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So I'm new to threads but I have a 2000 Pontiac firebird trans am ws6 M6 EGR deleted has some suspension and axle work(some pictures in profile) long tube headers Corsa Exhaust no cats Slp lid kit most of the bolt ons Just put new Weld wheels and tires Looking to upgrade the engine some more still has stock ls1 intake and heads was thinking about a head and cam package and maybe a intake??? got about 5k saved up. may decide to turbo in the years to come but not right now. I'm wanting a reliable car around 5 or 600hp Not a daily driver but if I want to hop in it and go 5 hours to the beach I want to make it back home with no worries. Plzzzz Help All Advice Is appreciated!!!!!
If you have $5k and you want 500 horsepower I think I’d look at the turbo option first. I think it’d be cheaper, you’d make more power, and it’d have better slow speed driveability than if you went with new heads and a “big” cam.
I don’t have any first hand experience with a turbo on an LS but I’m assuming it would start “getting into boost” around 3k rpm. With the “big cam” you won’t be into the powerband until you’re in the upper RPM range more than likely.
I agree that going FI is probably a better option if you want best possible driveability & reliability in the 500-600hp range. Doing that NA (and with stock cubes) would require a very aggressive cam - which might be fine for long drives depending on your tolerance level and the traffic conditions - but with an FI setup it can still drive like stock when you're not on the throttle. You'll just need all the proper supporting parts to keep it reliable at that power level (especially fuel system).
I agree that going FI is probably a better option if you want best possible driveability & reliability in the 500-600hp range. Doing that NA (and with stock cubes) would require a very aggressive cam - which might be fine for long drives depending on your tolerance level and the traffic conditions - but with an FI setup it can still drive like stock when you're not on the throttle. You'll just need all the proper supporting parts to keep it reliable at that power level (especially fuel system).
Thanks for all the advice I think after hearing this I will try the turbo route first I just purchased a fast 102 intake and 103 nick willams throttlebody I would really like to keep Ac any turbokit suggestions and any upgrades I should plan to do besides the actual kit?
Thanks for all the advice I think after hearing this I will try the turbo route first I just purchased a fast 102 intake and 103 nick willams throttlebody I would really like to keep Ac any turbokit suggestions and any upgrades I should plan to do besides the actual kit?
Check out post 11. He said he lost power in the lower rpm and only gained two “up top.” 11
You should replace the piston rings, gapped for boost. If not you are likely driving a timebomb.
Even with an “entry level” kit with modest boost?” The Huron Speed turbo kit that retains A/C with the cheapest options is close to $5k without the fuel stuff. What sort of power will a stock LS1 be making with a T4 turbo? Huron Speed Turbo
Even with an “entry level” kit with modest boost?” The Huron Speed turbo kit that retains A/C with the cheapest options is close to $5k without the fuel stuff. What sort of power will a stock LS1 be making with a T4 turbo? Huron Speed Turbo
Yes. Even NA LS1s break piston ring lands.
I flirted around with different things with my LS1, but a quote from Tony Mamo many years ago stuck in my head. Might not be word for word, but "Do it right the first time. It is cheaper than doing it twice". That's why I went stronger block, and forged guts. I get my power goal, and lots of room to grow.
If I could go back 3 years, I would get an LSR block and have 4.185" bores.
I flirted around with different things with my LS1, but a quote from Tony Mamo many years ago stuck in my head. Might not be word for word, but "Do it right the first time. It is cheaper than doing it twice". That's why I went stronger block, and forged guts. I get my power goal, and lots of room to grow.
If I could go back 3 years, I would get an LSR block and have 4.185" bores.
Well, if the eventual plan is a stonger block with a whole new rotating assembly, then there is no reason to worry about the stock short block in a long-term sense, hence no need to worry about pistons. I mean, unless you're planning to pull the stock engine and sell it as a swap-in to someone else. Otherwise, there's not much risk if planning to upgrade the whole block anyway.
I've known several folks who've run a basic Procharger kit on an otherwise stock LS1 without issues (at least in the mid-term). Granted, those were healthy, low mile engines. It's not a ton of boost on those basic kits though, like ~4.5psi, IIRC. That plus the headers/exhaust (which the OP already has) should get you to ~500hp without much issue, as long as the fuel system is also upgraded. Obviously if you're beating on it constantly then longevity will be a concern.
Well, if the eventual plan is a stonger block with a whole new rotating assembly, then there is no reason to worry about the stock short block in a long-term sense, hence no need to worry about pistons. I mean, unless you're planning to pull the stock engine and sell it as a swap-in to someone else. Otherwise, there's not much risk if planning to upgrade the whole block anyway.
I've known several folks who've run a basic Procharger kit on an otherwise stock LS1 without issues (at least in the mid-term). Granted, those were healthy, low mile engines. It's not a ton of boost on those basic kits though, like ~4.5psi, IIRC. That plus the headers/exhaust (which the OP already has) should get you to ~500hp without much issue, as long as the fuel system is also upgraded. Obviously if you're beating on it constantly then longevity will be a concern.
