im on the fence. i dont know what the hell i want. i like the idea of bolting on 150+hp but im affraid long term use will do more damage to the motor than help it. and i love the ls7 and wanted this in my new camaro before i even knew what motors were going to be in it. but the 15k or whatever the price is for the ls7 is a big chunk compared to the 7k for a procharger. i know their not good for supercharging, and the 75hp difference between the ls7 and ls3 might not be worth the $ invested. i dont know

 

The LS7 uses cast pistons doesn't it? Or are they hypereutectic?

 

LS7 specifications:

Part number: 17802397
Horsepower: 500 (373 kW) @ 6200 rpm
Torque (lb.-ft.): 475 (644 Nm) @ 4800 rpm
Engine type: Cam-in-block 90-degree V-8
Displacement (L/cu in): 7.0 / 427
Bore x stroke (mm/in) 104.8 x 101.6 / 4.125 x 4.00
Block: Cast aluminum with pressed-in cylinder sleeves and 6-bolt, forged steel main bearing caps
Crankshaft: Forged steel
Connecting rods: Forged titanium
Pistons: Cast aluminum
Camshaft type: Hydraulic roller, 15 mm (.591 in) lift (intake and exhaust)
Cylinder heads: CNC-ported aluminum; 70-cc chamber volume
Valve size (mm/in): 56 / 2.20 (titanium) intake / 41 / 1.61 (sodium-filled) exhaust
Compression ratio: 11.0:1
Rocker arms: 1.8:1; offset (intake only)
Recommended fuel: Premium required. 91 octane minimum

Why didn't they do forged pistons in this thing?

On-topic I didn't intend for this to be anything reading into what she was saying specifically, just that its nice to hear about possible updates.

 

You should decide how fast you want to go first, and then figure out the best way to get there.

Cast. The problem is the thinner cylinder walls and high compression. This is the reason that GM used the LS3 rather than the LS7 as a basis for the LSA and LS9.

 

Cast pistons are lighter (I believe) and don't expand/contract as much as forged pistons do because of heat. If I remember correctly, forged pistons change size because of the amount of silicon(?) in them. It's been awhile and my memory is a little foggy.

 

well....i dont want to use this for drag racing. basically i want to take it to the Mid Ohio track a few times. i was wanting to get atleast 500hp to the wheels. id like a higher top end. im guessing the ss will be around 150? track use isnt going to be the only thing i want to do. imsure il only do it a few times a year but i want it to be great at the track. ive already purchased the pedders setup and im trying to figure out what wheels i want. somethign obviously lighter than the stock 20"s but i want to go up a size or 2"(in the rear). having that info, do you have any suggestions for me? another option i guess would be cam/head package and minor bolt ons.

 

500+ to the wheels on a street car is going to be pretty tough to handle. Are you getting the auto or the manual?

You're talking about top speed? I'd guess it'll top out around 155-160. Are you really going to be driving it faster than that? When/where?

I ran my Z28 up to ~150 on a deserted expressway once a couple years ago. The opportunity to go that fast hasn't occurred again since. It was fun, but it was also dangerous as heck and I was stupid for doing it.

When you say you want to go up a size or 2, are you talking about the wheel diameter, or the width?

From what I've heard, going wider than the factory 9" wheel on the SS isn't really an option. There's no extra room in there.

I also don't think you should bother going any bigger than 21", but that's totally up to you. IMO the car looks best on 19" wheels. Your ability to get traction diminishes as you go with larger diameter wheels, so be careful. The combination of 22" wheels and 500rwhp is nothing short of ridiculous.



My suggestion is that you get yourself a CAI, full exhaust, a big cam, and a tune. You'll be sitting pretty at around 450rwhp, which is more than you'd have with an LS7, and is faster than I'll bet you think it is. Try that for a while, and if you don't like it, then start thinking about where else you want to go. You could always get a nice nitrous setup or something, so that you retain some manageability when you want it, but still have some serious speed to play around with.

 

i ordered a manual. my previous trans am had 450hp to the wheels with all the mods i had done to it. so controling the power isnt a problem. i plan on doing more rear end traction upgrades also. 150-160 mph is too bad i guess. that should be fine for the tracks i want to use it on.
as far as the wheels i know that the width on the ss now is about all you can go. i was planning on maybe going a bit wider. isnt it already a 285? if do ill try to get a 295 rear tire. the wheels i want to go with are the HRE 948R. i got all the weights and found out if i do the 21" front and 22" rear ill be about 50lbs lighter than the stock 20's. if i go with the 21" all the way around ill lose about 65-70 lbs.
i do plan on doing a full exhaust(lt headers,catback) and if i dont do a power adder then ill do a cold air intake. ive thought about cams but im not too familiar with them.