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GM Just Announced An All-New Small-Block V8 Is Coming

Published on
January 20, 2023
 

The electrification zeitgeist is in full swing, but gasoline-powered engines won’t disappear overnight. Nor will V8 power, as GM just confirmed a new small-block V8 engine is coming soon. This will be the sixth generation of the legendary small-block V8 that has powered so many Chevy and GM products since its introduction in 1954 for the 1955 model year. 

What vehicles will the new GM small-block engine be for?

GM small-block V6 engines stacked at the GM Flint South Plant | Jeff Kowalsky/Bloomberg News/Getty

It seems like all you hear from every automaker lately is electric-centric. Gas engines, and V8s in particular, seem like anachronisms next to the latest out of every automotive corner from Ford to Ferrari. But there is no denying V8 power is still very popular. And in GM’s case, needed.

 

The news came with the announcement that GM plans to invest “$854 million to prepare its engine facilities to produce the company’s sixth generation Small-Block V8.” GM says the new V8 will power both trucks and SUVs. Maybe it was paying attention to Ford F-150 enthusiasts hoping for a V8 in the Tremor. Ford listened and complied.

What is the new GM small-block engine replacing?

LT2 V8 Corvette Stingray’s LT2 V-8 engine | GM

Currently, GM offers two different V8s in its trucks and SUVs. The 5.3-liter L84 small-block EcoTec3, and the 6.2-liter L87 big-block EcoTec3. There is also the fifth-gen LT2 6.2-liter in the C8 Corvette, which shares many similarities but is, of course, oriented for mid-engine placement. Better lubrication and performance are its main deviations.

GM has not indicated if the new V8 will also see action in the Corvette. The Camaro is phasing out in 2024, so it is doubtful the sixth-gen V8 will find its way into Camaros. After the first generation of the V8, which lasted over two decades, GM creates newer versions less than 10 years apart. As the design has progressed, it shares less with the original version, except for bore spacing. 

Where will the new V8 be built?

GM Flint General Motors Flint Engine South | Jeffrey Sauger/Bloomberg News/Getty

Flint, Michigan, is the chosen plant for the new engine assembly. It currently produces the 3.0-liter LM2 I6 Duramax and 3.0-liter LZ0 Duramax engines. An expansion program has just begun to accommodate the additional engine demands. So, while no dates were announced for the beginning of production, it will undoubtedly begin once plant construction is completed. 

GM Flint GM Flint Truck Assembly Plant in Flint, Michigan | Bill Pugliano/Getty
 

 

The fifth generation small-block V8 first appeared in 2014, but the original LS debuted in 1997. It was replaced by the LT for the C8 Corvette after three small-block generations. So adding it up, there have been four generations over 26 years. 

Three other manufacturing plants will receive the remainder of the $918 million GM is spending on plant upgrades. Since 2013, it has invested over $37 billion in expanding manufacturing facilities, according to GMauthority.

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This makes sense. The gen5 went into production 10 years ago. It would be silly not to freshen it up for the lead up to GM’s departure from IC vehicles in 2035. This will give GM a full decade of use from a new V8 until it’s phased out in “35. Good business sense. 

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Flint Engine South was built on the site of the original V-8 Engine Plant that opened in 1954. I guess we can call it the V-8 plant again after 20 years. I retired from the Metal Fabricating Plant right next door. The Flint Truck Assembly Plant is contiguous to both plants, which seems to me to be the ideal layout for GM to build trucks.

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2 hours ago, Cold War said:

Not a story here, unlike a Chinese battery plant that doesn’t exist, no workable business plan, that Michigan tax payers have funded. It really is amazing.  

 

First I'm hearing of this! More talk of Gretchen and her Toll Roads lately on local news 🤬

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25 minutes ago, Skidooski said:

First I'm hearing of this! More talk of Gretchen and her Toll Roads lately on local news 🤬

Yup!  Don’t except to see an ecstatic media doing a  photo op of Gretch in her jean jacket and hardhat there.   
greedy bastards.  I think they are way jumping the gun going after EV drivers  already.  

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Great!

Every new GM engine in the last few years has been awesome.

How did they fuck up the 5.3 and 6L?

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10 minutes ago, XCR1250 said:

I have two  5.3's one has over 200,000 miles, no engine problems at all only an oil pressure sensor, and I own one 6 liter which is 23 years old, never had problems other then 1 fuel pump.

Almost every 6L I’m familiar with had broken exhaust manifold bolts as the mileage rolled up. Gas hogs too. 

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1 minute ago, ActionfigureJoe said:

Almost every 6L I’m familiar with had broken exhaust manifold bolts as the mileage rolled up. Gas hogs too. 

I won't deny Gas hogs, mine only gets 17 mph on the freeway, around here 11.

No manifold problems (yet) after 23 years.

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17 hours ago, ActionfigureJoe said:

This makes sense. The gen5 went into production 10 years ago. It would be silly not to freshen it up for the lead up to GM’s departure from IC vehicles in 2035. This will give GM a full decade of use from a new V8 until it’s phased out in “35. Good business sense. 

:fishing:

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3 minutes ago, ActionfigureJoe said:

Almost every 6L I’m familiar with had broken exhaust manifold bolts as the mileage rolled up. Gas hogs too. 

I had that issue with both the 5.3 and 6.0. Always the bolt closest to the firewall on drivers side for some reason.

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Just traded off our tahoe with the 5.3. Gutless gas hog, happy its gone.  Got the wife an X7 40i. Way nicer in every way, more options, quicker, and averaging 23 mpg. Got  a pair of B58s in the garage now.  10x better engine than a 5.3. 

20230106_191257.jpg

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1 hour ago, stinkipinki said:

I love the 6.6L gasser in my 2500HD but I don't DD it, it gets around 11 MPG avg.

Oil pump solenoid went on mine and took the engine out. Other than that the power of the 6.6 is really nice for a 2500HD 

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1 hour ago, stinkipinki said:

I love the 6.6L gasser in my 2500HD but I don't DD it, it gets around 11 MPG avg.

Oil pump solenoid went on mine and took the engine out. Other than that the power of the 6.6 is really nice for a 2500HD 

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23 hours ago, IRONDOG said:

Flint Engine South was built on the site of the original V-8 Engine Plant that opened in 1954. I guess we can call it the V-8 plant again after 20 years. I retired from the Metal Fabricating Plant right next door. The Flint Truck Assembly Plant is contiguous to both plants, which seems to me to be the ideal layout for GM to build trucks.

Except for the fact that the only gas engine that Flint truck assembly uses is the 6.6 L8T which will continue to be used in the HD trucks going forward into the foreseeable future and is built at Tonawanda. 

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