Before you begin your engine project, you need to know exactly what you have—and when it comes to General Motors’ 3rd and 4th generation LS small blocks, that may not be an easy question to answer. How Do I Know Which LS Engine I Have? There are more than 40 variations, including the LS-based Vortec truck engines.
[Editor’s Note: This LS1 engine upgrade guide is the first in a series of LS engine upgrade guides assembled by a team of LS experts at Summit Racing. The LS1 engine is a Gen III 5.7L aluminum-block V8 car engine that first appeared in the 1997 Chevrolet Corvette. The LS6—introduced for the 2001 Chevy Corvette Z06—is
Mechanically similar, General Motors’ LS and LS-based Vortec engines wound up on almost every branch of the GM family tree: Chevy, Pontiac, GMC, Cadillac, Buick—heck, even Saab, Hummer, and Isuzu got some LS love. Since LS and Vortec engines are so common, they’ve become the go-to performance and swap engines of the modern era. These motors
Junkyard-sourcing a specific LS engine? If you’ve already got the LS or LS-based Vortec engine picked out for your project, this guide will tell you which vehicles came from the factory with it. It’s also a handy resource to have should you need to grab a specialized bracket or engine-specific parts from that same car,
(Updated 10/09/2018) [Editor’s Note: You can find a comprehensive list of every LS and Vortec engine spec guide and upgrade guide we’ve published to date by scrolling to the bottom of this article.] … Chevrolet introduced the automotive world to the LS engine with the launch of the LS1 in the 1997 Corvette C5. It
So, you’re heading to the junkyard to see what LS engines are available for your next project? Here’s a handy guide that links specific GM vehicles to the LS-series engine found under each one’s hood. The GM LS family is quite large, broken into Generation III/IV, so don’t be surprised when you see overlap and
Stay Connected