ArcticWhite

I apologize, this is likely a long story. I have a 2014 stingray that I had collected all the parts for in order to install an LT4 blower: All factory LT4 parts, adapter plates and IAT harness, LT4 injectors, LT4 HPFP, haltech intake, vented catch can. Was going to buy some kind of low side fuel solution as well. The plan was to work on this over the winter.

So, about a week before I was going to park the car, I started getting a vibration at 2000rpm. It always happens at 2000rpm and it happens when moving or stopped, in or out of gear. Pretty sure it is the torque tube.

If I am going through the work of pulling the long tube headers and I believe you have to either do something with front or rear cradle to get the torque tube out, I am leaning to just pulling the engine. If I am going to go through the work of pulling the engine, I am now thinking forged rotating assembly, heads and cam. I always wanted to do heads/cam + blower to the vette, but the work of pulling the engine led me to saying I'll compromise and just put the blower on. Now that I am into pulling the engine, I may as well make the engine bullet proof and do the heads/cam as well.

Now, that then gets me to: I will have a stout engine, and have one that can flow a lot of air with heads/cam, but will now be limited because the factory LT4 blower really is limited. I am basically wasting all the work put into the engine by using a small blower.

So, then I thought I'll sell the LT4 setup and buy an F1A/X/? blower setup. Likely around a $5K difference from the blower parts I have now.

I would really like to get to around 900 to 1000rwhp if I am going to get into a full build. Not because I race all the time or have a timeslip in mind. More because I said once in my life I want to own a 1000hp car. However this does not necessarily have to be the one and I have other toys that I enjoy right now.

I would like to do all the work myself (I've assembled many engines), except I would use a local shop to clean up the cylinders (likely minimal bore with a torque plate) and true the crank journals and deck. Car is a wet sump. Also not sure if I should be trying to change to dry sump.

So, with this in mind, I have the following questions:

1. What shop would you recommend to supply the heads/cam? I would be looking at getting LT4 ported heads with matched cam. Thinking I could likely get to my goals without after market heads. Likely need the LT4 heads as I only have 91 available and would likely build engine to 10.5:1. Would also want to delete VVT and DOD.

2. What rods/pistons are recommended? Recommended supplier?

3. Is stock crank recommended with these goals?

4. What blower kit would be recommended given the goals?

5. What is recommended for fuel? Add on port injection kit? If I do that, what do I need for low side fuel? The disclaimer on the Fore site of having to pre-prime the pump all the time and never remote start the car is a PITA that I do not want. This car will be regularly driven.

I'm looking for any recommendations for the above, as well as any comments on this overall direction. I know I could just do drop in pistons and use everything that I have right now and call it a day and be WAY cheaper. However if the engine comes out, I am absolutely doing heads/cam. If I do that, how limited will I be with the LT4 blower? Any other setup recommendations?

Thanks!

robert miller

Man save your money keep the parts that you have put that 5,k into the other parts that are more app to brake in the car with 800 plus rwhp under the hood. Believe me when I tell you that on this REALLY NO NEED in 1,k rwhp in a car on the street that for sure will not hook up & all you are going to do is keep breaking part after parts in a 1,k plus vette. The vette is just not a really good car from the factory that is going to hood up that much rwhp MORE SO here big $$$ for a good set up in rear end & transmission to help it to hook up. I mean here a reg car cheap per say for a 4 link set up & a ford 9 inch rear set up.

Put your money in trans parts auto are stick car, axles, & half shafts, You get my point here I hope. You will be very happy with a 800 plus rwhp car on the street for sure. How I know this c5 with RHS 427 build motor 30,k plus, just in the motor of that build,, with a F1X blower, & every after market part on the car to hold ARE try to hold it together. Almost 1300 rwhp in it & no way on earth on any street tire would it half azz get traction had to paddle the crap out of it on the street.

I did more roll racing at 45 to 70 from a roll with the car with guys... Track tire on a good prep track & a non DOT tire totally diff story. Robert

ArcticWhite

Thanks for the insight. I do agree with most of what you are saying. I really didn't provide background, but I have had cars in the 600 to 700rwhp. I had an all motor 600rwhp C5 which is still my favorite, most fun street car. The throttle response and control on that car was amazing, and 600 on the street was a blast. I am currently building an 800rwhp + CTSV. I don't drive my cars that hard and they all tend to hold up. Where I live there are lots of long, straight deserted highways were you can at times take the risk and feel the acceleration into the higher speeds.

I would be happy 800rwhp but the factory LT4 blower won't get me there, even fully ported. For the effort I am going to put into this thing, I do know I want more than 650 to 700 out of it.

