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I got a 2008 Corvette Z51 with LS3 motor and 6M transmission and 20k miles stock.
I am making a decision between modding staying N/A..or Boost.
I hate things that are not reliable, simple. I would want to mod my car without scarfing reliability.
anyway I was thinking if I stay N/A most likely there are no major upgrades required as I won't be making creasy power (target say 470RWHP ) and with upgraded valve springs, transmission coolers and liquid coolers the car should still be solid and reliable.
If I go the Boost route.. what are the things that would need to be strengthened?
I mean Am I wrong in assuming I would need new/strenghten Tranny/new diff, clutch and all those extras?
Actually I think if you went boosted you would get everything your looking for with increased reliability... You would not even need to go into the engine. Just bolt on 8lbs of boost and enjoy!
Making the same power NA would require you to go more radical with the camshaft and supporting mods. There are several supercharger kits that would get you exactly what your looking for.
Keep us posted, I have yet to decide if I'm going boosted or NA... I have always leaned towards NA but at the end of the day, the boosted cars make more power and are quicker!
The boosted will be your most reliable way. I would stay around the 4 - 6 lbs of boost. There would be nothing to change except adding the blower. This would more than achieve the HP you are looking for. it would cost a little more initially. You will have lots of room to grow. The NA route i think would involve a CAI, long tube headers, cam, and valve springs. The size of the cam may depend if you will need to replace valve springs at a regular interval. You will need a tune either way you go. Good luck in your endeavor for the never ending quest of more HP.
I think starting n/a would be a good way to go. You get a nice sound that alot of people dont have with a cam, lts and a cat back system. I started off with getting full bolt ons, then installed a cam with the trunion upgrade and everything else. Next 2 upgrades will be ported heads and the 102 lsx intake. By February ill have a supercharger. IMO i think its best to start at the root of the engine and work your way out, so so that way you have some great supporting mods. But thats just me.
The supercharger route will sound nothing like a H/C/I/E car which in my opinion sounds like sweet music, although the supercharge car will put a little more hp depending on corresponding parts exhaust etc and tune and pulley. Either or, both are reliable if tuned right. A budget build H/C/I/E can be done for 5k area installed that is picking the budget stuff but still does awesome at making numbers and still make 470 rwhp +.. A supercharged is 6-8k installed with good numbers but that is just it no header etc unless you want to drop some more $$$.
Long tube headers, 2.75" pulley, and a re-tune, your at around 650HP, all without having to break the motor down to swap internal parts on it.
yes but at those power levels other things will begin to fail sooner than later if kept stock, like transmission, differential, pistons rods?.. right? or I can assume stock drivetrain is solid for 100k even when boosted?
Essesntially it would become a much more expensive build no?
yes but at those power levels other things will begin to fail sooner than later if kept stock, like transmission, differential, pistons rods?.. right? or I can assume stock drivetrain is solid for 100k even when boosted?
Essesntially it would become a much more expensive build no?
Stock clutch will hold to 450RWHP, LS7 clutch will hold around 550RWHP, so might have to upgrade that a LS-9 clutch or better if you are going to be stripping the car. What the engine is making, verses what the rear wheel HP is, is less; including how much power the TM is holding back as well. And yes, even the ZR-1 has it power pulled back to make in to make it street drivable. So at 600hp out of the motor, you will be seeing around 540 to the Rear wheels on a dyno pull at WOT, but the power delivery is smoothed out in the TM so the drive line can hold up.
As for the drive line, you still going to use the TM to hobble down some of that power as the revs are coming up so you don't shatter the drive line ( this is part of the Eforce OEM tune, so don't return that out).
Note, wheel hoop the car and nothing is going to save you from snapping parts, since even wheel hopping a stock vet will end up with your shattering drive line parts.
As for engine and a blower, your not going buck wild with boost pressure, so the engine will hold up just fine, even with the 2 3/4" pulley. As for an even smaller pulley to try to create more boost pressure, not going to happen with the E force, and all you end up is creating more heat instead.
To be blunt, not sure if you have even tuned your stock car, but with the TM retuned to put all the power to the tires on demand, you will have your hands full with just the stock 400 plus HP you already have.
I would start with just a tune, then decide if you really need all that extra HP. I state this, since even the Z06 is a hand full on any circuit road course, and with the ZR-1, it becomes at what degree your going to keep the Nanny's on instead so you don't end up in a sideways into a ditch/just burning the rubber off the tires in a few laps.
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
C4 of Year Winner (performance mods) 2019
Do the blower. Don't need anything other than the kit (A&A is what I used, but there's also ECS and Procharger). I went from 407RWHP to 575RWHP with no other mods, and the car is awesome! Drives like stock when I'm not on it, and is a beast when I floor it. As to the clutch, I'd just run it with the existing one until it gives out (if it does give out). Chris from Callaway has a 2010 GS with their blower package that has over 200K miles and is still on the original clutch. And if you really want the lope, put a blower cam in and make even more power!
BTW, here's the graph of pre/post blower on mine (and this was with it pulling some timing due to being hot and on it's 5th dyno pull after tuning):
All the stock equipment will hold up to 650. This is about the max you want to go with stock internals. The trans and diff will hold together with no problem unless you going to run slicks and try for a 1.2 60 foot. All things will start breaking. The stock clutch will most likely be the first to go. The introduction of the LS3 started to use the LS7 clutch and fuel pump on the base model. You always need to remember that which burns brighter will burn out faster.
You always need to remember that which burns brighter will burn out faster.
Semi agree with that, being that the engine for the most part is run around 2K, and with more power, you tend to spend more time at higher RPMS instead, wearing the engine out faster.
But Blower at safe pressure levels, meth kit, and correct tuning, should insure that you still get the max life out of the stock motor. Where most blower motors go south, is not the correct tuning and meth protection instead (why guys blow up motors with Nos since they don't tune for them correctly).
upgrades required N/A vs boost??
