Cost to build an lq4
03-22-2014, 07:05 PM
#1
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Cost to build an lq4 Hey guys I am doing an lq4 swap into a 260z. I want to know if my goals are feasible with my budget. I want to do a full build for a car that will eventually be making ~800rwhp. I am looking at doing a stroker kit on it as well. I would like to have a very reliable build. Is $4k enough or am I underestimating my costs? Any good suggestions on what parts to get for that power level? I plan and being NA for a while so to start only making ~500rwhp but eventually getting a turbo. Any input would be awesome!
03-23-2014, 07:02 AM
#3
It will be tough to make real NA power with an engine built for boost because NA needs high compression and boost lower.
$4k is NOT enough to do heads and cam on a stock shortblock if it has to cover supporting mods like injectors, fuel pump, headers, tuning etc.
Also isn't that a really small light car?
$4k is NOT enough to do heads and cam on a stock shortblock if it has to cover supporting mods like injectors, fuel pump, headers, tuning etc.
Also isn't that a really small light car?
03-23-2014, 07:59 AM
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It will be tough to make real NA power with an engine built for boost because NA needs high compression and boost lower.
$4k is NOT enough to do heads and cam on a stock shortblock if it has to cover supporting mods like injectors, fuel pump, headers, tuning etc.
Also isn't that a really small light car?
$4k is NOT enough to do heads and cam on a stock shortblock if it has to cover supporting mods like injectors, fuel pump, headers, tuning etc.
Also isn't that a really small light car?
Yes I understand that an NA setup and FI set up need completely different compression ratios. I was under the impression with a 408 stroker the 500rwhp balllparkwas still attainable at a lower compression ratio. Is this not accurate? And if so what type of numbers would I expect running roughly 9.5:1(goal compression ratio still undecided)
Yes the 260z is a 2600 pound car stock and I hope to keep it at that weight when all is said and done. This car. is not a daily driver. It will be used for weekend fun and the track. my goal is to get it into the 9s.
03-23-2014, 08:19 AM
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In case it came across that my whole build will be $4k my whole build will be about $15k. I am just trying to figure out if the engine internals for 4k is an adequate budget.
03-23-2014, 09:19 AM
#6
Just stop right now, reevaluate your whole plan before taking one more step, you are amazingly far off track here.
Why on earth do you want a 408 for such a light car with a modest ET goal like that?
Topend is where power is really made, displacement allows you to support bigger heads and cam. You don't see guys putting stock heads and cam on a 408 and making big HP but you do see guys upgrading topends and making big HP.
To do a full 408 build then later turbo it your budget is too low and that build should take the car lower than 9s. Does the $15K have to handle the chassis as well? given the questions you are asking it is hard to imagine you will fab the rollcage and turbo plumbing yourself.
Start by keeping the stock crank no way you need to look at changing it. I would go straight to the turbo build keeping it very mild now and upgrading the chassis and boost level incrementally. Starting NA will just have you compromising compression and wasting money on headers.
Hell with good tuning and a good condition junkyard motor you should have no problem making the power for 9s without ever opening the motor up accept to put the turbo drain line plumbing into whatever oilpan you need.
Why on earth do you want a 408 for such a light car with a modest ET goal like that?
Topend is where power is really made, displacement allows you to support bigger heads and cam. You don't see guys putting stock heads and cam on a 408 and making big HP but you do see guys upgrading topends and making big HP.
To do a full 408 build then later turbo it your budget is too low and that build should take the car lower than 9s. Does the $15K have to handle the chassis as well? given the questions you are asking it is hard to imagine you will fab the rollcage and turbo plumbing yourself.
Start by keeping the stock crank no way you need to look at changing it. I would go straight to the turbo build keeping it very mild now and upgrading the chassis and boost level incrementally. Starting NA will just have you compromising compression and wasting money on headers.
Hell with good tuning and a good condition junkyard motor you should have no problem making the power for 9s without ever opening the motor up accept to put the turbo drain line plumbing into whatever oilpan you need.
