84-507: The General Motors LS-based small-block engines are a family of V8 and offshoot V6 engines designed and manufactured by the American automotive company General Motors . First introduced in 1997, the family is a continuation of the earlier first- and second-generation Chevrolet small-block engine , of which over 100 million have been produced altogether and is also considered one of the most popular V8 engines ever. Spanning three generations,
168-471: A dual overhead cam engine; GM in response had developed the Northstar engines for Cadillac, but those engines were initially exclusive to that brand and not originally designed for rear-wheel-drive vehicles. Later on, Sam Winegarden, former General Motors chief engineer for small-blocks, stated that despite the stigma of the pushrod engine being "a symbol of the uncompetitiveness [sic] of the domestic industry,"
252-426: A longitudinal engine layout and rear-wheel drive (or all-wheel drive). However, V8 engines have also occasionally been used in transverse engine front-wheel drive vehicles, sometimes using closer cylinder bore spacings and narrower cylinder bank angles to reduce their space requirements. The classification of 'big-block' or 'small-block' refers to the engine's external dimensions and does not necessarily indicate
336-539: A 2.5 L (153 cu in) V8 engine. BMW's first V8 engine was the 1954–1965 BMW OHV V8 engine , a petrol engine with overhead valves and all-aluminum construction. The company resumed production of V8 engines in 1992 with the BMW M60 aluminum double overhead camshaft engine, and V8 engines have remained in production until today. BMW's first turbocharged V8 engine was the 1998–2009 M67 twin-turbocharged diesel engine. The first turbocharged V8 petrol engine from BMW
420-521: A 5.6 L (340 cu in) Chrysler LA engine and built on the chassis of a 1950s Chrysler Imperial. The 1934–1938 Tatra 77 rear-engined sedan was initially powered by 3.0 L (183 cu in) petrol V8, which was air-cooled and used an overhead camshaft that operated the valves using a 'walking beam' rocker arrangement. This model line continued until 1999 when the Tatra 700 ended production. Tatra also produced diesel V8 truck engines from
504-618: A 60-degree V-angle because it was based on a V6 engine with a 60-degree V-angle. Both the Ford and Volvo engines were used in transverse engine chassis, which were designed for a front-wheel-drive layout (with an on-demand all-wheel drive system in the case of the Volvos ). To reduce the vibrations caused by the unbalanced 60-degree V-angle, the Volvo engines used a balance shaft and offset split crankpins . The Rolls-Royce Meteorite tank engine also used
588-545: A 60-degree V-angle, since it was derived from the 60 degree V12 Rolls-Royce Meteor which in turn was based on the Rolls-Royce Merlin V12 engine . Other V-angles have been used occasionally. The Lancia Trikappa , Lancia Dilambda , and Lancia Astura , produced 1922–1939, used narrow angle V8 engines (based on the Lancia V4 engine ) with V-angles of 14–24 degrees. The 1932 Miller four-wheel drive racing cars used
672-419: A V-angle (the angle between the two banks of cylinders) of 90 degrees. This angle results in good engine balance , which results in low vibrations. However, the downside is the greater width of the engine compared to those that use a smaller V-angle. V8 engines with a 60-degree V-angle were used in the 1996–1999 Ford Taurus SHO , the 2005–2011 Volvo XC90 , and the 2006–2009 Volvo S80 . The Ford engine used
756-565: A V-angle of 90 degrees and was built in displacements of 4.1 L (253 cu in) and 5.0 L (308 cu in), the latter being de-stroked to 5.0 L (304 cu in) in 1985. The Holden V8 engine was used in various models, including the Kingswood, Monaro, Torana, Commodore, and Statesman. Versions tuned for higher performance were sold by Holden Dealer Team and Holden Special Vehicles , including versions stroked to up to 5.7 L (350 cu in). The Holden V8 engine
840-579: A V8 engine was the 1965 Chrysler Valiant (AP6) , which was available with an American-built 4.5 L (273 cu in) Chrysler engine. The first locally designed V8 Ford was the 1966 Ford Falcon (XR) and the first V8 Holden was the 1968 Holden HK , both using engines supplied by their parent companies in the United States. The first V8 engine to be mass-produced in Australia was the 1969–2000 Holden V8 engine . This cast-iron overhead valve engine used
924-460: A V8 engine was the 1988 Audi V8 luxury sedan. Its first model to use a V8 diesel engine was the D2 A8 3.3 TDI in 2000. The first V8-engined Alfa Romeo road car was the 1967–1969 Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale mid-engined sports car, of which 18 were produced. This was followed by the 1970–1977 Alfa Romeo Montreal front-engined sports car. The engines for both cars are based on the 90-degree V8 engine from
