Katech Twin-turbo LT5 Makes Over 1,300 Horsepower on the Dyno

Katech twin-turbo LT5 is restricted only by the limits of the engine dyno it’s being tested on.

Katech is one of the global leaders in high performance Chevrolet engines, with their work powering Corvette Racing to wins in some of the biggest endurance races around the world. In addition to building the engines of America’s most successful endurance racing team, the Michigan-based firm offers a variety of upgrade packages for the road-going General Motors engines.

Recently, Katech assembled a custom twin turbocharged setup for the new Corvette ZR1’s LT5 V8 with their own standalone fuel system and they showcased the whole process on the company’s official YouTube channel. In fact, the twin turbo LT5 made so much power that the dynamometer was maxed out, meaning that this engine could likely make even more power on a dyno with a higher limit.

The video above begins with a look at the team assembling the bottom end of the LT5. We watch as the pistons are placed in the block, followed by the cylinder heads and the valve train components. It appears as though the stock camshaft is still in the block when the assembly begins, as the timing chain is in place when the heads go on. Once the valve covers have been bolted up, the engine stand is rolled into Katech’s dyno room.

Once in the dyno room, the Katech team had to fabricate an entire exhaust system for the LT5 V8 starting with the manifolds, followed by the massive Precision Turbo turbochargers and the exhaust system that routes the fumes out of the room. Of course, the team also had to fabricate all of the charge piping, including the huge water-to-air intercoolers and the waste gates.

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Finally, the Katech Xtreme-DI 3600 fuel system was tasked with providing the E85 to the hungry, boosted engine and only the stock direct injection points were used for the build. After a lengthy process, the LT5 had a full, functioning twin turbo system and it was time for the dyno pulls.

The second portion of this video is the best part, giving us two chances to listen to the twin turbo LT5 in action. The first pull is solid, with the engine speed slowly increasing per SAE standards, resulting in 1,206.6 horsepower and 1,130.2 lb-ft of torque using the J-607 standards. Mind you, the stock Corvette ZR1 offers 755 horsepower and 715 lb-ft of torque with the factory-installed supercharger seutp.

On the second run, some tuning adjustments were made and the engine was pushed a bit harder, laying down a whopping 1,308.5 horsepower and 1,097 lb-ft of torque. On this run, boost levels were regulated through the peak torque range due to the limit of the dyno, meaning that this engine has even more left in the tank while setting the E85 record for  a Gen 5 GM small block.

With any luck, Katech will put this engine in a new Corvette ZR1 are offer up plenty of video, but in the meantime, crank up your speakers and enjoy this footage of the twin turbo LT5 in action.

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Patrick Rall

"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.

"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.

"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.

"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.

"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.

"Being based on Detroit," says Rall, "I never miss the North American International Auto Show, the Woodward Dream Cruise and Roadkill Nights, along with spending plenty of time raising hell on Detroit's Woodward Avenue with the best muscle car crowd in the world.

Rall can be contacted at QuickMirada@Yahoo.com