Grand National and have my fun with that, all the while preserving the stock setup.
Agree with everything you said. I have literally been building engines for 50 years and I got on the LS bandwagon 15 years ago. I still build the older engines but mostly those are for the cruiser crowd. I just reringed a 305 and dressed it up for a buddy that has a '52 Deluxe and he's happy. I've done over a dozen swaps, my current build is for a chopped '68 C10 I own so I found a 5.3 with only 41,000 on the motor. Put a cam, pushrods and oil pump in it, upgraded the rockers to bushed trunnions and a set of LS6 springs. With a set of long tubes and the stock truck manifold it made 440 hp at the flywheel. I had $1100 into the motor including the cost of the motor, of course you have to add the cost of a management system, say $1000 but for $350 you could use a cut down stock harness and reflashed computer. A stock Trailblazer SS manifold would have me at the 450 mark, where you gonna get that for a all in price of say $2500 in the vehicle. Those are big block numbers, last one of those I built I had $3000 into just the long block.
The thing I love about my G8 is it's a 6.0 with Ls3 heads from factory. Just with tune and a few bolts is killing alot of stuff out here, can't wait for my cam.
I have had 2 replacements of LS series engines. The first was in my 2000 Camaro at about 120000 miles. The roller end of a lifter came apart and the needle bearings fell into the crank case and were flung all around. Some broke the plastic on the crank position sensor and that plastic went into the oil pickup. Next day I was waiting at a stop light and the oil pressure warning light came on. I had known something had happened the day before when I was driving through south west Utah and it coughed but recovered and drove me all the way from there to Las Vegas where I stopped for gas and noticed nothing and then to LA. It was still running well until I got the low oil pressure at idle. I did not fix that engine as the crate replacement was so reasonable and I did not want to have the down time. I still have that engine on a stand and have always thought it might be a fun project though the crate replacement engine seemed to be stronger than the original engine. As an aside I talked with some racers who ran "crate motor" class stock cars with LS and said it was cheap, strong and durable .... except the lifter rollers would fail and the pieces would fly all over the inside of the engine and that was years before mine failed. I think there were some improvements made after 2000. The second engine was a 5.3 in a 2007 Avalanche which had the fuel saving cylinder dropping feature. There was all kinds of reliability problems with those engines and several service mods to fix the problems which mostly had to do with the trick lifters on the 4 drop able cylinders. Mine started to miss at 101,000 miles! It was going to cost me about $2500 to get the engine repaired with new lifters, which means you have to pull the heads and also buy the new parts for the service mods. It seemed that on a 100,000 mile motor my best bet was spending $4,000 on a factory remain engine with warranty. I did not keep that engine as the core charge for the engine was $2,000! Chevy really was serious about getting the core back! Things I have heard, that the aluminum blocks are good for about 500 HP but if you want to go higher you should get an iron block. Also there were problems with the head gaskets on very early iron block engines. Better head gaskets fixed this but back in the mid 1990's GM was running LS engines in the Le Mans 24 hour race and got disqualified on race day because they had qualified with an iron block engine but switched to an aluminum engine for the race, which the stewards said was cause for disqualification. I never understood this till I heard about the problems they had with the iron block/aluminum head engines.
As a young guy into older stuff, i will say I’m definitely going to build a ls, I rebuilt a ls1 5.7 in school and compared to what I work on which is classic stuff, everything is surprisingly simpler. I’ve built a big block mopar and I’ve realized that I’ve should been a Chevy guy.
Have you ever honed one .010 or .020? I have and the cylinder is not harder than a small block Chevy. The reason they usually don't have a lot of wear is ring tension. The late model Hemi is really soft and easy to hone but there again usually very little wear.
Thanks for the info. I was pretty well convinced to put an LS in my 1948 Loadmaster, but I'm now sure of it. As you mentioned, I'll hopefully find a take out with the computer,
I love the old small block Chevy mainly due to the simplicity and ability to make decent power for cheap. However looking at the design of the LS there are many features that do in fact make it so much better. Also Chevy really kept with the same philosophy as the original small block, there are so many interchangeable parts.
a buddy of mine had a 99 silverado with the 5.3l and it has over 320k on it and it still runs he tried to blow that thing up and he couldn't lol ls motors are beasts
Sloppy mechanics on YT made 1076hp at the tire with Cam and springs in a bone stock gen 4 6.0. Yes it was reliable as it was his daily. He now has a 500hp+ tire bone stock gen 3 4.8 long block with Cam and springs. These are great turbo motors! Great video.
your channel is great, I was almost convinced to do the "good ole sbc build" I actually think I'll do a LS when I get to it though. I used to onw an LS1 and it was incredible
After I built an old "vintage" engine, added fuel injection, a serpentine belt drive with high output alternator and A/C compressor, and an overdrive transmission. I realized if you want those features, it is way cheaper to swap in one of the modern engines with OD transmission. I picked up a 2008 6.1L Hemi (less than 50,000 miles) with NAG OD transmission, all accessories, wiring harness and computer for $4,000 to swap into a 1969 Dodge Coronet. Only issue is not much aftermarket support for the transmission electronics.
I have a Stock Bottom End, stock headed 4.8l with a Borg S475 running 16-18lbs of boost and I run the shit outta this set up, no overheating issues, actually no problems what so ever. Other than the turbo set up I only replaced/upgraded springs & retainers etc, high lift long duration cam and Holley Terminator control system, MSD 6-AL ign box. For the little money I spent and the massive performance massive horsepower Its insane
Thank you for saying all this. I've been saying this for a long time. I love old school small and big blocks too but the newer technology is better. It's the same of most things, Computers, Phones, anything. You can have a passion and love for the vintage but don't let that be an anchor around your neck keeping you from progress. I've owned 3 LS's in previous cars and daily drive my 4th. (an LS3 SS Camaro) and they're amazing. Edit. I see 5.3 truck motors, with transmission, computer, and harness for $1000 all day long on Craigslist.
Couldn't agree more, been building Chevys for almost 40 years and I'm a LS believer. I have a '68 C10 with a 383 I built years ago, did a 6L LS swap and I'll say the LS picks up where a built SBC leaves off. That 6L runs just as hard (better down low) as that built 383 did and it's a stock (LQ9) with headers and a Fitech fuel injection system. Paid $700 for the motor, it was the rest of the parts for the swap that cost the bucks but like you said they are easy build just throw out that TTY fastener crap and use ARP hardware. I'm thinking of doing a cam swap and the grinders are telling me I could pick up at least 50hp, maybe more, I'm sold ....
