Well, I'm not exactly sure. From what I remember, the block has LS7 style heads and LS7 style intake manifold. But the headers are from when I had the original LS6 engine and they seem to mount up just fine to those heads. As for the crank, I am presuming everything in the block is compatible with the LS6, since nothing was changed to make it work with something other than that.
Push come to shove, what exactly IS different about the LS7 compared to the LS6 in relation to what the block has bolted onto it? Offhand it appears that the pilot bearing is different, being larger in diameter and fits further away from the engine in the end of the crank than the one in the LS6, which would mean that the input shaft to the torque tube would have to be shorter, since it would engage the pilot bearing differently. For the LS6 the pilot bearing is smaller, and fits further back in the end of the crank. So is the entire torque tube different for the LS7 than the LS6 or is it only the input shaft that might be different?
Are my LS6headers inefficient being used with the LS7 exhaust ports on the heads?
Would LS7 style headers fit the body and frame and the rest of the car of the C5Z?
The LS2 throttle body needed a harness adapter to work with the LS6 wiring, but seemed to bolt onto the LS7 style intake manifold just fine. Or so it seems. All of the accessory brackets seemed to bolt on just fine to the RHS block, which is actually a much different case than when Harwood got in that piece of crap World Products Warhawk engine. He was having to do all sorts of "minor fitment to get them to fit properly on that block.
Hopefully anyone who works on my car will be able to tell what is needed by eyeballing what is already on there. If they can't, well, that could be worrisome to me.
Anyway, I originally wanted a light flywheel in the car, but after driving it for a short bit, I too just did not like it. I just had to rev it too high to keep the engine from stalling out from a dead stop. Caused me to burn some rubber several times as a result. I definitely want a heavier flywheel. I like the way the C6Z drives and it has a pretty hefty flywheel on it. So no more of those light aluminum flywheels for me.
As for horsepower rating, I really don't know as I have never really had it dynoed. Aaron Scott said he did, but come to find out that with the LS7 throttle body he put on the car, it is pretty much impossible to get the throttle over something like 80 percent without getting a REDUCED POWER fault. Yet he claims that he did. But I have my doubts.
When Mike Carnahan was down here to do the preliminary tune on the car, after he drove it for a bit he said he would estimate that it was putting out 850 rwhp. I believe he is pretty experienced with high powered vehicles, so my guess is that he would have to be pretty close with that estimate, and that is what I am going by.
I'm sure I want a twin disk clutch as that just seems to be the way to go. Shane at (what used to be) Champion Chevy was dead set against the twin disks, which is why I got the single disk Centerforce put in the car. If that clutch didn't squeal like cats being skinned alive sometimes, it would actually be an OK clutch, it appears. Never had it slip on me, and it catches pretty well. I dunno, maybe something to do with the resurfaced used flywheel has something to so with the noise.
In any event, the clutch is going to be replaced, no matter what. Which means a new flywheel, pilot bearing, and throwout bearing too. Hopefully nothing else will need to be replaced.
If that gets rid of the noise, then that will be a BIG step in getting this multi year long headache finally behind me.