500RWHP on LS1?

[usafcamaro]

Okay here's my issue. I recently bought a 2001 Camaro SS with several upgrades. The guy I bought it from put the real nice $1400 American Racing headers on it, and I couldn't tell you the exhaust. I know it's not running with cat's though.

What I want to do, is break 500 RWHP. I also want the nice throaty sound of a meaner camshaft. I'd prefer to do this as cheap as is realistic. (Who doesn't?)

I have no idea what the car is putting out right now, but I can get 2 dyno runs in the city for $60 to find out.

If you're going to get into technical numbers and stuff, take into account that I'm an aircraft electrician and NOT a mechanic. I understand the principle of how everything works, but I don't know specifics on anything. (i.e. camshaft numbers and what the F* they mean)

Thanks in advance!

[Ken_]

Dude... you need to go to the dyno and find out what sort of numbers you are making.

Breaking 500 WHP. It's going to take more than a cam. Your best bet is to get with a local tuner in KC and sit down with him and tell him your goals and find out from him how you can get there. Everybody has a different recipe.

Good luck.

[usafcamaro]

Unfortunately I don't live in KC anymore. I'm military stationed in SC, and there aren't exactly a lot of reputable shops out here. Not worried about running the dyno, but more the actual motor work involved in the gains.

[Scrappy Doo]

Call texas speed and they will hook you up.

Heads, cam, intake, etc. Going to need all of that to hit 500.

I wouldn't be too hung up on a specific number, but more of how the car drives.

[demonspeed]

Full bolt-ons, cam, and heads at the minimum. You'll really need an aggressive setup for that number with a stock 346 bottom end.

I would heed Scrappy Doo's advice and think more about what you want the car to do rather than the number that it makes. If you want to, for instance, run 11's, you don't need anywhere near 500rwhp to do such a thing. If you'd rather be into the single digits, then you'll need forced induction or big cubes. If you just want the number to brag about, then spend the money to be pissed when someone with 350rwhp smokes you because they have a combo that works

[Ken_]

Originally Posted by demonspeed

Full bolt-ons, cam, and heads at the minimum. You'll really need an aggressive setup for that number with a stock 346 bottom end.

I would heed Scrappy Doo's advice and think more about what you want the car to do rather than the number that it makes. If you want to, for instance, run 11's, you don't need anywhere near 500rwhp to do such a thing. If you'd rather be into the single digits, then you'll need forced induction or big cubes. If you just want the number to brag about, then spend the money to be pissed when someone with 350rwhp smokes you because they have a combo that works

There's got to be someone in SC that you can hook up with. If not, there's plenty of vendors on here who can help you put together something. By the way, you're in the USAF... don't you guys have an auto-hobby shop on your base? There's bound to be guys there who can help you, too.

[Ken_]

Originally Posted by usafcamaro

Unfortunately I don't live in KC anymore. I'm military stationed in SC, and there aren't exactly a lot of reputable shops out here. Not worried about running the dyno, but more the actual motor work involved in the gains.

Unless you know where you sit right now, how can you note any gains? If you are referencing the "butt-dyno", that's not a reliable method. You mentioned $60 for two dyno runs. That's a lot cheaper than going out and spending more cash for something you don't know is going to make much difference. Anyway, your car and cash.

Good luck

[LeanPocket]

chrs1313 and patg are the only ones i know who have done it, chr1313 did it through an auto. Look him up on ls1tech

[Matt @ FSP]

Originally Posted by usafcamaro

Okay here's my issue. I recently bought a 2001 Camaro SS with several upgrades. The guy I bought it from put the real nice $1400 American Racing headers on it, and I couldn't tell you the exhaust. I know it's not running with cat's though.

What I want to do, is break 500 RWHP. I also want the nice throaty sound of a meaner camshaft. I'd prefer to do this as cheap as is realistic. (Who doesn't?)

I have no idea what the car is putting out right now, but I can get 2 dyno runs in the city for $60 to find out.

If you're going to get into technical numbers and stuff, take into account that I'm an aircraft electrician and NOT a mechanic. I understand the principle of how everything works, but I don't know specifics on anything. (i.e. camshaft numbers and what the F* they mean)

Thanks in advance!

We did 505rwhp stock bottom end in my car through a 9" with 4.11s. This was with our TTP Hand-Ported AFR 225cc heads, TTP Punisher cam (242/248 XER on 110LSA/112ICL), FAST 90mm, Mez EWP, Kooks LTs (Later had ARHs on it) back in 2003? Car later had a TH350 put in it and went 10.32 (Best on the 6-speed was 10.71). It's not an easy barrier to plateau on the little 346ci motor...

- Matt

[LeanPocket]

Originally Posted by Matt @ FSP

We did 505rwhp stock bottom end in my car through a 9" with 4.11s. This was with our TTP Hand-Ported AFR 225cc heads, TTP Punisher cam (242/248 XER on 110LSA/112ICL), FAST 90mm, Mez EWP, Kooks LTs (Later had ARHs on it) back in 2003? Car later had a TH350 put in it and went 10.32 (Best on the 6-speed was 10.71). It's not an easy barrier to plateau on the little 346ci motor...

- Matt

242/248 on a 110?

[Matt @ FSP]

No idle clip, here is a dyno of it after we put in the TH350..

[usafcamaro]

Originally Posted by Ken_

By the way, you're in the USAF... don't you guys have an auto-hobby shop on your base? There's bound to be guys there who can help you, too.

Yeah, our base sucks. The civilian running the hobby shop had terrible hours, and was letting his civilian friends use equipment over military. I tried to use one of the lifts to pull my tires off my truck one day, and he told me it was in use.

20 minutes later a civilian pulled in to do an oil change... for someone else... to make money.....

And the guy running the place claimed nobody ever used the shop. With hours like 10-3 only during weekdays, how do you expect people to use it?


Well... they shut it down and auctioned off all of the equipment and tools. Sad days at this base.



Anyways, I am going to Dyno my car at the shop for $60 to get an idea where I'm at. There is a shop here in town that has been recommended to me, but he moved in with another guys shop and had some parts stolen out of a T/A. So my nice pretty car isn't going there.

[OVRKILL]

Originally Posted by usafcamaro

Okay here's my issue. I recently bought a 2001 Camaro SS with several upgrades. The guy I bought it from put the real nice $1400 American Racing headers on it, and I couldn't tell you the exhaust. I know it's not running with cat's though.

What I want to do, is break 500 RWHP. I also want the nice throaty sound of a meaner camshaft. I'd prefer to do this as cheap as is realistic. (Who doesn't?)

I have no idea what the car is putting out right now, but I can get 2 dyno runs in the city for $60 to find out.

If you're going to get into technical numbers and stuff, take into account that I'm an aircraft electrician and NOT a mechanic. I understand the principle of how everything works, but I don't know specifics on anything. (i.e. camshaft numbers and what the F* they mean)

Thanks in advance!

Few guys have hit the 500 mark with a 346. No offense, but the level of detail by those guys required to do it is going to exceed your abilities to do it yourself. Realistically, you're looking at a fairly stout 400+ cube combo to get you there as long as you want to maintain some drive ability.

[xXSilencerXx]

Gunna be hard to do on stock cubes. It can be done, but you'll need to talk to some engine builders to get it to where you want.

I have the same headers. With a tune you're probably sitting at 315-330 RWHP.