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Quickest Way to 500hp with 6.0

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Old Aug 16, 2015 | 12:49 PM
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Default Quickest Way to 500hp with 6.0

Hey guys I have an lq4 and been doing some research. It will go into a 2000 trans am m6. Street car while maybe going to the track. Maybe. It is not a DD unless the current dd goes down. Anyways, I have always wanted to be at atleast 500 hp to the wheels. trying to keep a slight budget at 4-5000. Good set of heads or cnc some 243? Cam? and ls3 intake? What do you guys think. The 408 would be badass but that is more than likely out of my price range. Also, during the swap, is there any mods besides the hole for the altenator? Will the stock bird harness hook directly up to the 6.0? Thanks!
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Old Aug 16, 2015 | 12:50 PM
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Quickest is nitrous

Next Quickest way is a pro charger. If you want to stay NA, call tony Mamo

If you go HCI, you'll be hard pressed to hit it and stay in budget. Aftermarket heads make a big difference. Plus you don't want to go cheap on supporting hardware like lifters, pushrods. Especially for a DD 500 horses. If you want performance and dependability you will need to pay for it.
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Old Aug 16, 2015 | 12:51 PM
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Also, N/A for now. May spray eventually but I would like 500 before having any help.
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Old Aug 16, 2015 | 12:56 PM
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Well it wont be a DD unless it has to be. Maybe drove twice a week.
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Old Aug 16, 2015 | 12:57 PM
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Gonna be tough to do on your budget. Find some used AFRs at least, FAST 102 plus big *** cam and you should get there powerwise.
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Old Aug 16, 2015 | 01:12 PM
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What do you mean hard pressed to hit it? and when looking for some aftermarket heads, what exactly should I be looking for? And I figure I caould determine the cam and intake after the heads. And what compression should I be shooting for? Also plan on doing 1 7/8 lts and all the bolts ons
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Old Aug 16, 2015 | 01:16 PM
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you'll be hard pressed to hit it and stay in budget.
Hard pressed AND stay in budget. 500rwhp is doable with 3k heads, FAST 102/102, EWP, pulley, injectors, good intake, cam and supporting mods. But with install, tune and fluids that will be way over 5k.
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Old Aug 16, 2015 | 01:18 PM
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so would be it about the same price to do the stroker?
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Old Aug 16, 2015 | 01:46 PM
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Originally Posted by Cody5
so would be it about the same price to do the stroker?
Yes, but there are tons of 408 builds that have underwhelming performance. Volume is swept by the bottom end, but power is made or lost in the heads. If you don't do the heads and cam and intake anyway as part of building the striker, you'll have a low end torque monster that can't breathe up high where it needs it.

The above description is why I went HCI instead of going 408. No matter what you do you need to do the top end work.

I would go to Tony for the heads, no question. The rest can be speced out from there.
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Old Aug 16, 2015 | 02:09 PM
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Problem is to hit 500 rwhp n/a (on your budget) it's gonna be quite a bit more costly then to hit say 450 rwhp. You could do a budget top end and basic nitrous kit and have a real nice bang for the buck
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Old Aug 16, 2015 | 02:30 PM
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I tuned and built a couple of cars doing over 500whp on a 6.0.. just call Brian tooley and he will hook you up. Tell him you want the tfs as cast 220, hand blended and port matched with 102mm, and his stage 4 cam, morel 5315 lifters and his 7.500 3/8 pushrods. All this for around $4k.

Spend the rest on a good clutch/exhaust/induction system, ftp 104mm, straight hose to 102mm tb (SD), and chrs1313 or ssra ram air. For headers get speed engineering 1 7/8, and a vibrant or flowmaster 3 to 4 inch collector, and a 4 inch cut out. You will need to fabricate a custom y pipe. Oh and you will need a good fuel pump like racetronix and 36 to 42 lbs injectors.

