Lingenfelter LT2 427 Stroker Debuts With 700 Naturally-Aspirated Horsepower

The Lingenfelter LT2 427 stroker is a well-thought-out redesign of GM’s newer V8, and it’s sure to appeal to C8 Corvette owners.

The number “427” is one that holds a special place in the hearts of GM fans, whether that stems from its early days as a big block or the more modern engine of the same displacement. However, the debut of the C8 Corvette meant the arrival of a new powerplant – the 6.2-liter LT2 V8 – which is used in the Stingray and the E-Ray, the latter of which mates it with an electric motor as well. That means the aftermarket was sent back to the drawing board to figure out ways to extract more power out of the heavily revised mill, and the latest fruit of that effort is the new Lingenfelter LT2 stroker, which displaces 427 cubic inches, too.

This impressively punched out Lingenfelter LT2 was revealed by the company itself recently, but at that time, it didn’t give us much information, save for the fact that it made over 700 horsepower and 600 pound-feet of torque on 91 octane fuel – truly impressive figures by any measure. However, MotorTrend was able to get more details on this exciting new powerplant, shedding some light on how the longtime Corvette tuner managed to accomplish such a feat.

One of the biggest challenges the Lingenfelter LT2 project faced was the engine’s flush oil pan, which creates clearance issues in terms of crank throw. This meant that in order to increase the LT2’s displacement as desired, Lingenfelter had to create a custom crank for the V8, and so, it teamed up with Callies to do precisely that. It took some time and testing, but the 4.00-inch-stroke crank came to life, and the aftermarket outfit paired it with a set of Callies 6.125-inch H-beam connecting rods and Mahle 4.125-inch 2618 Power Pack pistons.

Next up, Lingenfelter went to work on the LT2 block, CNC blueprinting it, installing larger sleeves and lifter bushings, and adding ventilation to the upper scavenging system’s valley area – a necessary step given the fact that the longer stroke and larger piston volume was generating additional crankcase pressure. On top of all this, Lingenfelter also had to find a way to ensure this powerplant worked in harmony with the C8’s DCT gearbox, which meant coming up with a camshaft design that focuses on smooth airflow and torque inputs rather than aggressive valve timing and locked out phasers.

As one might imagine, Lingenfelter also deleted the LT2’s factory displacement-on-demand system with a set of black plugs, which was required to run a set of LS7 lifters, as well as prevent the engine from entering four-cylinder mode in an effort to save fuel. From there, Lingenfelter worked its magic on the stock LT2 heads, porting them before beefing up the valvetrain with its own valve guides, valvesprings, titanium retainers, and factory rockers with CHE bushings. With 12:1 compression locked in, the final touches were LT4 fuel injectors and a Lingenfelter 11.5mm DI Pro high-pressure fuel pump to help feed the beefy powerplant.

Once the Lingenfelter LT2 was strapped to the dyno, it certainly didn’t disappoint, churning out 704 horsepower and 600 pound-feet of torque on 91 octane fuel. These are truly impressive results that are sure to appeal to those that want more power from their C8, but don’t want to go the forced induction route, nor do they want to have to deal with headaches related to the car’s transmission. Lingenfelter has come up with a solution to all of those concerns, and now, it’s preparing to install this new engine in its own C8 test mule to see how it performs in the real world.

Photos: Lingenfelter

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