LS7 pistons weak???

**Rich Z** · 01-09-2007, 02:11 AM

Just got the March '07 issue of Vette Magazine and was reading in the IDLE CHATTER page about something interesting (rumor?) concerning the LS7 motor. This was brought up via speculation about why there are no FI offerings for the C6 Z06. From what this article is saying (implying?) the LS7 motor has pistons in it that are 30 percent

WEAKER than the pistons that come in the standard LS2 motor. Anyone heard anything about that?

Man, I'd be kind of pissed myself to learn that I bought a C6 Z06 and the motor was basically pretty much topped out from the factory without doing a piston replacement. Quite honestly, that would shoot down my idea completely of ever buying one at all. Yeah, for someone who buying a Z06 is just chump change, it's no big deal, but I would be struggling to be able to afford one. Certainly having to dig deeper into my pockets for a piston replacement if I ever wanted to go down the power upgrade path would not set well with me....

Yeah, the LS7 is a pretty strong engine for something coming right from the factory, but heck, an LS2 with a blower or turbos on it would eat up the LS7 handily. Heck, with that in mind, I'd rather have the Z06 chassis with the LS2 motor in it and use the spare change to push the LS2 FAR above what the stock LS7 could produce.

Darn, that looks like one fantasy purchase I had in mind sometime in the future THOROUGHLY shot down the tubes.........

Gannet · 01-09-2007, 05:45 AM

So pull the motor and replace the pistons for an FI build. I would anyways. An FI motor without forged pistons is just ticking imo, but that's just me. It wouldn't be all that much money, not when you're already in for the price of a 6Z. I don't think these cars are *ever* going to be "cheap". $3-3500 for a piston swap, I would guess, labor and all.

Anti Venom · 01-09-2007, 09:14 AM

I seem to remember hearing something about Procharger, while developing a ls7 kit, they popped a few engines and decided that they could not take boost. Rick at STS told me that they were not going to offer an LS7 kit to the public due to those reasons.