LS weight savings

[CCC]

I am just starting to plan a build and could use some advice. A friend sent me here and said you guys knew your stuff.

I want to build the most useful car possible. I have a Chevy 454 but was curious about reading about weight savings with the LS motor. What kind of real world advantage would the LS give me over my 454. My 454 has a lot of torque and HP, more so than a standard LS. Does the weight of the motor make that much difference or could you offset the negative handling effects by relocating the 454?

[CCC]

Also looking for the best possible 2nd gen camaro suspension. Wow there are a lot of options now. DSE, Speedtech, Schwartz and others I can't think right now.

How does one go about deciding which to pick?

[SixD7]

I've often wondered about the weight savings too. I'm no expert but I think the better handling will out weigh the power of the 454 and you can always build an LS to make as much power as you want.

[79-TA]

On a tighter autocross there is no question. There's hardly enough room to put down the power from the most mild small block so handling is definitely the priority.

On a road course, much of what you gain on a straight can be instantly lost if the car is not competent in the braking zones.

I'll let the actual LS swappers bring the figures, but I think the weight savings from a traditional small block short block to an LS shortblock is about 90 pounds.


As far as making power goes, the LS offers much better top end breathing and cylinder head options. This advantage is so significant that comapanies now make hybrid blocks that have traditional SBC bottom ends but are meant for LS cylinder heads.

If you do run the 454, save yourself at least 50 pounds up front by running aluminum cylinder heads.

[jeff s]

LS is about 390 lbs.
Old school small block is about 575.
BBC is 675

[CamaroAJ]

LS is about 390 lbs.
Old school small block is about 575.

your saying there is 185 lbs. different between the two? are we talking iron heads and iron intake?

[BuzzKillian]

What is the weight of a Big Block?

[jeff s]

675-685 for bbc

[jeff s]

your saying there is 185 lbs. different between the two? are we talking iron heads and iron intake?

iron heads alloy intake SBC 575 lbs

[SixD7]

Would most agree that unless you have an original motor to put in a car the advantages of an LS motor are worth it?

[sik68]

There was an article in Hot Rod magazine a while back, called "crate motor shootout" or something similar, where they spent a day at the strip making passes, and swapping powerplants...multiple LS engines, sbcs and bbcs. They also posted vehicle weights for each combo. All said and done, the LS combos were netting about 50-70 lbs less than the sbc combos if I remember right. I'll try to see if I have the issue tomorrow, unless someone can find the article online first.

EDIT: 68Formula Posted the Article on Page 2.

[Vegas69]

I'll take my aluminum big block over these LSX's. The average power and consistency is hard to beat.

[gmjj13]

I'll take my aluminum big block over these LSX's. The average power and consistency is hard to beat.

+1 mines not all aluminum, but i'll take it over a LS any day.

[sik68]

From Hot Rod Magazine:



Vehicle Weights:
LS7: 3420
LS3: 3334
LS327: 3386
ZZ4: 3360
ZZ383: 3360
427: 3520
572: 3560

The SBC's are right there when it comes to overall vehicle weight. Perhaps the LS engines are backed up by heavier transmissions, I don't know. All I see is that the LS's don't seem to lighten the car as much as expected over a traditional small block build.

I can't find the online article right now. Here's my source
http://www.camaros.net/forums/showth...evelle+hot+rod

EDIT: 68Formula Posted the Article on Page 2.

[tommycomfort]

Looks like the small blocks both have aluminum heads.

[Vegas69]

That's interesting to see the LS and small blocks so close. My ZL-1 would put the car at 3370. When I was researching the block I found that it's 150lbs lighter than a gen vi steel block identical to the 427 big block above.

[Blue67gto]

The SBC's are right there when it comes to overall vehicle weight. Perhaps the LS engines are backed up by heavier transmissions, I don't know. All I see is that the LS's don't seem to lighten the car as much as expected over a traditional small block build.

even if they are the same weight as a package, it would make the engine lighter and the transmission heavier. thus moving they weight further back in the chassis.

[4MuscleMachines]

The LS engines also have a lower center of gravity. More of their mass is concentrated lower than traditional SBCs or BBCs.

[sik68]

even if they are the same weight as a package, it would make the engine lighter and the transmission heavier. thus moving they weight further back in the chassis.

The LS engines also have a lower center of gravity. More of their mass is concentrated lower than traditional SBCs or BBCs.

Excuses, excuses.

[Mkelcy]

That's interesting to see the LS and small blocks so close. My ZL-1 would put the car at 3370. When I was researching the block I found that it's 150lbs lighter than a gen vi steel block identical to the 427 big block above.

I see the numbers, but a 26 pound difference between an LS3 and an aluminum headed SBC doesn't make sense given the aluminum block and the composite manifold of the LS3.

According to the GMPP catalog, the lightest 9.025" deck SBC block is 181 pounds; an LS3 block is about 110 pounds. Something's not right.