newbie powertrain info

Forgive a newbie question, 1st post here, but I guess we all have to start somewhere. I'll ask the short version of the question first, and then elaborate a little below.

1) Can anyone recommend a book, or other resource, whereby I can familiarize myself with the differences of all the LS2, LS3, etc, different engine levels?

2) Also, I need some basic info about what different trim levels were offered in various years, i.e. SS > RS, but where does the IROC, ?ZL1?, and Z28 (as well as other trim levels) fall in the heirarchy?

long version:
first, a little history:
I have a '98 Buick Regal GS, (3800cc supercharged), with 133k miles, I bought it new, and STILL am in LOVE wiht this car. Wanting more push me back in my seat underneath my right foot, I have been on the verge of adding a smaller pulley for the blower, a new pcm chip/module, a cooler thermostat, and cold air intake.

While contemplating all this, and noodling around on the internet, I saw the various mods available for the 2006 Pontiac GTO's LS2 366cid V-8, through Lingenfelter Performance Engineering. I then started thinking that starting with 400hp stock, and then adding a blower later, sounded like more fun, and perhaps a safer bet, since i don't know how much longer my Regal will keep kicking (at least 2 more years, i am now hoping)

While looking at all this, I came across the BEAUTIFUL hi-res images at www.camaro5.com, which is how I found this site. I can't get this car out of my head, or off my desktop, or off my screen saver. Needless to say, this is now what I want.

I know that not much is known yet about what trim levels will be offered, and which engine will go with which, and what the prices will be.
HOWEVER . . . I want to educate myself about camaros as much as possible as soon as possible so I can make the best informed decisions, whenever the time comes.

Stated goal's:
The car will by MY car (family gets the minivan, wihch is about the way it is now) It will be a daily driver for my congestion-free 10 mle commute to work, and back, for joy rides (on those rare oppotunities when we get a baby sitter, errands, & to poker games, and generally out and about on the town.
Further, I want to be pushed way back in my seat when i step on it.
I want to SMASH all these rice burners, with BIG tacho's on the dash, and weed-eater mufflers.
I also want to embarrass most all (if not ALL) the mustangs, and surprise the hell out of some vettes when the opportunity presents itself.
I do NOT however anticipate going to the dragstrip, or bracket racing, etc.
I DO want to be ahead of most (if not ALL) the other camaros.

I DO anticipate doing some aftermarket mods (god only knows what) once available, so Here is the DILEMNA!!!:

do i . . .
1) get a low- to mid-level trim level and soup it up "extra", (but then who knows where the ceiling on performance would be, and at what price),
(i.e. how much would I spend just catching up to teh 'top dog' trim level?)

or,
2) save up extra, for the 'top dog' trim (whatever, and however much that may be), and then soup it up 'some' (staying just ahead of the neighborhood competition)


yes, this was long,
yes, I know I don't know shiite from shinola.
yes, these questions are probably naieve,
but everyone has to start somewhere, (hence the original two questions at the top).

thanks in advance for your thooughts, help, and patience.
KK

Well, first welcome to CZ28. You have came to the right place.

To answer your first question, you seem you want to know more about Camaro. It doesnt seem you know too much about the history of the vehicle, so if you would like to read up on it, go to any Barns and Noble or Boarders bookstore and there are several books about the car. I know I have picked up a few.

As for the engine info. I guess a quick run down would be in order here

In 1992, GM introduced the LT1 Multi Port Fuel Injected 350ci V8 engine that debuted in a revamped 4th gen Corvette. In 1993, the Fbody's were brand new and also were powerd by this same LT1 engine, detuned just a tad. The engine made a healty 260hp, clearly leading the performance pack. This engine lasted till 1997 with some more updates to take it to 275hp. In 1997, Corvette lauched its 5th gen or C5 with the all new Gen III Small Block 5.7 345ci LS1 making 345hp, a massive jump from the 300 or so the LT1 was making in 96. In 98, the Fbodies were revamped with this same LS1 engine, only detuned to 305hp. This LS1 engine lasted till the end of the line in 2002, where it made a final hp 325hp in certain trim. By 2001 though, a higher output version of the 5.7 was created for the Z06 Corvette which added a few race-type parts, bumping hp to 385. This was the LS6. In 2002, the LS6 was bumped one more time with a larger cam to 405hp. 2004 rolls around, and the launch of the all new Corvette C6 or 6th gen came, and it launched with a Generation IV Small Block displacing 6.0 liters, known as the LS2. The LS2 used a larger displacement block and upped standard hp for Corvette from 350 to 400hp, matching the LS6.
The III and IV Generation of Small Blocks are similar, but are totaly different from the Gen I and II small blocks of old days. The Gen IV engien design also lives under the hood of all the pick up trucks and suv's in GM's line up. Displacement varies from the 4.8 to 5.3, 6.0, 6.2 and the king...7.0.
Currently, we have the LS2 running around as the workhorse performance V8 engine.
A quick run down
LS2- Gen IV Small Block: 6.0 Liters 400hp: Found in Corvette, GTO, TBlazer SS, SSR
LS4- Gen IV Small Block: 5.3 Liters 303hp: FWD application only: Found in Grand Prix GXP, Impala SS, Monte SS
LS7- Gen IV Small Block: 7.0 Liters 505hp: Found in Corvette Z06

There are other engines in the Gen IV family that are non performance oriented, which can be found in the pick up trucks.
There are rumors now of an LS3 which is said to displace 6.2 liters. This engine exists now in the new Caddy Escalade making 400hp, but is under the RPO code of L92. LS3 is said to be a higher output version of this engine, making mid to high 400hp. A supercharged version of this is said to be coming very soon, producing some 600+hp.