There are plenty of cons to the LS platform that must not be over looked. short cyl liners, only four bolt per cylinder, windage issues from the skited block ect.. having to pull heads to remover lifters... Not saying they are bad, I built several in the past few years, But as far as power output, they can go marginally either way compared to good gen 1 and good heads.. In fact.. many of the radial class records are still being held and broken on Gen 1 platforms.. Pro's and cons are important topics to touch base on.. In any event.. great video's. Keep up the great work.
Hey buddy, Love your videos. Most informative videos on yourtube. I have a quick question for you sir. I have an ls2 408 built and forged stroker using all the best bits and am running with a set of CNC ls3 heads. It has arp main stud upgrade high end bearings etc. 58x reluctor wheel. Would it be safe to run 1000hp with this setup?
ls has a low drag ring pack on them i have a 4.8 in my truck stock and will spin the tires off the down side is bad bearings in the rockers and rollers otherwise 3 to 5 hundred thousand miles i love my ls
my wife wants me to buy a new truck but my sierra 2001 is so dependable only major things fuel pump 2012 1 brake caliper 2015 1 compressor 2019 all easy fixes and dirt cheap prices .
i managed to get a 5.3 with a new cam and new lifters with a rebuilt w/new torque converter 4L60e for free had it running driving in my chevy colorado in 3 months. The engine had been sitting in a fence row for 6 or 7 years in a silverado. threw some new injectors in it and it runs beautifully
I think it's a great platform, and while they may be cheap, I can't stand guys that argue ls swapping anything is so much better. Sure it may be cheap to build it, but then you factor transmission, wiring harness, and ecu it starts to add up quickly
I bought a 01 Suburban with a 6.0L LQ4 (i belive) engine in it. Got it cheap as it had practically no oil pressure and I heard a knock from the engine. But it was no rod knock or main bearing knock. Just sounded like a bad lifter. So at that time of buying it I really had hopes for more of a minor problem. Turns out that the that the center cam bearing had spun out of the block half way. Have you seen this before ? And any guess why it had happened? I my guess is to long intervalls in oil changes and some gunk got loose and clogged the oil line to that bearing. And to confirm your saying that these blocks are durable. It had 260.000km on it when I checked the rod and main bearings. There were no signs of wear. Its now 3 years since I replaced the cam and bearings, and it still runs great. Installed a mild cam in it and it makes that Suburban move quite well! Only thing is that the idle is a little rough with the new cam
Really like your content. Just can not imagine how you can sit and talk so calmly in this video with that dog barking his head off in the background. lol.
My 1999 silverado 2500 LQ4 6L engine can be run without coolant. Thats correct. The owners manual tells how if coolant is lost the engine will run on 4 cylinders at a time. Air conditioner will not run. we are to drive at reasonable speed for up to 200 miles. After cool down and coolant system fixed the oil should be changed(it has had a lot of heat). My truck has the optional oil cooler as well. I have owned several chevrolet v8s and this one is my favorite.
As usually, your on point. And i have been doing this for years myself. So when i can see that you really hit things on the head. What you're saying about these are true, & i am that Old School guy. Well im that in between (at 41), but since I grew up with the old school, & so i learned & love that way. But I also have to give credit to where its due. The LS has so many possibilities. And you are so correct about the architecture differences, which in reality breaks down to the efficiency in which everything can happen. Thus, make more power! But... lets not forget what the older SBC is capable of... of course if done correctly. Also application, LS, Coyotes, etc, tend to be more Horsepower oriented, vs the low end torque. That is what all those smaller bores, higher CFM's pretty much equate to. Ever notice, that most of these cars barely break a tire loose? Don't get me wrong, thisdoes have its benefits, such as not wasting power. But in many cases, im not impressed with how they take off. Sure once they get going, they go go go. But have to rev & spool up 1st. Of course any of these can also be built as complete torque monsters, but most do not. They look for that "peak" HP number which seems to impress everybody. Again im not knocking the new engines, they are impressive too. Race cars, high end, Horsepower, then go the LS, Coyote, etc. Street Car, which originally had old SBC, SBF, probably stay with it , especially if $$$ is tighter. Currently finishing up 91 Corvette, 384ci Stroker, with 10.5 SCR, & yes with Twin Turbos. Forged internals of course, & list of things. On 8 PSI; 625HP @ 6,100 / 740 Tq @ 4,000 (680Tq by 2,400 & after 740Tq peak, it very slowly drops Tq until the 5250 cross. It is an animal for a street car! My brother has a 85 Thunderbird, Dart 5.0 L, forged internals, 10.2:1 SCR, aftermarket GT40 aluminum head (flow up to 260 CFM @ 0.600" Lift) & a single Turbo & on 14 PSI; 720 HP @ 6,300 / 630 Tq @ 4,200 Don't get me wrong, we are using aftermarket EFI units & lot of time, money & planning went into & still are going into these, & we are almost to the final unveiling points of these not bad ass street cars, but also have other extreme customs. Point is, if you have the older blocks, & want a bad street car, it is more than possible without an LS, etc, swap
Just getting into the ls platform, I’m sold on it. Recently did a cam swap and port job on my sons 5.7 hemi.. very expensive! Looking to build the 6.0 in my vortec max next.
Great info. Thank you! I am interested in installing an LS on my 1984 Chevy Camaro. The original 305 finally quit. Will an Ls go straight into my car or do i need to do special modifications as far as the crossmember and so on? And what transmission would I have to get in order to make this work? I currently have an R4700 automatic. Would like to keep it the care automatic. Any suggestions would be very appreciated! Thank you for your videos!
Great video, the only reason I haven't installed an Ls engine in my old trans am is there are other things that need to be replaced or reworked like the engine cross member. It is just a little bit more expensive. Again thank you for a great informative video.
Most common swap out for v6 in Grand National. I personally wouldn't do it, but the guys who do make a ton of HP and don't have to worry about the block splitting.
I love the LS ! But I also love the old school small block to! I have a 94 sierra with a 5.7 tbi engine what would you recommend my first mods be ? I'd like to keep it tbi to cause it's so simple:)
A few things you should of said that are major pluses for the aluminum ls are light weight = faster accelerating and better fuel economy. Light weight = faster cornering better handling car. And they are so good with turbo's that drifters are now using them too. In JDM vehicles!
