Who wants a Supercharged mouse when Chevy can make a Big Block?

 

I wouldn't call a 6.2L a mouse.

Vortec 8100 (L18) 8.1L Big Block = 325HP/447tq

Vortec 6200 (L92) 6.2L small block = 403HP/417tq

LS7 427ci. 7.0L small block = 505HP/470tq

Even without the supercharger I'd take the small block, 6.0,6.2, or 7.0L

 

Why coulnd't you call a 6.2L a mouse? The difference between the mouse and rat motors wasn't the power rating but the physical size or the block and/or overall archtecture.

Where the cut off is between mouse and rat no ones been able to tell me, but if the 6.2 is an evolution of the 6.0 which has roots to the 5.7, then it's a mouse.

Getting back to the thread, I'd rather have a mouse motor. Lighter weight will mean much better chassis dynamics. Of course, I'm concerned with how the car handles at speed...not cruising the boulivard at 20 mph.

 

Would a all aluminum big block weigh less then a Supercharged Ls9?

 

I forgot the mouse/rat motor terms. I thought he was just putting down the Gen IV small blocks compared to a big block.

 

It's cool.

 

An interesting question I suppose. The power GM was--and is--making with its small blocks rendered the big block motor obsolete. However, if we're now going to supercharged small blocks, and the same power can be made with a N/A big block, you'd wonder if the BB could actually weigh less, thus making it relevant again.

 

Larger piston diameter tends to leave more unburned fuel, and therfore will be difficult to make emission compliant. For better or worse (depending on your vieew) the 60's and early 70's are gone. I would love to see LS style improvements to a true BB style platform, but I doubt we will ever see it.

 

Not all big blocks are as heavy as others.

For instance, a big block 455 from Buick weighs substantially less than a Chevy 454 (sorry, I don't have numbers). I think that I heard that it was barely more than an iron SBC.

Then again, you can get 472ci out of a small block, so unless you're planning on going even bigger than that, I'm all for the additional weight savings.

The Vortec 8100 has remained unchanged for quite a while. I imagine that GM could re-engineer a few things and get substantially more power out of it than the numbers in post #2.

 

You're right. the 8100 has a lot of potential...just swapping the exhaust and adding a tune gives you a noticeable difference....add in a different intake manifold, throttle body, maf, headers....you can easily got over 500 hp out of this bad boy...

 

call me ignorant for posting a noob question, but where is the cutoff btwn big and small blocks? Is it the switch from cast-iron to aluminum, a certain # of CIs, a certain # of litres, what?

To me, there is nothing small about a 7.0L LS7 bored to 427ci. I assume the line has been blurred by technological advancement, but hey, what do I know, as evidenced by my Q.

 

I do, you can make same amount of power cheaper, more reliable and with better gas mileage.

You won’t be seeing any "big blocks" again in the Camaro.

 

GM has two basic block designs, one "small" and one "big". Both blocks have a tremendous range of options in terms of bore and stroke. The small block supports a maximum bore and stroke of about 4.2", yielding 472ci in the largest configuration I've seen. There is very little room to spare in that setup. The "big block" supports displacements in excess of 600ci. The largest I'm aware of is in the 630ci-range, but I don't know how close to the limit that was.

All small blocks (from a given manufacturer) share the same bore spacing. Pretty much everything else can change, and it will still be a small block. Ditto for big blocks.

A big block is longer, taller, and wider than a small block.

 

I tend to agree..with the power yu can got from a small block, you really don't need a big block...if you want insane power, you can get it...it's been done...TT 427's in vette's for 1200+ hp worth...that should satisfy anyone...

 

Many people think we should forget the days of v8 motors all together.

A well executed, freshly designed all aluminum big block would be a pretty awesome top of the line motor. Nothing beats big block torque, and this is coming from a "younger guy".