The pattern has always been the same. Car crafters take what the new car companies build and tweak these stockers to make even more power. The last big switch was when Chevy debuted the original small-block in 1955 and instantly antiquated every flathead engine ever built.
Fast forward to today and the third generation small-block. Technically, it's not even a small-block Chevy anymore, especially since the Gen III engine has found its way into far more applications than just Camaros and Corvettes. The LS6 that powers the CTS-V and the Escalade is also Gen III. Car crafters have taken to calling this engine the LS1 mainly because that was its first RPO (Regular Production Order) number used in the Corvette in 1997, various versions have sprouted from that original engine.
It didn't take GM Performance Parts (GMPP) long to realize that there was a market for a brand-new LS1 crate engine. While it has taken some time, this engine is unquestionably the leading GM performance small-block of the future. Virtually all the major performance magazines have dazzled the industry with exotic horsepower enhancements, conveniently avoiding the crucial information on how to set this engine up in a car and what you need to know in order to make this engine run. Plus, there are some very specific rules when it comes to making power modifications on these factory computer-controlled Gen III engines.
LS1 BasicsOur Project Light Speed will kick off a series of dyno tests we will perform on this GM Performance Parts LS1 engine, so the best place to start is with a quick overview of what you get when you step up for a GMPP LS1 crate engine. GM calls the LS1 a 5.7L engine, but in reality it's only 346 ci, but the good news is that it's packaged in an all-aluminum body that is more than 100 pounds lighter at 430 pounds than even an aluminum-headed Gen I small-block. With 10.25:1 compression and relatively small valves, the stock power ratings are generously deceiving. GMPP rates this engine at a net 325 hp with 330 lb-ft of torque. But our baseline testing revealed much more power at 402 hp and 398 lb-ft of torque employing the stock Corvette iron exhaust manifolds and a full 211/42-inch exhaust system with Flowmaster mufflers! But we're jumping ahead.
Our Project Light Speed LS1 came directly from GMPP dealer Scoggin-Dickey Performance Center in Lubbock, Texas. The engine comes with a complete factory wiring harness and computer, but you will have to also add a factory F-car mass airflow (MAF) sensor as well as a pair of oxygen sensors, and an adjustable aftermarket fuel pressure regulator to get the fuel properly pressurized.
Among these sensors, the most critical is the MAF. We used a GM '98-'00 F-car, 75mm sensor with a three-prong flat connector from Scoggin-Dickey that is designed to work with the program in the GM computer. We also employed the services of Steve Cole, owner of The Turbo Shop (TTS) in Compton, California. Cole has been working with Gen III engines almost from the day they debuted and has considerable experience with these engines. He says the MAF does much more than just measure air.
According to Cole, the factory system is tuned for a specific inlet tract leading up to and through the MAF. Any change to the stock system (such as a '00 Camaro, for example) will affect the amount of airflow into and through the MAF. This may not sound like a big deal, but the MAF also directly affects both the spark and fuel curves in the computer. This means that even a slight change to inlet air could place the computer in a different place on its fuel and spark maps, changing the tune-up.
Enjoyed this Post? Subscribe to our RSS Feed, or use your favorite social media to recommend us to friends and colleagues!