So, my best friend wants me to build him an engine...
After remembering a few articles over the L92 heads/intake for the price I thought...
Sure I could probably put together using all brand-new parts an LS2/L92 package that could put 500 RWHP for under $5,000

After pricing it, I've found that if I'm not picky and just go spending, I figure around $5,500 is probably a better estimate... pretty much building an LS2 shortblock up around better forged internals, the L92 heads/intake package, a better cam and headers should put me there easily.

What I do want however is some questions answered.
A. I could probably do this on the cheap if I could find a wrecked silverado or whatever that has an LS2/L92, put in a different cam and headers and it would do the job.

B. is there a better option out there for the money?... I want longevity (engine must last 50k+) power (500+ RWHP), cost (less than $5,000 all said and done), (PCM needs to be capable of DoD/MDS ( I want to get the mpg out of this thing as well), boltup to an M6, and I'm going to have to retro-fit this into an '87 1/2-ton chevy shortbed pickup

C. what are the options out there for the computer? MDS/DoD is a must-have on this build.

 

To answer your questions:

A) LS2s don't come in anything besides 2005+ GTOs, C6 Corvettes, the 2006+ Cadillac CTS-V, and the Trailblazer SS (More rare than a Ferrari. ROFL ). You can always use the iron LQ4 or LQ9 6.0L truck block in a build like I did.

B) Displacement on Demand and MDS is a marketing scam.

The L92 heads/L76 intake setup on a 402 LS2 is a good choice. You can find shortblocks, longblocks, bare blocks, etc, on the sponsors list.

If I was doing a buildup, I'd use the new GM LSX Bowtie Block, which starts off with a 3.9x bore and can be bored to 4.25" and handle up to 2500 horsepower for the low low price of $2000 for the block! You can build a 454ci LSx with no problems whatsoever.

My 408 LSx gets around 16 city and 27 mpg highway. No need for gimmicky DoD/MDS systems.

I seriously hope your budget is more than $5000 if you're trying to do something of this magnitude.

 

As far as pricing goes:

You can get a forged shortblock 402ci LS2 for right under $4000.
Once you add things like $700+ headers, and exhaust system, oil pan, heads, gaskets, intake manifold, injectors, fuel pump, tuning, computer, transmission build, rear-end build, etc, etc, etc, etc, you can easily be twice that.

It's not going to be fun fabricating that into a non-LSx car, so the easiest route would obviously be the carbuerated route.

Mike

 

Kraest, I would heed your word far more than most, so your comment about DoD/MDS being a marketing scam I'm not going to immediately discount.
The fact is, if it works correctly, its good for a minimum of 2mpg better in highway driving than without. That alone is worth it in the long run in my opinion.

An LS2 block alone is about $1,000, an LSX is $2,000. I have to have some budget here, I've built chrysler B's and RB's in the 500 HP carbed range for less than $5k all said and done, the fact that something with a huge aftermarket and using brand new heads should be no problem from that standpoint with a bowtie. I want fuel injection, I want decent mpg, and I think its possible using the L92 option, unless there is something out there which provides a head/intake combo to sit on top with as much flow rate for as little money.

Fact is I laugh every time I see someone who spent $10-20k on their 5-600 HP race built dragstrip motor, and then watch them get trounced by the guy who built the same thing on a 3-5k budget because he did all the work himself except the machine shop and shopped around.

I was under the impression the new '07 trucks and SUV's had the option of the LS2?

Ripping an LQ4 or LQ9 (whatever those are, assuming they bolt up to the L92 setup) out of a junkyard/wrecked car will save a lot of money if its a possibility.

Another big question still remains, if I do set an L92 setup on top of whatever block... what do I do about the PCM? what options are out there, or am I regulated to ripping a wiring harness/computer out of a wrecker and having it re-tuned?

 

Yep. All the LSx parts are interchangable on these blocks and they come with a 4.0" bore, which you need for the L92 heads.

I have no idea what you can do about putting that PCM into a 1987 Silverado... you'd need the LSx PCM and harness to drive the engine, sensors, etc correctly.

