'96LT4Ayala

My LT4 right now has American Racing headers, an x-pipe and Borla exhaust mufflers.
I would like to build it up to around 500hp to the wheels.
I plan on doing heads and cam soon, do you guys have any suggestions on what else I should look into?
Im pretty new to this so Im somewhat lost and just want advice and opinions from others in the LT4 C4 Corvette community.
I was also wondering if doing getting an E85 kit would be good, there is a gas station that sells it right next to where I live. Ive also heard that a gears mod would be good for this car.
I know this is going to cost quite a bit of money, so its going to take some time. Just wanting to make a list of mods and start checking things off one by one as money allows!
Thanks in advanced!

QCVette

500 to the wheels is a lot.

Most builds on LT1/LT4 won't get there.

I would start looking at supercharging.

Good luck.

BacknBlack

Forged bottom end and forced induction. You could install H/C plus a 100 shot.

SurfnSun

There was a 475rwhp build on here. Can't remember the member's name right now.

SurfnSun

here you go...

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...t=Dry+sump+lt4

383vett

I'm not sure why there is such an obsession on dyno numbers.. To me they are just arbitrary numbers. I would just put together the best parts for your budget that should result in a good, strong running and reliable motor. When you are done, dyno it if you want; I would run it at the strip,. If you like your numbers, then go and brag all you want. If they are not to your satisfaction and you want your car to run faster then start gathering other parts that will satisfy what you are trying to,achieve; gears, suspension,, tires etc. or is you are still dwelling on dyno numbers, nitrous or whatever. Just my .02.

Svante

I did my N/A 383 ltx build 5-6 years ago,

Dynoed 414rwhp and 413rwtq out of a minor modified th700. We got some transmission/tq converter slip in the higher rpms ( 5500rpm ) so we had to stop. But with everything i order it should be in the 500ish area to the wheels.

The cars runs hard and i have had no problems with it during this time. I do most of the driving on the street with some street race from time to time ( no big tires ).

Engine specs:
Lt1 4-bolt -1992
383 stroker 12:1 compression ratio.
Forged SRP Professional lightweight pistons
Compstar H-profile rods
Scat 4340 crank.
AFR CNC Eliminator 195cc heads ( flows 301cfm@650 ) with the 8000 springs and Titanium retainers.
Aftermarket ECU ( Autronic SM4 )
Modified Gen 1 single plane intake, homebuilt elbow with aftermarket
Optispark replaced with a scorcher distributor for cam/crank trigger.
4" throttle body.
1,6:1 roller rockers
Isky solid roller lifters
GM performance Lt4 camdrive.
4000rpm stall converter with lock-up
3.73 gears
Camshaft: 278/286-248/254-.621/.607-108LSA solid roller
96lbs Accel injectors
Runs on E85

It sure pulls great and has a snappy character, revlimit is at 7500rpm.

/Svante.

LT1inaMGB

Put a 383 forged kit in it and a Vortech supercharger with 8-10 lbs boost and you will easily be there. I have a 350 with a Vortech at 8 lbs and it made 470 to the wheels with a fairly mild 220/230 cam and a somewhat restrictive exhaust. The best part is the torque, 490 at the tires.

vette196

elliottsportworks.com

Torque converter and gears like you mentioned

Like someone said nice goal (500hp), but it doesn't have to be an end all

rklessdriver

I built an LTX bases engine for CF member 93 ragtop that made over 460RWHP. Through an automatic transmission and 3000 stall.... Would probably be close to 480-500 with a 6spd transmission but honestly I'd put more stock in how an engine performs in the real world than just dyno numbers... and make no mistake 93 ragtops car is pretty FAST. Espc considering its an otherwise stock 93 Convertible with a good engine that's not even a serious all out type build. Engine is very tame and has exellent manners on the street. No hidden magic here, its just a street car, nothing secret and I disclosed everything about the engine and car in the following threads. It wasn't built to hit any certain number, just to make as much power and go as fast as I could given the gears and TQ converter he already had and provide driveablility similar to what his previous engine - a stock LT1 bottom end, heads and hot cam had. Even still uses the archaic speed density 1993 ecm....

