Bottom End HP Limits
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
From: Shippensburg PA
Bottom End HP Limits
Hello Corvette Mechanics,
I have a 2012 GS (LS3) with a supercharger, blower cam & cam kit, high pressure Mellings oil pump, damper, direct drive belt sys pushing around 750 HP at the crank & 590 RWHP. I am thinking of installing a 100-150 Nitrous system. This is a show car with some street time NOT a race car, so the nitrous will only be used on rare occasions. With the current HP I have no issues.
My questions are I have a stock bottom end:
1. Will it hold up to an occasional shot of 100/150 without doing any rod or rod bolt mods?
2. Are there other issues or mods I should know about?
3. Everything I'm told & read tells me the transaxle should hold up to 800 RWHP. Is this also true of the engines bottom end? With a 100 shot I should be around 670 RW & with 150 around 710 RWHP.
Thanks guys.
I have a 2012 GS (LS3) with a supercharger, blower cam & cam kit, high pressure Mellings oil pump, damper, direct drive belt sys pushing around 750 HP at the crank & 590 RWHP. I am thinking of installing a 100-150 Nitrous system. This is a show car with some street time NOT a race car, so the nitrous will only be used on rare occasions. With the current HP I have no issues.
My questions are I have a stock bottom end:
1. Will it hold up to an occasional shot of 100/150 without doing any rod or rod bolt mods?
2. Are there other issues or mods I should know about?
3. Everything I'm told & read tells me the transaxle should hold up to 800 RWHP. Is this also true of the engines bottom end? With a 100 shot I should be around 670 RW & with 150 around 710 RWHP.
Thanks guys.
Last edited by Don4220; Feb 23, 2017 at 10:58 AM.
Team Owner
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 24,035
Likes: 2,341
From: Gilbert AZ
Why not just spend $80, drop a pulley size and get same effect safer and at a fraction of the cost?
ls3s are typically solid till 800-900rwhp with solid octane/tune.
Transmission depends on which one you have (auto vs manual) and how it is used. If it is a show car that rarely sees power, should have no drive train issues.
If power is your goal, much better ways to do it. If it is a show car and you want the n2o for bling and to look cool, just accept that and do it. Can't hurt anything if you don't use it and keep bottle empty.
ls3s are typically solid till 800-900rwhp with solid octane/tune.
Transmission depends on which one you have (auto vs manual) and how it is used. If it is a show car that rarely sees power, should have no drive train issues.
If power is your goal, much better ways to do it. If it is a show car and you want the n2o for bling and to look cool, just accept that and do it. Can't hurt anything if you don't use it and keep bottle empty.
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
From: Shippensburg PA
Why not just spend $80, drop a pulley size and get same effect safer and at a fraction of the cost?
ls3s are typically solid till 800-900rwhp with solid octane/tune.
Transmission depends on which one you have (auto vs manual) and how it is used. If it is a show car that rarely sees power, should have no drive train issues.
If power is your goal, much better ways to do it. If it is a show car and you want the n2o for bling and to look cool, just accept that and do it. Can't hurt anything if you don't use it and keep bottle empty.
ls3s are typically solid till 800-900rwhp with solid octane/tune.
Transmission depends on which one you have (auto vs manual) and how it is used. If it is a show car that rarely sees power, should have no drive train issues.
If power is your goal, much better ways to do it. If it is a show car and you want the n2o for bling and to look cool, just accept that and do it. Can't hurt anything if you don't use it and keep bottle empty.
Again thanks Unreal
Team Owner
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 24,035
Likes: 2,341
From: Gilbert AZ
IMO, it is far more impressive to have "900hp" without n2o.
Plus, saying you need 900hp to claim 900hp goes against all normal car show rules. You claim whatever you want. Even saying you have 750hp now is a big stretch with 590rwhp. All you can claim is 590rwhp. Applying an old school percent drive train loss to get crank HP has been disproven time and time again. 590 to 750 is a 25%+ estimated loss.
My car dynoed 1200rwhp, but I don't tell people it makes 1500hp.
You will have to address fuel system to up your numbers unless you run a dedicated n2o fuel cell so there is no additional load on the fuel system.
Plus, saying you need 900hp to claim 900hp goes against all normal car show rules. You claim whatever you want. Even saying you have 750hp now is a big stretch with 590rwhp. All you can claim is 590rwhp. Applying an old school percent drive train loss to get crank HP has been disproven time and time again. 590 to 750 is a 25%+ estimated loss.
My car dynoed 1200rwhp, but I don't tell people it makes 1500hp.
You will have to address fuel system to up your numbers unless you run a dedicated n2o fuel cell so there is no additional load on the fuel system.
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
From: Shippensburg PA
IMO, it is far more impressive to have "900hp" without n2o.
Plus, saying you need 900hp to claim 900hp goes against all normal car show rules. You claim whatever you want. Even saying you have 750hp now is a big stretch with 590rwhp. All you can claim is 590rwhp. Applying an old school percent drive train loss to get crank HP has been disproven time and time again. 590 to 750 is a 25%+ estimated loss.