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#17328588063331008-406: A V8 engine with a V-angle of 45 degrees. The 8-cylinder versions of the 1945 through 1966 EMD 567 diesel locomotive engine also used a V-angle of 45 degrees. Most V8 engines fitted to road cars use a cross-plane crankshaft since this configuration produces less vibration due to the perfect primary balance and secondary balance. The cross-plane crankshaft has the four crank pins (numbered from
1092-515: A bore and stroke of 99 mm × 92 mm (3.898 in × 3.622 in). When introduced in the 1997 Corvette, the LS1 was rated at 345 hp (257 kW) at 5,600 rpm and 350 lb⋅ft (475 N⋅m) at 4,400 rpm. After improvements to the intake and exhaust manifolds in 2001, the rating improved to 350 hp (261 kW) and 365 lb⋅ft (495 N⋅m) (375 lb⋅ft (508 N⋅m) for manual-transmission Corvettes. The LS1
1176-457: A high degree of aftermarket support due to their popularity and affordability. The brainchild of Chevrolet chief engineer Ed Cole , the first generation of the Chevrolet small-block engine was first unveiled in the 1955 Chevrolet Corvette and Chevrolet Bel Air , both powered by the 265 cu in (4,343 cc) "Turbo-Fire." The 265 Turbo-Fire distinguished itself from other engines of
1260-457: A mix of imported and local parts. A 4.4 L (269 cu in) version of the Rover V8 engine was produced in Australia for the ill-fated 1973–1975 Leyland P76 sedan. The engine had an overhead valve design and was the only all-aluminum engine made in Australia. The 1958–1965 Hongqi CA72 was a luxury car, of which approximately 200 were built for government officials. It was powered by
1344-679: A new, sixth generation is expected to enter production soon. Various small-block V8s were and still are available as crate engines . The "LS" nomenclature originally came from the Regular Production Option (RPO) code LS1, assigned to the first engine in the Gen III engine series. The LS nickname has since been used to refer generally to all Gen III and IV engines, but that practice can be misleading, since not all engine RPO codes in those generations begin with LS. Likewise, although Gen V engines are generally referred to as "LT" small-blocks after
1428-442: A redesign to include significantly better airflow, with evenly spaced exhaust and intake valves . A deeper engine skirt meant that the third and following generations were slightly larger than its predecessors; the deeper skirts strengthened the block and improved rigidity. A deep engine skirt refers to an engine block which extends below the centerline position of the crankshaft within the engine. Another feature across all generations
1512-507: A significant horsepower increase of 25%. This contributed to lowering the Corvette's 0–60 mph (0–97 km/h) from 11 seconds to 8.7. Nicknamed the "Mighty Mouse," the Turbo-Fire soon became popular within the hot rodding community too, along with scoring wins in stock car racing . A larger version of the Turbo-Fire arrived in 1957, now bored out to 3.875 in (98.4 mm). This gave
1596-473: A single overhead camshaft and was rear-mounted in the vehicles. The company's first V8 road car was the 1973–1974 Dino 308 GT4 mid-engined sports car. The engine is a 90-degree all-aluminum V8 with double overhead camshafts. In 1975, the 2.0 L (122 cu in) engine in the Ferrari 208 GT4 became the smallest production V8 engine ever produced. The model lineage of mid-engined V8 road cars continues to
1680-405: A specific mixture of metals and non-metals which have been compressed in a forming press . The mixture is then quickly transferred into a traditional die cavity in a forging press and is pressed once then cooled. Powder-forging is also more cost-effective compared to traditional die forging, reducing the amount of tooling required to trim inconsistencies in hot-forged connecting rods. Stronger than
1764-641: A strict ruleset to follow until the 1972 season, when engines were no longer allowed to be any bigger than 358 cu in (5.9 L) for the purpose of reducing speeds caused by the rapid aerodynamic advancements from 1969 to 1971. In the American Top Fuel class of drag racing, V8 engines displacing 500 cu in (8 L) today produce outputs of over 7,000 kW (10,000 hp). and 10,000 N⋅m (7,400 lb⋅ft). The engines used in Top Fuel and Funny car drag racing are typically based on
