Engine mods necessary for 600 bhp
06-17-2008, 10:26 PM
#12
TECH Fanatic
iTrader: (13)
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Kenosha WI
Posts: 1,102
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The trans is going to be the weak point in the build. But for us truck guy they dont last. f-body guys may get mild abuse to med abuse out of them but in the end they dont like alot of HP. If your going to skimp on some things on the motor i would put that into the trans. Servos and shift kits will only get you so far. I would look at a FLT trans. I got to see mine get built first hand and to meet the guys doing it. There trans are worth every penny. The last thing you want is for the damn thing to take your new converter out with the stock unit. I would give FLT a call and talk it over with chuck or vince or send them a pm.
a convertor and cross my finger lol. I dont want to spend the money for all the upgrades just to have it grenade anyways. And Im not to keen on putting a 4l80e in there for multiple reasons including weight and its ginormous size. I wish I could put a tranzilla in it or a dog gear t56 but like I said I cannot clutch due to my leg being totally Fk'd from having a dumb *** girl not paying attention run head on into me while I was riding my R1 home from work. I have 26 reasons screwed into my hip why I cant have the transmission I really want. Beyond that is there anything I can do to make sure I dont burn it up? The abuse itll recieve will be from torque not from drag racing or launches, I have no interest in hammering on it from a dig so I think Ill be safe(r). Im into road racing so all my performance driving is from a roll. My tranny guy Jim from ATO Transmissions out here in Sacramento told me that with what I plan on doing I just gotta make sure to keep the line pressure up and the temps down anddeal with it. He said that even the 4l65e can only be modified so much and much of the upgrades revolve around strengthening it for drag racng. He said if it gets too bad that I should consider a 4l80e but to ride it out and see how it works. I trust his advise and it will come down to how much torque itll be able to deal with with out it starting to burn up clutches. IF you know of some things I can do to improve its chances lemme know Im all ears.
06-17-2008, 10:29 PM
#13
TECH Fanatic
iTrader: (13)
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Kenosha WI
Posts: 1,102
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I think pistons and rods along with a built trans would be the cheapest i would want to take it. If your making this kind of HP it sucks to break a land on the piston or break a rod and start all over. The cranks are fine for what you want to do with it.
06-17-2008, 10:34 PM
#14
Staging Lane
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 95
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Id like to keep it around 15 lbs max. I have a set of 60# injectors and will be running meth injection. As well Im gonna set it up for Flex-fuel so I can run E85 when given the chance. Custom pistons are gonna be out of my budget for this motor and so is going to an LS1 piston. Then Id have to get new heads, completely tear down the motor and go through all the machining steps. For the cost of this motor Id keep it bone stock and hope for the best before I dropped the amount of money into it to build it up. Hell if it grenades I could replace it with an lq9 and be money ahead. Like I said earlier Im just trying to address the weakspots as best I can. Dont get me wrong, I completely understand the "correct" way to do it but I dont feel like spending the cash to do all that, not on my little 5,3. It costed me 700 dollars and I could blow up alot of engines before it paid me off for all the cool custom stuff.
06-17-2008, 10:40 PM
#15
Staging Lane
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 95
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
thanks for the recommendation, FLT looks like they have pretty reasonable prices. And yes I would be bent to take out the converter if it blew up. Ill give em a call and see what they can do for me.
06-18-2008, 08:38 PM
#17
spend your time and money on a good fuel system and tuning equipment and learn how to tune it. turn it up in small steps and log every run.
our 3200lb fairmont runs mid to high 10's on 92 octane at 8psi. we have made hundreds of runs with race fuel at 10-14psi and it still runs great. at 8psi it should run forever without puting any parts into the motor. the fairmont is completely nuts on the street at 8psi. rolling down the interstate it lite up the tires from a 60mph roll. not sure how much power you really need if your not going to take it to the track.
our 3200lb fairmont runs mid to high 10's on 92 octane at 8psi. we have made hundreds of runs with race fuel at 10-14psi and it still runs great. at 8psi it should run forever without puting any parts into the motor. the fairmont is completely nuts on the street at 8psi. rolling down the interstate it lite up the tires from a 60mph roll. not sure how much power you really need if your not going to take it to the track.
06-19-2008, 09:48 AM
#18
+1 on the trans. i was talking to a tranny guy the other day and was telling me how weak the 4l60E is when you jack up the line pressures and when you do get the parts to hold it is extremly difficult to keep the pressures up and will eventually break. he was extremely knowledgeable guy and said a bunch of specifics i cant remember. he told me he really didnt like building them up cause they are so worthless.
06-19-2008, 05:39 PM
#20
Both Parish and Rick@Synergy have gotten plenty of power out of the stock rotating assembly of a 5.3 so I would say leave the long block alone. At the very least change out the springs but 500rwhp should be good if your tune and fuel is good.
Also I think you'll be fine with the tranny + upgrades. Does a 4L60E break at 500rwhp on our trucks? YES, will it do the same on your chevelle which is 2000lbs lighter than my truck? NO. It's more a combination of HP + weight that kills these and they have proven unreliable for us in our trucks they have proven to hold their own in lighter cars (there are some threads on tech with people who've made them live).
Forged internals are insurance only, and if you are diligent with your tune and fuel you'll be safe.
List of Must have...
Springs
Converter,
Fuel upgrades ($$),
Tuning software,
Sufficient heat exchangers (for tranny, aftercooler, and oil cooler)
Other than that if you drive it like you say (from a roll) you should be good to go, just provide lots of cooling to turbo, tranny and engine.
Here's what Rick at synergy did with his stock bottom end 5.3L, I think he maxed it out at 830 rwhp or something but it is still living after a year as his DD at 12 lbs or 500-600 rwhp.
https://www.performancetrucks.net/fo...d.php?t=399762
Also I think you'll be fine with the tranny + upgrades. Does a 4L60E break at 500rwhp on our trucks? YES, will it do the same on your chevelle which is 2000lbs lighter than my truck? NO. It's more a combination of HP + weight that kills these and they have proven unreliable for us in our trucks they have proven to hold their own in lighter cars (there are some threads on tech with people who've made them live).
Forged internals are insurance only, and if you are diligent with your tune and fuel you'll be safe.
List of Must have...
Springs
Converter,
Fuel upgrades ($$),
Tuning software,
Sufficient heat exchangers (for tranny, aftercooler, and oil cooler)
Other than that if you drive it like you say (from a roll) you should be good to go, just provide lots of cooling to turbo, tranny and engine.
Here's what Rick at synergy did with his stock bottom end 5.3L, I think he maxed it out at 830 rwhp or something but it is still living after a year as his DD at 12 lbs or 500-600 rwhp.
https://www.performancetrucks.net/fo...d.php?t=399762