This thread will be more my thought process, and hopefully someone who is educated can chime in. But I have been dealing with a mental block of adding power when you live/drive/race at elevation. It's common knowledge that at a higher elevation (DA- Density Altitude) that engines make less power than at sea level, especially NA cars. When you go to a shop or anywhere with a dyno, there is a correction factor, and the whp/wtq numbers are adjusted to account for that DA increase.

Where I am getting caught up is planning to make more power, do you use the adjusted whp/wtq numbers to know you are pushing your engine to the limits (LS7 -> 750hp ish due to pistons/sleeves), or do you use un-adjusted dyno numbers?

Currently the Heads/Cam setup on my LS7 is the perfect amount of power for street driving, spirited mountain carving, etc.... but I do want more power. I have gone back and forth on F/I or nitrous, and have always loved the idea of a nitrous fed LS7. Where my above question comes into play is, do I add a nitrous system based on making 575whp (roughly 665hp crank)? And add a 75-100 shot, knowing that at sea level, it would be at the mechanical limits of the engine? Or can I add a 150-200 shot, knowing that I lose close to 15-20% horsepower? (Based on altitude, temp, altimeter readings, and humidity)

The above question also applies to a supercharger as well.

Thank you all for the input, hope this question makes sense

 

SAE is 0 DA at 77 degrees
STD is 0 DA at 60 degrees
UNCORRECTED is reality

No one uses uncorrected because everything is based on comparison. Is your combo better, worse or on par with someone else. With everyone usually basing everything from SAE then those are the numbers I would personally use. When people say the motor is good to 650whp and past that you pull the pin on the grenade its based from SAE. I'm a fan of both of those power adders and have used both of those power adders. With the LS7 having those weak points I would suggest a centrifugal supercharger setup and add meth. Nitrous is awesome but it does hammer the SBE on the hit much harder then the centri does.

 

You definitely answered the way I was expecting, especially if I ever left CO and drive elsewhere, where I would be SOL on a higher nitrous spray. With a centrifugal SC, it's safer, will "auto adjust" to altitude, and I'll always be safe.

Just like I said, I've loved the idea of nitrous LS7, with a progressive controller and WOT controller, to help with that intial shock. But it just keeps making me think long term and investment of the SC being better

Thank you for the input

 

With the cost of the nitrous kit, bottle , progressive controller, wot controller, heater, purge, bracket and timing controller your not far away from what a used or new centri setup goes for.... and then there is bottle fills vs power there all the time. Some people hate the timing boxes and some love them. Alot of people tune for nitrous which means switching tunes and plugs from NA to Nitrous. Where with the Centri you change the plugs and tune for boost then leave it alone.