LS1 5.7L engine: specs, donor vehicles & swap notes
The LS1 is a 5.7 L aluminum-block Generation III engine built 1997–2005, rated 295–382 hp. It came in 16 vehicle applications, including Chevrolet Corvette C5, Chevrolet Caprice.
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| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| RPO | LS1 |
| Family | Generation III |
| Years | 1997–2005 |
| Displacement | 5.7 L / 346 ci |
| Horsepower | 295–382 hp |
| Torque | 323–376 lb-ft |
| Bore × stroke | 3.898 × 3.622 in |
| Compression | 10.25:1 |
| Block | aluminum |
| AFM/DOD | No |
| VIN 8th digit | G |
| Reluctor | 24x |
| Throttle | 1998-2002 Camaro/Firebird, 2004 GTO: Cable; 1997-2004 Corvette: Drive-by-wire |
| Stock cam | 2001-2004 LS1: Duration 196°/208° @.050 in. int./exh.; valve lift 0.467"/0.479" int./exh.; 116° LSA; 1997-2000 LS1: Duration 202°/210° @.050 in. int./exh.; valve lift 0.496"/0.496" int./exh.; 116° LSA |
| Firing order | 1-8-7-2-6-5-4-3 |
| Head casting | 12559853, 12560621, 12562174, 12564241 (cast marks 853 / 241 family), 1999-2004 |
- Piston ring seal failure (oil consumption, blow-by). Fix: Leakdown test; replace seals at ~15% leakdown.
- Water pump failure (around 100,000 miles). Fix: Replace pump and gasket; electric pump upgrade optional.
- Bent pushrods from over-revving. Fix: Replace bent pushrods; hardened performance pushrods.
- Piston slap (cold-start noise, oil consumption). Fix: Live with it if cold-only; new pistons and bore if it persists warm.
- Oil pump cavitation / bypass valve stuck open (low oil pressure). Fix: Replace pump and bypass valve; Melling pump with improved relief valve.
Aluminum
The LS1 specs above are not yet confirmed against GM documents; GM ratings varied by year and vehicle.
How the LS1 differs from the other 5.7 L Gen III engines
The LS1 is one of the two 5.7 L Gen III engines we list: LS1, LS6. From our engine table:
- Compression 10.25:1, the lowest of the group.
- Up to 382 hp from the factory; the LS6 makes up to 405 hp.
- Built 1997–2005.
Swapping the LS1: what to plan for
- Computer: 24x crank, so the LS1 matches a Gen III computer (0411/P01 or P59); an E38 or E67 only reads 58x. Throttle and wiring have to suit the computer too. More: how to wire your LS (the full checklist for your engine and computer).
- Throttle depends on the year: 1998-2002 Camaro/Firebird, 2004 GTO: Cable; 1997-2004 Corvette: Drive-by-wire. Drive-by-wire needs the matching pedal and throttle body; the base Holley Terminator X is cable-only (the X Max does drive-by-wire).
- From a truck or SUV (HSV Z series Avalanche): truck accessory drive spacing (the farthest forward of the three), and the factory truck oil pan hangs low; most car swaps need a swap pan. More: accessory drive spacing · oil pans.
- From a 1998–2002 Camaro or Firebird: F-body accessory spacing (the middle one) and the F-body pan, 5.62 in. deep, a common swap pan in its own right. More: oil pans.
- From a Pontiac GTO: F-body/GTO accessory spacing, and a front-sump pan (6.30 in. deep) that only suits chassis with room at the front. Its pickup tube assembly is no longer available, so don't buy a used one with a broken pickup. More: oil pans.
- From a Corvette (Chevrolet Corvette C5): Corvette spacing, the most compact accessory drive. More: accessory drive spacing.
