Building an LSX, for my camaro

[Dyk-NO]

Okay I might get bashed from this but here it is, I own a 2010 camaro v6, with under 5k to go to be paid out and all this time spent with my car, i really wont let it go and trading up is not an option. I'm graduating college by the summer and my practicum location guarantees employment so it's really looking up financially because I survived college without using any loans. and so here it is, I've been looking into getting into the FI route but with all the upgrades needed for it I was thinking I can just build an LS engine for the same amount..

I've always been fascinated about engine builds and I think I can do it but I lack the information if I should go and buy a whole crate from Gm or build it from the ground up...

and So as of the moment I'm asking all of you guys to feed me information how should I start on this. It may sound crazy but hey, the process and the journey it would take is the best part.

[jkchambless]

Funny, I am thinking the same thing.....my car is nearly paid off and has 83k miles....rather than trade it in I was wondering if any of the new offerrings from Chevy performance may include a engine/drive train crate upgrade. Cost to me would actually be cheaper in the long run, I think.

[NJBourne23]

yeah seems like a really long and expensive project. Great if you absolutely love this car and want to keep it forever and pass it on. Personally I would trade it in for the upgraded stuff

[Dyk-NO]

Yea I already have the suspension done, looking at crate engines stock ls3 crate with stock headers and all will be high 6k-8k bnew ( not talking about junkyard find ) and transmission would be 2k+ and so i think it would be cheaper if I build it out of scratch but I dont know any info on what after market or stuff parts to go for.. and samething about the transmission .

PS: im not considering trading up because I dont want another "RESET" loan. ill be done paying this up even before the end of summer next year and building an engine little by little wouldnt hurt the pocket too. and its a nice progress to see it happen.

[vroomapunk]

Go read the V8 bolts area of the Camaro5 forum, you will learn a lot.

Buy this book and read it, http://www.amazon.com/Modify-LS-Seri...+gm+ls+engines .

[Dyk-NO]

Thanks!,Yea ive been reading through LSXTV articles and just resently subscribed to Gm high tech performance. I'm just lost from all these options because all Im seeing is that all the LS parts pretty much bolt in to each other from one engine to the other haha, so I need people to actually get my project in line and start gathering resources for it.

[13blackLS]

Im thinking the same for my car once i decide to get a new one...i plan to keep this and do the swap for fun...cant be too difficult as ls motors are swapped into every other car out there...ive been in ls swapped 240sx, rx8 and a bunch of others...lol...gotta be easier to swap into the same car it comes in than a different make all together...

[Dyk-NO]

Yea no custom work if you have all you need, but I am more focused in building the engine first.

Need people that have built engine to chime in on this.

[Airmaster]

With the enormous amount of work required not only to the drive-train and engine compartment but also to the car's computers, wiring, and sensors, I would strongly suggest against this project. It sounds fun and awesome but in actuality with the sophistication of newer cars it is wayyyy more difficult than engine swaps/drops in an older classic car for example.

Swapping in an LSX for a Camaro with an LS motor in it already is one thing, changing out the V6 for one is a completely different ballgame.

If you want to throw money into your car I would suggest to supercharge or turbocharge your V6. Easier, cheaper, less time consuming, and probably better results.

If you really are insisting on a build, I would rebuild the V6 you currently have, maybe prepare it for greater boosting possiblities, forged pistons, new camshaft, etc. And even that would be a lot of work (but nowhere near throwing an LSX into a V6 Camaro).

Not trying to crash your dreams but I've researched stuff like this before, it will be headache upon headache. Engineers do a lot of work behind the scenes designing each of these cars for their specific applications. That's a lot of work to redo on their behalf.

[13lstuner]

Originally Posted by Airmaster

With the enormous amount of work required not only to the drive-train and engine compartment but also to the car's computers, wiring, and sensors, I would strongly suggest against this project. It sounds fun and awesome but in actuality with the sophistication of newer cars it is wayyyy more difficult than engine swaps/drops in an older classic car for example.

Swapping in an LSX for a Camaro with an LS motor in it already is one thing, changing out the V6 for one is a completely different ballgame.

If you want to throw money into your car I would suggest to supercharge or turbocharge your V6. Easier, cheaper, less time consuming, and probably better results.

If you really are insisting on a build, I would rebuild the V6 you currently have, maybe prepare it for greater boosting possiblities, forged pistons, new camshaft, etc. And even that would be a lot of work (but nowhere near throwing an LSX into a V6 Camaro).

Not trying to crash your dreams but I've researched stuff like this before, it will be headache upon headache. Engineers do a lot of work behind the scenes designing each of these cars for their specific applications. That's a lot of work to redo on their behalf.

Well said.
X2

[Dyk-NO]

Without the financial issue, I strongly believe that this is not impossible. You would see even an ls7 in an import but not in a camaro? Of course the wiring and harness would be considered too be changed ecu and all but I don't get why it wouldn't be possible, I even know someone with a 4th gen with an ls3 do why not on the current gen? I don't get it.

Whole doing this project I can have a reliable car to drive until everything is good to go into my car. That's the plan.

[Goober]

I think the OP has gotten his answer, although not the answer he wants.

[376LS3]

Instead of buying a stock crate engine, why dont you look into the TSP engines? You can pick up a 418ci long block for $7700ish. Of course add about $15k for the V8 conversion. Always quadruple your budget with big projects like this. Good luck if you take it on!

[slick rick]