Budget Ls1 450hp
Budget Ls1 450hp What is the cheapest way to get a LS motor to 450-500hp? Its going to be an autocross car and also a DD so no turbos, NOS, or stroking. Is it worth boring a ls1 out to 3.908 if I'm not stroking? Do I need forged internals? Is it cheaper to go with a ls2, ls3 or a ls1? Is a 450hp ls1 going to have better mpg and than 450hp ls3? My number one concern is money but I'd still like to break at least 400hp.
Due to some ill former advice I do have these parts: ls6 intake, ported stock TB, jesel J2K solid roller rockers. I'm guessing its worth my time to sell the J2k's and pick up a set of yeller ultralights or some hydraulic/cheaper setup.
Due to some ill former advice I do have these parts: ls6 intake, ported stock TB, jesel J2K solid roller rockers. I'm guessing its worth my time to sell the J2k's and pick up a set of yeller ultralights or some hydraulic/cheaper setup.
Last edited by bp944; Mar 12, 2011 at 02:52 PM.
Get some stock rockers and a comp trunion upgrade kit.Keep the LS6 intake and ported T/B. A set of 243/799 heads and custom mid sized cam. All the supporting bolt ons, headers, off road Y, lid, underdrive pulley, injectors, fuel pump,3.73 gears, good clutch.Get a dyno tune. You should make 450+ flywheel horsepower easy with those mods.
If it was so easy to make 450 or 500hp on a budget,wouldn't every ls1 on this site be doing that? I will tell you this tip....dyno on a dynojet. When i went to a mustang dyno over a dynojet i lost 25hp. So right there may be a free 25hp for you lol. I gained 20hp going to a fast intake over a ls6 intake. Fact is if you want anything in the 450-500hp you are going to spend some money.Another fact,do a search. This site is full of people telling what to do and not all have done what you are trying to do. I seen some guy trying to tell a member how to run 10's n/a and he was not even close to that him self. My advice,look around and find a few guys who are where you want to be and talk to them. See what they have in common(heads,intake,ect) and decide what you feel will work for you based off what you learned.Good luck to ya.
Last edited by mike c.; Mar 13, 2011 at 09:55 AM.
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So you want 450 hp with no forced induction, nitrous, or bore/stroke. Your options are limited then, go with a big cam you would probably have to be in the high 230 lobe with over .600 lift and around a 112 LSA. And you'll need supporting mods for it so you'd be around $3000 said and done. Supporting mods would be, UDP, springs, rods, and I would upgrade the LS1 timing chain cause they suck. Either go to an LS2 or go dual chain.
^ You don't need a BIG cam to get good power. A decent 228 cam with ~.600 lift can do that job on a small overlap with better drivability. 
These mid range cams are showing to be the sweet spot for these 4th gen F-Cars weighing in around 3500.
You can HONE the LS1 to get a slight bit bigger, but not really worth it unless it needs to be done. Can't bore an LS1 or 6.
Getting over ~410rwhp will run you a couple grand. Start with either a FAST 92, full Kooks/ARH or SW LT's setup with a good merge Y and whatever catback, 25% UDP, maybe 38# injectors and then get it tuned and see how you like it. That should be around 360rw. You can add a good set of heads whenever you're ready, but those are also dependent on if/what cam you will be running, but a set of AFR205's will be great even with a stock cam. That should push the bill to around 380-400rw on a good tune. And remember, numbers don't always depict how a car feels in the SOTP or how it responds. My custom Tq cam may not make huge numbers, but it pulls like a raped ape.
If you still want more, contact PatG or PredatorZ to get a cam spec'd for what you need.
And as far as the DynoJet/Mustang dyno comments; that IS accurate, but the "lost 25hp" is somewhat inaccurate. Good tuners decide to use the Mustang Dyno because it gives an accurate load to the drive wheels to help the tuner detect any potential issues that may arise. If they use a Dynojet, those are somewhat of a free-wheel dyno. Cars and engines act differently when loaded than they do when they're free wheeling.
Oh, and get a set of gears too.
These mid range cams are showing to be the sweet spot for these 4th gen F-Cars weighing in around 3500. You can HONE the LS1 to get a slight bit bigger, but not really worth it unless it needs to be done. Can't bore an LS1 or 6.
Getting over ~410rwhp will run you a couple grand. Start with either a FAST 92, full Kooks/ARH or SW LT's setup with a good merge Y and whatever catback, 25% UDP, maybe 38# injectors and then get it tuned and see how you like it. That should be around 360rw. You can add a good set of heads whenever you're ready, but those are also dependent on if/what cam you will be running, but a set of AFR205's will be great even with a stock cam. That should push the bill to around 380-400rw on a good tune. And remember, numbers don't always depict how a car feels in the SOTP or how it responds. My custom Tq cam may not make huge numbers, but it pulls like a raped ape.
If you still want more, contact PatG or PredatorZ to get a cam spec'd for what you need.
And as far as the DynoJet/Mustang dyno comments; that IS accurate, but the "lost 25hp" is somewhat inaccurate. Good tuners decide to use the Mustang Dyno because it gives an accurate load to the drive wheels to help the tuner detect any potential issues that may arise. If they use a Dynojet, those are somewhat of a free-wheel dyno. Cars and engines act differently when loaded than they do when they're free wheeling.
Oh, and get a set of gears too.
Last edited by bayer-z28; Mar 13, 2011 at 10:51 AM.
He didn't say anywhere in his post about dyno numbers @ rear wheels. He said 450-500 hp LS1. The right combo of parts, ported stock heads, matching mid sized cam and all supporting bolt ons will do it with a good tune. No rocket science , just well thought out combo. He didn't really say what his budget was but nothing is cheap anymore.
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^ It's easier to read RW than guess flywheel... That's what I was figuring. I was thinking 450RW on a AX car will be a handful. Good set of tires should help, but it may be easy to get away from you.
But yeah, a good bolt-on setup should get 450 crank easy.
But yeah, a good bolt-on setup should get 450 crank easy.
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Verdad Gallardo You are def right bayer-z28. OP would be best to make sure you have all of the suspension setup correctly before you get too much power. Sam Strano is the man when it comes to road racing chassis. He is on LS1tech. A basic setup like we are talking about would be plenty of power for entry level car. I would save the money spent on Fast intake setup and invest it in suspension and brakes. You can make 450- 500 flywheel with LS6 intake no problem.
The cheapest guaranteed way to get it is to have a set of LT headers a decent 228-232 intake duration camshaft and a set of stock 243/799 heads or having your factory ones ported and an LS6 intake. Make sure your exhaust after the headers is free flowing and that your air intake assembly is good also. Port a stock throttle body and that should be a around a 420rwhp setup on average
Last edited by intenseblue; Mar 13, 2011 at 04:19 PM.
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you can use stock gm rocker arms,just install the comp cam trunnion bearings.for 450 crank hp,get some 243 ,799 and a good custom cam.try using the ls6 intake and the TB you got.look in the dyno section to see what it takes to make the power you want.
^ Well, that changes it then. (Porsche)
I'd still say LS6 intake with an 80mm TB, good exhaust, and a good tune should be right around 400HP. If anything, throw some good heads on it.
I'd still say LS6 intake with an 80mm TB, good exhaust, and a good tune should be right around 400HP. If anything, throw some good heads on it.
Last edited by bayer-z28; Mar 13, 2011 at 07:37 PM.
This entire post is stupid. If you wanted 340-350 at the wheels then just say so. On this site if you say 450-500hp then we go dyno numbers on the wheels. a stock ls1 wit boltons can do that.
