LS & LSX Engine Builder
With over 35 years of experience building various GM engines, DCI Motorsports has developed specifications and combinations for building and modifying your LS engine.
- Mildly modified for street
- High performance for pro touring
- Blower, turbocharged and supercharged
- Stroker cranks and custom ported heads
- Performance replacement parts and conversion kits
DCI will build any LS engine, including LS1, LS2, LS3, LS6, LS7, L76, L92, L99, LT1 ,LT4, LSX, LSXR.
We don’t just Build LS Engines, we make them better!
We don’t just build quality and performance LS V8’s, we make them better! Attention to detail during assembly as well as engine testing before delivery guarantees each engine performs as designed.
Details Make the difference at DCI Motorsports
DCI Motorsports sets the standard for LS engine builds. Here is a short list of the many engine building details that put DCI Motorsports a Cut Above The Rest.
- Casting flash removal – Remove the possibility of pieces breaking off into the engine
- Dowel pin height – Correctly set dowel pins properly locate cap and prevent it from possibly causing main-bearing problems
- Oil hole lineup – Port matching and checking for obstructions in all oil passages to ensure optimal engine oil circulation.
- Tap and chase all holes – Ensures no debris in threads which ensures proper torque readings
- Convert stock pressed-in oil plugs – Tap and install screw-in plugs to increase durability
- Blueprint oil pump – In addition, port match the pump to block oil feed port
- Radius oil ports – Prevent sheering and turbulence which can cause foaming of the oil
- Thrust bearing clearance – Both bearing shell clearance and crank thrust is set to specifications
- Chamfer main bearing holes – Smooths transition for improved oil flow and prevents turbulence and sheering
- Bearing clearances – We measure and assign each bearing to specific journals, we do this before grinding the crank (bearing sizes may not be the exact same size, which can change what needs ground during machining)
- Measure journals – We measure rod and main journals in two locations 180 degrees apart to ensure roundness and three locations across to ensure no taper
- Measure with bearings installed – With cap bolts torqued to calculate true bearing clearances for both main and rod bearings. All rod and main bearings are measured.
- Line up timing chain – Install quality timing chain gears with offset keys to degree cam as precise as 1/2 degree
- Clearance push rod holes – When designing for rockers exceeding factory ratio, we elongate holes ensure there is no interference with the rods
- Valve seals – Appropriate machining for positive valve seals or traditional O-ring-type seals with new valves.
- Valve angles – Stock angles for stock builds and custom angles performed to complement port work
- Valve sink – Valves installed at recommended height (sunken valves reduce low lift flow)
- Valve spring height – Shims are installed to reach accepted tolerance +/- 0.010 inch
- Piston-to-valve clearance – Modeling clay used on top of piston with intake and exhaust valves installed for one cylinder (no shortcuts here)
- Rocker interference – We check for interference between the rocker and retainer by turning the engine assembly
For details about these and more DCI Motorsports assembly tips, see our articles on HotRod.com: 14 Engine Assembly Do’s And Don’ts and 18 Engine Assembly Dos And Don’ts.
Handling doesn’t stop once your engine leaves our door…
Care is taken with every shipment to protect your engine from damage. Detailed instructions accompany each shipment so you know what you need to do next. Extra care is taken to ensure your engine arrives ready to install.