The Chevrolet Camaro SS (5th gen, LS3) is rated 426 hp (SAE (426 hp, manual; secondary road-test spec) · US market) at 5,900 rpm and weighs 3,849 lb (US curb 3,849 lb (secondary road test)), or 9 lb/hp. On enthusiast estimates its stock internals are taken to about ~800–1,000 hp, the fuel system to around ~550 hp, and its naturally aspirated setup is taken to about ~510 hp before forced induction. Below: the sourced spec sheet, the limit sheet carbuildcheck analyzes against, and the platform's community-documented weak points.
Units
01 Spec sheet sourced
EngineLS3 · 6,162 cc · V8
Engine codeLS3
Bore × stroke103.25 × 92 mm
Compression10.7:1
Inductionnaturally aspirated
Fuel systemport
Rated power426 hp · SAE (426 hp, manual; secondary road-test spec) · US market @ 5,900 rpm
Generation5th gen (2010–2015); automatics carry the 400 hp L99; the C6 Corvette LS3 (2008–2013) is rated 430 hp (436 with the dual-mode exhaust) · 2010–2015
rotating assembly ceiling · fails first: pistons and rods; documented stock-bottom-end cars reach 829 hp NA (t2) and 919 rwhp boosted (t1) · 93 AKI / race fuel at the top · source: LSX Magazine, Ryan Stevens crushes the stock-bottom-end LS3 record · the site plans on ~800 hp, under the documented record cars
Induction ceiling~510 hp
naturally aspirated ceiling (bolt-ons and cam) · fails first: NA ceiling: cam, heads, intake · 93 AKI · no named source: site planning estimate · site planning figure ~510 hp
stock clutch torque capacity · fails first: stock clutch slip · no named source: site planning estimate · site planning figure; no named source in this audit
Transmission (automatic)~520 hp
gearbox / driveline rating · fails first: the 6L80 in the automatic cars (those carry the 400 hp L99; this 426 hp record is the manual LS3 car); the TR6060 holds more · no named source: site planning estimate · site planning figure; no named source in this audit
Cooling (sustained)~520 hp
thermal ceiling for sustained load · fails first: oil temperature on track · no named source: site planning estimate · site planning figure; no named source in this audit
⚑Cam swap = valve springs and trunnion upgrade in the same job (community consensus). Skipping springs on a cammed LS is the classic mistake.
⚑Stock LS3 rotating assemblies have been documented past 900 rwhp on boost (LSX Magazine); fueling usually taps out first.
04 The typical path
Cam, springs and a tune are the build on an LS3; headers and intake support them. The stock bottom end is documented far past the street NA ceiling, so boost is the next unlock and it starts at the fuel system.
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