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#17328588063331848-437: A torque rating between 285–295 lb⋅ft (386–400 N⋅m), depending on the model year and application. The 2005–2006 models made 285 hp (213 kW) and 295 lb⋅ft (400 N⋅m). The LR4 was manufactured at St. Catharines, Ontario , and Romulus, Michigan . It uses flat-top pistons. Applications: The Vortec 5300 , or LM7/L59/LM4, is a V8 truck engine. It is a longer-stroked by 9 mm (0.35 in) version of
1932-452: A unique camshaft not shared with any other engine, with the specifications at .050 duration being: 193 duration, .482 lift, 116 LSA. As a result, power increased by 15 hp (11 kW), to 310 hp (230 kW) and 335 lb⋅ft (454 N⋅m). It was available in extended-cab standard-bed 4WD pickup trucks. The SSR also came with an L33. Only 25% of 2005 Chevrolet/GMC full-size pickup trucks had an L33 engine. Applications: The 6.0 L
2016-548: Is a flexible-fuel version of the LM7. The 2002–2003 L59 made 285 hp (213 kW) and 320 lb⋅ft (434 N⋅m), while the 2004–2007 L59 made 295 hp (220 kW) and 335 lb⋅ft (454 N⋅m). Applications: The Vortec 5300 LM4 (VIN code "P") is an aluminum block version of the LM7, and had a short production life, as did the specific vehicles in which LM4s are found. LM4s made 290 hp (216 kW) and 325 lb⋅ft (441 N⋅m). The LM7 should not be confused with
2100-510: Is a larger version of the LS engine. 6.0 L blocks were cast of iron, designed to bridge the gap between the new small blocks and big blocks in truck applications. There were two versions of this engine: LQ4 and LQ9, the latter being more performance oriented. The Vortec 6000 is a V8 truck engine. Displacement is 5,967 cc (6.0 L; 364.1 cu in) from a bore and stroke of 101.6 mm × 92 mm (4.00 in × 3.62 in). It
2184-567: Is an eight- cylinder piston engine in which two banks of four cylinders share a common crankshaft and are arranged in a V configuration . The first known V8 was the Antoinette , designed by Léon Levavasseur , and built in 1904 by the French Antoinette company for use in speedboat racing, cars, and later, airplanes. Also in 1904, V8 engines began small-scale production by Renault and Buchet for use in race cars. Most engines use
2268-506: Is an iron/aluminum (1999 and 2000 model year engines had cast iron heads) design and produces 300 to 345 hp (224 to 257 kW) and 360 to 380 lb⋅ft (488 to 515 N⋅m). The Vortec 6000 LQ4 (VIN code "U") is a V8 truck engine. It produces 300 to 335 hp (224 to 250 kW) and 360 to 380 lb⋅ft (488 to 515 N⋅m). LQ4s were built in Romulus, Michigan , and Silao, Mexico . Applications: V8 engine A V8 engine
2352-409: Is considered to be the first V8 engine produced in significant quantities. The 1914 Cadillac L-head V8 engine is considered the first road-going V8 engine to be mass-produced in significant quantities, with 13,000 sold the first year. This engine was built in the United States and was greatly assisted by Cadillac's pioneering use of electric starter motors . The popularity of V8 engines in cars
2436-440: The 1962 , 1963 , 1964 , and 1965 seasons were won by drivers of V8-powered cars. From 1962 through 1965, the top three manufacturers in each season's Constructor's Championship all predominantly used V8 engines in their cars. In 1966, the engine capacity limits were increased to 3.0 L (183 cu in) (or 1.5 litres with a supercharger), and both the 1966 and 1967 Constructor's Championships were won by cars powered by
2520-547: The Alfa Romeo Tipo 33 racing car, and have double overhead camshafts and a dry sump. The 33 Stradale engine has a displacement of 2.00 L (122 cu in) and a flat-plane crankshaft, while the Montreal uses an engine enlarged to 2.6 L (160 cu in) and uses a cross-plane crankshaft. The 2007–2010 Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione / Spider sports cars are powered by a 4.7 L (290 cu in) version of
2604-612: The Australian Ford Falcon and Ford Fairlane models. It was also used in several low-volume DeTomaso sports cars and luxury sedans built in Italy. Australian production ceased in 1982 when Ford Australia temporarily stopped production of V8 cars. From 1991 until 2016, the Ford Falcon was available with the imported Ford Windsor , Ford Barra , or Ford Modular V8 engines; the latter was marketed as "Boss" and locally assembled from
General Motors LS-based small-block engine - Misplaced Pages Continue
2688-738: The Brabham-Repco V8 engine . From 1968 until 1981, the Cosworth DFV V8 engine dominated Formula One racing. During this time, the Manufacturers' Championship was won by Cosworth DFV-powered cars every season except 1975, 1976, 1977, and 1979, which 12-cylinder Ferraris won. After a long period of dominance, the Cosworth DFV was eventually outpaced by turbocharged straight-four and V6 engines. The next period of significant V8 usage in Formula One