My car dynoed 1200rwhp, but I don't tell people it makes 1500hp.
You will have to address fuel system to up your numbers unless you run a dedicated n2o fuel cell so there is no additional load on the fuel system.
Plus, saying you need 900hp to claim 900hp goes against all normal car show rules. You claim whatever you want. Even saying you have 750hp now is a big stretch with 590rwhp. All you can claim is 590rwhp. Applying an old school percent drive train loss to get crank HP has been disproven time and time again. 590 to 750 is a 25%+ estimated loss.
My car dynoed 1200rwhp, but I don't tell people it makes 1500hp.
You will have to address fuel system to up your numbers unless you run a dedicated n2o fuel cell so there is no additional load on the fuel system.
Anyone that knows anything about car shows and displaying mods knows that BOTH HP & RWHP is most always displayed. As for car shows rules it is pretty stupid to display info that is not true because when you get called out by someone that knows what they are talking about you either flat out lie or you explain what you have. I am not a liar and I've been one to call people out. As for a fake n2o setup I am not going there.
As for car show experience and awards comparisons I am not going to go there either.
Have a good day!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 7,405
Likes: 353
From: New Castle Del.
St. Jude Donor '09
It can be done but your tuner better be on point..... 100-150 is high on a forced induction car already. 75 shot will prob gain you 125+HP... If you need anything let me know. You arent too far from me.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 14,999
Likes: 200
From: Bay Area Ca.
Kaboom....
Sorry OP just could not resist.
My feeling is to be better prepared and do it right, build up the drive train and engine parts.
The built engine specs look sexy too.
On the cheap , well looks cheap. Just saying when reading the car's specs at the show.
Either way good luck and have fun.
Sorry OP just could not resist.
My feeling is to be better prepared and do it right, build up the drive train and engine parts.
The built engine specs look sexy too.
On the cheap , well looks cheap. Just saying when reading the car's specs at the show.
Either way good luck and have fun.
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 876
Likes: 116
From: HOMESTEAD FL
Thanks Unreal for all the great info. I am going after the WOW factor for at car shows but I also want to be able to advertise the HP at 900. However I could not do that unless it actually had 900 HP. I also may use the n2o on very rare occasions. Also I would have it tuned.
Again thanks Unreal
Again thanks Unreal
I agree with the pulley swap... In the end it would be more reliable and you would never run out of it...
Good luck with what ever you chose.
SPEED SAFE, NICK
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 853
Likes: 57
From: Joisey
LS3 @ 10.7:1 CR on boost with a 150 shot?
Trust me, there's more to worry about than the bottom end.
You'll have to de-tune it so much to avoid detonation I doubt you'll gain 50hp at the wheels.
Just go with a 50 to get the bling factor and save your pistons.
IMO...
Trust me, there's more to worry about than the bottom end.
You'll have to de-tune it so much to avoid detonation I doubt you'll gain 50hp at the wheels.
Just go with a 50 to get the bling factor and save your pistons.
IMO...
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 3,962
Likes: 64
Hello Corvette Mechanics,
I have a 2012 GS (LS3) with a supercharger, blower cam & cam kit, high pressure Mellings oil pump, damper, direct drive belt sys pushing around 750 HP at the crank & 590 RWHP. I am thinking of installing a 100-150 Nitrous system. This is a show car with some street time NOT a race car, so the nitrous will only be used on rare occasions. With the current HP I have no issues.
My questions are I have a stock bottom end:
1. Will it hold up to an occasional shot of 100/150 without doing any rod or rod bolt mods?
2. Are there other issues or mods I should know about?
3. Everything I'm told & read tells me the transaxle should hold up to 800 RWHP. Is this also true of the engines bottom end? With a 100 shot I should be around 670 RW & with 150 around 710 RWHP.
Thanks guys.
I have a 2012 GS (LS3) with a supercharger, blower cam & cam kit, high pressure Mellings oil pump, damper, direct drive belt sys pushing around 750 HP at the crank & 590 RWHP. I am thinking of installing a 100-150 Nitrous system. This is a show car with some street time NOT a race car, so the nitrous will only be used on rare occasions. With the current HP I have no issues.
My questions are I have a stock bottom end:
1. Will it hold up to an occasional shot of 100/150 without doing any rod or rod bolt mods?
2. Are there other issues or mods I should know about?
3. Everything I'm told & read tells me the transaxle should hold up to 800 RWHP. Is this also true of the engines bottom end? With a 100 shot I should be around 670 RW & with 150 around 710 RWHP.
Thanks guys.
Ill take my gxp or ss to him to get that treatment WHEN I can stop buying cars and make one of them badaSS
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
From: Shippensburg PA
Bottom End Limits
I would like to discuss this further with you if you are available, how and when and I get in touch with you.
thanks