Ls headed 4cyl

[Racer71]

Noticed a car at the chili bowl on tv that looked like it had a ls headed motor in it. Did a little searching online but didn’t see anything. Have any of you guys ever seen someone build one? I was always curious how a ls7 headed inline 4 would be in a midget against the Toyota and Stanton SR-11

[peejay]

I'm curious myself.

That said, after playing with VW eatercooleds and their tiny chambers and even tinier ports, the first time I really looked at a Chevy 2.2, I was impressed. 44mm intake valves from the factory (that's 4mm larger than the "big" VW valves) and the ports look beautiful. It's a shame nobody ever seemed to do anything with this engine other than rag on it for being a base model S10 and Beretta engine.

[rebelyell]

old but not obsolete articles: midget motors

https://us.motorsport.com/midget/photos ... /21214007/

https://www.enginebuildermag.com/2016/0 ... t-engines/

[Racer71]

Thanks for the long ls have to read up after the bowl. I’ve been playing with the ecotec motors in some fwd dirt cars, some use them in the midgets as well. I’ve always figured the ls series heads would be great in midget or as a v8 sprint car engine. For years the Yates head ford motors were tough to beat in a midget, and they’re still killing it in dirt late model in v8 form. I have a strong dislike for the sbc motors but love the ls stuff

[englertracing]

Im not seeing how it would be any better than the gm midget engine, its got the cam on the exhaust side and high as hell.
https://www.hotrod.com/articles/ctrp-08 ... et-engine/

Im a fan of the esslinger, but the rev limit hurt them....

[englertracing]

Thanks for the long ls have to read up after the bowl. I’ve been playing with the ecotec motors in some fwd dirt cars, some use them in the midgets as well. I’ve always figured the ls series heads would be great in midget or as a v8 sprint car engine. For years the Yates head ford motors were tough to beat in a midget, and they’re still killing it in dirt late model in v8 form. I have a strong dislike for the sbc motors but love the ls stuff

The fords are coming back to sprints, but they are an inline as usac knob gobbled for gm and ruled out the multi valve angle engines long ago to ensure the pinch port junk could remain competative

The top sprint head at the moment is a shaut/shaver head, although it retains the dreadful IEEIIEEI layout, it doeent leave much to be desired and is in another leage in comparison to an ls head.
The bad ass ls heads are like an edelbrock LSR, you could run something like that on a midget, but again not allowed in sprints as its a canted deal

[peejay]

old but not obsolete articles: midget motors

https://us.motorsport.com/midget/photos ... /21214007/

https://www.enginebuildermag.com/2016/0 ... t-engines/

The first link was a picture, but the second link hurt my brain to read.

Today I learned that you can make larger VW engines by using longer pushrods. Amosgst other really dumb things.

[Racer71]

Thanks for insight guys, the Chevrolet midget that came out back in the 00’s mostly has disappeared. I haven’t seen any in a long while Stewart’s team was one of the few that had/raced them. They were interesting with cam moved to the exhaust side. My brother came home from the chili bowl with a car (surprise) it has a super duty Pontiac in it, I’m not sure what his plan is with this thing. Race cars seem to have a way of multiplying around here. The poncho motor I know nothing about ,it’s iron block alum head he hasn’t gotten it out of trailer yet. Maybe it’ll end being a ecotec D2 car who knows what he’s got In mind.

[jacksoni]

Thanks for insight guys, the Chevrolet midget that came out back in the 00’s mostly has disappeared. I haven’t seen any in a long while Stewart’s team was one of the few that had/raced them. They were interesting with cam moved to the exhaust side. My brother came home from the chili bowl with a car (surprise) it has a super duty Pontiac in it, I’m not sure what his plan is with this thing. Race cars seem to have a way of multiplying around here. The poncho motor I know nothing about ,it’s iron block alum head he hasn’t gotten it out of trailer yet. Maybe it’ll end being a ecotec D2 car who knows what he’s got In mind.

The SD Pontiacs were used a lot and did well with the factory heads (there were at least two factory HP heads) but in many leagues were legislated out I understand for more recent engines. The KRP (Kansas Racing Products) block was heavier duty even than the OEM SD and could be drilled for nearly any head- Mopar, Ford or GM. I have one that I used a SB2.2 on. (Now has an Infiniti IRL 4 valve head). Though I am not familiar with the LS head don't see much reason one couldn't be put on one of these blocks though of course might have been some other block. Folks cut up all sorts of things to make midget motors.

[BlitzA64]

Gaerte midget blocks were used with Inline Chevy, SB2, Ford C3/SC1, Buick, Olds, they were machined for pretty much anything. I have a couple Ford drilled blocks that would likely work easily with an LS head. The only difficulty I found is the decent cam cores dried up after Earl's passing. The company dropped the ball with the 4cyl project at that time. I assume someone could now make a billet cam, I just know I had Hell trying to get what I wanted

[Racer71]

I imagine our friend here mike Jones could come up with something. I believe this car will probably end up with a ecotec as a d2 car and we’ll sell the sd Pontiac off, not sure if those motors have much value these days I’m still researching the platform a bit. I’ve been doing some ecotec assembly’s for other fwd compact class guys and had one from a mud rail buggy dropped off tonight with a spun rod bearing. I like the ecotec but would love to build a ls headed open midget motor for hell of it. I loved my Yates headed motors I had in my mustang except they weren’t very fun to street drive lol. Thanks again to the memebera here I learn something new all the time here.

[englertracing]

I dont really know why one would choose to use an inline valve head if your not forced.

[BlitzA64]

I imagine our friend here mike Jones could come up with something.

Mike did one cam for my SC1 head engine, it was bad fast but we couldn't find any cam cores. Found a cam to regrind from Brayton and it died right away. Hardness was too shallow and the roller started eating into it. Maybe with his new tool steel billet deal he could get something done. I tried to have some cores made but the best I could do was 12 minimum at the time and I bulked at that proposition

[hoffman900]

LSM does (or did) a minimum order of 5 cores. Not cheap (about $600 a pop, and that was about 6 years ago) and who knows on a timeline. It was about a year then.

Haven’t paid attention to results, but how are the 4Piston Racing Engines Honda’s doing?

[BlitzA64]

I called Steve at the time, I couldn't get a call back so gave up. I would have paid up for a good cam, had a deal going with another engine builder and he was working with Gaerte to try to get some volume and the pricing better but Gaerte bailed out was what I was told. Gaerte was working with Brodix as well to get blocks made but again that died. I think finances were a problem