JoeNova

Went to the dyno to diagnose a fuel pressure drop so I unhooked the boost controller to run wastegate only.
559 horsepower at the wheels through a TH400 and a Dana 36 on just 8 PSI, with a little tire smoke up top.
Have had it over 20 PSI. Hoping to go back at make ~850 at the wheels on my next trip on 18 PSI.


240k mile stock 4.8 I bought for $200 and swapped in with $30 adapter plates, stock L98 mounts, and a $100 LS1 oil pan.
$450 cam and valve spring set. Cam is a carb spec cam and was told it would never work (LOL).
$1500 Quad turbo setup, roughly equal to two 76mm turbos.
Still gets 22 mpg cruising on E85.


How long before the Dana 36 finally craps out? And how quick/fast can I go before it does?
If it ever stops raining on track days I should find out soon.

84 4+3

559 through a 400 is pretty badass. Those suck down power a lot.

slow_zo6

Nice!
inb4 diZwiz posts some retarded a$$ comment as usual
😬

Krusty84

Not possible!!!
LS swaps cost millions!!!
Millions I tell you!!!

93 ragtop

Those are some impressive numbers!!! FWIW I believe the 400 trans will be easier on the dana 36 then the 700r4, due to a first gear of 2.48? vs 3.06.

84 4+3

I mean I'd have thrown some bearings in it being it's at 248k but hey, that's me.... they cost millions right?

JoeNova

With the 40 PSI of idle oil pressure and just how simple it turned over by hand with the plugs out, I had zero reason to even consider replacing the bearings.
I've pulled apart 350k mile LS engines with bearings that looked like they had just been broken in.
The bottom end has never been apart. I didn't even gap the rings.

dizwiz24

Huh? You started it

Not to take away from the OP’s achievement but throw that $1500 turbo setup on a 5.7 liter optispark lt1 (with afr heads that flow ls3 numbers) and youd prob make 650-700 rwhp.

dizwiz24

Nice job and you followed my build motto:
invest in the top end / spend minimally on the bottom end (which you did) !

I see so many people spend $10k on a motor to make like 375 rwhp at best.

I like your style

JoeNova

I would like to know what heads you're getting for an LT1 that flow as much as LS3 heads.

I'd also like to know how many stock LT1s are surviving at 700whp.

I have about 400whp more to go before I even have to worry about my 4.8.

84 4+3

Nice. I pulled apart a 00 5.7 vortec that was the same and a couple of LSs. Some are good some are bad. The 6.0 in the escalade idles around 20 psi but makes 40 at 2000 so I'm not worried that much. (300k) the Sierras 6.0 idles around 50 (after the **** pump builds pressure on a cold start) and wot is around 80 there. Pretty much anything decently taken care of with modern fuel injection is generally good well beyond 200k. I'm a safe than sorry kind of guy and have seen way to many friends blow their swap first or second pass so I'd rather not chance it. My luck is **** anyway lol.

What are you speculating she'll run? If its low 800 whp is expect you'll be approaching 9s at least before the 36 implodes... if you get that far even, considering how weak I've heard they are.

Pwnage1337

GM saw this post and decided to start building OptiSparks again

I'm about 3 million into mine

JoeNova

The car weighs 2400 lbs and had a trans brake, traction control, and multiple launch control fuel/spark/boost strategies. The current power level should score me easy 10.20s babying it off the line for the sake of the D36.

dizwiz24

Yeah i was answering slowz06 - not trying to troll this achievement of yours. Im impressed.

i have decided a different (more expensive :sickface) path. Im seeing what the limits of the stock lt1 are.

afr makes comp ported eliminator 195 heads (for lt1) that flow (stock) ls3 numbers. They are available in a range of cc sizes to tailor your CR to whatever boost you are running. I bought like 62? (Cant remember) cc heads which worked out to 9.7:1 static CR.

the weak point of my build is the p600b blower which i am spinning the crap out of (and heating up the air) to build 12 psi boost at 6500 rpm (redline).

turbos would be way better.


let me know how this thing drives off-boost (does it have plenty of grunt still with 4.8 vs 5.7) . That would be my only concern.

great job on this. Im subscribed.

JoeNova

Lots of part throttle torque. It will spin out just blipping the throttle around a corner with traction control off. Taking off from a light at just low enough throttle that it won't build boost, it will outrun an L98 C4 taking off wide open. I'm not sure about the LT1/LT4 cars since mine was an L98 originally.

Being able to rev the stock 4.8 out to 7200 helps tremendously with that 2.48 first gear and 3.07 rear.

84 4+3

Nice. What kind of stall you running? That will help too having a loose converter. You planning on going 44 when it goes or something else?

JoeNova

It flashes 3200 on the brake. It's actually a pretty tight converter. If it had a traditional stall rating, it would probably be a 2600 stall converter.

knikula

Do you have a link to that oil pan handy? I suppose I'll need a different pick up tube also from the 2002 5.3L that I'm starting with...

84 4+3

For as high as it revs that is tight. I would have expected 3600 or so. Bumping the converter around town or not too bad? Interesting combo that works well I guess.

JoeNova

Search Ebay. The pan alone is 100 new.
You'll have to get the pickup tube too.