Just doing some bench racing on another board, and wanted to get everyone's opinion. What would be the ideal N/A setup for a truck?

* aluminum 5.7 motor
* iron 6.0


I was talking over doing an aluminum motor with my friends, and their opinion was that the iron block was the way to go (one guy said that "since NASCAR runs them" I should.)

One suggestion was to stay with the 4.8, get heads to go along with the cam, and get a converter and gears instead of the motor swap. I can see where that might make more sense than buying an entire motor and building from there.

Any thoughts?

 

The strength of iron is always a plus when turning high rpms.

 

What are your plans ?

 

In my non-educated openion we already know the 5.7 can fairly easily produce 400-450hp and push F-Bodys that weigh close to what your truck weighs into the low twelves, even some elevens. How much HP can you get out of a 6.0 all motor for relitively the same mods. Then agian, you know you can do a strait swap with the 6.0 with almost no tuning problems.You've seen my truck with its stock 5.3 sticker. Can you look at it and tell any diff? Some things are better left unsaid.

 

I like the weight advantage of the LS1 and unless you're planning on setting records for LS1 power the iron block just isn't needed. Plenty of guys out there putting 500-600 rwhp down on the spray with aluminum blocks.

 

My 6.0 with headers, 212/218 cam, and tuning made 350rwhp&rwtq. In my opinion, that is not bad. The weight is not a big deal to fix, I think the weight difference you will need 15hp to overcome.
Although, I have not had a LS1 in a truck yet. I just like the fact of an aluminum block, call my stupid. I would not worry about the block strength, at all. My new motor will be a LS1. My opinion.

 

I don't really have any plans per se...I was just talking over some stuff with some friends and was getting a mixed bag of responses.

What I'm getting though is that unless I'm going to throw TONS of boost on it, it would be better to sacrifice the 18 cubic inches and get the 80+ weight savings.

I know that there are plenty of LS1 H/C cars that are in the 400hp neighborhood, which should put a RCSB truck into the 13s easily.

Now, where to find an LS1 longblock?

 

How much are used 5.7 and 6.0 short blocks going for?

 

The extra torque you'll get from the added displacement of the 6 liter shouldn't be forgotten. A cammed 6 liter with spray would be pretty mean.