VM: Are the LSX 454 heads unique to this package?
JM: Yes. The LSX 454 is the first GMPP crate engine to utilize the all-new LSX-LS7 head. This aluminum high-performance head offers a design that is based on the amazing production LS7 head, but it gives the end consumer "more" of everything. The LSX-LS7 head has a more robust design to hold up to repeated use with power adders; theres more material for head porters to design their own ports and combustion chambers, if desired; the six-bolt-per-cylinder design allows for increased clamping force on the deck of the block; and these heads flow at least 370 cfm at very high velocities. The LSX-LS7 head comes with a 70cc combustion chamber, 270cc intake ports, 85cc exhaust ports, 2.20-inch titanium intake valves, 1.61-inch sodium-filled exhaust valves, a 12-degree valve angle, and 1.8:1 rocker arms.
VM: How was the LSX 454 camshaft developed?
JM: Development on this camshaft started during the validation for the LSX block in a 69 Camaro we built for Reggie Jackson and the 06 SEMA show. Reggie is a huge Chevy fan, and he loves his big-block Camaros and Corvettes. We were looking for a camshaft that would not only offer the type of torque youd expect from any engine displacing 454 cubic inches, but also show off the rev-happy nature of all LS-family engines. Having personally driven Reggies Camaro, I can attest that the LSX 454 can be a real handful on the bottom end. Torque starts off at an obscene 500 lb-ft at only 3,000 rpm, and then the cam comes on, sending you over 600 hp from 5,200 rpm on, until you have sense enough to shift the trans.
VM: What cam profile comes standard in the LSX 454?
JM: The LSX 454 comes standard with a hydraulic roller that specs out at 0.635-inch lift on the intake, 0.635-inch lift on the exhaust, and duration [at 0.050] of 236 degrees on the intake and 240 degrees on the exhaust. This is one of a series of LSX camshafts youll see coming from GM Performance Parts.
VM: How is oiling engineered in the LSX 454 to allow the engine to enjoy a trouble-free life? Does it feature a wet sump or an LS7-style dry-sump system?
JM: The LSX 454 features a wet-sump oiling system and comes with a "dust cover." Our newly released Musclecar Oil Pan kit (PN 19212593) is ideal for fitting this engine into a traditional Chevy engine compartment. Or, install an LS Vette oil pan (PN 12561828) to fit it into a newer car.
The LSX block features a true priority-main oiling system, something no other LS block offers. This feeds the main bearings first, keeping the critical crank mains well supplied with oil. This, again, is a first for the LS/LSX engine market.
VM: Is every LSX 454 hand assembled?
JM: They are going to be "hand built," but it is much more computerized and monitored than what most people would imagine. Every LSX 454 will go down an assembly line, and every step is highly monitored to ensure complete accuracy. Every component and bolt installation is "checked off" by a computer system to ensure a perfect assembly.
VM: In the 60s, a Chevy engine with this much horsepower could never have been covered by a warranty. How did GMPP address potential warranty issues before releasing this motor to the public?
JM: Great question, and yes, we have come a long way, havent we? Before any crate engine is added to the GMPP portfolio, it must pass a brutal 50-hour, full-throttle validation test that we feel no one in the industry can match. Our engineers will go through 1,500 gallons of fuel during one of these tests, and the time that our engines spend at full throttle is equivalent to 16,000 11-second quarter-mile passes. It truly is abusive.
That testing and validation, which only GM does, allows us to offer the industry standard for warranties on our high-performance crate engines. A 24-month/50,000-mile warranty is placed on the LSX 454 because we know that its so well engineered, tested, and validated.