If you’ve worked on (or near) an LS Engine in the past, say, 20 years or so, there’s a good chance you’ve come across the name Joseph Potak.

In addition to being a highly respected engine tech and industry veteran, Joseph is an educator and has written several books that are often considered the go-to technical resources for LS and LT engines.

…And he happens to be good friends with OnAllCylinders contributor and Summit Racing R&D guru Brian Nutter. So when Brian heard that Mr. Potak was coming into the northeast Ohio area, he made sure that a stop at Summit Racing headquarters was on the itinerary.

You can check out the entire interview in the Podcast episode below, and we’ve also clipped out some excerpts that you may enjoy too.

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A Few Questions with Author & LS/LT Engine Swap Expert Joseph Potak

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How’d You Get Started with the LS Engine?

“In the early days, I was a dealership tech back when you had service manuals—real service manuals—and we also had training, kind of like a Zoom call, where somebody at GM would broadcast out satellite training.

“And I would attend all of the stuff on that Gen. Three LS engine—there was no Gen. Four back then, of course.

Gen. Three was new in the 1997 Corvette. I learned as much as I possibly could, because I’m a sponge for information and technical details.”

What Led You to Become So Well-Known in LS Circles?

“I’m still a moderator on LS1 Tech, from day one, actually, and still now. So for the entire life of LS1Tech, I’m a moderator.

“Granted, it’s not as popular as it once was in its heyday, but it’s still a source of information.

“It kind of led me into the books too. All of my experience kind of funneled me into this media career that I didn’t even know was on my horizon.”

Talk About the Evolution of LS Swaps.

“Back then with the swaps, you had to be a little bit resourceful.

“You’re taking a old harness and cut and splicing it, adding your own fuse box to make it work—it wasn’t as easy as it is today. As the years go by, there’s been changes and new parts coming out, new things to make it easier.

“There are now new solutions to make it easier for the customer that does a swap in their driveway—the hobbyist.”

So the Performance Aftermarket Evolved for the Swap Folks?

“You have the Holley oil pans, the swap plates, headers. You have, a plethora of intake manifolds. Now you have a variety of motor mounts, and companies like ICT Billet.

“We get the hard stuff to figure out. (Laughing). And a lot of times, you know, we get an idea that doesn’t exist yet, and we make it exist.

“Think about this: If you need a harness, a ECU, and a way to tune it, Holley has all of that in one package. You still have to pay for a tune, but Holley makes it a little bit simpler for people to tune in their driveway.”

What Else Changed Since LS Swaps Became Popular?

“Now you see a lot of EFI to EFI swaps. For instance, my stock 1991 Camaro with a TPI engine—fuel injected. Back when I was a kid that was high tech.

“Well, modern fuel injection and controls are so much better. That 220 horsepower 1991 TPI engine was replaced by a stock engine like a 5.7 liter LS6 with 405 horsepower.

“Really almost the same displacement, right? It’s wild that technology has changed and it’s making that power.”

Has the Gen. 5 LT Surpassed the Gen. 3/4 LS Now?

“I don’t think we’ve seen the end of the LS stuff. I do think it’s kind of stabilized a little.

“For the LT, it’s just the understanding of how that [direct injection] stuff works. The LT is a close sibling to the LS, so a lot of stuff kind of aligned—as far as the the same issues you have to do as far as motor mounts, exhaust, and cooling system modifications.

“A lot of the people with LT swaps will actually revise and go back to port injection to make it easier.”

What’s Next for You?

“I want to bring forums back to life. So I started HPCult.com, and I’m going to start just putting all of my articles and resources there, kind of like your blog OnAllCylinders.com.

“It’s just a go-to for shops and competitors. This network is going to involve as many of my resources as possible.

“I want a community where we’re helping the end user—where they could read an article or ask a question and somebody is there to answer it, but it also stays as a living archive on the internet.”

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Check out the OnAllCylinders Podcast section for this episode with Joseph Potak, along with dozens of other installments with topics like feature vehicles, automotive history, racer and celebrity interviews, and plenty of other gearhead-focused stuff.

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