03-23-2014, 09:54 AM
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Just stop right now, reevaluate your whole plan before taking one more step, you are amazingly far off track here.
Why on earth do you want a 408 for such a light car with a modest ET goal like that?
Topend is where power is really made, displacement allows you to support bigger heads and cam. You don't see guys putting stock heads and cam on a 408 and making big HP but you do see guys upgrading topends and making big HP.
To do a full 408 build then later turbo it your budget is too low and that build should take the car lower than 9s. Does the $15K have to handle the chassis as well? given the questions you are asking it is hard to imagine you will fab the rollcage and turbo plumbing yourself.
Start by keeping the stock crank no way you need to look at changing it. I would go straight to the turbo build keeping it very mild now and upgrading the chassis and boost level incrementally. Starting NA will just have you compromising compression and wasting money on headers.
Hell with good tuning and a good condition junkyard motor you should have no problem making the power for 9s without ever opening the motor up accept to put the turbo drain line plumbing into whatever oilpan you need.
Why on earth do you want a 408 for such a light car with a modest ET goal like that?
Topend is where power is really made, displacement allows you to support bigger heads and cam. You don't see guys putting stock heads and cam on a 408 and making big HP but you do see guys upgrading topends and making big HP.
To do a full 408 build then later turbo it your budget is too low and that build should take the car lower than 9s. Does the $15K have to handle the chassis as well? given the questions you are asking it is hard to imagine you will fab the rollcage and turbo plumbing yourself.
Start by keeping the stock crank no way you need to look at changing it. I would go straight to the turbo build keeping it very mild now and upgrading the chassis and boost level incrementally. Starting NA will just have you compromising compression and wasting money on headers.
Hell with good tuning and a good condition junkyard motor you should have no problem making the power for 9s without ever opening the motor up accept to put the turbo drain line plumbing into whatever oilpan you need.
When I say I want to run 9s I am not talking about high 9s either I want to be mid to low 9s and while the weight and power would make you assume that would be very easy, I will only be running about 265s on the back. traction will be an issue so getting deep into the 9s is more difficult in this platform than you would assume.
A 408 may be overkill and I am open to the idea but is there any other way to be making ~500rwhp with the future turbo plans without having to buy all new cams and piston etc when I add the turbo?
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03-23-2014, 10:27 AM
#8
I didn't say you would be running stock heads and cam. I just failed to elaborate on how they would further stretch your budget.
500rwhp today and then reusing the cam, pistons etc. for turbo later is a no-go, if you aren't willing to listen to that then sell the car and get a new hobby.
skinnies a member here ran well into the 8s on a turbo 5.3 without so much as opening the ringgap in an RX7 which is probably a comparably light chassis to yours and then later put a similar setup in a 3700lbs LTD look at the thread and signature. https://ls1tech.com/forums/forced-in...ard-5-3-a.html
There are other members doing similar things.
You don't need to do a 408 build for your goal and trying for a 500rwhp NA goal for now will only make the turbo setup harder later. and a lot of money wasted on NA headers and exhaust.
500rwhp today and then reusing the cam, pistons etc. for turbo later is a no-go, if you aren't willing to listen to that then sell the car and get a new hobby.
skinnies a member here ran well into the 8s on a turbo 5.3 without so much as opening the ringgap in an RX7 which is probably a comparably light chassis to yours and then later put a similar setup in a 3700lbs LTD look at the thread and signature. https://ls1tech.com/forums/forced-in...ard-5-3-a.html
There are other members doing similar things.
You don't need to do a 408 build for your goal and trying for a 500rwhp NA goal for now will only make the turbo setup harder later. and a lot of money wasted on NA headers and exhaust.
03-23-2014, 10:44 AM
#9
You either build for NA or build for boost. There is no in-between. the compromises that would have to be made would make both motors virtually unlivable.