Engine build thread.

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums/c4-tech-performance/3057610-the-build-of-my-new-motor.html

Dyno thread.

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums/c4-tech-performance/3195868-dyno-results-are-in.html

1st track outing.... yes it's been faster since.

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums/c4-tech-performance/3240338-93-ragtop-takes-it-to-the-track.html

I will say to do better, I think you are going to have some seriously compromised driveability and manners on the street. N/A anyway.... Forced Induction is another story.
Will

STL94LT1

If You are keeping the stock lower end ~400 rwhp may be a more realistic goal. My heads/cam LT1 makes 375 rwhp, runs really strong, and has trapped 119 mph.

96 lt-4

My old 383 LT4 had AFR 195 heads and a mild hyd roller (232*/236*)and put down 441 rwhp through a 6 speed.With 4.10 gears it was plenty quick and the cam wasn't too wild but I still wouldn't want to drive it daily in stop and go traffic.

Bottom line is how much do you want to spend?Mine wasn't cheap.

anesthes

Big power N/a builds usually drive like turds in traffic.

I always try to go on the small side camshaft wise and just make it up with a lot of boost. A supercharged car in traffic drives like a stock car.

The 383 gets people into trouble too, because the engine likes to swallow up the cam in terms of powerband, so you often go with a larger cam to get more RPM out of it. But the larger cam off idle and midrange still drives poorly. My 412" is even worse, to get it to spin to 6,000 RPM I had to run a larger cam (224/236) which makes it horrible down low.


-- Joe

rocco16

I agree with the supercharging/forged lower end guys.
You're looking at a 200hp increase....figure on about a $10,000 budget when all is said and done....not including any drivetrain upgrades.

Remember, you'll most likely be wanting to upgrade your clutch and U-joints, and maybe axles....then there's a new radiator and waterpump to handle the increased thermal load. Oh, and new motor mounts and suspension bushings. ....and better brakes to cope with the new-found speed.
The list goes on.
and on
and on

5abivt

Its possible but for the same budget to build an na ltx to 500rwp you can save quite a bit and just go forged and boost and double the rwhp AND have manners driving around town.

My builder has done several. mine only made 574 because he had no ecm setup for it etc and had to run a dual plane manifold while the entire build was designed and planned to go 8k rpm. Mine uses gm lt4 heads and intake and we expect 'around' 600 crank with the gutted short runner lt4 manifold. Should make 500+ rwhp but it will not idle well or drive well at low rpm with over .700 lift and 260s duration and a 107 lsa . But to me its perfectly streetable because my car is also about the look and sound and I don't care if it shuts off idling in traffic .

for the same money or less one could easilt hit 1000rwhp out of an lt1 built for boost as ellwein has done (1008 rwhp ere 46 I think)

check out his page, one ltx with aftermarket heads and single plane hit 650 crank.

http://www.ellweinengines.com/

xxSwizz21

Late to the party, build list/ link to build? Looks great.
​​​​

cv67

Click on his username and search his threads. This one is 4 yrs old.

xxSwizz21

Thanks for the heads up, new to the site too just figuring it out lol

STL94LT1

Wow, I haven't been here in a while. At work right now. Will give you a detailed answer to your question sometime this weekend.

LT1 stock short block
CNC ported stock cylinder heads, Patriot dual valve springs/titanium retainers, TrickFlow pushrod guides/chromemoly pushrods
Comp Cams custom grind 224/230 605/622 112+2
Comp Cams Pro Magnum 1.6 non self aligning rockers
Impala SS head gaskets, ARP head bolts
AS&M 52mm throttle body
Exotic Muscle long tube headers, Dynatech PowerCats
FIC 33# injectors
Meziere HD electric water pump
Cloyes double roller timing set
Dana 4.10 gears