 

What vehicles came with an LQ4/LQ9, I'm assuming they are iron block 4" bore LS series blocks?

 

You forgot the Trailblazer SS.

 

Yeah... :blah:... Seriously.... My 408 long block is going to run me over 8 grand... .. THat's JUST for the engine.. not to mention fuel system, tune, intake, TB, engine management system (I'm doing boost).. You'll need the heads and intake to add to the SB... that's 3-5 grand easy, dependign on heads.. Check the 500hp thread... a lot of good info in there..

THe stock engine management system will be fine an a bigger block untill you add a lot of boost and a big fuel system.

 

Doh..... and the TB SS

I always forget about that.. .there's none around.

 

Your LSx series 6.0L fullsize trucks, etc, that started years ago.

Yes. 4.0" bore.

 

......






if anyone is looking for an LS2 I know of one pulled out of a TBSS with less then 4000 miles on it... TB to oil pan..it a fair price too

 

the L92 heads and intake are $2,000 exactly plus tax and shipping, that's COMPLETE and not barebones... ready to bolt on.
throttle body, intake, all part of it.

fuel system is easy, a regulator and pump is all I need, engine management system is just taking an existing setup on a stock LS2 and having a tune done, which if done on the cheap at a local wideband dyno and doing the programming myself will run me less than $300.

So once again, no one has realistically showed me how a forged internal 4" bore LS series longblock and boltons can't be had for less than $5k... and I'm not just picking at daisy's in dreamland here, I've build over a dozen engines in the past 5 years, I know what it takes to build one, just haven't done this one in particular....yet

 

Well, buddy... you're on your own on this one. Everyone else is being realistic.

Did you think about things like lifters ($500 for the good Morel lifters), oil pan, rockers ($160 for OEM rockers), hardened pushrods ($100), upgraded valve springs ($100), titanium retainers ($100), a $2500-4000 rotating assembly, a $1000 block, machine work ($600+), a compete LS1 ignition system, in addition to the $2000 for the heads/intake?

Probably not.

Let's not even get started on $1000+ 1-7/8" Kooks Longtube headers and things of the sort

$5000 for the longblock and bolt-ons.

Mike

 

proper rockers, springs, valves, et cetera are all included with the $1,500 heads.. complete and ready to bolt-on according to the vendors.
cam and lifters should never be more than $500 total, if you pay more than that, then either you are buying something special for a strip only engine, or you are paying too much. I spend $600 for a full hydrallic roller cam, lifters, and pushrods conversion on a B block these days, Chevrolet's aftermarket should be much better, especially for an engine that was built specifically for them.

As for the condition of the block and whether or not it requires machine work I am unaware.

Ignition system can be stripped from a wrecker for less than $500, including the PCM, o2's, injectors(which will probably be worthless), sensors, and otherwise.

Why in heavens name would I pay more than $250 for a set of longtube headers on an engine that has as much room in a 1/2 ton '87 pickup as a body in the trunk of a 1965 sedan.

I'm not here to get in a pissing match over whether the price is possible, I can determine that for myself. I asked a few simple questions, and I'm still waiting for a response.

 

I've never seen heads come with rockers.

Good luck using stock L92 springs good for .510 lift on an aggressive cam....of course you already knew that...

All LS1 cams run around $375-400 for the cam itself.
Morel lifters are around $500. If you run anything else in a high $$$ engine, you get what you pay for.

You might want a machine shop to allign bore the block for the new .030" over pistons and check tolerances/clearance for the stroker crank, right? Right?

Probably because that's how much they cost? Try to buy some regular SBC EIIEEIIE headers to put on the LS1 motor... You'd have better luck getting Ford headers to fit with them. Either that or you can leave some power/torque on the table with 1-3/4" headers instead of 1-7/8" in your quest for 500rwhp.

I can see the next thread:
"Guys, my headers don't fit correctly. I bought some $300 Longtubes from a friend of mine with a 350."





But then again, you know everything which is why you started a thread seeking help?