bottom end
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Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 2,628
From: Pgh, PA
Depends how you do it.
On motor ~ MOST will handle 400-450HP somewhat reliably. Seems to biggies kill LT1's, boost, and RPM. Some have pushed close to 7K on the stock shortblock with good luck. But realistically, if you want it to last, you cant build something that will need to see more than 6400-6500 RPM's. That said, you can make some whicked heads cam combos that will be fine being shifted at this RPM range and will, usually, hold together.
On boost ~ Very hit and miss. Some have built supercharged or turbocharged motors and had them last for a few years, some close to 30-40K miles. Others have had them last a matter of minutes. Alot of it is in the tuning. If your going to run any type of forced induction you need to have it dyno tuned so you KNOW you have a conservative tune. The limit on the stock shortblock seems to be around 5-6PSI non-intercooled and 6-7PSI intercooled. More than that, and your really going to be pushing your luck. That said, a bolt on LT1 seeing 6PSI would acutally be pretty ****ing fast.
On the gas ~ They actually seem to take N20 very well. Look in the nitrous forum. There are a TON of guys spraying 150 shots for years. A few even have gone to 175's. The "safe" limit seems to be a 100 shot. But hardly anyone on here has thrashed an engine on a 150. And a while back there was a guy who pulled like 8 or 9* or timing, and did a dual stage set up spraying a 200 shot. He made it through the race season before he rebuilt it. by choice. But that REALLY is pushing it. With a solid stock bottom end in good shape, you could spray a 100 shot safely. Actually, seems a little more reliable than heads/cam or boost set ups.
If you look around, for the most part, 400 RWHP is usually the limit, give or take. But in some instances where the tune is perfect, you'll see some CRAZY numbers. There was a heads cam car on here with N20 a while back, stock short block, sparying a 100 shot and it made damn near 500RWHP. So that would be close to 600HP at the crank? Hardly the norm, but, it held together for a good while if I remember correctly.
Bottom line, dont push your luck. An LT1 is a strong engine, but its not invincable. Dont over-rev it, and dont let it detonate, and it SHOULD hold together for most of what you can throw at it.
On motor ~ MOST will handle 400-450HP somewhat reliably. Seems to biggies kill LT1's, boost, and RPM. Some have pushed close to 7K on the stock shortblock with good luck. But realistically, if you want it to last, you cant build something that will need to see more than 6400-6500 RPM's. That said, you can make some whicked heads cam combos that will be fine being shifted at this RPM range and will, usually, hold together.
On boost ~ Very hit and miss. Some have built supercharged or turbocharged motors and had them last for a few years, some close to 30-40K miles. Others have had them last a matter of minutes. Alot of it is in the tuning. If your going to run any type of forced induction you need to have it dyno tuned so you KNOW you have a conservative tune. The limit on the stock shortblock seems to be around 5-6PSI non-intercooled and 6-7PSI intercooled. More than that, and your really going to be pushing your luck. That said, a bolt on LT1 seeing 6PSI would acutally be pretty ****ing fast.
On the gas ~ They actually seem to take N20 very well. Look in the nitrous forum. There are a TON of guys spraying 150 shots for years. A few even have gone to 175's. The "safe" limit seems to be a 100 shot. But hardly anyone on here has thrashed an engine on a 150. And a while back there was a guy who pulled like 8 or 9* or timing, and did a dual stage set up spraying a 200 shot. He made it through the race season before he rebuilt it. by choice. But that REALLY is pushing it. With a solid stock bottom end in good shape, you could spray a 100 shot safely. Actually, seems a little more reliable than heads/cam or boost set ups.
If you look around, for the most part, 400 RWHP is usually the limit, give or take. But in some instances where the tune is perfect, you'll see some CRAZY numbers. There was a heads cam car on here with N20 a while back, stock short block, sparying a 100 shot and it made damn near 500RWHP. So that would be close to 600HP at the crank? Hardly the norm, but, it held together for a good while if I remember correctly.
Bottom line, dont push your luck. An LT1 is a strong engine, but its not invincable. Dont over-rev it, and dont let it detonate, and it SHOULD hold together for most of what you can throw at it.
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Victor Lamb
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