LS Options Explained
Discussion
Hi Guys
I have just bought a Cerb scrapper that needs a total rebuild and will be eventually going down the LS route but I am at the very early stages of that journey! I now need to research the LS engine range and options to decide which is likely to be the best for me. The problem is I don't have a clue, LS3, 6, 7, LSA etc, so I will need to undertake quite a bit of research to come to a decision.
It occurs to me that there is a lot of knowledge on here and most likely others have done the research before me. Searching the forums throws up a collection of interesting experiences but I cant find a decent summary of the pros and cons of the different variants. Ultimately I am looking to build a road going track day toy. Any helpful contributions or pointers on sources of info to help me come to an informed decision?
Please don't bog me down with the desecration of a TVR argument - the car I have bought would otherwise be going for parts. Any contributions and offers of advice would be appreciated.
Cheers
Ian
I have just bought a Cerb scrapper that needs a total rebuild and will be eventually going down the LS route but I am at the very early stages of that journey! I now need to research the LS engine range and options to decide which is likely to be the best for me. The problem is I don't have a clue, LS3, 6, 7, LSA etc, so I will need to undertake quite a bit of research to come to a decision.
It occurs to me that there is a lot of knowledge on here and most likely others have done the research before me. Searching the forums throws up a collection of interesting experiences but I cant find a decent summary of the pros and cons of the different variants. Ultimately I am looking to build a road going track day toy. Any helpful contributions or pointers on sources of info to help me come to an informed decision?
Please don't bog me down with the desecration of a TVR argument - the car I have bought would otherwise be going for parts. Any contributions and offers of advice would be appreciated.
Cheers
Ian
I think I would be tempted to go for an LS3 as they are nice and cheap (comparatively) and you still get 480BHP. If I ever got bored of it I would buy a supercharger kit which takes it up to around 620BHP. I know a few of the local VXR8 / Monaro boys have Supercharged the LS3 lumps in their cars and it is pretty much just bolt on... much simpler than a TVR RV8!
Good luck with the project. Keep an eye on Engineer1949's blog Nick and his dad are currently doing up a cerebra and fitting an LS3:
http://tvrengineer.co.uk/category/model/cerbera/
Good luck with the project. Keep an eye on Engineer1949's blog Nick and his dad are currently doing up a cerebra and fitting an LS3:
http://tvrengineer.co.uk/category/model/cerbera/
roseytvr said:
yep, its a thing of beauty, not!!Based on your experience with the Grif and Tam (great figures by the way) what would you stick in a cerb?
if you're heading for a gearbox, the 6060 is the better option, or a t56 magnum. the std t56 doesn't have the best shifter location. 6060 will fit the verb chassis easily enough
OP, the ls3 or LSA engines are a good place to start. You'll also want a cable throttle and preferably a stand alone ecu imo. This makes tuning mush easier later on. If you have the budget an ls7 is desirable but for less money one of the others can be highly tuned. One thing, costs soon mount up with these engines. The price you see is rarely the finished price. You'll need to consider the front end ancilliaries, wet or dry sump etc. Sometimes a bespoke build can be better but do your research.
LS1 < LS6 < LS2 < LS3 < LS7 < LSA < LS9
The LS1 and LS6 were the first generation of LS motors. Both were 5.7L but the LS6 had a more aggressive cam, better flowing cylinder heads and a higher redline.
The latter were the following generation. With the LSA and LS9 both coming from the factory with superchargers.
IMO the best motor is the LS7 but it comes at a cost. It has the highest displacement at 7L, and highest redline of 7000rpm. It makes 505hp stock and features titanium connecting rods, intake valves and retainers. It also has a dry sump oiling system.
All the LS motors have the same external dimensions (except for the LSA and LS9 which are taller because of the supercharger) there is alot of part interchangeability between them and all can be built to handle 525+ HP relatively easily on stock displacment.
The LS1 and LS6 were the first generation of LS motors. Both were 5.7L but the LS6 had a more aggressive cam, better flowing cylinder heads and a higher redline.
The latter were the following generation. With the LSA and LS9 both coming from the factory with superchargers.
IMO the best motor is the LS7 but it comes at a cost. It has the highest displacement at 7L, and highest redline of 7000rpm. It makes 505hp stock and features titanium connecting rods, intake valves and retainers. It also has a dry sump oiling system.
All the LS motors have the same external dimensions (except for the LSA and LS9 which are taller because of the supercharger) there is alot of part interchangeability between them and all can be built to handle 525+ HP relatively easily on stock displacment.
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