Hello-

Let me start off by saying I am just trying to do is get some rough pass feedback on a project I have in mind and if I could get some general answers to a few questions I would be greatly appreciative. I am not new to FI. I have built up and tuned my 02 WRX to run 12.9 at 6000ft above sea level on pump gas/no nitrous. I currently have a STi that is running roughly the same times with minor upgrades. BUT I want more of a dragstrip oriented car... enter my project idea.

I am thinking of going with a diesel truck tranny/transfer case to run 4x4 mode at the strip with a built 350 with twin or single turbo. I am mostly interested at the moment on engine output/potential questions. So here they go:

-I have heard the early 90 fox body Mustangs have the ECU cracked and can be reprogrammed by anyone who buys the software. Is there somthing like this available for the Chevy 350 engine? Looking at just a general/low compression/forged internal built 350 here.
-Who are the more "well-known" engine builders for Chevy 350s? Ideally someone who specializes in building lower compression/forced induction ready engines? Just some company websites would be great.
-How much power can a stock run of the mill 350 engine be expected to hold for say 20,000 miles on a good conservative tune? IE: what is the weakest link in a built engine? I have heard of some Ford engines just splitting open around 550-600+hp range.
-Any good recommendations for ECU tuning software, larger injectors/fueling system upgrades, general components needed like 4 bolt headers for twin turbos or good twin turbo makers? Again I could list off 3-4 top choices for these in the Subaru world but I have no clue in the domestic world.

Maybe I am looking at the wrong platform? Who has the larger and cheaper aftermarket already? Ford or Chevy? Should I be pursuing this in a 5.0L Ford engine? I have always been Chevy biased and I would prefer to stick with them, but maybe that isn't the best choice?

I know the questions above are pretty vague. I could tell you about anything you wanted to know about WRX/STi world from how much timing and what a/f you should tune for for a given octane gas at a given rpm with a certain combination of parts but I am afraid I am just WAY out of my league when it comes to FI on domestics. BUT this is an area I would REALLY like to explore since it has SO much potential for big HP.

My goal is fairly simple IMHO. I am looking to make 400-500hp and put it through a AWD drivetrain that could make use of it on a launch at the dragstrip/street enviornment. I don't care about handling or anyting else but mind numbing straight line performance at this point [heh]. I am thinking a diesel drivetrain should beable to hold the torque produced but I am not sure how it would handle the higher revving gasoline engines like the 350.

If someone could just point me in the right direction as far as some good tuners who sell tuning and general FI parts and answer some of my questions I would really appreciate it.

Thanks

 

First, what kind of car are we talking about, or is it a truck? The LS1 is not usually referred to as a "350". The LS1 has nothing related to the original small block Chevy motor, so most refer to it as "LS1".

Not sure where you are going with the 4WD thing? Why? Plenty of 2WD cars cutting 1.3 60-foot times. How is a 4WD gonna improve on that?

For the LS1 platform, turbo is the only way to go if you are serious about power. The superchargers have shown to be nothing but headaches.

 

Thanks for the reply. I guess I was thinking about a 4x4 application just becuase I want somthing that will cut decent 60' without drag slicks; read regular street tires. I have also seen many 500+hp RWD cars get sideways and not being able to put the power down even at a 60-70mph roll.

Sorry about mixing up 350 and LS1. AFter reading through some posts on here it does seem that their is a wealth of information, but like I said I am just looking for some starting points. A few good reputable tuners and parts stores. I am also trying to get a rough feel for how much $$ I am talking here. How much for a built block, how much for a turbo kit, for a good fuel setup (injectors, rails, lines, pumps, etc).

Honestly at this point I think a good starting point would be running 6-7psi on a stock block with a good ECU tuning solution. I already have a wideband and laptop from my WRX/STi tuning and so I would just need a good/decent tuning solution. I figure I would get a stock block and tune on that to learn and make my mistakes on. Then upgrade to a more serious block that can handle more power. With my 02 WRX I tuned it for over a year with different turbos and other components and learned A LOT. Now with my STi I know what works, what doesn't and so far have not had even 1 detonation event.

Thanks again for the reply though. I will just take some time and settle in for a lot of searching and reading I guess [heh].

