There is an LS build for every budget

Words And Photos: Dan Hodgdon

These days it’s easier than ever to put together a stout engine, regardless of how much money you have in the bank – or how much your significant other is willing to let you spend on your vehicle. Thanks to the LS from General Motors, even the most down-on-their-luck vehicles have the opportunity for a second life.

We wondered just what is available out there for the LS and turned to the experts at some of the country’s leading engine companies – the COMP Performance Group, Lunati, and Crane Cams. We gave each expert a different theoretical amount to spend and asked them to go nuts (but within budget). Our levels varied from $1,500 for simple valve train upgrades to $5,000 for the most aggressive aftermarket goodies ranging from cylinder heads to nitrous. We also asked them to make sure the upgrades they selected allowed for more changes to be made in the future.

$1,500

The budget number of $1,500 was assigned to the group at Crane Cams in Daytona Beach. Since their bread and butter is valvetrain, they focused solely on that area of the engine. They came up with three camshaft options, regardless of whether the builder is simply looking for a stock replacement, a mild upgrade, or a performance option. They all sell for $415.80. Crane account manager Allan Bechtloff helped us with the project.

“We went under the assumption that this would be a stock cylinder head application, and we would recommend a mild increase in the valve spring tension since the cams are slightly above what a stock spring can handle for tension and/or travel,” Bechtloff says. “We recommended a valve spring kit and a fulcrum upgrade so the factory rocker arms could be retained, along with a better set of pushrods.

“These LS cams are also using a three-bolt design, so a timing chain set may be required to match the camshaft and timing sensor configurations.”

The Crane staff recommends using one of their mild “Direct Fit” cams for daily drivers utilizing 4.8L, 5.3L, or 5.7L engines. The cam can also be used in a truck for towing with a power range of 1,400 to 5,500 rpm. The stock valve springs can be utilized, but a spring upgrade would be beneficial. The cam does not require a computer upgrade.

Next, they recommended a Street Max option which can be used with the same engines as the “Direct Fit,” but with the 6.0L option added. This is a performance-oriented cam with a light choppy idle. A computer upgrade is recommend along with a valve spring upgrade. It can be used in the 1,800 to 6,000 rpm power range.

Another more aggressive “Street Max” option works with 5.3L, 5.7L, and 6.0L engines and provides a light chop to the idle. This option works well with supercharged or nitrous applications. A computer upgrade is necessary here as well, along with an upgraded valve spring kit.

“The factory LS rocker arms will work well with all three of these camshafts,” Bechtloff explains, but the “fulcrum upgrade” or LS Rocker Arm Upgrade Kit is highly recommended. It is available for $130.00.

The factory rocker is lightweight with a low moment of inertia, but the loose factory needle bearings and powder metal fulcrums are not up to the task when it comes to improved performance of the cam and springs.

“This kit allows you to install caged needle bearings and an 8620 steel fulcrum into the factory rocker arm body,” Bechtloff adds. “It’s easy to do and will enhance the endurance of the rocker arm system.”

Meanwhile, the valve spring kit costs $234 and features a complete set of dual coil valve springs, steel retainers, lower spring seats, valve locks, and Viton valve seals. A spring replacement tool allows two springs to be changed at once and cuts the job time in half. The tool is available for $157.10.

Heat-treated, .080-inch wall, 7.400-inch overall length pushrods for the LS engines reduce pushrod deflection to maintain control of the valve train, and a set is available for $138.33. Finally, the three-bolt timing chain conversion kits may be necessary and cost $253.80, but be sure to select the correct one for your application, as different LS engines have varying numbers of timing sensors.

$3,000

The mid-level budget of $3,000 went to Lunati’s national accounts manager, Kirk Peters. His Olive Branch, Mississippi-based company has been cranking out valvetrain components and bottom-end parts for decades.

“I’d start by improving cubic inches,” Peters says of his project. To do so he recommends using a Lunati Voodoo 408c.i. rotating assembly package that includes a 4-inch-stroke Voodoo forged crankshaft, 6.125-inch H-Beam connecting rods, and 4.030-inch bore ICON flat-top forged pistons. The cost is $2,507.

Lunati’s Kirk Peters (center) says a rotating assembly and camshaft are the place to start when upgrading an LS.

The compression ratio is 11.6: 1 with 66cc combustion chambers. Peters notes, however, that for a daily driver, one might need to lower the compression ratio with ICON dished forged pistons, which will change the compression ratio to 9.1:1 with 66cc combustion chambers. Each option features a 1.5mm x 1.55mm x 3mm ring pack with King rod and main bearings. All Lunati rotating assem-blies come balanced.

“Now that we have increased the cubic inches, let’s improve the camshaft,” Peters says. “We are looking for a ‘Hot Street Cam,’ which will operate in the 1,800 to 6,400 rpm range.” He recommends a Voodoo Hydraulic Roller Cam and Lifter Kit designed for common GM LS Gen III/Gen IV engines. The kit is available for $717.85.

$5,000

The big money went to Chris Mays, performance account manager at the COMP Performance Group in Memphis, Tennessee. Mays’ company owns a wide variety of leading performance aftermarket brands so he had the most options.

“This is pretty easy when I’ve got $5,000 to play with,” he said.

He started with a set of assembled LS7 Pro Elite cylinder heads from Racing Head Service, components that are CNC-ported and feature stainless valves, along with tool steel retainers. The heads would set a customer back $3,631.98 and require a 4.165-inch or bigger bore. Next, he suggested a custom-grind COMP Cams LS camshaft designed to work with a stock LS short block for $411.79. He also threw in a COMP OE Rocker Arm Trunnion Upgrade Kit for increased stability and stiffness for $140.35.

Mays topped off the setup with a FAST LSXR 102mm Intake Manifold for improved airflow and better-heat dissipating character-istics than aluminum options. The manifold will work with a stock EFI setup and set the builder back $1,033.17.

“This is with a head upgrade,” Mays says of his build. “If the customer buys an LS7 takeout, or has an LS7 or LS3 with upgraded heads, they stay way under this budget and still get at least a 200-hp gain.”
Mays also notes for those who already have upgraded heads, a ZEX LSX Blackout Nitrous System can add up to 175 additional horsepower for another $601.55. Of course, if a customer is so inclined, he or she could also choose to add an upgraded bot-tom-end like Lunati’s Peters spoke of instead of superior heads.

So there you have it. Regardless of whether you’re building a show-quality vehicle that needs the giddy-up to match, or you just have the means to beef up your engine little by little, the option is out there.

Sources

Crane Cams
cranecams.com

Lunati
lunatipower.com

COMP cams
compcams.com