I'm going to work with Vengeance on my goals vs dollars and figure out where I want to end up and feel out where that sweet spot is for me. I had my last vette for over 10years and this one will be that too. I don't mind spending some money and putting effort into a car I will enjoy for a long time. If the ME vette ends up being amazing, I will look at one of those but would not get rid of this one for at least 10 more years.

I've done a bunch more reading on people's builds and am curious where I could end up with forged rotating assembly/heads/cam/torque converter and a whipple 2.9L. It would be great to get to a good street HP number of 750 to 800 with lots of torque down low on pump gas (don't know if that is possible with this combo on pump) and then have the ability to go E85 at times and maybe break 900hp.

Anyway, have all winter to decide.

robert miller

Man a small front blower on a forged motor & small cam will get you to 800 with no problems. Unlike you I have done the top mount blower & on the vette's it just dont work at all for the long haul. Like you said top mount is great low end TQ then max at 3500 rpm it has shot its load. Plus does nothing to burn off rubber from red light to red light.

I have had a Kenne bell, YSI, & the F1X, Loved the F1X better then anyone of the other on a car. But the car was big CI motor the f1x dont start coming in unlike the other until about 3,k plus RPM then IT DOES just keep pulling until you let off the paddle. The f1x is also believe it are not was the best to get down on having to paddle the gas to get the car to really hook on the street for me. But also was running a 345x60x15 D/R on it also. Track was a 275x15 non dot tire..

Please post up what ever you do in here will like to see & how you like it. My c5 that was the f1x on it is back to 100% stock is a 2004 & I have had got it new in 2004. It is my daily driver now with only 49,k miles on it. The c7 will be my per say street hot rod with some where around 800 rwhp daily..Again man good luck & let us know how the car comes out for you.. Robert

Seannyc

ArcticWhite

I spoke with Vengeance I think I have this nailed down. I didn't want to get into a transmission rebuild which apparently I would have to do if I go 900whp+. So, I settled on approx 700 to 750rwhp which will just have to do. The list is:
Vengeance drop in pistons
Vengeance stage 3 race cam kit with DOD delete
Vengeance LT1 CNC ported heads
Alkycontrol dual nozzle kit
Pro-series Circle D converter

Oh, and I'm going to get Jokerz to port my blower.

robert miller

Sounds like a good little build..

ArcticWhite

Yes I came to my senses and pulled back.

Jaycajun

robert miller

I agree 100% really on the street car, Looking at two vettes side by side one with 1,k plus & the other with 800 rwhp. More times than not the 800 hp car will take the 1,k hp car ON THE STREET. Just due to having to paddle the cars. I mean here apples to apples here on set up other than hp diff's.. Plus less parts break on the lower hp car.. Robert

Dale002

What are you going to do about the dry sump supercharger fitting the wet sump?

ArcticWhite

If I read some of the posts correctly ATI makes a wet sump balancer that puts the blower belt in the dry sump location. I am trying to confirm this.

if it is not that simple and since I have the full lt4 setup, I might convert to dry sump since I am going into the engine.

Just trying to understand all of this right now.

C5-VERT

Agreed that will get you where you want and you will have an upgraded valvetrain as well. Not to mention a nice build to later on add a -94 or X to. Good luck!

douniasg

I am in the process of doing this. ATI sells a wet sump balancer that you can bolt 1 of 3 pulleys they sell 5% 10% and 15%. Now if you bolt that pulley directly on the balancer it is for the dry sump. You would need a spacer to make it work with a wet sump. This is for a z06
blower setup.

douniasg

I should have the pulleys installed this weekend. I will let you know if everything lines up.

ArcticWhite

Please keep us informed. If I read your post correctly, you are using a dry sump blower on a wet sump car. You are using all dry sump accessory pullies and brackets. You are using an ATI wet sump balancer and bolting a dry sump pulley to it.

douniasg

Yes, dry sump blower on wet sump. The spacer I purchased does not work with the ATI lt4 blower pulleys. I am using a ATI ctsv blower pulley flipped backwards. Andy at adm performance hooked me up. If you want I post all my updates here. Hopefully I should have this done in 2 weeks. Then call Haward at redline for tuning.

ArcticWhite

One other question about fuelling. I have a 2014 which has smaller in tank pumps than 2015 which got the same pumps as a z06. If I do lt4 hpfp, lt4 injectors, and low side pumps, I'm at $2500, have a lot of work dropping the tanks and have a fuel system that tops out at 7xxrwhp on pump gas. For $2500 more I could have the weapon x kit, not have to replace the any of the pumps and injectors and have a fuel system for over 1000hp that also allows for E85. For the $2500 more than an lt4 setup, that seems like a better fuel system than putting money into the LT4 setup? It is only $1500 more if you eliminate the cost of an alky system.

douniasg

Installed the balancer and pulleys today. Looks like it lines up.

GS owner

i love my 650 rwhp stingray and hated all my 1000 hp corvettes for the street