LS1 Engine Specs: Performance, Bore & Stroke, Cylinder Heads, Cam Specs & More

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 are capable of making a lot of horsepower, and respond well to upgrades like turbos, superchargers, high-flow cylinder heads, intake systems, cams, and nitrous oxide.

[Looking to upgrade your LS1 engine? Check out LS1 Engine Upgrade Guide: Expert Advice for LS1 Mods to Maximize Performance.]

The aftermarket is strong, crate engines are available, and used motors are often cheaply sourced through junkyards.

[Trying to find an LS engine? Check out Part 1 and Part 2 of our LS Spotter’s Guide.]

Summit Racing has created a series of comprehensive guides for each engine in the LS family, so engine builders and tuners can have a handy reference for their projects.

The first engine on the list is the first GM LS—the 5.7L LS1 that appeared in the 1997 Chevy Corvette.

(Summit Racing’s Paul Spurlock and Brian Nutter contributed to this article.)

GM LS1 Engine Specs

The LS1 is the original Gen. 3 small block engine used in cars from 1997-2004. The information listed here is for the stock engine.

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The data for this article originally appeared in this Chevy LS1 Engine Specs article at Summit Racing’s searchable database of FAQ tech info. Go there and search “LS engines” for a comprehensive collection of LS engine tech information.