You should hit 500whp with this
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Old Aug 16, 2015 | 02:38 PM
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Yeah but your entire second paragraph won't fit inside that last 1000 he has in his budget. The issue isn't really how to do it, it's the total budget.
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Old Aug 16, 2015 | 02:42 PM
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Exactly 4k will get heads and a cam no issue. It's the intake system, and all the supporting stuff for the heads that's going to swell the 5k budget
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Old Aug 16, 2015 | 02:58 PM
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Originally Posted by Cody5
so would be it about the same price to do the stroker?

A stroker still needs a good topend. Displacement is the most expensive way to add power once you go beyond factory displacement options.
$4000 for heads/cam/intake can on the lowend get you 100+rwhp, $3500 in a 408 shortblock with the same heads and cam might only gain you another 20-30 but would improve manners.

You mentioned LS3 intake with 243s, aint gonna happen.

What is the most powerful car you have driven and what are the performance goals? 500rwhp should do mid 10s, rollbar and all that crap, wont hook on street tires below 50mph etc.

Last edited by 96capricemgr; Aug 16, 2015 at 08:40 PM.
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Old Aug 16, 2015 | 03:03 PM
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OP are you totally opposed to forced induction right now? Because if not a good used Procharger might be your best bet on your budget
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Old Aug 16, 2015 | 03:22 PM
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Honestly, I am not really interested in forced induction right now. This might sound dumb but I heard they aren't reliable? any truth to that? And I owned an 06 gto. All stock and I know that is only around 350hp to the wheels. I figured 500 would be a ton and the 5k budget, well, im more or less talking about 4-5k right out the gate. As months(hopefully not too many) go by and I will be saving money for more things for that build. So in three months that 5k could be 7k. and yeah the ls3 intake and 243 heads just hit me lol doesn't the ls3 have cathedral ports?
And when I get ready for heads what exactly do ineed to look for? like cc's wise because I am not 100% educated on heads and compression ratio, but I am trying.
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Old Aug 16, 2015 | 03:25 PM
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500HP in FI is reliable... since you'd still be all stock. Just make sure the tune is dialed in. Heat is the enemy on FI builds, so if you can run a nice big intercooler and get IATs down then you'll be fine.

Otherwise, a 500rwhp NA build on a 6L is doable, but not for $5k. And it's not exactly reliable - but it's not bad. You have to service the valvetrain much more regularly to ensure everything is holding up (mostly the valve springs).
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Old Aug 16, 2015 | 03:29 PM
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I have thought about doing turbos before. But there are so many factors. Wouldn't I basically have to purchase heads,cam,intake like stated above PLUS turbo, intercooler, wastegate, bov? What I am asking is wouldn't it be all of the listed above(which already east the budget)plus all the turbo things?
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Old Aug 16, 2015 | 07:58 PM
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Budget build I would keep eye out for used AFR 225s, 230s if lucky,
Used FAST 92/102, 90 MM TB, New CAMMOTION 231*/235* .610"/.590" LSA 114*+2* used 1 7/8" ARH, Kooks LTs, 36lb-42lb injectors, 11.0-11.5:1
Compression, EWP not necessary at this point. Definitely have heads checked
Out, and if the deal is good enough have Tony fresh them up and port the FAST Intake. 347" have cracked 500 RWHP with AFR205s and all the
Little details. 366" with 225s and a moderate cam should be able to do it
A lot easier.
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Old Aug 16, 2015 | 09:54 PM
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Originally Posted by Cody5
Honestly, I am not really interested in forced induction right now. This might sound dumb but I heard they aren't reliable? any truth to that? And I owned an 06 gto. All stock and I know that is only around 350hp to the wheels. I figured 500 would be a ton and the 5k budget, well, im more or less talking about 4-5k right out the gate. As months(hopefully not too many) go by and I will be saving money for more things for that build. So in three months that 5k could be 7k. and yeah the ls3 intake and 243 heads just hit me lol doesn't the ls3 have cathedral ports? And when I get ready for heads what exactly do ineed to look for? like cc's wise because I am not 100% educated on heads and compression ratio, but I am trying.
quick answers - LS3 is rectangle ports, 243 is cathedrals. 7k is getting into the territory where it's doable. There is also a thread called "recipe to 500hp" you might want to check out.
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