Is The Chevy Small Block the Best Engine Ever Made

[Uber_Noober]

My 32 year old daily driver still has the original 350 tbi in it, so I’m cool with it.

 

[MaureenCretis]

VW 1.9 PD

2.0TDI, in my opinion.

 

[Woldog]

My girlfriends dragster has a 10L Chevy Big Block in it. I have no idea what any of this means though. I don't know shit about cars, I just drive my HSV Clubsport GTS V8 because it looks cool as fuck.

 

[90 50]

I know all about the LS1s and i assure you, it has a horrible, horrible fucking defect.

The starter bolts into the aluminum block. Guess what happens after a few years? The shit cracks out of the block leaving you with 3 options that i personally pondered:

1. Find a mobile welder and have them come weld that chip back on...only for it to crack again.

2. Buy a new block. Great fucking choice this is...and the damn thing will eventually crack off again.

Then my brother found the 3rd option...

3. Google LS1 starter bridge. Its overpriced, but it saved my Trans Am and it was cheaper than options 1 and 2.

I loved my ls1, but i no longer have it due to an accident. Never wanted to get another one just because of the hassle.

Sorry to hear this happened to you. I worked at a Chevy dealer for three years while this engine was being sold (2000-2002) and have never come across this issue. Not saying it hasn't happened, but I don't think it's a real common issue.

like I said cheap c***suckers chevy parts are cheaper and easier to work on.

Meh, a 302/351 Windsor Ford is just as easy to mess with as a 350, and some things easier(like timing with the distributor in the front. )

And pretty much just as cheap now too since the 5.0 craze

That’s what happens when somebody leaves the inner starter bolt loose or forgets it completely. The inner bolt is kind of tucked in there and if it’s not tight, the outer bolt is bearing all the torsional force created by the starter torquing the engine over. It’s not much of a problem for the iron truck blocks but with an alum block that little corner will break off just like you’ve described.
In 20 years of building hundreds of those engines I’ve seen that happen twice.

Word, was gonna say learn to install a starter and no issues.

 

[cheesus]

They're up there, personally this is the best engine I've ever experienced

 

[TrueBias]

That’s what happens when somebody leaves the inner starter bolt loose or forgets it completely. The inner bolt is kind of tucked in there and if it’s not tight, the outer bolt is bearing all the torsional force created by the starter torquing the engine over. It’s not much of a problem for the iron truck blocks but with an alum block that little corner will break off just like you’ve described.
In 20 years of building hundreds of those engines I’ve seen that happen twice.

Perhaps youve just not seen your "hundreds of engines" come back to you after 20 something years. All you gotta do is google ls1 starter bridge and ls1tech.com has a slew of posters speaking of the exact same issue. Were all installing starters the exact incorrect way?

You may have seen it happen 2x. Let me tell ya, ive seen it happen once and that was enough times.

 

[TrueBias]

Word, was gonna say learn to install a starter and no issues.

Installing a starter isnt hard, but i do remember running into 2 sets of bolts, both being equal length or different lengths.

That said, with the ease of that type of install, how can one be sure that the install, whether done by one self or a mechanic was the 'proper way,' following torque specs specifically?

Leaves a lot to chance, seeing as how i personally experienced it.

I had a 99 trans am, all bolt ons, and i bought it in 2001 or 2002. 3 years ago this thing happened and that starter bridge saved my beloved.

Unfortunately, within that year, i crashed it via hydroplaning into a highway barrier. Ive sadly, but maturely driven a honda ever since.

 

[Nuffnuff]

Barra 6 turbo

 

[Smokes]

Chevy is gonna be selling a 570hp LS7 for 14k

https://autos.yahoo.com/chevys-selling-570-hp-version-144600513.html

 

[lifelessheap]

Instant torque of electric doe. Goodbye ICE. No more exploding dinosaur juice soon.

 

[dissectingaorticaneurysm]

which break down all the time, not practical, high repair cost, very difficult to work on. So no... fail


oh and theyre heavier....drink more fuel as well......


No get this thing out of here bro



Oh and the price to modfiy this engine is stupid expansive....again another fail on this engine. And ferrari has been getting its shit pushed in by the corvettes in endurance racing.....

This is why people love Ferrari engines:

The current iterations of the LS only go up to 6500. High revving NA motors are a dying breed, that's why the GT350 is outselling the ZL1- it goes past 8k and sounds glorious.

Modern Ferrari drivetrains are fairly reliable these days. And you don't need to drop the engine to do routine maintenance anymore. You're right about them being heavier and thirstier though.

But from a purely utilitarian perspective, the LS offers a compelling value proposition. Good power, low cost, tidy package, proven reliability. No wonder it's the most popular swap.

 

[ToxicShocker]

^ I wonder how often the maintenance schedule requires major rebuilds on a 10,000 rpm motor. My dad always wanted a 90's rolls royce but didn't buy one cause its like $10k every 10k miles, in a $40k used car.

 

[Graves The Elder]

was thinking of buying a used GT3 Cup Car, (I know, not Chevy) but the issue of replacement was the same.
after one, maybe two seasons of racing the engine and possibly the tranny and rear end need to be replaced or rebuilt.
$20-50K just for maintenance.
no thanks.

super fun little car though.

 

[Communion]

Nissan VR38DETT V6

 

[jefferz]

^ I wonder how often the maintenance schedule requires major rebuilds on a 10,000 rpm motor. My dad always wanted a 90's rolls royce but didn't buy one cause its like $10k every 10k miles, in a $40k used car.

Most "exotics" are going to cost you about $2 a mile in maintenance costs.

 

[Anialater]

They're up there, personally this is the best engine I've ever experienced

I agree. I had an ae86 for 15 years. Currently looking for another one.

 

[Otto!]

Bought a new F150 in the fall. I picked the 2.7L ecoboost and I just love it. Great ouput for that size, and plenty to do what i need it to do.

 

[Wayne Tessier]

Of course. I've owned four of them. They've all been beast

1993 LT1 5.7 - Only knock on this one is the shitty distributor/wire/water pump setup
2001 LS1 5.7 - bullet proof
2007 LS4 5.3 - Front wheel drive. Oil switch issues, but otherwise solid. Trans was trash though, underbuilt for the amount of torque.
2011 L99 6.2 - So far so great

Hello while i'm a fan of the LS engine it pleased me more than a little that their best aftermarket head still has not been developed yet to keep up with my old exotic heads in runner or CFM capacity. Always nice to see the old stuff hanging in there.

 

[Wayne Tessier]

Of course. I've owned four of them. They've all been beast

1993 LT1 5.7 - Only knock on this one is the shitty distributor/wire/water pump setup
2001 LS1 5.7 - bullet proof
2007 LS4 5.3 - Front wheel drive. Oil switch issues, but otherwise solid. Trans was trash though, underbuilt for the amount of torque.
2011 L99 6.2 - So far so great

If not the best, certainly one of.

Currently GM LS engines for large displacement and Honda K engines for small displacement are the hot ticket.

Well at least Chevy finally came up with a head to outflow the 351 Cleveland heads.