Refresh parts for the LS1
From our Gen III refresh list, the parts that are specific to the LS1. Seals, gaskets and the upgrades worth doing on any Gen III with the engine out are in the full refresh list, next to every torque spec.
| Part | GM part # | Why for this engine |
|---|---|---|
| Michigan Motorsports LS1 MLS head gasket + 2004+ head bolt kit (pair, 3.920 in bore, .051 in) | 12498544 | Listed for the LS1; a new gasket goes on any time the heads come off. |
| Chevrolet Performance LS1/LS6 multilayer head gasket | 12589226 | Listed for the LS1; a new gasket goes on any time the heads come off. |
| GM multi-layer steel LS1/LS6 head gasket set | 12589226 | Listed for the LS1; a new gasket goes on any time the heads come off. |
| Stock cylinder head bolt set, 1997-2003 LS (unequal-length design) | 12498545 | LS1 engines built through 2003 use the first-design, unequal-length bolts. Single use. Engines built from 2004 take the second-design, equal-length set (in the Gen IV list). |
| Chevrolet Performance Gen III LS knock sensor 12589867 (each) | 12589867 | The LS1 has its knock sensors in the valley, under the intake, where water collects. |
| Chevrolet Performance LS Gen III camshaft position sensor 19420911 | 19420911 | 24x engines like the LS1 read the cam at the rear of the block. |
From real tunes: 5.7 L on a Gen III computer
What these settings look like in the 616 naturally aspirated pump-gas tunes for 5.7 L engines on Gen III computers (0411/P01, P59) in our tune library (as of 2026-10-15). Every RPO of this size is pooled, not only the LS1, and so are all cams, heads and builds: that is why the ranges are wide. Use them to spot a value that is far outside what works, not as your numbers.
| Setting | Range | Median | Tunes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hot idle target | 550 rpm to 925 rpm | 800 rpm | 616 (middle 80%) |
| Warm idle airflow, in gear | 6.2 g/s to 12.9 g/s | 7.4 g/s | 597 (middle 80%) |
| Idle spark (around 800 rpm) | 16° to 28° | 22° | 596 (middle 80%) |
| Power enrichment (PE) lambda | 0.80 to 0.88 | 0.84 | 597 (middle 80%) |
| WOT spark at 5,000 rpm, about 0.9 g/cyl | 15.0° to 27.0° | 22.0° | 597 (middle 80%) |
For starting values matched to your LS1's cam, injectors and fuel, use the turn-on tune builder. Always finish on a dyno, and read our safe tuning limits before any wide-open pass.
Donor vehicles with the LS1
Where to find an LS1 at the junkyard: 16 vehicle applications below. Confirm it from the RPO sticker in the glovebox or the 8th VIN digit (for the LS1: G).
| Vehicle | Years |
|---|---|
| Chevrolet Camaro SS | 1998–2002 |
| Chevrolet Camaro Z28 | 1998–2002 |
| Chevrolet Caprice | 1999–2006 |
| Chevrolet Corvette C5 | 1997–2004 |
| HSV GTO | 2001–2004 |
| HSV VX/VU | 2000–2003 |
| HSV Y Series | 2002–2004 |
| HSV Z series Avalanche | 2005 |
| Holden Monaro | 2001–2005 |
| Holden Statesman | 1999–2005 |
| Holden VT II Commodore | 1999–2000 |
| Holden VX Commodore<br />Holden VU Ute | 2000–2003 |
| Holden VY Commodore | 2002–2004 |
| Holden VZ Commodore | 2004–2005 |
| Pontiac Firebird Formula, Trans Am | 1998–2002 |
| Pontiac GTO | 2004 |
Buying a used LS1
A used LS1 has no single part number, so this page does not link a search. Confirm the engine from the RPO sticker or the 8th VIN digit (for the LS1: G) before you buy.
Next steps
- Plan a swap with the LS1
- Find a cam for the LS1
- What the LS1 tune needs
- Compare every LS donor engine
- Size injectors and fuel pump
- LS torque specs
- Swap guides by vehicle
Questions about the LS1
- Will LS1 headers fit a 5.3, 6.0 or LS3?
- What vehicles came with the LS1?
- What stall speed torque converter should I run behind an LS1/LS3/5.3 in an off-road rig with a TH400 or TH350?
- Why do I only have 10 lbs of oil pressure after rebuilding my LS1?
- My heads/cam LS1 is underperforming — I still have the stock LS1 intake and stock injectors. What's holding it back?
- My LS1 is overheating — do I need a new radiator?
- What sensor and wiring differences are there when swapping an LS2 in place of an LS1?
- What signal source should feed the neutral safety switch input to the ECM on a 2002 LS1/4L60E swap into a 1975 C3?