[pscartozzi]

Thanks, it sounds quite frankly awesome. I am more confused as to the origin of the motor. You say it is an LE5, correct? That was my guess but kg mentioned LHU which I didn't really follow. It's a ported LE5 head as well, right? Did you do the boring and stroking that kg is referencing?

Thanks a ton, hope you can post some pics

 

[mike.rock.n.rol]

Thanks, it sounds quite frankly awesome. I am more confused as to the origin of the motor. You say it is an LE5, correct? That was my guess but kg mentioned LHU which I didn't really follow. It's a ported LE5 head as well, right? Did you do the boring and stroking that kg is referencing?

Thanks a ton, hope you can post some pics

The original engine was a LE5. The new block is what was used on 2013 Buick models, I believe. I'm not sure what the proper designation for it is. It must be what kgschlosser said. It was advertised as 2.4L and came already bored to accept 2.4L cylinders.

 

[kgschlosser]

the LE5 is not cast using sand. It is cast using Styrofoam.

LE5 block

LHU block

notice the difference in the deck where the head sits.

The LDU image above is drilled and tapped for a turbo. you can see the oil feed hold and oil return hole.

This is the side of an LE5 block

you can see there are 3 oil galley plug. the block is already drilled and tapped it just has the holes plugged. The oil return hole has not been drilled and you can see the indent where that is supposed to be.

When someone buy an LE5 block that has been cast using sand they are not really buying an LE5 block. it's a bored out LHU. the LHU can be bored out because it does not use cylinder sleeves, it has actual cylinder walls. The dead giveaway that the block is an LHU is the deck and not being able to see the water jackets around the cylinders. The LE5 is and always will be a generation 2 block

When companies call it a generation 3 LE5 is is misleading and also leads to confusion..

FWIW the LE5 block is able to handle up to 500hp. if you want to go above that then you need to get the LHU. The EFR6758 is only able to get you to 500 hp so having the upgraded block was not necessary unless you plan at some point to put a larger turbo on it then the 6758. Early production LE5 engines had internals that could take you to 475 hp without issue. The later production engines had weaker connecting rods in them and you could only get them to 350hp unless you replaced the rods.

Nice thing about building an engine using the LE5 head is you will not have fueling problems. The LNF is limited because of the direct injection and no one making upgraded injectors for it. The down side of building with the LE5 head is going to be the lack of boost control in the ECM. The ECM being able to take care of boost control means there is going to be better control over detonation.

 

[kgschlosser]

Just to let you know when you get to about 4000 RPMs the car is going to be crazy loud. The wastegate will start to open and that is basically turning the exhaust into a straight pipe I run the factory exhaust and have my wastegate also dump to atmosphere. Trust me when I say it's loud!!!

 

[phil1734]

It's a LEA/LAF block with a LE5 head. Extremely common mashup in the Ecotec world.

The "Gen 3" referred to is a colloquial term for the later Gen 2s that had sand cast blocks and came into parlance before there was an actual gen 3 from GM, it's probably more accurate to call it a "Gen 2.5"

 

[kgschlosser]

So the LEA and the LAF blocks are sand casted but still use sleeves correct???

 

[phil1734]

Yes.

 

[kgschlosser]

So the only gain is less chance of having casting anomalies so the block would be about the same strength as the LE5 block. The added strength come from having actual cylinders vs sleeves. I think the sleeve design is slightly different if I remember correctly. They did add some additional support and that does make the block a little bit stronger but not as strong as an actual gen 3 block.

 

[mike.rock.n.rol]

So the only gain is less chance of having casting anomalies so the block would be about the same strength as the LE5 block. The added strength come from having actual cylinders vs sleeves. I think the sleeve design is slightly different if I remember correctly. They did add some additional support and that does make the block a little bit stronger but not as strong as an actual gen 3 block.

KG,

I created a new problem while messing with the pump and started a new thread here. I would appreciate your opinion:

Timing chain jumping after installing ARP timing bolts

Oh boy, this is my luck... I don't know how I broke it but something happened with my timing chain... Since I pulled the timing cover and remembered that I have ARP timing bolts that I forgot to install, I decided to throw them in. 1)I removed the bolt #239 ( I now realize 235 should have been...

www.solsticeforum.com

Thank you