Quote:
Originally Posted by sr71bb
Ok I think the amount of power that a STOCK LT1 can handle is application specific. For example ROAD RACING an LT1 is probably the HARDEST thing on the internals of an engine.
Under CONSTANT de-acceleration the stock rods and pistons take a real beating because the rods can stretch trying to slow the piston speed down from the higher RPM limits to the SUDDENLY lower RPM levels. In effect the engine can pull itself apart resulting in rod failure and piston failure. ARP rod bolts btw can help but not prevent breakage, Here below is a picture of what that looks like on my own engine. At the time THIS stock LT1 (my second engine) was making about 550WHP and it was PERFECTLY tuned running on E85.
This is NOT uncommon in a road racing application if the car is pushed to the limit particularly in track mod where the LOWEST RPM level the car sees is somewhere around 4500 RPM even in the slowest of corners (A10 trans). At the time I was daily driving this car with 2-3 track days a month.
So I would take Mike's advice on getting some forged internals but I would do that at even a lower power level IF road racing your LT1 is your thing. BTW I currently am running an LME fully forged 416 with ARP head studs, AND ARP studded main bolts. I have the RPM limiter set at 6600 RPM.
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You are absolutely correct the Road coarse is the ultimate challenge for any engine.
Looking at your engine I would bet my career on it that there was oil starvation to those rods as they are the most vulnerable which causes the bearing to grab hold of the crank and break the rod.
A dry sump oiling system would have prevented this failure.
Ted.