Other improvements would be thermal management design with the reverse cooling, that cools the cylinder heads first, the symmetrical port layout, and using better materials like the copper-infiltrated Powered Metal valve seats in the LS3. All those changes reduce cylinder head and valve temperatures improving detonation resistance.
I have a 1980 Camaro, and i have decided to install an LS engine. Because they are so much easier to get lots of power, and cheaper. I can hardly wait until it is done!
I have a bone stock 2000 LS1 Trans Am that lives a pretty cushy life . Not abused at all and it suffers from horrible piston slap on cold startup and makes all kinds of what I believe to be valvetrain noises . Either way its really left a sour taste in my mouth toward LS motors . Do you ever hear of these issues and if so, whats your fix to correct this? Great videos by the way.
I'm getting ready to buy a high mileage Yukon cheap and build a motor so its affordable, what oil pump do you recommend for these things ? Also, I read a lot about the o-ring failures in the pickup tube, I plan on putting some JB Weld around the joint. I want to do a .030 to freshen it up. Where is the cheapest place to get .030 stock type pistons ? Do you see a lot of worn out valve guides in these high mileage heads ? Also, where is a cheap place for a new stock type cam, and decent lifters at an affordable price ?
I was that old school guy, but I'm about to do my first "junkyard" LS build. It's cheaper than building a 383 stroker, and you can boost the shit out of it.
LS engines are still just overhead valve push rod V8s. With the exception of crank triggered ignition and a little different valve arrangement there isn't much that separates them from other push rod V8s. If having a distributor is that important to you there are even kits that adapt a front mounted distributor to the motor. They respond to all the traditional SBC upgrades. Don't be skurred an confoosed.
I am a huge dog advocate. I love my pup's much more then humans. Your Nieghbor is a jack ass. A loving dog owner don't put their dogs in a stressful situation for long. I've heard your Nieghbors dogs in many of your videos. What a total ass hat !!!!! Love all your videos. An so do my dogs...
I've had both, the LS is so much better, I had a 65 malibu with original small block, constant problems & high MPG, I now have a 65 C10 with LS1, it's faster, reliable, runs cooler and gets amazing good gas mileage. I won't have another vehicle without an LS in it. Please do a video on which is the best LS motor to swap and also LS upgrades.
A friend of mine bought a camaro ss with a procharger and on his way home from picking it up ended up picking pieces of his block off the highway. That is a true story.
Its not that us old school guys dont like the LS engines, its that we like classics to be, well, classic. I LIKE messing with carbs and the simplicity of the whole design. Computer controlled vehicles are great. Its just that I prefer them on my modern daily driver. Not on my classic.
The Carb stuff is not simpler at all the OBD 2 computers basically self tune they are pretty much plug and play whereas carbs require manual adjustment at every level I do understand the classic end of it the early small blocks are still the least expensive builds and are quite popular I do allot of them but the point I think should be made is they are definitely not simpler than the LS either from a build or tuning standpoint
Even a 4.8 will outperform a old school small block w a lot of upgrades cam intake carb etc the 4.8 will smoke it times 2 in stock form is what I understand and take everything you can throw at it reliability is that correct ? So for just a few hundred bucks or so junkyard motor stock has twice the hp of a sbc from the 70s era with a bunch of money thrown at it ?
Hey man watching your LS1 build, can you do a LT1 1994-1996 or so year build or a video with info, I watch all your videos, good info and good advice, keep it up!
TPV Productions---You're forgetting the distributor among other things. It's called a Gen 2 small block for a reason. Virtually nothing but rods and pistons are interchangeable between Gen 1 and Gen 2 SBC's. In fact the stock LT1 rods are as good if not better than a lot of aftermarket rods for the Gen 1 SBC's. None of the brackets, timing covers or even heads will swap between them directly. I have both, I know.
@@GearheadGarden your wrong..its just a reversed cooled gen 1 sbc with a opti really an injection..a gen 1 distributor for sbc drops in,carb intakes work if u drill the intake bolt for correct angel. i did a carb swap how to almost a decade ago on ls1tech..stock rods are just a tad stronger then gen 1 stuff but ive ran gen1 rods with arp bolts past 750hp on a old nitrous 327 spinning it 7800rpm..i was a die hard sbc gen 1 guy..even ran sb2.2 shit..was building a lt1 motor when i did the how to with .750 bullet solid roller,brodix -10 head's an holley 300-25 intake if i remember the part num right..they are just gen1 sbc with minor changes..but nothing special..id build a gen1 over a lt1 just because of cost an how parts are easier to find..
that 5.3 cast block LS1 what about bore to 5.7 a good cam for street rods good heads dome pistons can you give me a est on horse power bigger valves to:) ???
Just out of curiosity, do you know of any companies who make an aluminum version of the traditional small block chevy? Would one be any cheaper than buying a new LS block?
I want to let you know that you are one of the best instructors that i have experienced. Thank you for the knowledge.
In the sad days of the late 70s and early 80s I would have never dreamed the golden age of hot rodding was still to come.
I love building LS.
I so agree. When I was a teen in the '70's, I always assumed that the golden age of hot rodding ended by 1972. Now, you see guys our age doing LS swaps into cars from our era. I'm starting to pull my head out of my ass and catch up to the times, lol
The LS has gotten so good and so affordable that even the guys with Japanese or German sports cars are putting an LS in their car when the time comes. For example:
ua-cam.com/video/nCXfXX8z8wQ/v-deo.html
Why? Because even an LS 6.0 iron block gives an old Nissan 300ZX a better weight distribution and reliability versus the original twin turbo V6 iron block engine:
ua-cam.com/video/nCXfXX8z8wQ/v-deo.html
My teacher was mr Brian O'Connor he told me engine rebuilds are a dying art and i shouldnt focus to hard on it... here i am building a 5.3 in my apartment as a blown g35 waits in the parking lot
@@hochhaul hello!
If you look at the videos I've uploaded, you'll find one titled "Callies 4.6 inch Ultra Billet crank in an RHS block."
That is the bottom end of my 502ci/8.2L LS in my 2007 Z06 (the yellow you see at the edge of frame).
It's pretty wild hearing that many cubes spin 7200 RPM. It makes approx 800 horsepower naturally aspirated.
