I have a situation to decide on. Go FI now and bite a huge bullet in cost or go in the middle and start with a heads and cam upgrade. The problem is I was told if I do heads then I couldn't go FI without a bottom end upgrade due to the power it would be making. Well not that I couldn't go FI but I would have to runner lower boost than I would if I had stock heads to keep the bottom end alive.

My long term plan is a D1SC at 8lbs as that is about the limit a stock bottom end will survive at (with stock heads). So if that is the long term plan and I dont want to upgrade the bottom end anytime soon do I ditch the heads upgrade and just jump right into FI to be safe? Or can the bottom end survive with 8lbs of boost and good aftermarket heads?

 

I think your pistons would be on borrowed time running 8lbs. I would at least put in forged stock replacement pistons. Stock rods and crank are pretty stout. I don't think that I have ever seen a thread where someone has broke a stock crank.

 

dont see a reason why it wont survive at 8psi with a good set of heads, theres lotsa guys running 14-15 pounds through a stock bottom and makin mid 600's at the wheel that seem to keep them alive. as long as the tune is good then ul be ok, the FI definately helps in the reliabilty end of things. Is this a street car or just used for racing?

 

Sorry I always leave that info out. It is a street car that only sees nice days, I have another car for daily driving. It might see the drag strip 2 or 3 times per year, other than that it is a street driver.

 

i would say that a stock bottom end would be more than good enough for what you plan to use it for. Definately have a good tuner set it up for you if you cant do it yourself, tuning is THE key to keeping stock blocks alive.

 

LS'S stock bottom ends are def capable of 600 plus rwhp daily driven, My 99 Hawk pushed 550 with the 150 shot and it visited the drag strip about every weekend running back to back passes at King of Street, My main pointer to people is its how you take care of your car and maintence it def with the LS motor, After every track event I would hit all my pointers, as in Oil, Tranny checkups, Clutch Master Cylinder fluid swaps, plugs, Etc... My car never missed a beat, I ran a little colder plug for better insurance and burnt a few up from time to time, but better that then a motor! Just dont be to greedy, but I think a built top end with a boosted application on top would be ok def @ 8 PSI as long as you take care of it and get a GOOD tune on it bc the Tune is also the heart of the engine life! But if it were me, I would go ahead and do your top end until you get your FI unit so that you can still put around and play while waiting to spend the big bucks on the charger !!! Once again the stock bottom end is easily good for 600 plus horse in my eyes! Also once you fo grenade your short block IF you do, everything you have purchased can be used on your new improved shortblock as long as you dont sling a piston through a head or something lol! Also what cam do you plan on running?

 

I hear a common thing in threads of this nature and that is to get a great tune. I live near Mike Norris I think I am going to have him tune the car, or IPS motorsports as I am close to them as well. I have been talking to Mike a lot and he seems like a great guy that will do one hell of a good job on a safe tune.

For now I think I will put a good FI cam in it, run 8lbs and enjoy the 500+hp at the wheels for now. When I get used to that forged bottom end, heads, and turn the boost up.