LQ9 370ci N/A build

[MyFirstZ]

Well I found a cast iron LQ9 6.0 block finally ! !

So far what I have gathered is a
-6.0l LQ9 gen III 400$
-4.030" wisco forged -3.2cc pistons 700$
-callies compstar "I" beam 6.125" rods 700$
-ARP mainstuds 234 5608 215$
-Machine work and assembly 1273.16

Totaling 3288.16

Going with a TSP Magic stick 4 239/242 .649"/.609" Camshaft

Heads will be ordered next week. Going to bring down the budget a little and go with PRC 5.3 heads at 62CC along with cometic .040" head gaskets.

Rockers will get the trunion upgrade

Intake will stay with the LS6 for the time being since my original schedule got bumper up by 6 months

Any advice or suggestions are welcome. Extremely excited to do this build

Also what do you guys think an LS1 with no covers /w 243's, tsp torquer v2 cam should be worth from complete?
Trying to weigh my options if its worth selling as a whole or not.

[Jersey Mike]

Glad you posted this! It's been tough keeping my mouth shut.


As for selling your current stuff, you'll get a good bit more if you sell everything separately & throw the stock heads/intake/cam back in.



Let the shiny pictures begin!

[MyFirstZ]

Still a toss up. Got to see how many side jobs I rake in for the next few months

[V]

ill take the stock stuff off your hands...

[1984camaroz28]

Go 408 its worth the extra money. I have a 6.0 block in my garage cheap. Its going to take a big cam to get you to 500rwhp plus

[MyFirstZ]

Wish I asked you before I drove out to Amish country. Haha

I just saw that the stroker 408 kit uses the same length rods that I have. Is that right? If thats the case then all I need is a new crank? Eagle is obviously the cheapest but for a street car you think its good enough ?

Also wanted to ask you Charlie what you recommend as far as fuel (injectors/pump) and brand of bearing ?

[1984camaroz28]

thoes rods are fine my buddy ran thoes in his 454 lsx made 580rwhp threw an auto and sprayed it with 300... They held up fine

[MyFirstZ]

Yeah I was told they can take some power. So basically I just need 4.00 stroke crank?

I honestly thought the 408 used a longer rod but I guess not. May have to make this work now. haha

Is your machinist local up there ?

[WildBillyT]

Originally Posted by MyFirstZ

Wish I asked you before I drove out to Amish country. Haha

I just saw that the stroker 408 kit uses the same length rods that I have. Is that right? If thats the case then all I need is a new crank? Eagle is obviously the cheapest but for a street car you think its good enough ?

Also wanted to ask you Charlie what you recommend as far as fuel (injectors/pump) and brand of bearing ?

FWIW I have heard from a few machinists that Eagle stuff sometimes ends up costing more due to the amount of re-work that needs to be done, and you are left with a substandard part after all that.

[MyFirstZ]

May have to go with the callies in that case for a few hundred more. Thanks for that

[1984camaroz28]

Originally Posted by WildBillyT

FWIW I have heard from a few machinists that Eagle stuff sometimes ends up costing more due to the amount of re-work that needs to be done, and you are left with a substandard part after all that.

The eagle Ls cranks are no joke... I no of a 440lsx That went 8.23s on 2 kits with a total of 600hp worth of N2o. The motor had an eagle crank. They actually split the block in half and the crank survived it.

[MyFirstZ]

Well that is going to end up being the next purchase before machine work. I'll do some research and see what I can get my hands on

The 408ci open alot more doors for heads and cam possibilities.

[Featherburner]

Originally Posted by MyFirstZ

Wish I asked you before I drove out to Amish country. Haha

I just saw that the stroker 408 kit uses the same length rods that I have. Is that right? If thats the case then all I need is a new crank? Eagle is obviously the cheapest but for a street car you think its good enough ?

Also wanted to ask you Charlie what you recommend as far as fuel (injectors/pump) and brand of bearing ?

New pistons too.

[MyFirstZ]

I thought the 408 used a 4.030" bore

4.030" bore X 4.00" stroke

As i just found out last night using 6.125" rods as well

[BarneyMobile]

Like Featherburner said, you'll be needing new pistons if you go with bigger crank. you can keep the rods. Its not about the bore size rather the placement of the wrist pin in piston. A longer stroke will require the wrist pin to be moved closer to top of the piston, other wise if you kept the same pistons for the 370 build, they would come up and out of the bore. The piston has to be selected based on rod lenght and crank throw.

[MyFirstZ]

Had no idea about that ! Appreciate it

I'll end up just keeping it at a 370 and spending the extra coin on head work and intake

[mc73nova]

Not as familiar with the LS line for Eagle but I never had any problems with Eagle. The crank that was in my Nova was in the 10's its entire life with about 700 passes on it and never failed. Not saying its better than other brands but they work.

[MyFirstZ]

Going to the machine shop tomorrow to talk about a date to drop it off as soon as the main studs come in. .. . . .

Side jobs are coming in steadily so I have gathered the funds for machining and studs. Going tommorrow to talk about a date for drop off.

[Jersey Mike]

[Firehawk441]

Originally Posted by MyFirstZ

Heads will be 243 casting. Haven't decided if I will send my current heads out to TEA or AI or buy new which is going to cost a pretty penny.

If you already own the 243's then have them ported by TEA
If you need to buy the castings 1st then just buy a set of T/F "AS CAST" heads from TEA and have them milled for your Combustion Chamber size you prefer. They would be your best bang for the buck. Good Luck with your build.

[MyFirstZ]

Thanks for the input. Since the motor is going in once my main studs arrive I will have to pick a heads/cam choice so research is about to start

Any particular reason

[Firehawk441]

Not sure what you mean by "Any particular reason" but...

During your heads/cam research, call this man. You'll be glad you did.

http://www.briantooleyracing.com/

[MyFirstZ]

Meant any particular reason you suggest tea.

Ill check em out

[Firehawk441]

Originally Posted by MyFirstZ

Meant any particular reason you suggest tea.

Ill check em out

In your original post you were considering 243's ported by either TEA or AI.

Short version.....TEA is a proven product weather it's a stock casting or a Trick Flow.

AI is a company trying to sell themselves with alleged flow #'s and dyno #'s on the Internet. There isn't any track results from them worth speaking of.

Brian Tooley is the original owner of TEA and the port designer of the Trick Flow heads as well. He is retired and now has his new business called Brian Tooley Racing. A smarter man will be hard to find. Like I said, give him a call. You won't be disappointed.


BTW....Although he doesn't advertise on his web page, He's back to building engines again.

[MyFirstZ]

Thanks alot man. Will do

Block was dropped off for machine work tomorrow