I was a die hard ford guy till I bought a 99 Silverado 5.3. just amazing engine
super20dan
No one really stops being a Ford guy.
@@nsh040909 , You do when you start using your brain and start to appreciate reliability
@@nsh040909 most never started so it's easy to stop lol
I love your videos man, but that dog killed it for me in the background on this one. You are very accurate and honest with your opinions and facts. Thanks
It’s so cool listening and learning from you. Love how you explain complex stuff, make sense of it all with an unbiased angle, so laymen like me can understand the intricacies of building engines, thus giving guys and Giles the confidence to go ahead with a project. An Honest, true, fair, knowledgeable, gracious, genius. Please keep making these videos. Regards
There use to be a saying, " fast, cheap, reliable. You can only pick two. Fast and cheap won't be reliable. Fast and reliable won't be cheap. Reliable and cheap won't be fast." The 3rd gen sb or "LS" changed that!
Classic Ride Society the 3rd gen ls actually has issues with internal stuff breakingn
jdr ok Maybe over 500 tire. Look up sloppy mechanics.
Welcome to the 21st century where now all of those things are possible and even all at once, in the same motor thanks to GM'd LS motors.
That is called IRON 's Law, in which of the 3 variables, only 2 are possible, & 1 sacrificed in favor of the other 2.
great video. I'm an ls1 owner soaking up real world knowledge of the platform. I find input from people like you absolutely invaluable. it carries so much more weight to me than any corporate tv show or blog. I love what you are doing. I am going to search your previous video posts for oil based content. What you use and recommend seeing that are really building and running these motors. If you haven't done any vids about your oil experiences I think it would be like youtube biblical content. it's impossible to find real information that isn't bought and paid for on youtube or any other communication platform. So if have posted that kind of video I'll find it if not please pass on your wealth of knowledge please. I just subscribed and am looking forward to more of your posts. thanks brother.
I've rebuilt many old school small blocks. Always wanted to do an LS. The electronics intimidate me though. Glad you're doing this series. Will follow this series closely. Thank you very much.
I am doing a rebuild on a 6.0 lq4. It had 285K..i could still see hatchmarks on the cylinders when i disassembled it.
Remember USS Liberty unreal. Truly amazing engineering.
Thats because it was platue honed in the factory does not mean the cylinder is not worn.
@@tomhutchins1046low tension rings as well.
Don't forget the SBC is a 23-degree head vs a 15-degree LS head. Plus GM put really big runners on the LS @ 210cc vs the small 170cc stock heads. That valve angle is key in head flow. That's why all the really serious SBCs that run big HP #s are 18 degree or more on the valve angle.
Good point the angle is a very big deal I agree the air flow hates big changes in direction
You should show a radical SBC like the SB2.2 ( If you can find one ) You can tell Chevy took a lot of engineering from the Nascar SBC's and put them in the LS.
Seen a ton of LS information including tom nelsons. Your this overview of the basic playing field is by far the most valuable. Bravo
Thx
The LS engines are id say just about the best design out there , the Nelson brothers have been making massive power numbers and very strong design also
LS = Small Block Ford
Lol you could say ford copied the GM LT5 as it came out a year before the modular and was over head cam
Ford had OHC V8 engines in the 60s...try again.
You mean the experimental "Crammer" engine that was not available to the public ? Don't really count man if the public did not have it. Anyways OHC was not created by ford. Dusenburg was making DOHC in the 20's.
Engine was far from experimental. It was ready to go until NASCAR changed the rules to outlaw them. Ford sold the engine direct to customers. The engine was very successful in drag racing. I never said Ford invented OHC...those are your words. I referenced an OHC engine that predated the Lotus LT5 by 25 years.
Excellent video! Everything you said is spot on. Anyone who has built old style small and big blocks who thinks an LS build is beyond their ability is wrong, I speak from personal experience. Super affordable, easy to build, and super rewarding when completed! 👍🏻
I stumbled upon your video because I'm doing research for the LS3 to go into my 69 Camaro. You just validated my decision to take this route vs SBC. I've now watched several of your videos, very easy/informative for DIYs like me. Thanks from Colorado!
I like when u address miss conceptions
I dated miss conceptions once lol
Mr. Conceptions is gunna' get jealous.
I used to drive around in my 74 Camaro with a big block with no carpet and that floor board would nearly melt your shoes
I owned 3 2nd gen Camaros, I can tell you why. The exhaust routing puts the collector flange right under the front floorboards because the engine is set so far back. All you have is a thin firewall between you and the 4 inches your foot is from the head pipe.
Damn I miss my 2nd gen.
vintage iron.. oh ya !! I backyard built a 454 with LS5 heads, bowl job with a comp 2030 cam, headers and an rpm and quadrajet. Stuffed it into an 80 trans am with a built 700R4... and the thing has no faults … really. pulls the front end enough to loose steering and gets 30mpg on the highway !!! no faults that I can see. BUT, I get it. the LS is an awesome platform and i'm going to have to try one. soon. That being said, … would you recommend a mild vortec 454 or an LS for a beautiful 85 chevy camper van... it's raised roof, only 60k miles when I got it and the tired old drivetrain had the hell beat out of it from the PO , from what i'm reading, trying to keep it from stalling when the choke and the spartk control stuff stopped working correctly. Haven't weighed the van yet, but it's a heavy chevy and it's going to take lots of low end torque to keep me happy.
The main reason I won't swap one into a classic truck or car is they dont have the SOUND. They just dont. I dont care about 1000 horsepower and all that....im good with 400hp. But in a old school truck it just doesn't sound right without the old school motor thumping under the hood. The LS just sounds totally different
I love what I had done with my 04 5.3. Fully decked heads, some kinda hot cam, long tubes, electric fans, cold air intake, 4:10 gears, and nicely built 4l60 with a good stall converter. luckily though, I I had a tuner who knew what he was doing. the engine runs so smooth and effieciently, it's a total joy to drive. only complaint is that the engine is in a 6800 lb. crew cab siverado but it's still able to light'em up. down the road i plan on putting a ls3 in some light car using a tremec 6 spd.
Hell yeah! To all of that
My LS swap the hardest thing for me was figuring out the wiring harness and learning how to use HP Tuners software but once I figured it out I can tune that thing how ever I want and that just blows my mind that ANYONE at home can do these things only serious racing teams and engine builders could do
I have a 4.8 block that has over 316,000 miles on it. All the bores are in phenomenal shape... it did unfortunately eat all of the cam bearing journals, but actually drove into the yard.. these things are amazing.
to me ,its laughable when guys try to compare an old engine to an LS.. I own a BB and have wet dreams of getting an LS into my old car. Better mileage , efficiency and power.
