LS in an OBS!
Making the Swap After the Drop
BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, LIFE WAS EASIER IN SO MANY WAYS FOR SO MANY PEOPLE. One problem we constantly heard was builders had increased customer orders but couldn’t procure the materials needed for manufacturing, which is what we went through while trying to create content for our tech section.
The last time we visited this particular project was over six months ago with the installation of a QA1 coilover suspension. This 1997 Chevy C1500 now handles like a rail car but lacks the power to really test out the engineering. Yes, we could upgrade the factory 305ci engine to gain a few hundred horsepower, but the time, dollars and effort spent doing that would be on par with a complete LS engine swap. So that’s the route we are going on this build, and we really hope you follow along. Did I mention we are supercharging it? Now I have your attention!
Our block of choice is a 6.0-liter LS engine out of a 2003 Silverado 2500 HD. We are going to completely strip it down and prep it properly for the big power we expect to get with this Procharger supercharger system. Along the way, we will strengthen the structure with ARP bolts and paint it nicely to match the rest of the truck. This P-1SC-1 supercharger system from Procharger is self-contained (SC) and the only gear-driven centrifugal superchargers to feature self-lubrication. SC Prochargers also feature the highest step-up ratio, exclusive billet impellers and the industry’s only billet gearcases for superior rigidity, sealing and appearance.
We are sending the harness to Current Performance Wiring for a complete overhaul, which will make it plug and play with our 6.0-liter LS. They follow OEM wire colors and use OEM connectors to produce the best quality products, and they go through a multi-step quality inspection process that’s guaranteed to meet or exceed even the most demanding show car owner’s expectations. We are replacing this original OEM transmission with a Chevrolet 4L80 transmission to handle the additional power and finishing it all off with some Red Line fluids. Keep in tune with this one because the end result will be something you want to see, we promise!
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The block for this serious swap is a 6.0-liter LS engine straight out of a 2003 Silverado 2500 HD. We are going to completely strip it down and prep it properly for the big power we expect to get with this Procharger supercharger system. 04
The weak link in a connecting rod has always been the bolt, and racers know that nobody builds a better bolt than ARP. However, it is critically important to monitor the stretch of each bolt and replace it when it has permanently elongated by .0005. This is typically defined by the loads that are carried by the bolts in terms of piston/rod weight and the rotational speed of the engine. You should also know that ARP rod bolts are superior in the area of fatigue strength. Testing has shown ARP rod bolts to have 10 times the fatigue strength of other bolts.