2772-682: The Chevrolet Camaro / Pontiac Firebird and Holden Commodore , trucks such as the Chevrolet Silverado , and SUVs such as the Cadillac Escalade . A clean-sheet design, the only shared components between the Gen III engines and the first two generations of the Chevrolet small-block engine are the connecting rod bearings and valve lifters . However, the Gen III and Gen IV engines were designed with modularity in mind, and several engines of
2856-556: The Ferrari F136 engine with a cross-plane crankshaft. Ferrari's first contact with V8 engines was the Vittorio Jano -designed 1955 Lancia-Ferrari D50 , a Formula One racing car that the company acquired as part of its purchase of Lancia's Formula One racing department. The first Ferrari-developed V8 engines were used in the 1962 Ferrari 248 SP and Ferrari 268 SP sports prototype racing cars designed by Carlo Chiti . This engine had
2940-567: The HSV's VYII series, and a Callaway modified version named "C4B" was fitted to HSV GTS models producing 400 bhp (298 kW) and 376 lb⋅ft (510 N⋅m) of torque. Applications: The LS6 is a higher-output version of GM's LS1 engine and retains the same capacity. The initial 2001 LS6 produced 385 bhp (287 kW) and 385 lb⋅ft (522 N⋅m), but the engine was modified for 2002 through 2004 to produce 405 bhp (302 kW) and 400 lb⋅ft (542 N⋅m) of torque. The LS6
3024-643: The Hewitt Touring Car became the first car built in the United States with a V8 engine. The engine was designed and built by Edward R. Hewitt who emphasized the V8's superiority to the typical I4 and I6 and six-cylinder engines of the time because of its lower weight and easier to make crankshaft compared to the I6s of equal power as well as the V8 not taking much more space than a I4. The 1910 De Dion-Bouton — built in France—
3108-660: The Vortec 4800 and replaced the L31 . L59 denoted a flexible-fuel version of the standard-fuel LM7 engine. Displacement is 5,327 cc (5.3 L; 325.1 cu in) from a bore and stroke of 96 mm × 92 mm (3.78 in × 3.62 in). Vortec 5300s were built in St. Catharines, Ontario , and Romulus, Michigan . Another engine variant, the L33, shares the same displacement, but has an aluminum block with cast-in cylinder liners, much like
3192-451: The hood of the Corvette. Approval for the Gen III was granted in May 1992, after a seat-of-the-pants decision made by General Motors executives who went for a drive in two Corvettes—one equipped with a traditional pushrod engine and one with a newer dual overhead camshaft engine. Tom Stephens, then-executive director of General Motors Powertrains, was the man in charge of the project. Stephens had
3276-492: The second generation of Chevrolet small-block hit the market in that year's Chevrolet Corvette in the form of the LT1 small-block. It featured reverse-flow cylinder heads , a new ignition system , and new engine block, but the valvetrain and engine mounts were carried over in order to maintain a degree of compatibility with the previous generation. Other modifications such as a better flowing intake manifold and cylinder heads gave
3360-526: The 1915 Cadillac engine. A flat-plane crankshaft is used by many V8 engines fitted to racing cars. From the gas dynamics aspect, the flat-plane crankshaft allows for even exhaust gas pulses to be achieved with a simple exhaust system. The design was popularized in motor racing by the 1961–1965 Coventry Climax FWMV Formula One engine, and the 1967–1985 Cosworth DFV engine was highly successful in Formula One. Several production sports cars have used flat-plane V8 engines, such as every Ferrari V8 model (from
3444-653: The 1939 Tatra 81 to the present day Tatra 815 . French manufacturers were pioneering in their use of V8 engines in the early 1900s with the 1904 Antoinette aircraft engine (the first known V8 engine) and the 1910 De Dion-Bouton . However, there were few French automotive V8 engines in the following decades, with manufacturers such as Delage , Delahaye , Talbot-Lago , Bugatti , and Hotchkiss using six-cylinder or straight-eight engines instead. From 1935 until 1954, Matford (Ford's French subsidiary, later renamed to ' Ford SAF ') produced cars with V8 engines, closely based on contemporary American Ford models. Simca purchased
General Motors LS-based small-block engine - Misplaced Pages Continue
3528-678: The 1973 Ferrari 308 GT4 to the 2019–present Ferrari F8 Tributo ), the Lotus Esprit V8 , the Porsche 918 Spyder , and the McLaren MP4-12C . The first V8 engine used in a road-going car was the 1905 Rolls-Royce built in the United Kingdom. This model was initially equipped with a 3.5 L (214 cu in) V8 engine. However, only three cars were made before Rolls-Royce reverted to using straight-six engines for their cars. In 1907,