For instance - I purchased a shitfuckload of parts to do a H/C/I on my stock LS1 shortblock. Came across a LQ4 motor for cheap enough i HAD to grab it up. The H/C/I would be equally suited to a 5.7 or 6.0 according to martin@tick...but If i ever want to go bigger...I.E. 408/414/421/427/etc...almost all of my current parts would be worthless whether i went NA OR boost.
You need to choose wisely and plan for a common goal from day 1.
For instance - I purchased a shitfuckload of parts to do a H/C/I on my stock LS1 shortblock. Came across a LQ4 motor for cheap enough i HAD to grab it up. The H/C/I would be equally suited to a 5.7 or 6.0 according to martin@tick...but If i ever want to go bigger...I.E. 408/414/421/427/etc...almost all of my current parts would be worthless whether i went NA OR boost.
You need to choose wisely and plan for a common goal from day 1.
03-23-2014, 10:50 AM
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I didn't say you would be running stock heads and cam. I just failed to elaborate on how they would further stretch your budget.
500rwhp today and then reusing the cam, pistons etc. for turbo later is a no-go, if you aren't willing to listen to that then sell the car and get a new hobby.
skinnies a member here ran well into the 8s on a turbo 5.3 without so much as opening the ringgap in an RX7 which is probably a comparably light chassis to yours and then later put a similar setup in a 3700lbs LTD look at the thread and signature. https://ls1tech.com/forums/forced-in...ard-5-3-a.html
There are other members doing similar things.
You don't need to do a 408 build for your goal and trying for a 500rwhp NA goal for now will only make the turbo setup harder later. and a lot of money wasted on NA headers and exhaust.
500rwhp today and then reusing the cam, pistons etc. for turbo later is a no-go, if you aren't willing to listen to that then sell the car and get a new hobby.
skinnies a member here ran well into the 8s on a turbo 5.3 without so much as opening the ringgap in an RX7 which is probably a comparably light chassis to yours and then later put a similar setup in a 3700lbs LTD look at the thread and signature. https://ls1tech.com/forums/forced-in...ard-5-3-a.html
There are other members doing similar things.
You don't need to do a 408 build for your goal and trying for a 500rwhp NA goal for now will only make the turbo setup harder later. and a lot of money wasted on NA headers and exhaust.
I will go straight with a turbo build then and skip the stroker. I want this to be reliable though. Even if I keep it to a ~650rwhp are the engine internals going to hold up? I have read that some people are making close to 800 on stock internals but I really don't want to ever have to worry about it.
I feel like no matter what I should replace just about all the internals except the crank.
03-23-2014, 11:02 AM
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You either build for NA or build for boost. There is no in-between. the compromises that would have to be made would make both motors virtually unlivable.
For instance - I purchased a shitfuckload of parts to do a H/C/I on my stock LS1 shortblock. Came across a LQ4 motor for cheap enough i HAD to grab it up. The H/C/I would be equally suited to a 5.7 or 6.0 according to martin@tick...but If i ever want to go bigger...I.E. 408/414/421/427/etc...almost all of my current parts would be worthless whether i went NA OR boost.
You need to choose wisely and plan for a common goal from day 1.
For instance - I purchased a shitfuckload of parts to do a H/C/I on my stock LS1 shortblock. Came across a LQ4 motor for cheap enough i HAD to grab it up. The H/C/I would be equally suited to a 5.7 or 6.0 according to martin@tick...but If i ever want to go bigger...I.E. 408/414/421/427/etc...almost all of my current parts would be worthless whether i went NA OR boost.
You need to choose wisely and plan for a common goal from day 1.
If you guys know of any other good build threads or any other advice I would be happy to hear about it. The key thing for me will be making this reliable. I am planning about a 1 year build time so I have plenty of time to keep planning and researching. Already have the car and I am getting the engine at the end of the month. At this point I am trying to build a shopping list and price everything out and I am hoping by May to be buying everything I need to start putting it together.
