Forced Induction Superchargers | Turbochargers | Intercoolers

5.3L torque monster...

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Feb 2, 2015 | 07:22 PM
  #1  
Project GatTagO's Avatar
Thread Starter
TECH Senior Member
20 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Top Answer: 1
iTrader: (7)
 
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 10,615
Likes: 1,883
From: Little Austin
Default 5.3L torque monster...

I lurk in the Forced Induction section quite frequently and love all the builds here, from the DIY Sloppy Mechanics stuff to the race car builds, and the average street car. I've often thought that I wanted some sort of forced induction on my 1970 GTO (currently LS3 powered), but many of the builds here seem to focus on drag racing and thus the torque curves tend to peak later and HP is the goal.

For my GTO, this doesn't fit the bill, as it is a street car, built to drive, be comfortable, and handle decently. If I was to do twin turbos, I would want the response to be instant and the torque curve should look like a dining room table. In other words, I want it to respond like a roots blower, and the redline will be below 6000 RPM.

With that said, I was playing around on the BW "match bot" and came up with a combo for twins:

5.3L twin EFR6758s

This would obviously have to go on a forged short block and possibly some aftermarket heads and a matching cam, but damn...look at the estimated torque curve!

Any thoughts, ideas, suggestions are welcome.

Andrew
Reply
Old Feb 2, 2015 | 07:51 PM
  #2  
NoorJ's Avatar
Staging Lane
 
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 86
Likes: 0
From: Detroit, MI
Default

Great turbo, I don't know if it would make that good torque down low but it would certainly be fun! I think you would probably run out of turbine up top also, but you could definitely hit 800whp. Would love to see this happen
Reply
Old Feb 2, 2015 | 08:25 PM
  #3  
KCS's Avatar
KCS
Moderator
20 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
iTrader: (20)
 
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 8,859
Likes: 323
From: Conroe, TX
Default

Why not just use a roots blower? Those LSA units are cheap and will go right onto your LS3. With a handful of modifications, ZL1/CTSV guys are getting results like this:

Reply
Old Feb 2, 2015 | 08:26 PM
  #4  
toytech93's Avatar
Launching!
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 260
Likes: 0
From: wilson,nc
Default

Originally Posted by Project GatTagO
For my GTO, this doesn't fit the bill, as it is a street car, built to drive, be comfortable, and handle decently. If I was to do twin turbos, I would want the response to be instant and the torque curve should look like a dining room table.

This is exactly how I would describe my Chevelle. It takes a strong torque curve to move a heavy A-body. I will always vote for twin turbos for a streetcar. But I really like the shaker hood, so I would say put on a whipple and modify the hood to still work.
Reply
Old Feb 2, 2015 | 08:34 PM
  #5  
Project GatTagO's Avatar
Thread Starter
TECH Senior Member
20 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Top Answer: 1
iTrader: (7)
 
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 10,615
Likes: 1,883
From: Little Austin
Default

Originally Posted by toytech93
This is exactly how I would describe my Chevelle. It takes a strong torque curve to move a heavy A-body. I will always vote for twin turbos for a streetcar. But I really like the shaker hood, so I would say put on a whipple and modify the hood to still work.
Keeping the Shaker is easy, keeping it functional is the hard part. I think it would actually be easier to keep it functional with the twin turbo set-up as opposed to the a supercharger.

This post is purely hypothetical, and I don't want it to devolve into arguments between supercharging and turbo, or turbo brand, etc...

I am just seeing if anyone has done anything similar. The closest I can think of is Jim's 1970 Chevelle with the 6.0L and using twin stock GN turbos.

Andrew
Reply
Old Feb 2, 2015 | 08:51 PM
  #6  
Forcefed86's Avatar
8 Second Club
15 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
iTrader: (4)
 
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 8,482
Likes: 1,025
From: Wichita, KS
Default

How much power do you want?
When do you want boost to come in?
auto or manual?
Gearing?

The big power street guys don't want a flat torque curve. Insta-torque translates to instant tire smoke. It's pretty pointless to have your boost/power peak below 5k IMO.

Any speed under 70ish and over 13lbs my super mild 8.6:1 5.3/S475 would blow the tires off. This was a 29x12 slick with 3.10 gears and a powerglide.
Reply
Old Feb 2, 2015 | 08:58 PM
  #7  
Project GatTagO's Avatar
Thread Starter
TECH Senior Member
20 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Top Answer: 1
iTrader: (7)
 
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 10,615
Likes: 1,883
From: Little Austin
Default

Originally Posted by Forcefed86
How much power do you want?
When do you want boost to come in?
auto or manual?
Gearing?

The big power street guys don't want a flat torque curve. Insta-torque translates to instant tire smoke. It's pretty pointless to have your boost/power peak below 5k IMO.

Any speed under 70ish and over 13lbs my super mild 8.6:1 5.3/S475 would blow the tires off. This was a 29x12 slick with 3.10 gears and a powerglide.
550-600rwho is plenty for me...

It'll always be manual, with a 3.23 rear gear.