3612-475: The 2019–present Ferrari F8 Tributo . Five-valve-per-cylinder versions were used from 1994 until 2005 in the Ferrari F355 and Ferrari 360 . Turbocharging was introduced on the 1984–1987 Ferrari 288 GTO flagship car, and the range of entry-level mid-engined sports cars switched to turbocharging with the 2015 Ferrari 488 . The Formula One team resumed using V8 engines for the 2006–2013 seasons, beginning with
3696-500: The 8.2 L (500 cu in) V8 engine used in the 1971–1978 Cadillac Eldorado and BMW's 3.0 L (183 cu in) M60B30 V8 engine found in cars such as the BMW E34 530i. V8 engines intended for motorsport are often small and short-stroke to maximize RPMs and thus power. The Cosworth DFV 3.0 L (183 cu in) is such an engine. Due to its large external dimensions, V8 engines are typically used in cars that use
3780-561: The Ford SAF in 1954 and continued to produce various models powered by the Ford Flathead V8 until 1969. After WW2, France imposed very steep tax horsepower charges - the owners of cars with engines above 2 L were financially penalized, so France had a small domestic market for larger-engined cars, such as the V8. Despite this, Facel Vega produced luxury and sports cars powered by Chrysler V8 engines from 1954 through 1964. One of
3864-473: The Generation IIIs, the LS1 was the progenitor of the new architecture design that would transform the entire V8 line and influence the last of the big-blocks . The Generation III 5.7L (LS1 and LS6) engines share little other than similar displacement, external dimensions, and rod bearings, with its predecessor (LT1). It is an all-aluminum 5,665 cc (5.7 L; 345.7 cu in) pushrod engine with
3948-502: The L33, described below. Applications: The Vortec 5300 L33 (VIN code "B") is an aluminum block version of the LM7, marketed as the Vortec 5300 HO. Instead of the LM7's dished pistons, the L33 uses the 4.8L's flat top pistons. It also uses 799 cylinder heads, identical to 243 castings found on LS6s and LS2s, lacking only LS6-spec valve springs and lightweight valves. This combination raised the compression from 9.5:1 to 10.0:1. The L33 also used
4032-529: The LS family. The Vortec 4800 LR4 (VIN code "V") is a Generation III small block V8 truck engine. Displacement is 4,806 cc (4.8 L; 293.3 cu in) with a bore and stroke of 96 mm × 83 mm (3.78 in × 3.27 in). It is the smallest of the Generation III Vortec truck engines. The LR4 engines in 1999 produced 255 hp (190 kW) while the 2000 and above models made 270–285 hp (201–213 kW) and all have
4116-430: The LS series increases the airflow into the cylinders at low revolutions, increasing the torque . Truck applications of the LS engine have even longer intake manifolds, being approximately 3 in (76 mm) taller than passenger car manifolds. Most engines were also fitted with hypereutectic pistons , replacing the previous cast pistons which were weaker and less thermally stable. Powder-forging involves sintering
4200-432: The LS series makes for an extremely strong engine block with the aluminum engines being nearly as strong as the iron generation I and II engines. The LS engine also used coil-near-plug style ignition to replace the distributor setup of all previous small-block based engines. The traditional five-bolt pentagonal cylinder head pattern was replaced with a square four-bolt design (much like the 1964–1990 Oldsmobile V8 ), and
4284-633: The LS1. The Vortec 5300 LM7 ( VIN code 8th digit "T") was introduced in 1999. The "garden variety" Generation III V8 has a cast-iron block and aluminum heads. The 1999 LM7 engine produced 270 hp (201 kW) and 315 lb⋅ft (427 N⋅m) of torque. The 2000–2003 engines produced 285 hp (213 kW) and 325 lb⋅ft (441 N⋅m) of torque. The 2004–2007 engines produced 295 hp (220 kW) and 335 lb⋅ft (454 N⋅m) of torque. The stock cam specifications at .050 lift are: 190/191 duration, .466/.457 lift, 114 LSA, 112/116 timing. Applications: The Vortec 5300 L59 (VIN code "Z")
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#17328588063334368-447: The LT1 a power output of 300 hp (224 kW; 304 PS). The second generation culminated in the LT4 small-block, which gained a minor power increase of 30 hp (22 kW; 30 PS). Other changes included a lighter valvetrain and strengthened crankshaft . The decision to stick with pushrod technology was seen as archaic at the time; such engines were seen as outdated compared to
