Has anybody heard anything about the new LS3, what is suppose to be the difference the LS2 and the LS3?. I have heard on a website that it is going to have 3 valves. I have heard the hp rating as 403,420,425,450. Does anybody have any speculation

 

Yes and cant really say yet haha sorry for the tease

 

That's just mean! You guys better be cooking up something good!

 

I was doing some digging around on the Corvette forums to see if there was anything posted on there. Turns out they are just about as clueless as we are. However, I did find out that the new Corvette will be unveiled on Saturday, April 28th at the National Corvette Museum.

So, in about 50 days we will have a lot more information about the LS3 specifications.

I can't wait to see the HP rating (obviously) but also the fuel economy since it is supposed to have DoD... how awesome would a 450HP engine with 30 MPG be...

 

Do a search because I know the LS3 has been discussed here in the past.

Based upon what I remember is its basically an LS2 with new 3-valve heads, AFM. etc. Yes, its a motor I expect to see in the production Camaro. (At least one of the V8s.)

 

i am aware it has been discussed... quite a bit actually. I was referring more to the exact specifications of the LS3. Everything at this point seems to be pure speculation, at least from what I have read.

 

It's a little bit more than that to be fair, more displacement,6.2 liters, and variable valve timing. The motor is already in the Cadillac Escalade, not sure about the 3 valves though but it has VVT.

 

This is what I have heard as well floating around the Corvette forums. Noone is really sure of exact specificiations yet, but it will be all its hyped to be I'm sure.

 

They also used a prototype LS3 in the show "Muscle Car" on Spike's Power Block. They put it in a sleeper granny car called "Old Blue Hair". I didn't get to catch the final test drive, but when they cranked it up it sounded like a beast.

If a prototype LS3 is already being extensively modified succesfully, its looking like a VERY good thing for us modders.

 

I wasn't aware that the 6.2L displacement had been confirmed.

 

This motor is already in the Cadillac Escalade, it has been for 6-7 months now. It also has the 6 speed auto.

 

I've seen all the episodes that they had on "Old Blue Hair" and I don't remember seeing an LS3. I did see a mildly modded LS2 go in but not the LS3.

 

I had to look it up because I wasn't 100% certain what engine they used. They put in an LS364 crate motor out of the GMPP catalog. This motor looks like its nothing more than the LS2 with a carbed intake. Its rated at 440 hp so I don't know if its got anything else done to it or not but I agree with Landon that it sounded really good when they fired it up.

 

Firehawk is right, Blue Hair uses an LS2. I believe its stock internally as well, no mods besides the carb. I was kinda disappointed when they made motor mounts that raised the motor so they wouldnt have to mod the oil pan. C'mon!

 

For those of you who do not yet think this horse is dead....

I found this over on the Corvette forums. A guy over there was trying to make a educated prediction as to what he thought the power rating on the new LS3 would be. I thought his argument had good logic and made sense....

"There is a lot of talk about the new LS3 but GM hasn't announced any horsepower ratings. I figured I'd take a stab at predicting what it might be.

Looking at the hp ratings of the recent LS motors, we have...

LS1 -- 346 ci -- 350 hp -- 1.01 hp/ci

LS6-I -- 346 ci -- 385 hp -- 1.11 hp/ci
LS2 -- 364 ci -- 400 hp -- 1.10 hp/ci

LS6-II -- 346 ci -- 405 hp -- 1.17 hp/ci
LS7 -- 427 ci -- 505 hp -- 1.18 hp/ci

LS3 -- 378 ci -- ???

The advances in technology are evident when you see that GM was able to take their 346 ci engine from 1.01 hp/ci to 1.11 hp/ci. This level became the norm for a "base" engine as the LS2 came out at 1.10 hp/ci.

Conversely, we have the higher performance offerings of the LS6-II and the LS7 that reached 1.17 and 1.18 hp/ci, respectively.

So, what makes sense for the LS3?

I my opinion, if you consider the general advances in technology plus the few extra ci, then the hp/ci will be higher than 1.10 and 1.11 above. Also, if you consider that it is still a base engine, you would expect it to be less than the 1.17 and 1.18 hp/ci.

An interpolation of the above results in 1.14 hp/ci which means 430 hp for the 378 ci LS3.

430 hp is my prediction"