is there like a kit or something that can make a ls7 bolt in to a truck.....?? i know this is kindof a noobish question. but i would really like to make it happen if there is a kit..

 

yes, there is a turnkey and a non turnkey version. either way, they're $12-13k

 

Wont they just swap in? I thought the LSX engines would all interchange as far as what you can bolt them to, and how they mount. Maybe not tho, I'm still relatively new at the LS style drivetrain. One thing with putting an LS7 in a truck that I know of would be the intake manifold. The truck manifold is a few inches taller than that of a stock LS7, and because of that, clearance and geometry problems may arise.

 

Check out the February 2006 issue of Hot Rod.It's on the cover. 540 HP out of the box.600+ w/Cam & Headers

 

its in there?? like how to do the swap.?

 

It would actually bolt right in, but there are wiring harness, dry sump oiling system, and proabably fuel system issues that need to be addressed. Intake clearance shouldn't be a problem if you are running e-fans.

I know that Gen IV engines (LS2/LS7) have front mounted cam sensors as apposed to in the rear of the block like a Gen III. The knock sensors are also in a different location. There are adapter harnesses to get the job done. If you have a cable tb, you'll just need a 90mm cable tb. If you are DBW, then there is a harness and different TAC that will need to be swapped out. Probably need to make a conversion harness to connect the LS7 injectors to yout ruck harness. Your PCM will have to be tuned as well.

I'm not sure what it would take to make the dry sump oiling system convert over to a truck oil pan, or if you even need it. Maybe there is a way to swap over the oiling system from the existing truck motor.

As for the fuel system, the LS7 is returnless, so if your truck is also a rerturnless sytem, you should be good to go. If you have a return style system, then you will need aftermarket fuel rails to connect to your existing fuel system.

Check out the ls2/ls7 forum on ls1tech. Lots of info there on these engines and retrofitting them to other vehicles.

 

Although it's a sweet motor, I'd rather have a ALL FORGED stroker for the same money. You can make way more power with more reliability and easier swap than a LS7 swap. You could do a blown or turbo'd 418 or 423, or even a 408 and still spend less and make waayyy more FORGED reliable power. I think there are some ???? about the stock LS7 rods.

 

well if i sold my motor i have now, and save up for a few years.. and then i wont have to worry about FI or big cams and what not... hmmm.

 

The LS7, I think, would be a great motor for someone interested in 500 factory horsepower. I am involved with a C5/LS7/TT project and have disassembled a crate motor myself and can tell you what you are up against if you were to do a truck swap.

The reluctor wheel on the LS7 crank is a 58x. I don't recall when GM went to the new "Corporate" 58x wheel in the trucks but I believe they started sometime in September 05 on the C6 Corvette's. Bottom line is if your truck has the 24x reluctor wheel on the crank the 58x wheel on the LS7 crank will not work with your existing computer... the wheel would have to be swapped... or you would need to spend a grip on a piggyback computer and harness. Note the 24x reluctor wheel on the LS1 crank on the left and the 58x wheel on the LS7 crank on the right in the pic below...

The LS7 cam sprocket trigger is also different than the (old) LS2 sprocket... see pic below. Note that trucks with the 24x reluctor wheel can use the (old) LS2 cam sprocket with the adaptor harness and the computer will still recognize cam position. However, you can not use the LS7 sprocket (corporate - now being used in all LS2's and probably all other GENIV apps) on a motor with a 24x reluctor wheel on the crank.

Note pic below of the cranks and the crank sprockets... the LS7 crank snout is longer. That is to accomodate the twin rotor oil pump. Because the snout of the crank is longer the harmonic balancer has much more of an offset to compensate. So, what this means is the C5 and C6 accessory factory accessory drives will line up with the factory LS7 harmonic balancer... the F-Body, Truck/SUV platform, and any other GENIII/IV derivative vehicle accessory drives will NOT line up. No, there currently is no aftermarket harmonic balancer to make it easy to retrofit the LS7, with its dry sump system, into a truck.

Custom headers would need to be fabbed... yes, you could bolt headers right up to an LS7 head that already exist in the GENIII/IV truck/SUV market... but they would undoubtably choke the LS7... check out the pic below of the exhaust manifold gaskets... kind of gives you an idea of how big the LS7 exhaust ports are...

Yes, the LS7 has the smaller ("shorty") style injectors... so if your rig has the taller type you would need either pig tail adaptors or get busy splicing in 8 new style injector connectors.

Knock sensors and cable driven throttle body's have been addressed in a previous post...

Fuel vapor return plumbing and electrical would need minor attention...

No, you can not just pull the oil pan off of an LS7 crate motor and bolt up a truck pan. You would have to ditch the entire dry sump setup, including the longer snout forged crank, and replace everything with a standard snout crank and standard single rotor oil pump before even considering bolting up a truck pan. You would also have to machine the dip stick boss on the LS7 block to accomodate a dip stick... as the LS7's dip stick is on top of the oil tank. By then you might as well wait for the 7L block to come out and scratch build it. Don't forget other blocks are coming out too like the L92 and the World Warhawk block(s).

So, yes... it can be done. Its just the ancillary stuff that can nickle and dime a project like this to death. But then so can "simple" big cube swaps that supposably "bolt right up".


Crank pic:


Crank sprocket pic:


Cam sprocket pic:


Exhaust gasket pic:

 

Agreed. I love the LS7... but that kind of coin could be put to making the same if not more power with a force fed stroker. The only reason I could see going with an LS7 swap would be for pure "Ooooooh & Ahhhhhhh" factor.

It would be fun to tell people you had an LS7 powered truck