As for what you want to do, it will all come down to what you want to do with your money when the time comes. I think that for a daily driver, you might want to settle for the middle of the road and increase performance as you see fit. The way I see it, every one wants to go faster, so even with the top dog, you are gunna want to mod it some what to make it faster then other versions. Just make sure that you are happy with the car you bought with your money.

Welcome to the Fbody Community. Glad to see more girls getting involved...even if they are married.

Well, to correct the above post, the initial LT1s in Fbodies were 275hp, never lower, and they climbed to 285 hp w/ the dual cat cars a couple years later. (the Impala SS/Caprice LT1 cars had the more crippled 260hp LT1s, these had less compression and small cams). The Camaro SS and Formula/TA WS6 LT1 cars were rated at 305hp.

I would further add that the "detuning" that took place from the 300hp Vette to the Fbody LT1 was on paper only for the most part, pretty much the same as w/ the LS1s although to lesser extent since the rating difference between the two was pretty small w/ the LT1s. If you really want to get to the bottom of things and get the true story, you need to take into account that the factory HP rating on the Fbodies has not been accurate for some time, especially w/ the LS1 cars.

W/ the LS1s the 305hp ratings in the Fbodies (and of course the 320-325 hp SS ratings to a lesser extent) were a total crock. They were no where near a mere 305hp. (Just for reference the LS1 was rated at 345-355 hp in the Vette depending on year) The LS1s in the Fbodies consistently dyno-ed around 300ish hp to the rear wheels on the chassis dyno, making their 305 crank hp numbers laughable at best. 300 rear wheel hp was the same or often higher than the Vettes dynoed despite their rated 40-50 more hp... They were 340+ hp engines in both the Vette and Fbodies...

The further drive the point home the 305hp rated Mustang Cobras dyno around 255-265 rear wheel hp on a dynojet, while a 305hp rated 98 LS1 Fbody will hit 300ish. GM was playing games...

As for models, w/ the 4th gens (93-02 to be clear) the Z28 was the standard V8 model, w/ no real engine options through the years like the 3rdgens had. The SS starting in 96 was largely just a appearance and suspsension package, on paper GM rated them a little higher due to the cold air package and catback exhaust. Not much real power added but hey. The RS was just a appearance package on the V6 models, I don't recall the exact years available during the 4th gen's run.

Back w/ the 3rd gens (82-92), the Z28 had a V8 standard, but you had a myriad of engine options over the years (many were pitiful), 305s only from 82-86, and there were multiple power levels of 305s. Later on you could have one or more 305 options or a 350 V8 each year. Even the 305s were vastly different power wise. Only w/ the later year 305 TPIs and 350s did you get much in the way of a real performance car... I think this kind of thing hurt the Camaros image overall, there wasn't much of a way to tell to the average person which Camaros had 170hp boat anchors or respectable 230-245hp TPI motors (with mountains of torque).

Also, the IROC was available from 85-90 in the thirdgens, it was basically a appearance and suspension package on the Z28, although it did replace the Z28 altogether for a few years (88-90 if memory serves). Although technically it was always a IROC-Z w/ the Z meaning Z28 so you could argue the Z28 was never gone... IROCs had the same engine options as the Z28s, which is to say tons, even the boat anchor LG4 and L03 depending on years (145-170hp engines, had no business in Z28s/IROCs). The IROC died and the Z28 came back for 91-92 to end the thirdgen's rune (with a larger rear wing and hood blisters instead of louvers), the IROC has not returned since. The RS model came around somewhere around 88 or 89, you could have a V6 or the base V8 in the RS. There were of course some Sport Coupe Camaro models that had crappy base V8s and the Berlinetta model but those don't warrant much of a mention. Judt for the sake of accuracy there were also B4C police RS models that had the Z28 drivetrains in them.

[QUOTE=kamaro kathy;4391512]1) Can anyone recommend a book, or other resource, whereby I can familiarize myself with the differences of all the LS2, LS3, etc, different engine levels?


LS2 is the present 6.0L V8 for cars.
L76 is the 6.0L V8 derived from truck for Holden to use and possible the new North American rear drives (G8, Impala, Camaro)
LQ4/LY6 is the 6.0L V8 used by truck

LS7 is the 7.0L small block for the Z06

L92 is a 6.2L V8 that is used in Cadillac SUVs, GMC Denalli's SUVs/Trucks, and Chevy SS SUVs/Trucks.

LS3 is the new 6.2L V8 for corvette. Differs from LS2 in the block for the added displacement, but more importantly it will use the L92 heads (which are a cheaper version of the LS7 heads, intake ports are different - what are now known as L92 heads were the original heads for the LS7 but were scrapped because they couldn't meet their power numbers). LS3 will have higher performance then the L92 because it's intake, cams, and exhaust will be tuned less for low end torque (important for trucks/suv) and more for top end performance (important for corvette).

LS9 is a s/c 6.2L V8 for the next Z06 level Corvette

As for what trim levels have been available over the years, an excellent source is http://www.camarosource.ca

The engine made a healty 260hp, clearly leading the performance pack. This engine lasted till 1997 with some more updates to take it to 275hp. In 1997 to correct Al 93-95 Fbody 275 hp/ 96-97 Fbody 285