LS1 head combustion chamber CC volume vs CR
1: Head Chamber Volume. Stock is 66.67cc for an LS1 head and 64.43cc for an LS6 head.
2: The stock head gasket bore is 3.910"
3: The stock MLS gasket thickness is .060 compressed and the stock graphite gasket is .052" compressed. That gives a Head Gasket Volume of 11.81cc for an MLS gasket and 10.23cc for a graphite gasket.
4: Deck Volume which is Piston down bore @ TDC. Stock is -.008". That gives a deck volume os -1.57
5: Swept Cylinder Volume. The stock LS1 has a Bore of 3.900" and a stroke of 3.622" giving a Swept cylinder volume of 709.04cc
Adding up items 1-4 gives the Total Combustion Volume.
So, If I use the formula (Swept Cylinder Volume + Total Combustion Volume) / Total Combustion Volume = these results using a .060 MLS gasket:
72.27cc = 9.59 CR
71.71cc = 9.65 CR
71.05cc = 9.72 CR
70.59cc = 9.77 CR
70.03cc = 9.83 CR
69.74cc = 9.87 CR
68.91cc = 9.96 CR
68.35cc = 10.02 CR
67.79cc = 10.09 CR
67.23cc = 10.15 CR
66.67cc = 10.22 CR (stock LS1 head spec) ?
66.11cc = 10.29 CR
65.55cc = 10.36 CR
64.99cc = 10.42 CR
64.43cc = 10.50 CR (stock LS6 head spec)
63.87cc = 10.57 CR
63.31cc = 10.64 CR
62.75cc = 10.71 CR
62.19cc = 10.79 CR
61.63cc = 10.87 CR
61.07cc = 10.94 CR
60.51cc = 11.02 CR
59.95cc = 11.10 CR
59.39cc = 11.18 CR
58.83cc = 11.27 CR
58.27cc = 11.35 CR
using a .052 graphite gasket gives these results:
72.27cc = 9.76 CR
71.71cc = 9.82 CR
71.05cc = 9.90 CR
70.59cc = 9.95 CR
70.03cc = 10.01 CR
69.74cc = 10.04 CR
68.91cc = 10.14 CR
68.35cc = 10.21 CR
67.79cc = 10.27 CR
67.23cc = 10.34 CR
66.67cc = 10.41 CR (stock LS1 head spec) ?
66.11cc = 10.48 CR
65.55cc = 10.55 CR
64.99cc = 10.63 CR
64.43cc = 10.70 CR (stock LS6 head spec)
63.87cc = 10.78 CR
63.31cc = 10.85 CR
62.75cc = 10.93 CR
62.19cc = 11.01 CR
61.63cc = 11.09 CR
61.07cc = 11.17 CR
60.51cc = 11.25 CR
59.95cc = 11.33 CR
59.39cc = 11.42 CR
58.83cc = 11.51 CR
58.27cc = 11.59 CR
If the piston is shoved back into the head to +.005 Piston Down Bore that gives a deck volume of .98cc. If an MLS gasket is used with this parameter changed the results are as follows:
72.27cc = 9.34 CR
71.71cc = 9.39 CR
71.05cc = 9.46 CR
70.59cc = 9.50 CR
70.03cc = 9.56 CR
69.74cc = 9.59 CR
68.91cc = 9.68 CR
68.35cc = 9.74 CR
67.79cc = 9.80 CR
67.23cc = 9.86 CR
66.67cc = 9.92 CR (stock LS1 head spec)
66.11cc = 9.99 CR
65.55cc = 10.05 CR
64.99cc = 10.12 CR
64.43cc = 10.18 CR (stock LS6 head spec)
63.87cc = 10.25 CR
63.31cc = 10.32 CR
62.75cc = 10.39 CR
62.19cc = 10.46 CR
61.63cc = 10.53 CR
61.07cc = 10.60 CR
60.51cc = 10.67 CR
59.95cc = 10.75 CR
59.39cc = 10.82 CR
58.83cc = 10.90 CR
58.27cc = 10.98 CR
If the piston is shoved back into the head to +.005 Piston Down Bore that gives a deck volume of .98cc. If a graphite gasket is used with this parameter changed the results are as follows:
72.27cc = 9.49 CR
71.71cc = 9.55 CR
71.05cc = 9.62 CR
70.59cc = 9.67 CR
70.03cc = 9.73 CR
69.74cc = 9.76 CR
68.91cc = 9.85 CR
68.35cc = 9.91 CR
67.79cc = 9.98 CR
67.23cc = 10.04 CR
66.67cc = 10.10 CR (stock LS1 head spec)
66.11cc = 10.17 CR
65.55cc = 10.24 CR
64.99cc = 10.30 CR
64.43cc = 10.37 CR (stock LS6 head spec)
63.87cc = 10.44 CR
63.31cc = 10.51 CR
62.75cc = 10.59 CR
62.19cc = 10.66 CR
61.63cc = 10.73 CR
61.07cc = 10.81 CR
60.51cc = 10.89 CR
59.95cc = 10.96 CR
59.39cc = 11.04 CR
58.83cc = 11.12 CR
58.27cc = 11.20 CR
There are other factors that change CR but they are relatively minor compared to these variables. I am by no means discrediting the work done by Tin Indian or even contesting the published figures. I just took the tables and extrapolated them with different variables other than stock for cc volume and swept cylinder volume. What appears to me, if I am to justify GM's published CR specs for LS1 and LS6 engines are as follows. LS1 uses 66.67cc combustion chambers, .052 gasket thickness, and a Piston Down Bore @ TDC of +.005". An LS6 engine uses a combustion chamber of 64.43cc, .060 gasket thickness, and a Piston Down Bore @ TDC of -.008". Does this point to a design difference between the LS6 block and the LS1 block I am not aware of? It would be nice to know the spec for LS1 and LS6 deck volume. I personally have a 99 LS1 that is clearly and old-style LS1 block. Are my pistons sticking up out of the hole .008 or are the down the hole .005? This makes a huge difference is computed CR and it would be a great help to the guys changing heads and getting them shaved to know this.
Last edited by ArKay99; Aug 3, 2004 at 12:34 AM.
The only accurate way to measure in my car would be to have the chambers cc'ed .. I would guess I was around 10.4:1..since the heads had been ported..
To answer your question.. Yes your compression ratio will increase.. I would guess you'd be at around 10.6:1..
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If you have an LQ4, which is the lower compression engine, you'll wanna put some LS1 or 4.8/5.3 truck castings on it to up the compression for an NA setup.
Your last sentence is correct.
All the LS6 heads I've cc'd have between 64.5-65.5cc. The 6.0l heads have 71-72cc chambers.
Richard

TIA...JJ
Cheer Jon