The LS motor is gasketed so much better too. All the gaskets are O ring style and the main seals are all one piece.
Yes this is so true I forgot to bring this up the captured gasket design is light years ahead of the old stuff
Myvintageiron7512 hello sir,
Thank you for these informative videos.
You have great knowledge and explain things well to us. I am wanting to know what oil you. Recommend for my LS 408 stroker.
I am running 13:0.1 compression a 236/244 .626 .626 114lsa camshaft Cnc ls3 heads and a fast 102mm intake.
On e85 too.
I was thinking something thicker than the factory like a 15w 50 or a 10w 60.
Would really appreciate your advice.
Thank you
I was going to say the same thing, the Ls doesn't leak oil like the sb with its two peice seals. Much better design all round and it's packaged size allows for easy fitting into just about anything. I've seen bigger double cam 4 cylinders. It's a dinosaur engineered to NASCAR specs.
@@Myvintageiron7512 one thing i don't like or understand why they made them this way is the fact that u have to pull the heads to get to the lifters...especially considering there's no water in the intake they could've just done a valley pan like a old mopar and made it super easy.
hey im in phx too
My old man needs to hear this. I am doing a LS swap on a project car he is helping my with and he just can't get the small block and TH400's out of his head. Thanks for the talk.
I still run the old 400 sm. blocks (2 of them) but now I'm looking for a LS to move forward. Your vids are really good and I thank you for all your help..
Awww man
Huge thumbs up. Imagine the cost of building something like this in the old days.
Great point on the cylinder ridge. Also the fuel injection setup / ECU is a big benefit. It is super flexible.
Please listen to this guy. He's the best on the internet when it comes to sharing tested knowledge. Him and engine masters will save you the r&D and cash on the build you might be doing.
Thank you so much for making this video commentary. Love to go deeper and technical into engineering and some other topics. And love to hear the perspective from an experienced mechanic always just as well. Thank you for your effort into sharing knowledge with us youngsters.
Just as a quick note: Chevy did use an all aluminum 5.3l for a couple of years around 2010, 2011 or so. Only came in the 4 wheel drive models. If you're in the market for an aluminum LS keep a sharp eye out at the wrecking yard. The VIN code is 3. The engine designation is LC9 (the "flex fuel" version of the LH6).
Love your vids. Thanks for the lesson . The dog is a nuisance. I have my own shit eaters that I holler at at times. Got a rat terrier that is fearless and hunts constantly in our wooded surroundings. If she barks , it s a critter on the defensive for good reason.
Man, I am so glad I found your channel. So far I have been binge watching you. I obviously have a couple of questions, (as I am just a novice). I have an extra 2001 LQ4 that I plan on re-gasketing. I was told it had 130,000 miles and was in a plow truck. I plan to change timing chain, oil pump, complete gasket kit and main seals. Probably water pump too. Question, Do I need to lubricate the threads on the new OEM head bolts prior to installation? Question 2, Would it be better if I install the oil pan before installing the front and rear main covers. I bought a hub style cover / seal install kit, so I could do it either way. I just figured it would be better to mate them up to the oil pan? Thank you for your knowledge... Ok, back to more of your videos. Mike
yes oil threads pan goes on last
one thing that is awesome about the ls is that it accepts previous sbc bellhousing. this is one of the things that make it better than hemi's for hot rodding. also the gasket in is absolutely awesome. As far as the coyotes (or any ford mods), I think that along with cost, the ohc design make it more complicated for Joe blow to dig into it.
yep Ford is way more complicated and expensive they make good power but who can afford it and who want's to work on it not to many the LS is an engine that anyone can build
Myvintageiron7512 not to mention the engines are physically larger and harder to package in tight engine bays.
@@charlesvilleneuve4052 The physically larger size and weight of the overhead cam motors is a key point. I always try to explain that to the Ford guys, and they cannot comprehend it. I always get, "But the LS has more cubic inches, it has to be bigger." And the dohc engines have a bunch of their mass on top of the engine! Making the weight higher up and even worse for balance.
The LS/LT platform are certainly superior to the SBC’s of yesteryear and of course as you said you get them for a much better price than a Coyote or Hemi and the aftermarket is so much better. I have an 86 Grand National, knowing what I know now I would’ve pulled my stock drivetrain and put an LS based motor and a built 4L60 or 4L80 in my Grand National and have my fun with that, all the while preserving the stock setup.
Did you ever do this LS series of videos? I'm looking at your channel and I'm not seeming to find any more on this build!
Agree with everything you said. I have literally been building engines for 50 years and I got on the LS bandwagon 15 years ago. I still build the older engines but mostly those are for the cruiser crowd. I just reringed a 305 and dressed it up for a buddy that has a '52 Deluxe and he's happy. I've done over a dozen swaps, my current build is for a chopped '68 C10 I own so I found a 5.3 with only 41,000 on the motor. Put a cam, pushrods and oil pump in it, upgraded the rockers to bushed trunnions and a set of LS6 springs. With a set of long tubes and the stock truck manifold it made 440 hp at the flywheel. I had $1100 into the motor including the cost of the motor, of course you have to add the cost of a management system, say $1000 but for $350 you could use a cut down stock harness and reflashed computer. A stock Trailblazer SS manifold would have me at the 450 mark, where you gonna get that for a all in price of say $2500 in the vehicle. Those are big block numbers, last one of those I built I had $3000 into just the long block.
The barking dog in the background really adds to the content of the video....thoroughly enjoyed every bark!
Yea, tell me about it , not my dog it's my neighbors drives me crazy
Give him a stick of butter each day.
I had to stop watching this video due to that barking dog. My dog went on a barking spree when she heard the dog barking on here.
The thing I love about my G8 is it's a 6.0 with Ls3 heads from factory. Just with tune and a few bolts is killing alot of stuff out here, can't wait for my cam.
