LS2 6.0L engine: specs, donor vehicles & swap notes
The LS2 is a 6.0 L aluminum-block Generation IV engine built 2005–2009, rated 390–400 hp. It came in 14 vehicle applications, including Chevrolet Corvette, Chevrolet SSR.
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| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| RPO | LS2 |
| Family | Generation IV |
| Years | 2005–2009 |
| Displacement | 6.0 L / 364 ci |
| Horsepower | 390–400 hp |
| Torque | 400 lb-ft |
| Bore × stroke | 4.0 × 3.622 in |
| Compression | 10.90:1 |
| Block | aluminum |
| AFM/DOD | No |
| VIN 8th digit | U |
| Reluctor | By vehicle and year: Corvette 2005: 24x crank (E40); Corvette 2006–2007: 58x crank (E38); Pontiac GTO 2005–2006: 24x crank (E40); Chevrolet SSR 2005–2006: 24x crank (E40); TrailBlazer SS 2006: 24x crank (E40); TrailBlazer SS 2007–2009: 58x crank (E67); Cadillac CTS-V 2006–2007: 58x crank (E67); Saab 9-7x Aero 2008–2009: 58x crank (E67) |
| Throttle | Drive-by-wire (all years) |
| Stock cam | 2005-2006 LS2 (Corvette/GTO): Cam PN 12574519; duration 204°/213° @.050 in. int./exh.; valve lift 0.520"/0.521" int./exh.; 116° LSA; 3-bolt gear (1x cam on the 24x engines, 4x on the 58x ones: see the reluctor row); 2007 LS2 (Corvette/CTS-V): Cam PN 12593206; duration 204°/211° @.050 in. int./exh.; valve lift 0.524"/0.524" int./exh.; 117° LSA; 1-bolt gear, 4x |
| Firing order | 1-8-7-2-6-5-4-3 |
| Oil capacity | 5.5 qt |
| Oil filter | 88984215 / PF46 |
| Spark plug | 12571164 / 41-985 |
| Plug gap | 0.040 in |
| Head casting | 799 / 243 |
- Wet-sump oil starvation on track/sustained high-G. Fix: Add an extra 1L of oil; accusump; dry-sump conversion for track builds.
- Rocker arm trunnion bearing failure. Fix: Rocker arm trunnion upgrade kits.
- Harmonic balancer wobble/failure. Fix: Inspect and replace with ATI Super Damper.
Aluminum. Uses 243-casting heads (no sodium valves), smaller cam than LS6; TrailBlazer SS / Saab 9-7X LS2 used a truck-style intake for more low-rpm torque
The LS2 specs above are not yet confirmed against GM documents; GM ratings varied by year and vehicle.
How the LS2 differs from the other 6.0 L Gen IV engines
The LS2 is one of the nine 6.0 L Gen IV engines we list: L76, L77, L96, L98, LC8, LFA, LS2, LY6, LZ1. From our engine table:
- Aluminum block. Among the 6.0 L Gen IV engines, the LS2 shares it with the L76, L77, L98, LFA, LZ1; the L96, LC8, LY6 are iron.
- No AFM. The L76, L77, LFA, LZ1 have it, so the LS2 is the easier cam-swap candidate of the group.
- Compression 10.90:1, the highest of the group.
- Up to 400 hp from the factory, the most of the nine 6.0 L Gen IV engines we list.
- No VVT (the L96, LC8, LY6, LZ1 have it; the L76 has it (truck applications only)).
- Built 2005–2009.
Swapping the LS2: what to plan for
- Computer: check your crank reluctor first. The LS2 left the factory either way, by vehicle and year: Corvette 2005: 24x crank (E40); Corvette 2006–2007: 58x crank (E38); Pontiac GTO 2005–2006: 24x crank (E40); Chevrolet SSR 2005–2006: 24x crank (E40); TrailBlazer SS 2006: 24x crank (E40); TrailBlazer SS 2007–2009: 58x crank (E67); Cadillac CTS-V 2006–2007: 58x crank (E67); Saab 9-7x Aero 2008–2009: 58x crank (E67). The crank pattern is only the first match: the cam sensor, knock sensors, throttle and wiring have to suit the computer too. More: how to wire your LS (pick your engine and computer for the full checklist).
- Drive-by-wire throttle. Plan on the pedal and throttle body that match the LS2, and a computer that runs drive by wire; the base Holley Terminator X is cable-only (the X Max does drive-by-wire). More: drive-by-wire pinout.