 

Since when are superchargers nothing but headaches? I've been running mine untuned for over a year and the car still runs strong. A buddy of mine blew his LS1 up in a matter of weeks running his turbo kit untuned. So how exactly are superchargers headaches again? Unless driving is considered a headache I know of no locally owned ATI or Vortec kits that are out of commission. There are far less turbo owners in this area and like half of them are out of commission currently. Care to rephrase your BS statement?

While losing some boost to belt issues is an annoyance, my car always runs and always brings the power when I drop the hammer.

As to the poster, Are you building up a Gen I Small Block Chevy engine or a Gen III LS1 engine? I know a 4X4 drivetrain could be built to hold the torque, but I think the weight and drivetrain loss will be too much to make it worth your while. I see where you're going with this and it's an interesting idea. But if you're building a track car, why are you working around street tires for your platform? Keep the STi for the street and build a nasty F-Body with big slicks for the track.

As for tuning do you want to just hand it over to a tuner or do it yourself? For DIYers LS1edit is a key component to any seriously modded LS1. It's made by a company called carputing. We have e-groups that even the big tuners participate in. That will definitely get your feet wet.

Mike

 

get out of here TROLL!

geeze...

 

Yah you are probably right. This will be more of a track car for sure but it would be fun to drive on the street occasionally. As far as which engine I really don't know. Ideally I would like a boost built and prepped engine if there are any builders out there who do it at a reasonable price.

Tuning wise I want somthing I can tune with myself for sure. I already have the wideband and I just need a general idea of where timing needs to be throughout the rpms for a conservative/safe tune.

Thanks for the help.

 

What Ernest? Just asking a few questions...

 

I think a stalled A4 with gears on either BFG DRs or Hoosier QTPs would get you the launching you're looking for and still be street legal. I mean you can reinvent the wheel so to speak, but why spend so much money when we already have a proven successful game plan. Slicks are not the sneakiest tire out there but they work. But, for that matter LS1s are not sneaky engines either.

From the sounds of it LS1Edit and either ATAP or EFIlive diagnostics would be a good combo for you. Unless your wideband already has ODBII diag then all you need is Edit.

As far as "who" to go to. Well that is very much a matter of opinion around these parts. There's very few BPU F-Bodys. Soooo many different combos on this board that it's hard to say one way is the clear favorite. I'd say if someone has a combo or numbers you like you might PM them and ask for their details. Most are very open on this board.

Mike

 

I've never really understood peoples obsession with converting their car/truck to 4WD and trying to race it like that, because 99.99% of the time it just doesn't work. FWIW my car has gone 123 MPH in the EIGHTH mile, my street tires consist of 265/35 potenza's up front and 305/35/18 555R's out back. If the nittos are warm I can start to gently roll into the throttle starting at maybe 35 MPH, and if I'm in second and doing 100 I can go WOT without getting too out of shape, you can feel and hear it spinning but the back end doesn't flop out on you like a fish. After driving my car, driving my friends 600 RWHP procharged camaro on real street tires (non DR's) feels like a piece of cake, it's much easier to modulate the throttle with a centrifugally blown car than a turbo car.

 

So what kind of car is this for again?

 

Honestly I am not sure. I am just trying to see what is available and capable to produce 500-600hp at this moment. After seeing some of the discussion here I am thinking about just going with a Corvette that already has a LS1 engine in it and building it from there. Just throw on some huge meats on the rear and go for about 400-500hp to start.

 

Here is the LS1 supercharger route plain and simple:
Vortech V9, or ATI Procharger (whichever you like)
Heads & Cam
Headers
Tuning
500-600RWHP
Done.

Getting all that power to the ground without breaking parts is another story.

Cheers

 

You can make 600-650rhwp with the stock pcm.

I'm running a FAST bank/bank ECU. I'm shooting for 800rhwp this year.

 

If all you want is 400+ rwhp, you can do it cheaper without the forced induction. Not that I'm saying don't do the FI, but shoot, set you goals higher, its certainly attainable, especially if this is primarily going to be a drag car. LS1's can make some very serious power.

I've currently got a cam & headers only (few bolt-ons) and pretty close to 400 rwhp. Next mod (after bullet-proof rearend), is a single turbo which should give 550+ rwhp on very moderate boost levels.