To Boost or N/A
 

I couldn't find any good turbo kits, except the STS, and no one seems to agree with (even though it is the same price) But I sent away for a ProCharger catalog anyway :D If I do splurge to get a set-up Im going to TRY and do it right the first time, and order it with the intercooler. So Hypathetically thats almost 55% power gain running 8psi, so my HP would be around 400+

- OR -

Go N/A and save about a grand, and then be capable of some spray.

Both would make the same power gains.

Nows to boost or go N/A?

N/A...then u can boost later on and be holy **** what was that fast
plus you could say ur runnin all motor till then

keep in mind that if you do either you'll need ur trans and rear built

after having a boosted truck myself ive found its usually alot more than just slapping on a blower and going fast...I say work on the rest of the car first & keep it na...project Z went 12.0's i believe cam only so you can have a quick car relatively cheap.

I say go for the LT4 kit. I wouldn't worry about your tranny blowing up yet, but that will most likely put a strain on the stock 10 bolt carrier. Start saving for a better carrier and some 4.10's :twisted:

- Justin

the LT4 kit is pretty tame compared to what is out there, i suggest you do a lil more research, ported LT1 heads outflow box LT4's and are a lot cheaper, even from a distinguished porter (AI, and the hot cam is only a small step up from the stock one....i say 306 at the least :twisted:

i definitly have to agree with most of what eric says...id say get a nice size cam, some headers & a tune & should should be cabable of mid 12's.

how fast or how much hp do you want?

NA is much easier to deal with. Keep it as simple as possible untill you have to or can do otherwise. Get heads and a cam, but dont go crazy, plan it out. For instence dont force yourself into getting a double timing chain when you didnt really want to go elec. waterpump......like me. Fully ported heads and a middle of the road cam (between hotcam and 306) and you can easily have 340-350rwhp.

boost of course!!!! turbos make people jealous :)

actually i agree with the others fo rthe most part. look into a bit better cam adn soem ported LT1 heads. if you are set on going to boost at some point factor that into your cam selection adn stick to something with a 114 or wider lobe center.

later
tim

boost is great in any instance and a great way to make power...but people advertize the #'s too much and i think in confuses alot of newbies to the game including myself...boost is all great but its never just slap on a blower or turbo or whatever and go....theres so much more that goes into it...i know with my blower kit that i bought for my s-10 i needed to make a bonnet hold down because the intake bonnet kept popping off of the throttle body...later down the line powerdyne starting including a blow off valve which im sure pretty much solved that problem...but in my case since i was one of the earlier owner i was stuck with that or buy a blow off valve...then their was fueling...ask anyone thats had a blower and I'll bet you theyve had fueling issues at one time or another...there were no tuning sources for me and my s-10 so to bump my rev limiter up i had to use hpp which if you bumped the rev limiter it automatically added timing so even with the provided fmu it knocked...so i added an msd box with a timing retard...thats all fine and good but a bad fix to a fueling/timing issue basically...so what was i to do? I bought an upgraded fmu but fmu's suck period...the new fmu i got raised my wot fuel pressure to like 90-100psi and for the weird injector setup that was fine but who knows what kinda a/f ratio i was running at the time...im sure lt1 kits are gonna have issues of their own and its a good amount of work to put on a blower especially in an fbody...and if you dont plan on installing it yourself look for at least $1000 for installation...not to mention tuning...so your talking what $5000 for the procharger kit, $1000 install, $500 for tuning, thats not to say you'll be able to hook at the track so you'll probably run low 13's@120mph lol and depending on what time of the year it was tuned you better put in some race gas at the track...figure $5 a gallon X a few gallons each time at the track to avoid possible detonation...it adds up. The only reason i mentioned cam only is because cams are pretty inexpensive($200-300) for an lt1 cam and the install isnt horrible...its a good amount of work but can be caulked up to a learning experience also...id recommend getting tuning software for yourself and selflearn how to tune...its really not hard and i can help you if you need some. And in the meantime take that extra 5 grand you saved and get every suspension part known to man and some decent tires and maybe even get yourself a 12 bolt with some 4.10's in it and you'll be running low 12's before you know it :)

Re: To Boost or N/A
 

you didn't look very hard, then. http://www.bankspower.com/twin-turbo-products.cfm

'nuff said.

this is a complete kit - major down time installing it. but the power gains are incredible - much better than your projected 400hp.

or, if you didn't want to go through the hassle of installing it, you can order the turn-key engine that is complete and arrives at your door ready to drop into your car.

turbos are much more efficient these days, don't have the lag issues that they used to have, and can even be remotely installed - in the rear of the car, so you don't have underhood issues or have stuff poking up through the hood.

Re: To Boost or N/A
 

did you ever happen to see a price tag on bangs turbo kits n turn key engines :bs:

Re: To Boost or N/A
 

:stupid: for one thats not for an lt1 and as far as the turnkey option hes probably looking at or near 20 grand.

LT4 kit = expensive = same as turbo.
If you want cheap speed do the ported Lt1 heads and a cam.

After extensive research, I have come to the concluion that boost will be my best friend. I have been comparing all of the companies out on the market. And so far ATI comes out on top for their super-charging. No other company offers that much boost that a stock motor can handle.

When I have all $4,000 :lol: Im going with the ATI ProCharger P-SC1 HO Intercooled, pushing 9 psi. With an upgraded inline fuel pump from Walboro, larger fuel injectors, And a good tune.

I guess you didn't want cheap speed, lol.
I'd personally not go with an inline pump. The walbro in-tank 255lph high pressure pump is like $100 and 10x quieter than the inlines. Not to mention it'll work better seeing as the inline will have to work THROUGH the old pump, it does work fine but I still suggest the intank replacement.
How much is the STS turbo kit? You might want to look into that because I've read a bunch of good reports about them. I'm still not sure about it's methods but since they won the GM powertrain award for best new performance product I'd say there's something there that works! If it's cheaper than the ATI procharger you might consider it instead.

It's not nessesaraly a good thing that they have the highest amount of boost out of all the other companies with SC kits. Dont forget about the stock LT1's compression ratio and that its not forged. However, if boost is the way you want to make power in the long-term future, then go ahead and go with whatever company you think is best, just dont forget to be prepared for an engine rebuild.

2-bolt main LT1 + 400hp+ = boom

from what i understand really high horse power in an f-body LT1's won't last. only the LT1's in corvettes got 4-bolt main as far as i know.

thats just what i've heard though, don't know how true it is.

I agree 100% with the above statement

Later,

Santos

4 bolt mains are very helpful when it comes to the LTXs, but 2 bolt LT1s can take plenty (pending proper tune, est.) of power. Whether that 400hp your talkin about is fw or rw HP, a two bolt will do just fine. I'm still useing the stock block but with all forged internals and my engine combonation should net around 500fw and 420rw, and by no means is my engine exceptional, plenty of people make alot more than me.....I'm still using the stock head castings just to give an idea btw. Theres really no need to switch to a 4bolt unless your gonna make like 600fwhp N/A, as for boost with boost it would be closer to 550.

Maybe the reason your thinking that is because that equasion is 100% correct when ya substitute in Boost like so:
Stock LT1 Bottom end + Boost = Boom

One I hit 400 I dont plan on taking it anywhere else. This is a daily driver and isnt insane numbers. And the way they make it sound is 9psi is a safe level that makes the most safe boost.

9 psi on a stock LT1 is not a safe endeavor. It cant make it "safely;" 9psi is 9psi. I really doubt that your engine will last for very long after this kit.

Well ok, I hate sounding like a dad, but I cant help but not want you to get it done dirty prison style by accident here. Can you give me the link or links that you found this info at?