question regarding nathans motor
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 2,437
Likes: 1
From: Gainesville Fl
question regarding nathans motor
hes putting out a peak of 379rwhp. very very respectable. i would very much like to reach 400rwhp with my LT4. it looks like with all nathans mods that hasnt left much out in the way of easy HP. but im wondering about how much HP he would gain with two specific other things...
if he started out with an LT4 like mine he would be running a higher compression to begine with... also he would be running a better intake manifold...
he raised his compression.3:1 by adding the impala head gaskets.
i am already running 10.8:1 CR so if i did those gaskets i should be running 11.1:1CR, thats a little bit more than his.(does anybody know a rule of thumb for how much HP equals .1:1 compression raise?)
also one more thing is the clutch. nathan is still running a dual mass flywheel clutch.
if he switched over to a single mass flywheel clutchi have heard that frees up quite a bit of HP as well.
anyone have any thoughts on this?
i would really like to reach 400rwhp with my LT4
if he started out with an LT4 like mine he would be running a higher compression to begine with... also he would be running a better intake manifold...
he raised his compression.3:1 by adding the impala head gaskets.
i am already running 10.8:1 CR so if i did those gaskets i should be running 11.1:1CR, thats a little bit more than his.(does anybody know a rule of thumb for how much HP equals .1:1 compression raise?)
also one more thing is the clutch. nathan is still running a dual mass flywheel clutch.
if he switched over to a single mass flywheel clutchi have heard that frees up quite a bit of HP as well.
anyone have any thoughts on this?
i would really like to reach 400rwhp with my LT4
Last edited by 1996man; Oct 14, 2004 at 06:47 PM.
Elite Torch Red Member
Joined: Sep 1999
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From: Exit 89 GSP,Lakewood,NJ The Land Of Mojo
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St. Jude Donor '03-'04-'05-'06-'07
Nathan Plemons? Geez, my stock LT1 is putting 285 to the wheels, you must mean 379?
His car is much quicker and more powerful than mine.
His car is much quicker and more powerful than mine.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,485
Likes: 2
From: Champaign, IL
St. Jude Donor '05
I followed pretty much what Nathan did - I also added in the Fidanza flywheel. My car will be together this week and I'm going to dyno it at the first possible opportunity so I'll let you know what happens! 
Safety Car
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 4,283
Likes: 0
From: Houston Texas
Isn't he running a hot cam? If you go with about the same amount of porting as his LT1's as on your Lt4 heads and use a more aggressive cam then you can probably reach your goal. I don't know if your remember the post with the camaro guys saying they were getting 400 plus with their head cam packages ( LT1) and had dyno proof. They were using some pretty stout cams.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 17,298
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From: The Top of Utah
Originally Posted by 1996man
(does anybody know a rule of thumb for how much HP equals .1:1 compression raise?)
RACE ON!!!
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 2,437
Likes: 1
From: Gainesville Fl
i guess i may just have to talk to GMPP, crane cams, and comp cams when i decide to do a cam swap and see what they suggest.
i also need to consider joining some Fbody forums.
i also need to consider joining some Fbody forums.
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Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 2,437
Likes: 1
From: Gainesville Fl
Originally Posted by Timmy!
Just use a little bit bigger of a cam and you should be able to get there.
like i said i will just have to talk to some places like crane cams and such and see what they say i guess.
does anyone know if i did my math wrong or what in that compression formula? i show a lot higher than a 3-4hp gain for 3 points compression raise
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 3,655
Likes: 24
From: Charleston SC
Nathan is running 1.7s now but he started with 1.6s. My point is he added the 1.7s to increase power with his existing cam but it is getting to the radical side of valve train geometry. If you have not bought a cam yet figure out what lift you want using 1.5-1.6 Rocker arms and you wont need to use the 1.7s in the first place. 
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 6,595
Likes: 1
From: Thornton CO
All the 1.7's do is increase the lift of the cam. Just get a cam with bigger lift and then you can run 1.6's or 1.5's. BoulderLT4 has what sounds to be like a pretty nice cam that would put you close to 400rwhp with the heads and other stuff you have:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/showthread.php?t=901626
The LT4 Hot Cam is not the end all/be all cam. There's plenty of other choices out there! It's a very good proven performer, but so are some others.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/showthread.php?t=901626
The LT4 Hot Cam is not the end all/be all cam. There's plenty of other choices out there! It's a very good proven performer, but so are some others.