I want insta-torque, like a roots blower.

Andrew
Reply
Old Feb 2, 2015 | 09:09 PM
  #8  
toytech93's Avatar
Launching!
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 260
Likes: 0
From: wilson,nc
Default

well I think to move almost 2 tons of streetcar, its the correct path.

Twin turbos, 4L80E, 3.73-3.55 gears, A/C, and comfy seats sounds like a great idea to me. Cupholders also, that's an important one!

And it looks great also......
Reply
LS1 Tech Stories

The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time

story-0

Amazing '71 Camaro Restomod Is Modern Muscle Car Under the Skin

 Verdad Gallardo
story-1

6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-2

Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph

 Verdad Gallardo
story-3

Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-4

Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!

 
story-5

Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP

 Verdad Gallardo
story-6

Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes

 Verdad Gallardo
story-7

Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power

 Verdad Gallardo
story-8

10 Camaros You Should Never Buy

 
story-9

10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die

 Verdad Gallardo
Old Feb 2, 2015 | 09:21 PM
  #9  
Project GatTagO's Avatar
Thread Starter
TECH Senior Member
20 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Top Answer: 1
iTrader: (7)
 
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 10,615
Likes: 1,883
From: Little Austin
Default

Originally Posted by toytech93
well I think to move almost 2 tons of streetcar, its the correct path.

Twin turbos, 4L80E, 3.73-3.55 gears, A/C, and comfy seats sounds like a great idea to me. Cupholders also, that's an important one!

And it looks great also......
Do you have a link to your build thread?

Andrew
Reply
Old Feb 2, 2015 | 09:28 PM
  #10  
Forcefed86's Avatar
8 Second Club
15 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
iTrader: (4)
 
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 8,482
Likes: 1,025
From: Wichita, KS
Default

Originally Posted by Project GatTagO
550-600rwho is plenty for me...

It'll always be manual, with a 3.23 rear gear.

I want insta-torque, like a roots blower.

Andrew
Go for it, will be a tire fryer for sure. Seems like an expensive set of turbos for those power levels.
Reply
Old Feb 2, 2015 | 09:51 PM
  #11  
Project GatTagO's Avatar
Thread Starter
TECH Senior Member
20 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Top Answer: 1
iTrader: (7)
 
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 10,615
Likes: 1,883
From: Little Austin
Default

Originally Posted by Forcefed86
Go for it, will be a tire fryer for sure. Seems like an expensive set of turbos for those power levels.
I'm looking for OEM level of dependability. I also like the integrated WG and built in recirculating valve.

Andrew
Reply
Old Feb 2, 2015 | 09:53 PM
  #12  
toytech93's Avatar
Launching!
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 260
Likes: 0
From: wilson,nc
Default

Originally Posted by Project GatTagO
Do you have a link to your build thread?

Andrew
https://ls1tech.com/forums/forced-in...lue-devil.html

Specs:
6.0L L92 heads 223/231 cam T4 6165s .68 A/R
24-2600 stall 80E 12bolt 3.73s

I was curious if you knew how much your GTO weighed ?
Reply
Old Feb 2, 2015 | 09:57 PM
  #13  
Project GatTagO's Avatar
Thread Starter
TECH Senior Member
20 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Top Answer: 1
iTrader: (7)
 
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 10,615
Likes: 1,883
From: Little Austin
Default

Originally Posted by toytech93
https://ls1tech.com/forums/forced-in...lue-devil.html

Specs:
6.0L L92 heads 223/231 cam T4 6165s .68 A/R
24-2600 stall 80E 12bolt 3.73s

I was curious if you knew how much your GTO weighed ?
It's right around 3750 pounds.

Andrew
Reply
Old Feb 2, 2015 | 10:44 PM
  #14  
JoeNova's Avatar
Restricted User
 
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 7,192
Likes: 109
From: Ohio
Default

https://ls1tech.com/forums/forced-in...50-9-19-a.html

Stock 6.0 shortblock/heads with single 80mm cast wheel and mild cam. Made 4 digit torque numbers on 19 PSI. At 22 PSI he slightly bent the stock rods. Probably 1100+ ft lbs. He bent them riding the limiter a little too long.


Getting torque figures like you want with a properly built 5.3 shouldn't be a problem. It'll have to be a carefully planned setup right out of the gate.
Reply
Old Feb 3, 2015 | 11:52 PM
  #15  
mkvamso's Avatar
8 Second Club
15 Year Member
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 735
Likes: 1
Default

Id buy a maggie if I were you
Loads of torque right off idle
Don't need to spin it high to make lots of fun power
And they make good noises...lol
Reply
Old Feb 4, 2015 | 05:16 AM
  #16  
stevieturbo's Avatar
9 Second Club
 
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 13,616
Likes: 185
From: Norn Iron
Default

Originally Posted by Project GatTagO
I lurk in the Forced Induction section quite frequently and love all the builds here, from the DIY Sloppy Mechanics stuff to the race car builds, and the average street car. I've often thought that I wanted some sort of forced induction on my 1970 GTO (currently LS3 powered), but many of the builds here seem to focus on drag racing and thus the torque curves tend to peak later and HP is the goal.

