Cylinder Head for GM LS-Series V8 Engines

Product NO.

ML NO.	OEM NO.	REF NO.
MLG081A
MLG081B
MLG081C
MLG081D
MLG081E
MLG081F

Complete LS cylinder head for 5.3L/6.0L truck engine CNC ported LS3 head for performance upgrade Bare aluminum LS1 cylinder head with cathedral ports GM 6.2L L92/LS3 head replacement kit LS swap compatible cylinder head for hot rods and racing

Product Information Cylinder Head

Aluminum / Cast Iron | 4.8L / 5.3L / 5.7L / 6.0L / 6.2L | Gen III / IV Small Block

1. Product Overview

The General Motors LS-Series V8 engine is a family of modern small-block V8s used in a wide range of Chevrolet, GMC, Cadillac, and Pontiac vehicles from 1997 to present. These engines are known for their compact design, high power-to-weight ratio, and modular cylinder head architecture.

LS engines use either cathedral-port (Gen III) or rectangular/oval-port (Gen IV) aluminum cylinder heads, with some early iron heads used on truck applications.

2. Technical Specifications (Typical LS Heads)

Feature	Specification
Cylinder Head Material	Aluminum (most) / Cast Iron (truck models)
Valvetrain	OHV (Overhead Valve), Pushrod
Valve Configuration	16-Valve (2 valves per cylinder)
Combustion Chamber Size	~61cc (Gen III) / 70–72cc (Gen IV, rectangular port)
Intake Port Shape	Cathedral or Rectangular (depends on engine family)
Exhaust Port Shape	D-Port or Oval
Rocker Arm Ratio	1.7:1 (standard)
Fuel System	EFI / Multi-port injection

3. Compatible LS Engines and Applications

Engine Code	Displacement	Common Vehicles
LS1	5.7L V8	Camaro, Corvette C5, Firebird (1997–2004)
LS6	5.7L HO V8	Corvette Z06, CTS-V
LM7 / L59	5.3L V8	Silverado, Tahoe, Suburban
LQ4 / LQ9	6.0L V8	Silverado HD, Escalade, Express
LS2	6.0L V8	Corvette C6, GTO, Trailblazer SS
LS3	6.2L V8	Camaro SS, Corvette C6 (later)
LS7	7.0L V8	Corvette Z06 (high-performance head)
L76 / L92 / L99	6.0–6.2L	Trucks, Performance sedans

Note: Some truck heads (e.g., 799, 862, 706 castings) are interchangeable across engines, but combustion chamber and port volume vary.

4. Common LS Cylinder Head Casting Numbers

Casting #	Application	Notes
241 / 853	LS1 (cathedral port)	Early aluminum heads
243 / 799	LS6, LS2, 5.3 HO	Best flow cathedral-port heads
706 / 862	4.8L / 5.3L (truck)	Small chamber, cast iron or aluminum
317	LQ4/LQ9 6.0L truck	Large chamber, low compression
823	LS3, L92, L99	Rectangular port, high flow Gen IV
5364	LS7	CNC ported high-performance head

5. Product Types

Type	Details
Bare Head	Head casting only (no valves)
Assembled Head	Includes valves, springs, retainers
Performance Head	CNC ported, upgraded valve springs/lifters

All heads are pressure-tested, CNC-machined, and ready for high-performance or OEM use.

6. Installation Notes

Always use new head gaskets and TTY (torque-to-yield) head bolts or studs
Ensure pushrod length matches lifter preload and camshaft
Check valve spring height and coil bind if using aftermarket camshafts
For LS3/LS7, confirm intake manifold compatibility with port shape
Verify combustion chamber size to match compression ratio requirements

7. Common Cylinder Head Issues

Issue	Cause	Solution
Cracked head	Overheating or detonation	Replace with new casting
Valve guide wear	High mileage or low oil	Ream or replace guides
Lifter tick / noise	Collapsed lifter or stuck pushrod	Replace lifters / check preload
Warped head	Severe overheating	Resurface or replace
Broken valve spring	High-RPM abuse or fatigue	Replace with upgraded springs

8. Global Demand and Applications

Africa/Asia: Swap markets, racing builds, aftermarket upgrades

North America: USA, Canada – performance and truck rebuilds

South America: Brazil, Argentina – GM S10/Trailblazer with V8 swaps

Europe: Corvette, Holden HSV export models

Australia: Commodore/HSV using LS1, LS2, LS3