4452-693: The RPO LT1 first version, GM also used other two-letter RPO codes in the Gen V series. The LS1 was first fitted in the Chevrolet Corvette (C5) , and LS or LT engines have powered every generation of the Corvette since (with the exception of the Z06 variant of the eighth generation Corvette , which is powered by the unrelated Chevrolet Gemini small-block engine ). Various other General Motors automobiles have been powered by LS- and LT-based engines, including sports cars such as
4536-402: The actual engine displacement. Engines with displacements from 6.0 to 6.6 L (366 to 403 cu in) have been classified as both small-block and big-block, depending on the particular manufacturer's range of engines. V8 engines have been used in many forms of motorsport, from Formula One , IndyCar , NASCAR , DTM and V8 Supercars circuit racing, to Top Fuel drag racing. Among
4620-460: The aluminium-conversion Chrysler 426 Hemi engine and run on highly explosive nitromethane fuel. The world's fastest non-jet-powered (i.e., piston-engine powered) wheeled land vehicle, the Speed Demon, which achieved a speed of 744.072 km/h (462.345 mph) in 2017, is powered by a V8 engine based on the Chevrolet small-block engine design. The first Australian-designed car to use
4704-424: The block between cylinders, improved main web strength and bay to bay breathing, an intake manifold and MAF-sensor with higher flow capacity, a camshaft with higher lift and more duration, a higher compression ratio of 10.5:1, sodium-filled exhaust valves, and a revised oiling system better suited to high lateral acceleration. LS6 intake manifolds were also used on all 2001+ LS1/6 engines. The casting number, located on
4788-431: The block) to open and close the valves. The advantages of an engine configuration like this (as opposed to an overhead camshaft engine ) is that since the camshaft is located within the engine valley, a pushrod engine will be shorter in height compared an overhead camshaft engine. Another advantage is that there are fewer mechanical components such as timing chains and extra camshafts, which increases reliability by keeping
4872-411: The crankshaft can be machined from a flat billet and does not require counterweights so it is lighter. However, it produces more vibration due to a secondary imbalance. Most early V8 road car engines also used a flat-plane crankshaft since this was simpler to design and build than a cross-plane crankshaft. Early flat-plane V8 engines included the 1910 De Dion-Bouton engine, the 1915 Peerless engine, and
4956-429: The decision to stick with pushrods was made on the basis that switching to overhead camshafts was unnecessary. The power requirements for the Corvette were satisfied by simply increasing engine displacement. Current General Motors chief engineer for small-blocks Jake Lee also stated that switching to overhead camshafts would also increase the height of the engine by 4 in (102 mm), rendering it too tall to fit under
5040-456: The engine simple. All three generations were outfitted with either aluminum or cast iron engine blocks, with all passenger car engine blocks being aluminum, whereas truck engine blocks could be either material. Every single engine was also fitted with aluminum cylinder heads, except for the 1999 and 2000 model year of the LQ4, which were cast iron. Other modifications to the cylinder heads included
5124-409: The era such as Cadillac's 331 series of the late 1940s and early 1950s by reducing the size and weight of various components within the engine; a compact engine block combined with a light valvetrain gave the Turbo-Fire a 40 lb (18 kg) weight reduction compared to the inline-sixes (despite having two more cylinders) that initially powered the first generation of the Corvette, alongside
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#17328588063335208-456: The first German V8 engines was the 1928–1945 Argus As 10 aircraft engine. This engine was air-cooled, used an 'inverted V' design, and was used in several training, surveillance, and communications airplanes. From 1933 until 1940, the Horch 830 luxury cars were powered by V8 engines (sold alongside Horch's larger straight-eight engines). Shortly after, the 1934–1937 Stoewer Greif V8 was powered by
5292-399: The first V8 Formula One cars to compete were the 1952 AFM entry and the 1954 Lancia D50 , with a development of the latter powering Juan Manuel Fangio's 1956 car to victory in the driver's championship. The 1.5 L Formula One era of 1961–1965 included V8 engines from Ferrari, Coventry Climax, British Racing Motors (BRM), and Automobili Turismo e Sport (ATS). The driver's championships for
