If you’ve been a reader of EngineLabs for a while, you might recall a project we introduced a long time ago, dubbed LS5.0. Unfortunately, that project has been very slow to come alive, largely thanks to the events and subsequent repercussions of 2020. However, now, all the parts are here, my shop is ready, and we’re getting down to business.
A quick refresher on the LS5.0 Project for everyone. The whole premise for the project came from the early behind-the-scenes discussions for the second LS vs. Coyote shootout series. It’s a five-liter LS engine being built loosely around the original LS vs. Coyote Shootout ruleset. We hypothesized that a 5.0-liter LS engine could compete with the 5.0-liter Coyote in the test and wanted to prove it.
We then modeled the engines in engine simulation software and had some of the biggest brains in the industry look over the results, which is really what helped the project idea turn into an actual engine. Now, we’re done talking, it’s time to put torque to threads, and turn all these awesome parts into a real engine. This first installment is all about the short-block.
The core LY2 was no doubt in rough shape. But we’re visionaries; we can see what is possible through the ick.
The Core Of The Matter
For the base of this build, we considered several options. The first was an aftermarket block, but the problem is, they all start out with way too much bore for us to make 5.0 liters without using an expensive custom crankshaft. That would kill any hopes we have of sticking to the original LS vs. Coyote budget, and kind of kill the vibe of the project. See, this is something that anyone can put together themselves in their garage.
That meant we were limited to the 4.8/5.3 family of blocks. The good news is, there are plenty of options available there, and the blocks are relatively robust, especially when compared to other factory blocks. After some discussion, we decided to go with a Gen-IV variant for the 58-tooth reluctor wheel and better rods (in case we opted for them). Looking at the Gen-IV 4.8-liter engines, the LY2 stood out as fitting the bill. Besides checking all of the rotating assembly options, it also has no AFM system and comes with the venerable 799 cylinder heads.
Beck Racing Engines got the block looking great again and machined everything to our specs.
You would think that finding a core engine would be easy, but in late 2019,…
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