Ls3 crate engine options ??

Ls3 crate engine options ??

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Discussion

wallsjay

Original Poster:

408 posts

197 months

Tuesday 13th October 2015
quotequote all
Right. Going to put a new crate engine in the vxr8. Have looked at the lsa but discounted it due to being a bit of a unknown conversion and the fact I run lpg. Currently car is standard manual with a remap and cat back worked

So my options are parts world

430bhp standard ls3
480bhp cam'd ls3
525bhp aggressive cam ls3

I'm not to fussed about emissions due to a friendly mot centre and running lpg it burns cleaner. But longevity of the engine as its a daily drive and will do 20k per year. And standard headers what's the max bhp before they are limiting factors.

As always guys any information greatly received as I don't have a clue on cam specs

Also is there anything else I need to factor in with the cam'd engines apart from remap and I'm already fitting ls7 clutch

Cheers

ARAF

20,759 posts

222 months

Tuesday 13th October 2015
quotequote all
The LSA is no longer 'unknown' but you need to get the correct one, as the GenF one is different to the CTSV.

Monkfish may be able to help. IIRC, Raving also imported some engines from Oz.

wallsjay

Original Poster:

408 posts

197 months

Tuesday 13th October 2015
quotequote all
I spoke to monkfish and they have a lsa with all the hsv bits but I can't get the lpg fitted(I know what everyone thinks about the lpg) and monkfish wasn't sure on instal costs and I have doubts about inter coolers etc if the lsa has them. Ignorance is my middle name. Hence the thoughts around the Partsworld engines.

Just want longevity really but the cost per bhp makes the 525 appealing just don't want it to fail in 20k miles and have another engine st itself.

ARAF

20,759 posts

222 months

Tuesday 13th October 2015
quotequote all
wallsjay said:
I spoke to monkfish and they have a lsa with all the hsv bits but I can't get the lpg fitted(I know what everyone thinks about the lpg) and monkfish wasn't sure on instal costs and I have doubts about inter coolers etc if the lsa has them. Ignorance is my middle name. Hence the thoughts around the Partsworld engines.

Just want longevity really but the cost per bhp makes the 525 appealing just don't want it to fail in 20k miles and have another engine st itself.
Sorry. I didn't realise you had lpg. I know that V8TFT (was North Of Watford) took his lpg off, to install a supercharger, so my guess would be that running it with a valley charger isn't easy.

Be careful about chasing HP with cams. They can lose their low speed driving manners. Speak to those who have had good results from their cams (and know the specs).

wallsjay

Original Poster:

408 posts

197 months

Tuesday 13th October 2015
quotequote all
Thanks Araf. Don't know many members hence the stupid questions. I am not really chasing numbers car spends most of its time on motorway just seems if I'm dropping a new engine in then upgrade seems cheap. And I do love a lumpy idle.

ArnieVXR

2,449 posts

182 months

Tuesday 13th October 2015
quotequote all
Are you really going to bin your engine due to losing oil pressure? Has it even been stripped? Probably only needs a crank grind, shells, new pump, etc. The in and out are the same cost regardless. Can't see a simple rebuild costing £5400.

Boosted LS1

21,167 posts

259 months

Tuesday 13th October 2015
quotequote all
ArnieVXR said:
Are you really going to bin your engine due to losing oil pressure? Has it even been stripped? Probably only needs a crank grind, shells, new pump, etc. The in and out are the same cost regardless. Can't see a simple rebuild costing £5400.
That was my thought. Total strip down and refresh would cost a fraction of that esp without vat.

stevieturbo

17,229 posts

246 months

Tuesday 13th October 2015
quotequote all
wallsjay said:
Right. Going to put a new crate engine in the vxr8. Have looked at the lsa but discounted it due to being a bit of a unknown conversion and the fact I run lpg. Currently car is standard manual with a remap and cat back worked

So my options are parts world

430bhp standard ls3
480bhp cam'd ls3
525bhp aggressive cam ls3

I'm not to fussed about emissions due to a friendly mot centre and running lpg it burns cleaner. But longevity of the engine as its a daily drive and will do 20k per year. And standard headers what's the max bhp before they are limiting factors.

As always guys any information greatly received as I don't have a clue on cam specs

Also is there anything else I need to factor in with the cam'd engines apart from remap and I'm already fitting ls7 clutch

Cheers
I would want to know the abilities of the LPG system before trying to increase power over what you currently have.
Are the regulators/injectors etc capable of flowing the extra required ?

And as Arnie says, a rebuild could well be cheaper, albeit more time consuming. I can definitely see the appeal of the Crate though as it is a simple quick fix.

wallsjay

Original Poster:

408 posts

197 months

Tuesday 13th October 2015
quotequote all
Lpg was built around 550bhp twin reducers custom injectors etc so comfortable with power and if I'm driving hard I always switch over to petrol.