5376-487: The forged steel connecting rods of the previous two generations, powder-forged connecting rods have been fitted to every LS and LT engine except for the LS7. The GM Generation I and Generation II engine families are both derived from the longstanding Chevrolet small block V8. The Generation III small-block V8 was a "clean sheet" design, which replaced the Gen I and Gen II engine families in 2002 and 1997 respectively. Like
5460-523: The front) at angles of 0, 90, 270, and 180 degrees, which results in a cross shape for the crankshaft when it is viewed from one end. The rumbling exhaust sound produced by a typical cross-plane V8 engine is partly due to the uneven firing order within each of the two banks of four cylinders. A usual firing order of L-R-L-L-R-L-R-R (or R-L-R-R-L-R-L-L) results in uneven intake and exhaust pulse spacing for each bank. When separate exhaust systems are used for each bank of cylinders, this uneven pulsing results in
5544-501: The new engine a total displacement of 283 cu in (4,638 cc); this newer version was dubbed the "Super Turbo-Fire." The Super Turbo-Fire was also the first engine offered with mechanical fuel injection . The top-of-the-line model produced 283 hp (211 kW; 287 PS), giving it a 1:1 cubic inch to horsepower ratio; this lowered the Corvette's 0–60 mph (0–97 km/h) to 7.2 seconds. General Motors would produce more powerful and larger displacement iterations of
5628-520: The pistons are of the flat-topped variety (in the LS1, LS2, LS3, LS6, LS7, LQ9, and L33), while all other variants, including the new LS9 and LQ4 truck engine, received a dished version of the GM hypereutectic piston. The cylinder firing order was changed to 1-8-7-2-6-5-4-3 so that the LS series now corresponds to the firing pattern of other modern V8 engines (for example the Ford Modular V8 ). The first of
5712-578: The previous two generations, the Buick and Oldsmobile small blocks, the Gen III/IV can be found in many different brands. The engine blocks were cast in aluminum for car applications, and iron for most truck applications (notable exceptions include the Chevrolet TrailBlazer SS , Chevrolet SSR , and a limited run of Chevrolet Silverado/GMC Sierra extended-cab standard-box 4WD trucks). The architecture of
5796-679: The rumbling sound typically associated with V8 engines. However, racing engines seek to avoid these uneven exhaust pressure pulses to maximize the power output. The 1960s cross-plane V8 racing engines used long primary exhaust pipes (such as the Ford GT40 endurance racing car) or located the exhaust ports on the inside of the V-angle (such as the Lotus 38 IndyCar) to link the exhaust systems from each bank and provide even exhaust gas pulses),. A flat-plane crankshaft configuration provides two benefits. Mechanically,
5880-434: The same 3.622" stroke (with most of those variants using the same basic crankshaft casting), the 4.8L and 5.3L variants utilized the same block casting, and several variants used the same length connecting rod. Other modifications include long runner intake manifolds, powder-forged connecting rods and the introduction of six-bolt main bearings (as opposed to four on the previous generations). Long runner intake manifolds in
5964-420: The small-block, until stringent emission regulations in the late 1960s severely limited performance. The Malaise era (roughly 1973 to 1983), as it was known, saw some of the lowest horsepower figures in several muscle and or pony car engines. This included the Corvette whose power output dropped below 200 hp (149 kW; 203 PS) despite a displacement of 350 cu in (5,735 cc). 1992 saw
6048-468: The smaller capacity (but more powerful and fuel efficient) overhead cam engines favored by European and Asian manufacturers. One of GM's domestic rivals, Ford , had announced plans to axe its small block engine from production in the early 1990s, in favor of its Modular engines. Another domestic rival, Chrysler Corporation, had stopped building passenger cars with V8 engines years prior, relegating them to its trucks and SUVs. Many car enthusiasts also desired
6132-564: The task of designing an engine that was not only more powerful than the previous small-block iterations, but one that could also deliver better fuel economy and meet emissions standards . Work began in 1993, shortly after the release of the LT1 Gen II engine. A small team hand-picked from the Advanced Engineering department of General Motors was assembled to do much of the initial design work, with initial prototypes hitting test benches by
