I'm not a mod freak, but I have to disagree.

I think it's always better to make your power with "all motor" as opposed to power adders.

If I can get 400hp from "all motor" , I can still strap on a supercharger or a turbo and boost it significantly.

If I am making 400hp from a forced induction motor... I can't, because what I have is a 300hp motor with the blower already attached.

More potential from "all motor" engines.

Also, generally speaking, there's less to go wrong on an "all motor" engine... and it's probably cheaper to produce as well.

 

Agreed!

 

Yeah, however, on the forced induction motor, it will be much easier to switch out a new blower or turbo than installing one on the na motor, and it will likely deal with boost stress better. Also, a 400 hp engine probably it not going to stay 400 hp if it is going to be rebuilt for forced induction, at least not if its done right, so the numbers don't necessarily stack like that.

I have always loved naturally aspirated motors, but......., I think if the top dog Camaro wants to have a chance against the new SVT Mustang it will need forced induction, because that easy modability was the reason why many of the 03 and 04 Cobras sold.

 

Turbo does not fit the image or heritage of the Z/28.

It should remain N/A. You've got to give the aftermarket guys something to play with.

 

Personally I think the Camaro should stay NA as well, unless they wanted a really unique special edition.

I do however disagree that power on motor alone is somehow superior to power from FI. Power is power. I also disagree that if you build an NA motor to 400HP that you can slap on FI and make a lot more power w/o blowing up.

 

I totally agree... the point is more along the lines of: less to break, cheaper, more potential for add-on power... because you are starting with a bigger "cornerstone".


I wasn't trying to imply that you can simply slap on FI and go... though there are already L98, LT1 and LS1 kits that are basically this as it stands... just pointing out that you can also ADD a supercharger/turbo to a NA engine... hard to put a supercharger on an already supercharged motor....

 

EXACTLY! BTW, has anyone else heard the rumor of ford toying around with the idea of going turbo on the new cobras? i got it on good word that a certain company supplied ford with a few prototype rear mount twin turbo kits. anyone up on the aftermarket can figure out which company i'm talking about. let me know.

 

Yes, but typically these engines do not deal with the rigors of boost pressure nearly as well as a boost ready engine. There is a reason most LS1 guys don't go very much above 6 psi on blower or turbo kits without going into the bottom end, which starts to add up to big dollars quickly. On the other hand, a Cobra owner need only swap out to a new blower to increase boost pressure over the Eatons low teen range, and he will know the engine for the most part will handle the load. Don't the kenne bell guys often run 18 psi or more? Aren't gonna do that on an ls1 very reliably, probably even with forged pistons. I have heard too many guys complain about problems with piston rings or the heads themselves when running boost pressures that high for that long.

Whew, didn't mean to make that so long. As it stands, I can see the arguement for going taking it to the competition naturally aspirated in the top Camaro, but at the same time it is never going to be the easy hp maker the new GT500 will likely be with some sort of FI (or a bigger, bad *** detuned motor like the ls7, which is highly unlikely.)

 

What this guy said. Why does it need a turbo? Other cars need a turbo to make 200HP, 250 HP, or 300 HP. LS2 makes 400!!!! I said FOUR HUNDRED. F-O-U-R H-U-N-D-R-E-D [EXCLAMATION MARKS]. People, wake up to reality.

 

On the subject of FI... THere are more parts, but this is not that much of a concern to us, is it, seeing as most modern supercharger/turbo applications are fairly reliable.

There are some pains that come with owning a FI car, including stricter maintenance. FI cars do not perform as consistently as naturally aspirated ones do. They are affected more greatly by heat and humidity than NA cars. They require premium fuel.

 

Agreed, which is why I think for a Camaro, which is supposed to be an affordable pony car, NA is probably a better fit. My initial point was and still is that if your car makes 400HP NA that is great. But bragging about the fact that it is "all motor" is something like bragging that your S2000 motor makes over 100HP/L.

Eh, but once you add a turbo or SC it is FI, which is somewhat admitting FI is superior (hehe not that I believe that it is necessarily). However, as pointed out, a motor built for NA performance will not be easily adapted to FI. Factory FI cars are also realtively cheap to get an initial big power boost.

And regarding the factory supercharged car: you could always put a larger or more efficient supercharger on, or switch to a turbo, or add a turbo (to make it "twincharged").

 

I will go ahead and say right now that you will never see a rear mounted turbo on a factory car that has the engine mounted up front.

 

I think it's been done.

I think BMW actually built a car like this...

Maybe it was Fiat...

Anyhoo, it was something European.

The P-47 Thunderbolt has it's FI installation about 20 feet behind the motor... now, airplanes are much different than cars, but it's still interesting.

 

Interesting, maybe I'll give it a google.

Re: P47... Maybe they should put a turboed 2800 cubic inch 18 cylinder in the next Z

 

Why would you never see one? I agree it is unlikely, but not an impossibility. I mean, if someone built a factory car ready for nitrous use (saleen focus n2o) then I think a rear mounted turbo is not outside the realms of possibility.