Hello! My question as it is in the title..... why arn't there many people out there doing 396 holden stroker motors? Who has tried or knows a mate with one? how is it? Im considering building a motor with comeracing 600hp alloy heads and was going to do a 383 but i thought well.... im going to be going 4 bolt mains and a crank gurdle, why not try go for a 396 crank? i have been looking on the net and there is only a handfull of cars out there with them, no one seem to say they have seen or heard of one blowing up? or throwing a rod? For clearence..what if you had a series 3 Inj 5L or stroker block from a vt? would you need to cut in so much...... Anyone got any feedback?

My mate had a 5L VT SS. Researched into making into a stroker, and was going to go down the 396 route with alot of COME Racing parts. For the amount of $ he was going to spend on getting the motor rebuilt to that 396 stroker, and the amount of horsepower he was going to get with it - it ended up being Cheaper, more reliable, and more horsepower with a LSX454 from HP-F. Alot of engine builders wouldn't touch a 396 as it needs clearancing and boring that takes the 5L block right to its maximum. There isn't much room for error, and the possibility that if it needed to be rebuilt - its time for a new block. The power to be had was going to be about 500hp (flywheel) with things such as twin t/b manifold, etc. No-one will recommend putting boost into it - the cyl walls are just too thin. By the time the engine was going to be pulled down, all parts bought, built, and put back in - was going to cost about $25k, and no guaruntees, but should crack 500hp at the fly. In the end he got a LSX454 with some upgraded parts, headwork, large cam, manifold for $22k and made over 700hp at the fly. With LS motors making great hp for low cost, its easy to see why 5L's just don't cut the mustard any more.

Can we put lsx's into vl's by law in Qld? get it engineered and rwc? Anyone know if the VL TUFGM-8, Morning blue over silver Calais, Fr19s with big dish on the rear, 396 stroker crank was in that when Street Commodores did a Article on it, Front cover issue 187

In QLD, I belive (best check with engineer first though) you can go up to 427 legally... so a LSX 427 will be fine to go into a VL, but the LSX 454 is not. (The 454 was only barely legal to go into the VT! lol) Any LS motor up to 427 (7.0L) can be done. Even if you go LS2, or LS3 with a few mods (cam, heads, tune) - you'll easily out perform a 396, be more reliable. Coverting a VL to LS will obviously cost a little bit (mounts, starter relocation, gearbox mounts, electrics, tailshaft, etc) - but you would enjoy the end result alot more. Don't let me stop you going to a 396 from the Holden 5L if thats what you really want. But it is hard to go past just how easily the LS engines make power, and fairly cheaply aswell.

yeah... the only reason i was going to go use the 5L was because i didnt think we could use the chevs etc... im going to chase this up a little further with Department of transport. If we Can then ***c yeah im going to go that way!

yeh mate as has been said. def not point waisting time with old tech when u can slap a LS in between her legs an produce solid reliable power with minimal boring and stroking costs required. Winning Some original photos have not been recovered yet.

QLD engine transplant rules for mod code LA2 (performance engine replacement) for vehicles originally over 1100kg are: N/A -> Max cc = 5.0 x weight of car in kg. (1400 x 5.0 = 7000, or 7.0L) Boosted -> Max cc = 3.0 x weight of car in kg. (1400 x 3.0 = 4200, or 4.2L) Note - if going boosted - you can do Mod code LA1 for similar engine (up to 20% bigger than factory which is up to 6.0L for VL as it came with 5.0L), and then do a code LA3 which is addition of Turbo or Supercharger. So effectivly can have a maximum of a 6.0L boosted engine in a VL.. Legally. Oh.. also of note - the max engine sizes above are "Recomendations Only"... If you can convince the engineer that a larger engine is a good idea, and they sign off on it - it is still legal. This may come in handy : http://www.infrastructure.gov.au/roa...jan2011_v3.pdf (http://www.infrastructure.gov.au/roads/vehicle_regulation/bulletin/pdf/NCOP3_Section_LA_Engine_01jan2011_v3.pdf)

hmm sweet, think i might be going that way hey.... thanks mate

Quote: Originally Posted by InsaneVL [View Post] QLD engine transplant rules for mod code LA2 (performance engine replacement) for vehicles originally over 1100kg are: N/A -> Max cc = 5.0 x weight of car in kg. (1400 x 5.0 = 7000, or 7.0L) Boosted -> Max cc = 3.0 x weight of car in kg. (1400 x 3.0 = 4200, or 4.2L) Note - if going boosted - you can do Mod code LA1 for similar engine (up to 20% bigger than factory which is up to 6.0L for VL as it came with 5.0L), and then do a code LA3 which is addition of Turbo or Supercharger. So effectivly can have a maximum of a 6.0L boosted engine in a VL.. Legally. Oh.. also of note - the max engine sizes above are "Recomendations Only"... If you can convince the engineer that a larger engine is a good idea, and they sign off on it - it is still legal. This may come in handy : http://www.infrastructure.gov.au/roa...jan2011_v3.pdf (http://www.infrastructure.gov.au/roads/vehicle_regulation/bulletin/pdf/NCOP3_Section_LA_Engine_01jan2011_v3.pdf) This is pretty interesting, and I'm glad that you have showed this.. I was going off the PDF file on QLD transport's site for light vehicle modification http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/~/media/b3...reductions.pdf (http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/~/media/b3ea8c53-b6a1-489e-933d-dac4054f21ba/codeofpracticelightvehiclesreductions.pdf) Which LA2 is not even mentioned.. you have LA1 and then it skips straight to LA3. And if you follow the chart in that PDF I linked (Page 22); you can't even have a boosted LS1 of stock stroke in a VL. As always, speak to the person who will be engineering the car as really it is upto them. I haven't got to that stage yet, but was just going off what information was available.

This is *** tops.... great information..... thanks people! No one out there with a 396 still? I think im going to print this off and show the engineer and see what they have to say...

Dont need to change starter location just get a short high torque unit ---------- Post added 11-12-11 at 03:48 ---------- Ill have a look at my modplate & let you know what it says ( boosted ls1 )

vl sl 88 - very interested to know what codes that VL was approved under (thinking LA1 & LA3?? - or LA2 & LA3?)... But as Adam007 pointed out - check with engineer first and go off what he says. Engineer has last say, and its up to the engineer to approve it.

hi, i am totally new to this site, i have just finished building a vn ss after 9 years, and had a 396 engine built by come racing, would just like to say that i am very impressed with comes performance, recently took the car to the strip at eastern creek and ran a flat 12 straight up, with a 3000rpm stall, my 396 makes 560 crank brake hp @ 5750, but most impressive is the torque figure, 540 ftlb @ 5750rpm, and has 460 ftlb @2750, massive torque down low, and on engine dyno both torque and hp are still rising @ 5750rpm, with bigger stall im sure it will run mid to low 11s, just like they said, unfortunately sam and issy @ come racinmg arnt building engines no more, its such a shame to see them go, they told me the engine is good for 100hp shot nos no dramas, and as far as boost goes, ... i will be fitting blower in next few mnths

If I was going to do a Holden stroker (which I decided not to due to cost and reliability) I'd definitely start with a TorquePower little paw block. I had my brand spanker LS3 rebuilt with a forged bottom end and upgraded valve train (valves, springs, lifters, cam) for 15k (including cost of engine)