6216-587: The top rear edge of the block, is 12561168. The SSC Ultimate Aero TT also utilized the LS6 block, albeit with an enlarged displacement of 6.3 L (384.4 cu in) and the addition of two turbochargers . Applications: The 4.8L and the 5.3L are smaller truck versions of the LS1 and were designed to replace the 305 and the 350 in trucks. The 4.8L and 5.3L engines share the same Gen III LS-series engine block and heads (upper end) and therefore, most parts interchange freely between these engines and other variants in
6300-462: The two generations share a large number of interchangeable parts. Gen V engines do not share as much with the previous two, although the engine block is carried over, along with the connecting rods. The serviceability and parts availability for various Gen III and Gen IV engines have made them a popular choice for engine swaps in the car enthusiast and hot rodding community, and sometimes is known colloquially as an LS swap . These engines also enjoy
6384-408: The winter of 1993. Stephens also recruited Ed Koerner, a former NHRA record holder, to help with much of the hands-on work, while Stephens dealt with corporate. All three generations are overhead valve engines , otherwise known as pushrod engines. Overhead valve engines have the valves mounted above the cylinder head, with a pushrod and rocker arm allowing the camshaft (which is mounted inside
6468-611: Was also used in touring car racing and formed the basis of the Repco-Holden engine used in Formula 5000 racing. In 1999, the Holden V8 engine began to be replaced by the imported General Motors LS1 V8 engine. In 1971, Ford Australia began local production of the Ford 'Cleveland' V8 , an overhead valve cast-iron engine. The engine was produced in displacements of 4.9 L (302 cu in) and 5.8 L (351 cu in) for use in
6552-559: Was first used on the Mercedes-Benz M113 engine in 2002 and turbocharging was first used on non-commercial diesel V8 engines in 1999 with the OM628 and on petrol engines with the M278 engine in 2010. Porsche's first road car to use a V8 engine was the 1978 Porsche 928 coupe. Its first to use a V8 diesel engine was the second-generation Cayenne S Diesel in 2014. Audi's first road car to use
6636-496: Was from 2006 to 2013 , when the rules mandated use of 2.4 L (146 cu in) naturally-aspirated V8 engines, with regular power outputs between 730 and 810 hp (in order to reduce the power outputs being achieved by the previous 3.0 litre V10 engines). These were replaced by 1.6 litre turbocharged V6 engines for the 2014 and later seasons. V8 engines have dominated American premier stock car racing NASCAR series since its inaugural 1949 season . However, there wasn't
6720-589: Was originally only used in the high-performance C5 Corvette Z06 model, with the Cadillac CTS V-Series getting the 400 bhp (298 kW) engine later. The V-Series used the LS6 for two years before being replaced by the LS2 in 2006. For 2006, the Z06 replaced the LS6 with the new LS7 . The LS6 shares its basic block architecture with the GM LS1 engine , but other changes were made to the design such as windows cast into
6804-466: Was significantly increased following the 1932 introduction of the Ford Flathead V8 . By the early 21st century, the use of V8 engines in passenger vehicles declined as automobile manufacturers opted for more fuel efficient , lower capacity engines, or hybrid and electric drivetrains . The displacement of modern V8 engines is typically from 3.5 to 6.4 L (214 to 391 cu in). However, larger and smaller examples have been produced, such as
6888-488: Was the 2008–present BMW N63 engine. Their first eight-cylinder engine since passenger car and motorsport straight-eight engine production stopped in 1944 and 1955 respectively, Mercedes-Benz began production of the Mercedes-Benz M100 petrol V8 engine in 1963 and has continued production of V8 engines to the present day. The M100 had a single overhead camshaft, a cast-iron block, and an aluminium head. Supercharging
6972-537: Was the 4.4 in (112 mm) bore spacing and pushrods, the former of which is also in use in the Chevrolet Gemini small-block engine . The use of aluminum allowed for further weight reduction; the 1997 LS1 was almost 100 lb (45 kg) lighter than previous cast-iron small-block iterations. GM also made extensive use of economies of scale for the LS: with the exception of the 4.8L and 7.0L engines, all variants used
7056-483: Was used in the Corvette from 97 to 04. It was also used in 98-02 GM F-Body (Camaro & Firebird) cars with a rating of over 305–345 hp (227–257 kW), which was rumored to be conservative. The extra horsepower was claimed to come from the intake ram-air effect available in the SS and WS6 models. In Australia, continuous modifications were made to the LS1 engine throughout its lifetime, reaching 382 hp/376 ft-lb in
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