Someone new to LS builds needs to know about the ring land issue. Just sharing.
Thanks for all the advice!!! def got my brain going now A part of me would like to keep part of the original engine in the build being the block and make it bulletproof in sense. is the ls1 block not a good block to work with like p&p or storker kit even? or is a iron block more realistic for the builds? Def liking the turbo kit ^^^^ upgrading the fuel are we talking injectors fuel pump upgrade?<Recommendations sorry for all the questions but really helping me plan a build out and idea on prices.
Well, if the eventual plan is a stonger block with a whole new rotating assembly, then there is no reason to worry about the stock short block in a long-term sense, hence no need to worry about pistons. I mean, unless you're planning to pull the stock engine and sell it as a swap-in to someone else. Otherwise, there's not much risk if planning to upgrade the whole block anyway.
I've known several folks who've run a basic Procharger kit on an otherwise stock LS1 without issues (at least in the mid-term). Granted, those were healthy, low mile engines. It's not a ton of boost on those basic kits though, like ~4.5psi, IIRC. That plus the headers/exhaust (which the OP already has) should get you to ~500hp without much issue, as long as the fuel system is also upgraded. Obviously if you're beating on it constantly then longevity will be a concern.
I’ve had a 6-8 psi Vortech kit on a ‘95 Mustang since 2016 or there abouts and it hasn’t blow up yet. It’s OBDI also so it’s really only tuned for WOT. It’s even using an FMU. A tune was still needed with the FMU fwiw.
*Edit*
You’ll probably need to figure something out about the PVC system and “blow-by” though.
Last edited by Y2K_Frenzy; 05-16-2024 at 11:55 AM.
I’ve had a 6-8 psi Vortech kit on a ‘95 Mustang since 2016 or there abouts and it hasn’t blow up yet. It’s OBDI also so it’s really only tuned for WOT. It’s even using an FMU. A tune was still needed with the FMU fwiw.
If it were a fox body you wouldn't have needed a tune. I miss the days of building foxes.
If it were a fox body you wouldn't have needed a tune. I miss the days of building foxes.
Yeah you would still need one. The ‘95 has the pushrod 302 still (same as the Fox). It was the last year. On the first dyno pull after the blower install it was only making something like 40 horsepower more than it did n/a. After the tuner guy was done making pulls and clicking around on his mouse it made 109 more than it did N/A. That being said I drove it some for a few months before I could get a tune appointment and it ran ok.
Last edited by Y2K_Frenzy; 05-16-2024 at 12:06 PM.
Yeah you would still need one. The ‘95 has the pushrod 302 still (same as the Fox). It was the last year. On the first dyno pull after the blower install it was only making something like 40 horsepower more than it did n/a. After the tuner guy was done making pulls and clicking around on his mouse it made 109 more than it did N/A. That being said I drove it some for a few months before I could get a tune appointment and it ran ok.
I never liked playing around with the Sn95 5.0s. I had 3. I definitely liked all the modern things they got.
OP there's not much to go on with the LS1 engine. Putting a Proharger kit on it can wake it up but brings me back to my first point. If it were me I'd continue driving the car, keep saving money and do it right the first time..
OP there's not much to go on with the LS1 engine. Putting a Proharger kit on it can wake it up but brings me back to my first point. If it were me I'd continue driving the car, keep saving money and do it right the first time..
Some of these guys are reporting lower mile failures and some are still running at 50k miles. I guess the take away would be things can break when you beat on them. That’s with everything though stock or otherwise.
The Vortech kit that’s been on my Mustang for nearly a decade doesn’t even have an intercooler and it’s been ok. I live in TX where 100* is the norm for what that’s worth. I bet he could live long and prosper with 450 or so rear horse via forced induction if he wasn’t flogging between every stoplight. Procharger mileage poll
I guess the take away would be things can break when you beat on them. That’s with everything though stock or otherwise.
About 20-25 years ago I remember someone from my local LS1 group getting their first HPPIII hand held tuner. This was being used on an internally stock LS1 engine (and the engine was pretty fresh as all these cars were new or nearly new back then). This programmer would allow the rev limit to be raised to 6600rpm, which isn't necessarily a problem for the stock bottom end but it's a bad idea with the stock valve springs (even if the cam is stock). This, of course, led to some valvetrain issues and ended up hurting the engine after many passes at the track. That was at stock power levels. On the other hand, another friend did a Procharger kit (as mentioned above), left the engine internals completely stock, stayed within the stock rev limit and had no issues at all with the engine (at least until the heads/cam upgrade plus additional boost later), even with plenty of spirited street driving. So the Procharger ended up being less harmful to a stock LS1 vs. just raising the rev limit, leaving everything else stock, and beating the car hard.
05-14-2024, 07:08 PM
2000 ws6 trans am Mod Advice Plzzzz Helpppp 
I miss the days of building foxes. 
