LS9 Pictures!

[hoosierdaddy]

Pretty cool but out of my league I'm sure, but can't wait to see one in person as they say!

Bill

 

[Norseman]

Sorry

Sorry guys but a super charger isn't the way to go. Turbochargers are much more efficient, take up less space, use less gas and provide over-all better performance.

 

[Evolution1980]

!!! HIJACK ALERT !!! HIJACK ALERT !!!

Sorry guys but a super charger isn't the way to go. Turbochargers are much more efficient, take up less space, use less gas and provide over-all better performance.

:hijack
!!! HIJACK ALERT !!! HIJACK ALERT !!!

...we now return you to your normally scheduled programming...
:cool

 

[Rob]

Sorry guys but a super charger isn't the way to go. Turbochargers are much more efficient, take up less space, use less gas and provide over-all better performance.

Before you pass judgement, wait for the embargo to be lifted on LS9 information at 12:01am, December 20.

 

[Hib Halverson]

Before you pass judgement, wait for the embargo to be lifted on LS9 information at 12:01am, December 20.

I agree. Everyone needs to wait to hear the details.

I was on the GMPT conference call today and heard all about LS9. The specifics are embargoed until Thursday. Those who've read my occasional posts about the 3rd Gen ZR-1 and it's msupercharged Gen 4 engine over the last year or so may be interested to know that the majority of the predictions I've made are generally correct.

On that note, if you've read the CAC's article on LS3...

http://www.corvetteactioncenter.com/specs/c6/2008/ls3_page1.html

...know that there was a second sidebar written for that article that was not posted. Understand that this sidebar was written sometime ago but it took us a while to get the LS3 article up. When GM suddenly announced that it would release LS9 info this week, Rob and I felt that a short article speculating on other uses of certain LS3 parts might not be timely a week before official information was released.

With that explanation and disclaimer, now I'll post the sidebar:

Sidebar #1
An Opening for Speculation

At the end of the cylinder head discussion, John Rydzewski and Lou Oniga mentioned a sort of corporate-wide, rules-and-regs governing engine design.

"We've established many engine design parameters," Rydzewski told the Corvette Action Center. "We're taking the learning from all our different engines and accumulating the facts in one place. We call it 'Bill-of-Design.' We're applying this to all engines when we have the opportunity. Since we had new tooling and a new head design, the LS3 was our chance to apply Bill-of-Design to Gen 4 heads.

"Sometimes, we're asked to apply it even if we don't have a problem, because we know, on some other applications, we could have an issue. This is one of the enablers for our 100,000-mile warranty."

"And there's good reason for that," Lou Oniga piped-up. "I can't tell you specifics but, in the near future, applications using this head are significantly higher stressed. And, I'm going to leave it at that."

For a split second nobody said anything and...keep in mind that this discussion took place in May of '07, six months before GM released images of the LS9 to the CAC.

"...And if you tell me any more, you'll have to kill me, right?" I quipped.

Then discussion moved on to the intake manifold but, in case you didn't get it, that was a mile-wide opening for speculation.

That evening, I went back to my cheesy hotel, the "Extended Stay Suites", adjacent to the Pontiac Superdome but stopped for take-out pizza and beer on the way. After woofing down a small, thick-crust-pepperoni and enjoying a couple of beers, I thought about that exchange.

Bill-of-Design and GM's 100,000 mile warranty aside, to a writer who's covered the Gen 3/4 engine series since 1996, there seems to be some features in the LS3 which, though certainly useful and welcome, are not necessary on an engine which makes 30-36 more horsepower than its predecessor, but might be required on one which makes 225 more.

In my mind, I combined all this stuff: a block with 20% greater main web strength, time and resources expended on 15 different iterations of intake and exhaust ports, enhancement to head structure both internally and externally, extensive improvement of cooling jackets, the killer copper-infiltrated valve seats, availability of Inconel exhaust valves (currently used on a special-heavy-duty, truck six-oh), a minimum width for the valve bridge (whereas LS7 has siameesed valve seats and no bridge at all) all the research into sealing, a 5-layer MLS head gasket, beefed up rocker box sealing lands and that, if a reduction in compression ratio were required, easy adaptation of a dished piston–and I'm thinking: boost.

Maybe another reason we have most of this stuff is: durability of a high-performance engine which is supercharged, makes a ton of power and is intended for severe duty.

So...look at the photos of the LS3 parts, again.

My guess is you're seeing the block and heads for the 625hp, 6.2-liter, supercharged, LS9, Small-Block V8, the engine in the 2009 ZR-1, the much-rumored, "super Vette" (some call it "Blue-Devil") with which Chevrolet teased everybody at the Monterey AMLS race back in September.

So wadaya think? Too much beer for me that night?

Or, are we getting a sneak-peak at some of the parts used by GM to take the next step in the Ruthless Pursuit of Power?

 

[jr9170]

Hib,great stuff as usual.I always look forward to your articles going back to the Big Block From Hell piece you did.BTW,how about a BBFH update?

 

[ricersvette89]

This info on the LS9 could be my early birthday gift! Thanks GM. And I think GM has just made history by putting the intercooler and supercharger all in one neat little package.

 

[Rob]

This info on the LS9 could be my early birthday gift! Thanks GM. And I think GM has just made history by putting the intercooler and supercharger all in one neat little package.

Stay tuned tonight, as we'll have a preliminary article here at the Corvette Action Center at exactly 12:01am Dec. 20 when GM lifts the embargo on LS9 information.

 

[B17Crew]

Stay tuned tonight, as we'll have a preliminary article here at the Corvette Action Center at exactly 12:01am Dec. 20 when GM lifts the embargo on LS9 information.

YES!

B17Crew

 

[ricersvette89]

Stay tuned tonight, as we'll have a preliminary article here at the Corvette Action Center at exactly 12:01am Dec. 20 when GM lifts the embargo on LS9 information.

T-minus 3 hours (for Central time people) till embargo is lifted! *drools and has puppy eyes*

 

[67HEAVEN]

T-minus 3 hours (for Central time people) till embargo is lifted! *drools and has puppy eyes*

How about an early Christmas present?

http://www.corvetteactioncenter.com/specs/c6/2009/zr1/index.html

 

[Evolution1980]

How about an early Christmas present?

http://www.corvetteactioncenter.com/specs/c6/2009/zr1/index.html

The gallery.... *spank spank spank*
Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaadddddddddddasssssssssssssssssssssssss!

 

[ricersvette89]

How about an early Christmas present?

http://www.corvetteactioncenter.com/specs/c6/2009/zr1/index.html

This is the best early birthday gift I have seen!