I have had 2 replacements of LS series engines. The first was in my 2000 Camaro at about 120000 miles. The roller end of a lifter came apart and the needle bearings fell into the crank case and were flung all around. Some broke the plastic on the crank position sensor and that plastic went into the oil pickup. Next day I was waiting at a stop light and the oil pressure warning light came on. I had known something had happened the day before when I was driving through south west Utah and it coughed but recovered and drove me all the way from there to Las Vegas where I stopped for gas and noticed nothing and then to LA. It was still running well until I got the low oil pressure at idle. I did not fix that engine as the crate replacement was so reasonable and I did not want to have the down time. I still have that engine on a stand and have always thought it might be a fun project though the crate replacement engine seemed to be stronger than the original engine. As an aside I talked with some racers who ran "crate motor" class stock cars with LS and said it was cheap, strong and durable .... except the lifter rollers would fail and the pieces would fly all over the inside of the engine and that was years before mine failed. I think there were some improvements made after 2000.
The second engine was a 5.3 in a 2007 Avalanche which had the fuel saving cylinder dropping feature. There was all kinds of reliability problems with those engines and several service mods to fix the problems which mostly had to do with the trick lifters on the 4 drop able cylinders. Mine started to miss at 101,000 miles! It was going to cost me about $2500 to get the engine repaired with new lifters, which means you have to pull the heads and also buy the new parts for the service mods. It seemed that on a 100,000 mile motor my best bet was spending $4,000 on a factory remain engine with warranty. I did not keep that engine as the core charge for the engine was $2,000! Chevy really was serious about getting the core back!
Things I have heard, that the aluminum blocks are good for about 500 HP but if you want to go higher you should get an iron block. Also there were problems with the head gaskets on very early iron block engines. Better head gaskets fixed this but back in the mid 1990's GM was running LS engines in the Le Mans 24 hour race and got disqualified on race day because they had qualified with an iron block engine but switched to an aluminum engine for the race, which the stewards said was cause for disqualification. I never understood this till I heard about the problems they had with the iron block/aluminum head engines.
As a young guy into older stuff, i will say I’m definitely going to build a ls, I rebuilt a ls1 5.7 in school and compared to what I work on which is classic stuff, everything is surprisingly simpler. I’ve built a big block mopar and I’ve realized that I’ve should been a Chevy guy.
Have you ever honed one .010 or .020? I have and the cylinder is not harder than a small block Chevy. The reason they usually don't have a lot of wear is ring tension. The late model Hemi is really soft and easy to hone but there again usually very little wear.
Thanks for the info. I was pretty well convinced to put an LS in my 1948 Loadmaster, but I'm now sure of it. As you mentioned, I'll hopefully find a take out with the computer,
I love the old small block Chevy mainly due to the simplicity and ability to make decent power for cheap. However looking at the design of the LS there are many features that do in fact make it so much better. Also Chevy really kept with the same philosophy as the original small block, there are so many interchangeable parts.
I agree the LS is a better design, I always the LS engineers fixed all the drawbacks the older SBC has
Keep up the good work, doing a great job. I've watched all of your videos several times over, awesome stuff. Looking forward to the LS build.
a buddy of mine had a 99 silverado with the 5.3l and it has over 320k on it and it still runs he tried to blow that thing up and he couldn't lol ls motors are beasts
jt martin my 2000 Silverado has that same mileage. still going.
yeah the guy he sold it too still drives it every day and it still has the original motor in it
jt martin y ting __ ting ____
watch rev tap industries on youtube . they beat a 5.3 Silverado like you have never seen and it wont blow.
I have a93 Cheyenne with a 4.3l 262 with 340k on it runs like new still...still has the original ball joints and tie rods too lol
Sloppy mechanics on YT made 1076hp at the tire with Cam and springs in a bone stock gen 4 6.0. Yes it was reliable as it was his daily. He now has a 500hp+ tire bone stock gen 3 4.8 long block with Cam and springs. These are great turbo motors! Great video.
your channel is great, I was almost convinced to do the "good ole sbc build" I actually think I'll do a LS when I get to it though. I used to onw an LS1 and it was incredible
Great video. Great information. Dog barking relentlessly was very clear through my speakers.
I hear people trying to bash the LS platform constantly and it just doesnt hold water. Lots of good info in this video.
After I built an old "vintage" engine, added fuel injection, a serpentine belt drive with high output alternator and A/C compressor, and an overdrive transmission. I realized if you want those features, it is way cheaper to swap in one of the modern engines with OD transmission. I picked up a 2008 6.1L Hemi (less than 50,000 miles) with NAG OD transmission, all accessories, wiring harness and computer for $4,000 to swap into a 1969 Dodge Coronet. Only issue is not much aftermarket support for the transmission electronics.
Keep in mind the Mopar's are more expensive than the LS stuff but I'm with you I am actually a mopar guy at heart
I have a Stock Bottom End, stock headed 4.8l with a Borg S475 running 16-18lbs of boost and I run the shit outta this set up, no overheating issues, actually no problems what so ever. Other than the turbo set up I only replaced/upgraded springs & retainers etc, high lift long duration cam and Holley Terminator control system, MSD 6-AL ign box. For the little money I spent and the massive performance massive horsepower Its insane
Thank you for saying all this. I've been saying this for a long time. I love old school small and big blocks too but the newer technology is better. It's the same of most things, Computers, Phones, anything. You can have a passion and love for the vintage but don't let that be an anchor around your neck keeping you from progress. I've owned 3 LS's in previous cars and daily drive my 4th. (an LS3 SS Camaro) and they're amazing.
Edit. I see 5.3 truck motors, with transmission, computer, and harness for $1000 all day long on Craigslist.
I had mine up to 224 degrees... Never had a problem after that... It was hot from WELL running it hard..
Couldn't agree more, been building Chevys for almost 40 years and I'm a LS believer. I have a '68 C10 with a 383 I built years ago, did a 6L LS swap and I'll say the LS picks up where a built SBC leaves off. That 6L runs just as hard (better down low) as that built 383 did and it's a stock (LQ9) with headers and a Fitech fuel injection system. Paid $700 for the motor, it was the rest of the parts for the swap that cost the bucks but like you said they are easy build just throw out that TTY fastener crap and use ARP hardware. I'm thinking of doing a cam swap and the grinders are telling me I could pick up at least 50hp, maybe more, I'm sold ....
I'm looking forward to this build. I have a '69 C10 which I plan on swapping an LS into.