For my GTO, this doesn't fit the bill, as it is a street car, built to drive, be comfortable, and handle decently. If I was to do twin turbos, I would want the response to be instant and the torque curve should look like a dining room table. In other words, I want it to respond like a roots blower, and the redline will be below 6000 RPM.

With that said, I was playing around on the BW "match bot" and came up with a combo for twins:

5.3L twin EFR6758s

This would obviously have to go on a forged short block and possibly some aftermarket heads and a matching cam, but damn...look at the estimated torque curve!

Any thoughts, ideas, suggestions are welcome.

Andrew
I keep mentioning the AGP TT kit for the new Camaro's

Their base kit uses a pair of small BW S200 units, but they offer even smaller units for better spool again

http://www.agpturbo.com/camaro-5-ss-agp-twin-turbo-kit/

With a pair of these they should spool very very fast and not cost the earth. Some of the billet FMW wheels on the Airwerks units are the same as the EFR's, although the turbine and bearing setup are obviously different with the EFR's...as is the price.

http://www.agpturbo.com/borg-warner-...-turbocharger/


Or didnt BW have some new stuff at PRI recently with the Airwerks units ? Not sure if there was smaller stuff.
Reply
Old Feb 4, 2015 | 05:34 PM
  #17  
Mongoose350's Avatar
Launching!
15 Year Member
iTrader: (1)
 
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 275
Likes: 1
From: Dallas Texas
Default

If you want instant spool and to not have to fuss with oil lines, get some comp oilless turbos.
Reply
Old Feb 5, 2015 | 07:50 PM
  #18  
Project GatTagO's Avatar
Thread Starter
TECH Senior Member
20 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Top Answer: 1
iTrader: (7)
 
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 10,615
Likes: 1,883
From: Little Austin
Default

So has anyone done a build on a 5.3L before, using any sort of smallish turbos?

Andrew
Reply
Old Feb 5, 2015 | 10:07 PM
  #19  
HeavyMetl's Avatar
Launching!
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 272
Likes: 15
From: Southern Ohio
Default

If you're wanting that much tq down low, go ahead and install a 2.56 rear gear and run DR's all the time. This isn't "big block" torque...this is turbo torque. A whole 'nother level.

Awesome car btw, loved the links in your sig.

But either way +1 for cupholders!
Reply
Old Feb 6, 2015 | 09:31 PM
  #20  
Project GatTagO's Avatar
Thread Starter
TECH Senior Member
20 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Top Answer: 1
iTrader: (7)
 
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 10,615
Likes: 1,883
From: Little Austin
Default

Originally Posted by HeavyMetl
If you're wanting that much tq down low, go ahead and install a 2.56 rear gear and run DR's all the time. This isn't "big block" torque...this is turbo torque. A whole 'nother level.

Awesome car btw, loved the links in your sig.

But either way +1 for cupholders!
Thanks for the compliments. Are you saying I need a cup holder in my GTO?

Andrew
Reply



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 07:35 PM.

story-0
Amazing '71 Camaro Restomod Is Modern Muscle Car Under the Skin

Slideshow: This heavily modified 1971 Camaro mixes classic muscle car styling with a fifth-generation Camaro interior and modern LS3 power.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-12 18:06:42


VIEW MORE
story-1
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them

Slideshow: From wobbling harmonic balancers to failed EBCMs, these are the issues that define long-term C5 ownership and what repairs typically involve.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-05-07 18:44:57


VIEW MORE
story-2
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph

Slideshow: A modern Camaro transformed into a retro icon, this limited-run "Bandit" build blends nostalgia with brute force in a way few revivals manage.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-21 13:57:02


VIEW MORE
story-3
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked

Slideshow: Cadillac didn't just crash the high-performance luxury vehicle party, it showed up loud, supercharged, and occasionally a little unhinged...

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-16 10:05:15


VIEW MORE
story-4
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!

Slideshow: Top ten most powerful Chevy trucks ever made

By | 2026-03-25 09:22:26


VIEW MORE
story-5
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP

Slideshow: Hennessey has turned the Silverado ZR2 into a 700-hp off-road monster with supercharged V8 power and a limited production run.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-24 18:57:52


VIEW MORE
story-6
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes

Slideshow: A one-off sports car that looks like a vintage Italian exotic-but hides a C6 Corvette underneath-just sold for the price of a new mid-engine Corvette.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-23 18:53:41


VIEW MORE
story-7
Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power

Slideshow: A heavily reworked 1972 K5 Blazer swaps its off-road roots for a low-slung street-focused build with modern V8 power.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-09 18:08:45


VIEW MORE
story-8
10 Camaros You Should Never Buy

Slideshow: There are thousands of used Camaros on the market but we think you should avoid these 10

By | 2026-02-17 17:09:30


VIEW MORE
story-9
10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die

Slideshows: Which one of these myths do you believe?

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-01-28 18:10:11


VIEW MORE