2014 Corvette engine unravelled

  • Oct 26, 2012
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Chevrolet will reveal the new 2014 Corvette in January 2013. We unravel the heart of the matter, the car's new Gen 5 small block 6.2-litre V8 engine, called the LT1

2014 Corvette engine

Chevrolet will unveil the 2014 Corvette in January 2013. The all-new Chevy Corvette will hit the market by the end of 2013. And staying true to the all-new tag, the seventh generation Corvette C7 will be armed with a new V8 that is the first of the Gen 5 family of small block engines from the American car maker.

Chevrolet claims that the new LT1 6.2-litre V8 engine will make the C7 the most powerful standard Corvette ever with a preliminary output of 456PS of power and 610Nm of torque. It will also be the quickest Corvette with a 0-100km/h time of under 4 seconds. 

The LT1 represents the most significant redesign in Chevy’s small block family in its near 60-year lifespan. The new engine along the lines of the Gen 5 range of engines features Active Fuel Management, direct injection and continuously variable valve timing to be as frugal and powerful as possible. 

The C7 is the first Corvette to feature Active Fuel Management (AFM) that shuts down four cylinders under partial load to reduce fuel consumption. 

Direct injection significantly betters fuel burn in the fuel-air mixture by precisely controlling the mixture motion and fuel injection spray pattern. This helps keep the temperature low allowing for a higher compression ratio. 

General Motors pioneered the continuously variable valve timing system that has been further refined to support the LT1’s direct injection and AFM.

The LT1 head features smaller combustion chambers designed to compliment the new cylinder head design and sculpted piston design for achieving high compression and mixture motion parameters to precisely direct fuel spray for complete combustion.

As for the engine block itself, the LT1 gets an all-aluminium block and an oil pan developed from GM’s racing programmes to limit crank flex, stiffen the engine and reduce vibrations. And while the basic architecture remains the same as that of the Gen 4 small block there are new engine mounts, knock sensors and improved sealing.

2014 Corvette engine

The LT1 small block V8 has also been fitted with an advanced oil cooling system with a dry sump including oil spray piston cooling. The system is driven by a new variable displacement oil pump. Its dual pressure controls ensure efficient oil pressure at low rpm and high pressure operation at high engine speeds. 

The oil spray piston cooling sprays the underside of each piston and the surrounding cylinder wall with an extra layer of cooling oil via small jets located at the bottom of the cylinders. These jets are used only when needed: at start up to reduce noise and at high engine speeds to for extra cooling and increased engine life. 

The dry sump provides seamless lubrication under aggressive manoeuvres and high cornering loads. The sump has two stages: the pressure stage and the scavenge stage. The pressure stage includes the new dual-pressure-control and variable-displacement vane pump.

The LT1’s camshaft remains in the same position as that of the Gen 4 small block but gets new rear cam bearings and features an all new tri lobe design that drives the direct injection high pressure fuel pump which delivers up to 150 bar of pressure. The fuel pump is mounted between the two banks of cylinders to muffle its operating noise by the intake manifold mounted over it. The intake manifold features a ‘runners in a box’ design for high efficiency air flow. Acoustic foam is sandwiched between the top of the intake manifold along with an additional acoustic shell to reduce radiated engine noise, as well as fuel pump noise.

The LT1’s patent-pending Positive Crankcase Ventilation system enhances oil life and economy, and it is protected by a distinct domed rocker cover. 

The cooling system of the LT1 is revised with an offset water pump and thermostat for more efficient performance. An air induction humidity sensor monitors optimum combustion efficiency despite humidity content in the air. The engine also gets an all-new E92 controller and 58X ignition system with individual ignition coil modules and iridium spark plugs to extract maximum performance and efficiency from the new powerplant. 

The Gen 5 small block Chevy V8 is all set to take the Corvette racing heritage forward with all the latest technical advancements incorporated. And while there are no ground breaking innovations for the engine, the seventh generation Corvette will once again be worthy of being called a blue blooded performance car that can get up the noses of some of the very best performance cars on the planet. 

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