I understand a re build could work out cheaper but a crate is all new and I can budget with fixed prices not unknown as you dig deeper. Not only that currently working in Nottingham 150mile round trip so factor in a hire car or buying a cheap run about I figure a crate engine and maybe sell off my old one to someone who fancies rebuilding it or even stripping it selling part would help re coup costs.


wallsjay

Original Poster:

408 posts

197 months

Tuesday 13th October 2015
quotequote all
Boosted I did try and call you earlier but ended up tied up when you returned my call. I will try again tomorrow thanks.

snowwolf

11,503 posts

174 months

Tuesday 13th October 2015
quotequote all
ARAF said:
Sorry. I didn't realise you had lpg. I know that V8TFT (was North Of Watford) took his lpg off, to install a supercharger, so my guess would be that running it with a valley charger isn't easy.

Be careful about chasing HP with cams. They can lose their low speed driving manners. Speak to those who have had good results from their cams (and know the specs).
As Araf mentioned, if you do a lot of slow in traffic miles a cammed engine can make it more hard work.

ARAF

20,759 posts

222 months

Tuesday 13th October 2015
quotequote all
wallsjay said:
.... I figure a crate engine and maybe sell off my old one to someone who fancies rebuilding it or even stripping it selling part would help re coup costs.
That was exactly our view. With the luck I already had that weekend, I thought it better to have a known figure than lobbing small amounts of cash into the proverbial pit, not knowing how much would be needed to fill it.

VinceM

1,888 posts

137 months

Wednesday 14th October 2015
quotequote all
snowwolf said:
As Araf mentioned, if you do a lot of slow in traffic miles a cammed engine can make it more hard work.
^^^WHS. More so when the engine is cold, mine is a mild cam and is more difficult to drive - still great though

Mud_

2,924 posts

155 months

Wednesday 14th October 2015
quotequote all
VinceM said:
^^^WHS. More so when the engine is cold, mine is a mild cam and is more difficult to drive - still great though
Get a 102mm throttle body to add to the torture smile

It's still a pussycat really, just one with a binary throttle hehe

stevieturbo

17,229 posts

246 months

Wednesday 14th October 2015
quotequote all
wallsjay said:
Lpg was built around 550bhp twin reducers custom injectors etc so comfortable with power and if I'm driving hard I always switch over to petrol.

I understand a re build could work out cheaper but a crate is all new and I can budget with fixed prices not unknown as you dig deeper. Not only that currently working in Nottingham 150mile round trip so factor in a hire car or buying a cheap run about I figure a crate engine and maybe sell off my old one to someone who fancies rebuilding it or even stripping it selling part would help re coup costs.
In that case, go for the 480hp version and it should be safe enough, and yes you will have sellable parts for sure.

raving

1,183 posts

189 months

Wednesday 14th October 2015
quotequote all
I know to an engine new on the floor started twice & someone to fit

VinceM

1,888 posts

137 months

Wednesday 14th October 2015
quotequote all
Mud_ said:
Get a 102mm throttle body to add to the torture smile

It's still a pussycat really, just one with a binary throttle hehe
On its way smile

MyM8V8

9,456 posts

194 months

Wednesday 14th October 2015
quotequote all
I can't understand the drama with this thread. Shows how crap this forum has become?

1. Get the engine out and torn down before you go spending your dosh unnecessarily.

I keep hearing some twaddle on here these days:

2. A well spec'd (sensible)cam and a GOOD TUNE will be more than OK to drive daily. (Not so sure about the fork lift fuel though?)

Very sorry for your misfortune but it ain't worth putting the cart before the horse.

Edited by MyM8V8 on Wednesday 14th October 14:32

MyM8V8

9,456 posts

194 months

Wednesday 14th October 2015
quotequote all
VinceM said:
^^^WHS. More so when the engine is cold, mine is a mild cam .........
In which case your low temperature ECT tables are probably not dialled in correctly. Your tune needs more work.

(All IMHO of course)


Edited by MyM8V8 on Wednesday 14th October 13:56

wallsjay

Original Poster:

408 posts

197 months

Wednesday 14th October 2015
quotequote all
Gareth,

Just want a quick turn around due to work commitments and a firm cost completely understand a rebuild could work out cheaper but with time constraints and the un known cost I feel a crate engine fits the bill better.

Was all convinced to go the 376-525 with a nice lumpy idle until speaking with monkfish and they said the cams ste and mapping it would be a lot more than there magic cam if I fitted but then I have the cost of the cam and springs on top of fitting the lump.

Cars are nothing but headache Diff Last month and engine this month whats the betting gear box next?