- 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: Corvette spacing, the most compact accessory drive. The C6 wet-sump pan is the shallowest we measured (4.85 in.), but its deep section is the longest, so check clearance along its length. More: accessory drive spacing.
- From a Cadillac CTS-V: Corvette accessory spacing; the CTS-V has its own oil pan. More: oil pans.
- From a midsize SUV (Saab 9-7X Aero): measure the accessory drive spacing before you buy brackets; we haven't confirmed which spacing these use (not confirmed in our data). More: how to measure accessory spacing.
Refresh parts for the LS2
From our Gen IV refresh list, the parts that are specific to the LS2. Seals, gaskets and the upgrades worth doing on any Gen IV with the engine out are in the full refresh list, next to every torque spec.
| Part | GM part # | Why for this engine |
|---|---|---|
| GM Performance composition head gasket, LS2/LS3/L92, each | 12610046 | Listed for the LS2; a new gasket goes on any time the heads come off. |
| GM cylinder head gasket for GM LS9 engines, 4.100 in bore, .054 in compressed thickness, each | 12622033 | Listed for the LS2; a new gasket goes on any time the heads come off. |
| Chevrolet Performance LS2 multilayer head gasket | 12589227 | Listed for the LS2; a new gasket goes on any time the heads come off. |
| GM MLS cylinder head gasket for GM LS2 V8 engines, 6.0L, each | 12589227 | Listed for the LS2; a new gasket goes on any time the heads come off. |
| LSXceleration Gen IV LS knock sensor 28-23730 | 28-23730 | The LS2 has its knock sensors on the side of the block. |
| GM Gen IV camshaft position sensor 12591720 (58x engines) | 12591720 | 58x LS2: the cam sensor lives in the front cover. |
| Chevrolet Performance 58x crankshaft position sensor 12703627 | 12703627 | 58x LS2: the crank sensor is behind the starter. |
From real tunes: 6.0 L on a Gen IV computer
What these settings look like in the 329 naturally aspirated pump-gas tunes for 6.0 L engines on Gen IV computers (E38, E67 and the 24x E40) in our tune library (as of 2026-10-15). Every RPO of this size is pooled, not only the LS2, 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 850 rpm | 700 rpm | 327 (middle 80%) |
| Warm idle airflow, in gear | 6.0 g/s to 12.3 g/s | 8.0 g/s | 326 (middle 80%) |
| Idle spark (around 800 rpm) | 13° to 20° | 15° | 329 (middle 80%) |
| Power enrichment (PE) lambda | 0.78 to 0.87 | 0.83 | 322 (middle 80%) |
| WOT spark at 5,000 rpm, about 0.9 g/cyl | 12.0° to 25.0° | 19.0° | 329 (middle 80%) |
For starting values matched to your LS2'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 LS2
Where to find an LS2 at the junkyard: 14 vehicle applications below. Confirm it from the RPO sticker in the glovebox or the 8th VIN digit (for the LS2: U).
| Vehicle | Years |
|---|---|
| Cadillac CTS-V | 2006–2007 |
| Chevrolet Corvette | 2005–2007 |
| Chevrolet SSR | 2005–2006 |
| Chevrolet TrailBlazer SS | 2006–2009 |
| Ginetta Akula | 2024 |
| HSV Clubsport R8, Maloo R8, Senator Signature, and GTS | 2005–2008 |
| HSV Coupé GTO | 2005–2006 |
| HSV Grange | 2005–2008 |
| HSV SV6000 | 2005–2006 |
| Holden Monaro family: | 2005–2008 |
| Pontiac GTO (peak power at 5200 rpm, peak torque at 4000 rpm) | 2005–2006 |
| Saab 9-7X Aero | 2008–2009 |
| Vauxhall Monaro VXR | 2005–2006 |
| Vauxhall VXR8 | 2007–2009 |
Buying a used LS2
A used LS2 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 LS2: U) before you buy.
Next steps
- Plan a swap with the LS2
- Find a cam for the LS2
- What the LS2 tune needs
- Compare every LS donor engine
- Size injectors and fuel pump
- LS torque specs
- Swap guides by vehicle
Questions about the LS2
- What vehicles came with the LS2?
- What sensor and wiring differences are there when swapping an LS2 in place of an LS1?
- Why won't an LS2 tach work in an E36 even after PCM reprogramming?
- What is involved in swapping an LS2 with a 6L80E into a 2001 4.8/4L60E Silverado, including electronics, fitment, and driveshaft changes?