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LS2 vs LS6 bottom end


Mowgli1647545497

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Arguement on another forum - point came out that both the LS6 and the LS2 internals, specifically the bottom ends, are both good up to 500rwhp or so without modifying if one expects any real longevity out of them.

 

Not worried so much on the numbers what I'm more interested in is do these two engines have about the same power tolerance without cracking open the block?

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I have NEVER heard of anyone cracking an LSx series block. NEVER. Nor have I heard of anyone exploding a crank. I'd say our biggest weak points are the Hyperjunk pistons, the rods, and the damn 4 bolts per cylinder head layout.

 

I can't say much for the LS2 as I haven't done much research on it. I'd guess it's pretty much on par with/damn near identical to the LS1/6 motor.

 

LSx motors are the best engines EVAR! tongue.gif

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When I say cracking open the block I include pushrods and piston swaps in that statement.

In that vein which of the two series is more hardy - the LS6 or the LS2?

 

Since I don't think anyone on this board owns an LS2 powered car, I'll probably be waiting for awhile on opinions.

 

As for block bustin... I personally watched an LS1 blow off its bottom end (without a girdle). This was well over 500hp though.

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Originally posted by Mowgli:

Since I don't think anyone on this board owns an LS2 powered car, I'll probably be waiting for awhile on opinions.

David Putty has a yellow C6 I believe.

 

Originally posted by Mowgli:

As for block bustin... I personally watched an LS1 blow off its bottom end (without a girdle). This was well over 500hp though.

I'll be damned. You learn something new everyday. Stock bottom end? I'm told the stock crank is good for up to around 900 rwhp. And yes, I girdle would help.
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Buzz decided to go for an LS2 block on his 427 Z06. I believe he said it is slightly stronger than the LS6 block....dunno how true that is though.

 

As for stock bottom ends (which is a totally different subject than block strenght), I'd assume similar power tolerance. Compression ratio is close enough, both run hyperpathetic pistons and powdered metal rods. I'd guestimate it would be similar, and one holding more than the other over a long period of time would probably be more to do with tuning/care/luck of the draw than one shortblock being consistantly stronger than the other.

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Guest powers

alot of it will be atrributed to tune. Most cars with the same set up as an LSx block tend to break at about 500 rwhp some less some more. The problem people have with them is bad fuel and or bad tune with can cause you to detonate and with the motor already at a stressed point they just break. Breaking a rod or piston will ruin an aluminum block reguardless of what kind it is. Aluminum blocks are sleaved and you can't bore the sleaves as large as an iron block, so when stuff breaks it breaks good.

 

On a factory hyperutectic piston and powder cast rods I personally would not try to exceed 400-450 rwhp out of fear of breakage.

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Guest powers
Originally posted by Cap'n Kickass:

Typical mustang owner. No balls whatsoever. tongue.gif Just messin.

Just enough balls to race all the members of team Z06 and motivate them to mod their cars :D
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I don't know - I've just been reading a fair bit of "smoothness of the LS2" and "personality of the LS6" and various back and forth blah blah about the two blocks... and well I'm just not seeing where either block is fundamentally better designed than the other.

 

Or where one or the other would hold more power better than the other as they come out of the factory. But I'm still new to the LSx world.

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Guest powers
most of the time the differences are in the thickness of certain area's on the block bosses, webbing, where the oil passages are and the like. They can be hard to compair even side by side. from what I know of both blocks both should be similar in block power handling(aprox 800-1000). It will all come down to internals. Also the type of power adder will have an effect on an aluminum block due to heat and cylinder pressures. As far as stock to stock they have very similar set ups which will limit you in a stock configuration. Alot of the stock stuff comes down to luck. For example many people have broken LS1's with 150-200 shots then again look at how long Sam's old LS1 took the abuse he dished out to it.
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Originally posted by Cap'n Kickass:

I have NEVER heard of anyone cracking an LSx series block. NEVER. Nor have I heard of anyone exploding a crank. I'd say our biggest weak points are the Hyperjunk pistons, the rods, and the damn 4 bolts per cylinder head layout.

 

I thought that LSx motors had 6 bolt mains?
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Both bottom ends will easily handle 550 rwhp with a proper tune. The weak link is the valve train and rear (on CTS-V). The LS2 block is stronger if boring out. MTI says the 97-99 LS1 block is stronger for boring than the ls6 block.
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Both bottom ends will easily handle 550 rwhp with a proper tune. The weak link is the valve train and rear (on CTS-V). The LS2 block is stronger if boring out. MTI says the 97-99 LS1 block is stronger for boring than the ls6 block.
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