Did you do it? Have a ls 58 apache build I'm doing
There are plenty of cons to the LS platform that must not be over looked. short cyl liners, only four bolt per cylinder, windage issues from the skited block ect.. having to pull heads to remover lifters... Not saying they are bad, I built several in the past few years, But as far as power output, they can go marginally either way compared to good gen 1 and good heads.. In fact.. many of the radial class records are still being held and broken on Gen 1 platforms.. Pro's and cons are important topics to touch base on.. In any event.. great video's. Keep up the great work.
Hey buddy,
Love your videos.
Most informative videos on yourtube.
I have a quick question for you sir.
I have an ls2 408 built and forged stroker using all the best bits and am running with a set of CNC ls3 heads. It has arp main stud upgrade high end bearings etc. 58x reluctor wheel.
Would it be safe to run 1000hp with this setup?
ls has a low drag ring pack on them i have a 4.8 in my truck stock and will spin the tires off the down side is bad bearings in the rockers and rollers otherwise 3 to 5 hundred thousand miles i love my ls
my wife wants me to buy a new truck but my sierra 2001 is so dependable only major things fuel pump 2012 1 brake caliper 2015 1 compressor 2019 all easy fixes and dirt cheap prices .
i managed to get a 5.3 with a new cam and new lifters with a rebuilt w/new torque converter 4L60e for free had it running driving in my chevy colorado in 3 months. The engine had been sitting in a fence row for 6 or 7 years in a silverado. threw some new injectors in it and it runs beautifully
I think it's a great platform, and while they may be cheap, I can't stand guys that argue ls swapping anything is so much better. Sure it may be cheap to build it, but then you factor transmission, wiring harness, and ecu it starts to add up quickly
I bought a 01 Suburban with a 6.0L LQ4 (i belive) engine in it. Got it cheap as it had practically no oil pressure and I heard a knock from the engine. But it was no rod knock or main bearing knock. Just sounded like a bad lifter. So at that time of buying it I really had hopes for more of a minor problem.
Turns out that the that the center cam bearing had spun out of the block half way. Have you seen this before ? And any guess why it had happened? I my guess is to long intervalls in oil changes and some gunk got loose and clogged the oil line to that bearing.
And to confirm your saying that these blocks are durable. It had 260.000km on it when I checked the rod and main bearings. There were no signs of wear.
Its now 3 years since I replaced the cam and bearings, and it still runs great. Installed a mild cam in it and it makes that Suburban move quite well! Only thing is that the idle is a little rough with the new cam
Really like your content. Just can not imagine how you can sit and talk so calmly in this video with that dog barking his head off in the background. lol.
not my dog
My 1999 silverado 2500 LQ4 6L engine can be run without coolant. Thats correct. The owners manual tells how if coolant is lost the engine will run on 4 cylinders at a time. Air conditioner will not run. we are to drive at reasonable speed for up to 200 miles. After cool down and coolant system fixed the oil should be changed(it has had a lot of heat). My truck has the optional oil cooler as well. I have owned several chevrolet v8s and this one is my favorite.
As usually, your on point. And i have been doing this for years myself. So when i can see that you really hit things on the head.
What you're saying about these are true, & i am that Old School guy. Well im that in between (at 41), but since I grew up with the old school, & so i learned & love that way.
But I also have to give credit to where its due. The LS has so many possibilities. And you are so correct about the architecture differences, which in reality breaks down to the efficiency in which everything can happen. Thus, make more power!
But... lets not forget what the older SBC is capable of... of course if done correctly.
Also application, LS, Coyotes, etc, tend to be more Horsepower oriented, vs the low end torque. That is what all those smaller bores, higher CFM's pretty much equate to. Ever notice, that most of these cars barely break a tire loose? Don't get me wrong, thisdoes have its benefits, such as not wasting power. But in many cases, im not impressed with how they take off. Sure once they get going, they go go go. But have to rev & spool up 1st. Of course any of these can also be built as complete torque monsters, but most do not. They look for that "peak" HP number which seems to impress everybody. Again im not knocking the new engines, they are impressive too.
Race cars, high end, Horsepower, then go the LS, Coyote, etc.
Street Car, which originally had old SBC, SBF, probably stay with it , especially if $$$ is tighter.
Currently finishing up 91 Corvette, 384ci Stroker, with 10.5 SCR, & yes with Twin Turbos. Forged internals of course, & list of things.
On 8 PSI;
625HP @ 6,100 / 740 Tq @ 4,000
(680Tq by 2,400 & after 740Tq peak, it very slowly drops Tq until the 5250 cross.
It is an animal for a street car!
My brother has a 85 Thunderbird, Dart 5.0 L, forged internals, 10.2:1 SCR, aftermarket GT40 aluminum head (flow up to 260 CFM @ 0.600" Lift) & a single Turbo &
on 14 PSI;
720 HP @ 6,300 / 630 Tq @ 4,200
Don't get me wrong, we are using aftermarket EFI units & lot of time, money & planning went into & still are going into these, & we are almost to the final unveiling points of these not bad ass street cars, but also have other extreme customs.
Point is, if you have the older blocks, & want a bad street car, it is more than possible without an LS, etc, swap
Just getting into the ls platform, I’m sold on it. Recently did a cam swap and port job on my sons 5.7 hemi.. very expensive! Looking to build the 6.0 in my vortec max next.
thanks for sharing all the info, i like watching to learn everything I can, keep up the great videos
Great info. Thank you! I am interested in installing an LS on my 1984 Chevy Camaro. The original 305 finally quit. Will an Ls go straight into my car or do i need to do special modifications as far as the crossmember and so on? And what transmission would I have to get in order to make this work? I currently have an R4700 automatic. Would like to keep it the care automatic. Any suggestions would be very appreciated! Thank you for your videos!
Great video, the only reason I haven't installed an Ls engine in my old trans am is there are other things that need to be replaced or reworked like the engine cross member. It is just a little bit more expensive. Again thank you for a great informative video.
Most common swap out for v6 in Grand National. I personally wouldn't do it, but the guys who do make a ton of HP and don't have to worry about the block splitting.
I’m convinced! Dropping any plans of a 383 to go in my ‘63 nova. Going LS for sure. The question now is.. fuel injection or carburetor??
I love the LS ! But I also love the old school small block to! I have a 94 sierra with a 5.7 tbi engine what would you recommend my first mods be ? I'd like to keep it tbi to cause it's so simple:)
Love old school but I agree with everything you said. Can't wait to go through this build!
