What size motor?

 

 

That's h/c territory if you pay attention

hell maybe even cam only these days depending on engine. Ls6 could get there...ls3 can get there and then some. A ls1 would probably want some 243s to get there.

 

There are several proven combos that can get you that power from a LS1, LS2, LS3, LQ4, LQ9, LT1, LS7, etc, etc...All the way from a wild HCI LS1 to a bolt on LS7.

 

Over 500 your going to want to add cubes imo or your going to have to spin too high to be reliable. If its race only class limited thats one thing. If you are not class restricted and seeking that number and want a decently reliable performer? Do a 414 LS3 based with the GM CNC port heads, ported LS3 intake, custom grind cam & springs and your there with ease.

 

What's spinning it to high?

I've spun my ls6 to 7300. Probably a touch more before the limiter kicks in. My buddy's bolt on ls3 has seen 7900 rpm between shifts. Limiter is at 7300 on it to. As long as you have good valve springs on them they like to rev. It's just matching that to the right cam and intake.

 

I too have spun very high, over 9K in fact. It wears out the guides and eats valve springs and doesnt last as long but to hit 500whp? Hes going to need a very aggressive cam and spin very high ( over 7500 would be my guess ) . Combine those two elements and reliability goes out the window as valve control will be brutal. Might need to step to solid roller.

Where If he goes for a stroker he can keep the RPM in the low 7000RPM or less range and still hit that number, make boat loads more torque and run a mild reliable cam shaft. Faster, easier, more reliable and a lot more fun to drive.

 

My guides are perfect with 90k on my ls6......but I'm not spinning 9k. I wasn't even talking about spinning 9k. But you can gain a shot load of power spinning it efficiently to a 7500-7800 shift point . Personally I wouldn't even build a hotrod engine that didn't get spun to that range.

these days the goal for a stroker isn't 500whp. It better be nearing 550 or you didn't do your home work.

btw...my bolt on ls6 peaked at about 6400 with 451 who. The bolt on ls3 peaked at less rpm but made 470whp. Either of them would likely reach 500whp with a cam and correct intake and not be radical.

 

Yes, there are a lot of good recipes for hitting 500 whp NA. The LS1/LS6 engines with 346 CID will need more rpm and carefully attention to details and part selection to hit 500 whp hp. Generally as the displacement goes up the amount of rpm needed and stress associated with higher rpm can go down. Many SBE LS1/LS6 have turned 8,000+ rpm before and lived for a while.

My approach to 500+ whp was pretty tame compared to the high Rev engines. Basically, it's the "truck motor" approach.

My 416 made 517 whp at 5900 rpm. That's a low rpm that the engine should be able to live for a long time. Engine has a big flat torque curve. 400 wtq at 2,800 rpm, and 450+ wtq between 3500-6000 rpm. Key parts, 416 short block, Reher - Morrison ported LS3 heads with 11.5 compression, RM 237/245 .625/.625 lift 114 cam, stock rockers w / trunnion up grade, ATI 10% UD, LS7 lifters, Vengeance Racing ported long runner LSXR intake, NW 102 TB, Kook's 1 7/8 headers and custom true x piped dual exhaust with Hooker Blackhart. With more cam or LLSR cam, mid runners, better lifters and supporting fuel system I'm sure more whp could be made. Likewise, with an LS3 short block, then 500 + whp can be hit with with the same parts and some more rpm. The Rick Crawford radius rod LS3 intake with a 90/92mm TB would probably drive a little better than the 102 LSXR and hit close to the same whp.

My 416 is a blast to drive on the street and nice and tame in traffic and parking lots. The TA drives close to stock. Under 1,500 rpm some surge can occur. That's mostly due to the 102 TB, cable drive TB and limits of the of the 99 TA's stock PCM. For my cars the all get driven a lot and sometimes used as daily drivers, great drive ability is key. I tend to favor big cubes excellent heads, excellent intakes and smaller cams.

I think Hihosilver is pretty much correct that 550whp is very doable for a 416 stroker these days. I should have paid more attention to my fuel system and a few other items to get a better peak whp number.
​​​​​​

 

Times has changed. There is more info and better parts available these days. Exploit it to your benefit. What baffles me is guys that stray away from the basics. They still work.

 

have done a handful with manuals trans. between 403 and 427 cubes with ported square port heads and between 11.0-11.6 static CR on pump fuel. power figures of 500-540rwhp. only 6 speed auto with converter I did like that was 364 cubes with shaved ported head and valve reliefs cut into pistons 11.5 comp fell just short at 486rwhp

 

 

My buddy made 457 rwhp with AI 243's, medium cam, and Fast 92. This was through a stalled auto as well. Although dyno numbers don't always mean much, his combo does well

 

I made 460 with a very mild set of 243's. 9in and t56. Car trapped 124 at around 3500rw

 

My 91 RS has an LS1 383 with hand finished TEA 2.5 LS6/243 heads, LS6 90MM snout intake, obsolete MMS 229/229 .578/.578 114 v2.1 cam, 1 7/8 headers, 465 whp 442 wtq at less than 6,000 rpm.

With bigger cam and more intake the TEA LS6 243 heads are capable of 500whp-520whp. See the thread below LS6 M6 making ~ 520whp at high rpm

https://ls1tech.com/forums/generatio...m-ls1-6-a.html

 

Good read on that link. Thanks.

i made 451whp 423wrq with a bolt on ls6....that means the 243s were stock. That was through a 9" on pump gas. Never got to run it after the changes to get it there but it went 10.7@129 (best trap of 131.x)with 34whp less @3250rw. Still very much a driver with full interior and ac.

 

 

bingo!!