A quick look at what kind of power a lightly modified LS1 Camaro SS from 2001 lays down on the dyno.
If you own a 4th generation Chevrolet Camaro with an LS1 engine and you have been wondering what kind of gains you can get from mild engine upgrades, this week’s Dyno Blast video feature might help you plan the next phase of your project.
A stock 2001 Camaro SS was rated at 325 horsepower and 350lb-ft of torque at the crankshaft, but dyno tests have proven that these cars generally make around (or slightly better than) 300 horsepower at the wheels with the 6-speed manual transmission. The Camaro SS LS1 was believed to be underrated from the factory. Realistically, the 4th gen Camaro SS made closer to 350 horsepower at the crankshaft, but in this case – those stock numbers don’t really matter.
The 2001 Chevrolet Camaro SS below is fitted with long tube headers, Hooker Aerochamber mufflers and a BTR stage 4 camshaft upgrade, along with a 160 degree thermostat. These simple and common upgrades allow the Camaro SS to have a throatier grumble and a greater roar, but more importantly, they add power. Funnily enough, the video is labeled “cam only,” because everyone has to be a sandbagger these days.
To be exact, this Camaro SS with its headers, mufflers and camshaft lays down 402 horsepower and 356lb-ft of torque. Assuming a conservative drivetrain loss ratio of 15%, this Camaro is making around 473 horsepower and 420lb-ft of torque, so anyone considering a similar build with headers, a similar cam and a tune can expect to pick up almost 150 horsepower and right around 70lb-ft of torque over the stock, official numbers.
Of course, in addition to putting down solid numbers, this 2001 Chevrolet Camaro SS sounds great while in action, so crank up your speakers and enjoy!
"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.
"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.
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"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.
"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.