New sub i admire your str8up honesty, Humility &no hate on brand
A few things you should of said that are major pluses for the aluminum ls are light weight = faster accelerating and better fuel economy.
Light weight = faster cornering better handling car.
And they are so good with turbo's that drifters are now using them too. In JDM vehicles!
Other improvements would be thermal management design with the reverse cooling, that cools the cylinder heads first, the symmetrical port layout, and using better materials like the copper-infiltrated Powered Metal valve seats in the LS3. All those changes reduce cylinder head and valve temperatures improving detonation resistance.
I have a 1980 Camaro, and i have decided to install an LS engine. Because they are so much easier to get lots of power, and cheaper. I can hardly wait until it is done!
Definitely looking forward to the ls build when I get the chance.
Great presentation. Thanks for taking the time to share your knowledge and post.
I have a bone stock 2000 LS1 Trans Am that lives a pretty cushy life . Not abused at all and it suffers from horrible piston slap on cold startup and makes all kinds of what I believe to be valvetrain noises . Either way its really left a sour taste in my mouth toward LS motors . Do you ever hear of these issues and if so, whats your fix to correct this? Great videos by the way.
I'm getting ready to buy a high mileage Yukon cheap and build a motor so its affordable, what oil pump do you recommend for these things ? Also, I read a lot about the o-ring failures in the pickup tube, I plan on putting some JB Weld around the joint. I want to do a .030 to freshen it up. Where is the cheapest place to get .030 stock type pistons ? Do you see a lot of worn out valve guides in these high mileage heads ? Also, where is a cheap place for a new stock type cam, and decent lifters at an affordable price ?
I was that old school guy, but I'm about to do my first "junkyard" LS build. It's cheaper than building a 383 stroker, and you can boost the shit out of it.
Very good breakdown of the 2, next best info video of the LS I've seen other then NRE breaking it down.
Informative. I didn't know about the Cylinder ID hardness feature. Thanks
LS engines are still just overhead valve push rod V8s. With the exception of crank triggered ignition and a little different valve arrangement there isn't much that separates them from other push rod V8s. If having a distributor is that important to you there are even kits that adapt a front mounted distributor to the motor. They respond to all the traditional SBC upgrades. Don't be skurred an confoosed.
What type of distributor do those kits use, a Sb Ford ?
I am a huge dog advocate. I love my pup's much more then humans. Your Nieghbor is a jack ass. A loving dog owner don't put their dogs in a stressful situation for long. I've heard your Nieghbors dogs in many of your videos. What a total ass hat !!!!!
Love all your videos. An so do my dogs...
I've had both, the LS is so much better, I had a 65 malibu with original small block, constant problems & high MPG, I now have a 65 C10 with LS1, it's faster, reliable, runs cooler and gets amazing good gas mileage. I won't have another vehicle without an LS in it. Please do a video on which is the best LS motor to swap and also LS upgrades.
I just dismantled a 6.0 out of a 2002 Chevrolet that had 330,000 miles on it and the cylinder walls looked great. no ring ridge at all.
lq4 short + ls3 heads + turbo = fun
A friend of mine bought a camaro ss with a procharger and on his way home from picking it up ended up picking pieces of his block off the highway. That is a true story.
Looking forward to this build! 👍
Cheap horse power love it!
Its not that us old school guys dont like the LS engines, its that we like classics to be, well, classic. I LIKE messing with carbs and the simplicity of the whole design. Computer controlled vehicles are great. Its just that I prefer them on my modern daily driver. Not on my classic.
The Carb stuff is not simpler at all the OBD 2 computers basically self tune they are pretty much plug and play whereas carbs require manual adjustment at every level I do understand the classic end of it the early small blocks are still the least expensive builds and are quite popular I do allot of them but the point I think should be made is they are definitely not simpler than the LS either from a build or tuning standpoint
I love barking dogs!
Sarcasm aside. I also like this discussion on the LS engine!
Even a 4.8 will outperform a old school small block w a lot of upgrades cam intake carb etc the 4.8 will smoke it times 2 in stock form is what I understand and take everything you can throw at it reliability is that correct ? So for just a few hundred bucks or so junkyard motor stock has twice the hp of a sbc from the 70s era with a bunch of money thrown at it ?
Hey man watching your LS1 build, can you do a LT1 1994-1996 or so year build or a video with info, I watch all your videos, good info and good advice, keep it up!
Jursty A LT1 is really just a SBC with a different cooling system. The block can take a little more HP but the overall design is the same.
Thank you, I am aware of the cooling, I just would love to see a good informative build on one.
TPV Productions---You're forgetting the distributor among other things. It's called a Gen 2 small block for a reason. Virtually nothing but rods and pistons are interchangeable between Gen 1 and Gen 2 SBC's. In fact the stock LT1 rods are as good if not better than a lot of aftermarket rods for the Gen 1 SBC's. None of the brackets, timing covers or even heads will swap between them directly. I have both, I know.
@@GearheadGarden your wrong..its just a reversed cooled gen 1 sbc with a opti really an injection..a gen 1 distributor for sbc drops in,carb intakes work if u drill the intake bolt for correct angel. i did a carb swap how to almost a decade ago on ls1tech..stock rods are just a tad stronger then gen 1 stuff but ive ran gen1 rods with arp bolts past 750hp on a old nitrous 327 spinning it 7800rpm..i was a die hard sbc gen 1 guy..even ran sb2.2 shit..was building a lt1 motor when i did the how to with .750 bullet solid roller,brodix -10 head's an holley 300-25 intake if i remember the part num right..they are just gen1 sbc with minor changes..but nothing special..id build a gen1 over a lt1 just because of cost an how parts are easier to find..
Do number 4 & 5 cam bearings need to be installed from the rear of the motor?
Reference LS motors
The dog is a Ford lover! 👉😅
i got a 2000 chevy silverdo just turn over 290xxx miles and still going. i drive it everyday and the L.S. engine is the very best motor ever !!!
that 5.3 cast block LS1 what about bore to 5.7 a good cam for street rods good heads dome pistons can you give me a est on horse power bigger valves to:) ???
Just out of curiosity, do you know of any companies who make an aluminum version of the traditional small block chevy? Would one be any cheaper than buying a new LS block?
02 Silverado 2500 HD 4x4 LQ4 6.0L (factory alum heads), 4L80E, G80 locker, 170,000 miles $2000. All stock factory hot rod.
Makes me feel lucky!