Zac Quinn 
Blueprint Engines has been making crate engines for cars for more than 40 years, and a recent engine teased by the company showcases a 3.6-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine. The engine is intended for use in power equipment and forestry equipment. Someone from the company had the idea to stick a GM LS head on the 3.6-liter engine and run the numbers to see what results would come up.
Blueprint Engines LS 4-Cylinder Concept: Details
Blueprint Engines apparently liked the idea so much that it took the 3.6-liter LS 4-cylinder engine to the same Performance Racing Industry show in Indianapolis where Ford debuted the Megazilla. As for the power stats: this straight-four engine makes around 340 horsepower and 500 lb-ft of torque when equipped with an appropriate turbocharger. Attendees at the event liked the engine so much that Blueprint believes there’s a market, and has started a list of potential customers.
There are some LS-based four-cylinder engines in a V configuration out there, but none of them have been inline, which makes this thing pretty cool. Though this 3.6L crate engine with an LS head is only conceptual right now, the mill can be found on the market wearing a head from Ford’s 302 (5.0L) V8. The engine is already available in an EPA-certified package, and can run on natural gas, propane, and pump gas. This means it should take the team less time to build this thing if demand is high enough.
A social media post that showcases the engine states that attendees that saw the engine at the event have had an endless number of ideas. From pontoon boats, midget sprint cars, Chevrolet S10 trucks, early Jeeps, and more. Since bringing the engine to PRI and seeing some excellent markets, the company plans to take the mill beyond the conceptual phase, though they still need to set a price range or idea as to when production will begin. If you wish to be added to a contact list for updates, the information to do so can be found on the Facebook post from Blueprint Engines.
If four-cylinder LS engines aren’t your thing, consider the LS V12 from Race Cast Engineering, or the incredible LS V16 engine from XVI Power. Or go the Chevrolet Performance Crate Engine route, and get an LS V8.
