YoungCompton

What is the Cheapest most effective way to get 400 hp out of a mostly stock lt1?

It is an A4 mostly stock all i have changed is i put a K&N and it came with some bull ish exhaust.

I want to do:

LT headers
2 electric cutouts
3in y pipe
3in cat back exhaust
3.73 gears,
complete transmission (gears, shift kit torque converter, cooler)

I dont know what to do engine wise because i wanted to convert to lt4 but alot of people seem to have problems with lt4's and i heard its the convert is not worth the money.
please help.

O yeah and when completed i plan on getting a madz28 mail order tune

jsetzer

Srpay it...

I was long tubes with flowmaster 40s (crappy flow)
And on a 150 wet shot made 415hp and something like 520tq

ssbowtie1

Sell it and get an ls1

If you don't want to spray, the next option is a LE heads/cam package. LE2 with supporting mods should get you right in the 400hp range.

2000GTP

The LT4 conversion does not provide the stated gains for what it costs. For the money, a heads/cam setup from Lloyd Elliot or Advanced Induction is a much better alternative and will yield better results.

YoungCompton

Thanks alot everyone i know what prices im looking at now and ima go with the LE2.

YoungCompton

As far as the LS1 goes i would sell and buy 1 but i cant find 1 for a decent price and im only 19 i have a clean driving record but i know insurance is gonna kick my.... (A-WORD) lol

FASTFATBOY

You can get 400 hp with a cam and bolt ons.


David

GreenGator

Hmm.. 400 is pretty ambitious... What's your budget & who is doing the labor, you or a shop? No worries though you will get there... i'm just bitter b/c i think i had the least powerful LT1 ever built! So it took a bit to get me into the solid 325 hp mark!

YoungCompton

I really dont have a budget i just buy parts at a time them when i have everything i need drop it in the shop.

YoungCompton

I just thought about something if ima have to upgrade to 58tb can i use a lt4 Intake Manifold with the LE2 setup or do i need to get my Intake Manifold ported

2000GTP

You would need to get the throttle bores ported for the larger throttle body. While you send your heads out to Lloyd for porting, he can do the throttle bore porting as well as porting the intake runners for better flow.

TA'95

LE2 heads/cam along with a good tune will put you at ur goal or very close. I love my LE2 heads. they are bada**.

nes

rear or flywheel horsepower? a local very small company does ported lt1 heads (dont know what it costs, but i think around 850 with the cores, chs heads they are called) and then you can add a mid sized cam and get there for around 2k(including all the cam swap ad ons and a mailorder tune)

94CamaroZ28

Either way, but especially if you're gonna spray OR have to spin that big cam over stock revs... strong suggestion to at the least ditch the stock rod bolts and have ARP rod bolts installed. It's a relatively inexpensive way to help hold the bottom end together.

Purplemaroz28

A lot of power is fun, But to make the car even more fun invest in some chassis/suspension parts to get it to hook.
But I Deviate:
To make 400 hp there are a couple ways of doing this. each way has its pros/cons. IMO

Head/Cam combo (LE, CCmotorsports, etc.)
LE2 combo will be streetable and has potential for 400hp
injectors (Fords, RC, )30-42 depending
Longtube/mid-lengths
catback, with a good ypipe
While your there replace your opti/waterpump(optional)
lifters,pushrods, rockerarms, gaskets, broken parts, ewtc
this will eventually eat away at ur clutch and it will need to be replaced with something stronger.
TUNE
If you have a strong bottom end,(check rings), This will make power all the time and if installed properly, with a strong engine, and is driven often and abused sometimes. Will last
Supercharger/turbocharger

If you want a project go turbo, if you want a bolton go supercharger,
Each supercharger and supercharger has a different spec ( either study this subject for picking the appropriate one, or have someone who knows what they are doing and knows ur goals).
Turbo will make more power (if properly setup)
Superchargers are not for slugs either.
This way will make power within powerbands, and be more weather oriented on power than you might think.
Itll be the one getting drooled over by all the nerdy carshow goers,
GET Fuel if you use this method ( by get fuel i mean, injectors, fuel pump, fuel pressure regulator)
Get gauges seriously
YOU MUST TUNE (mail (effective for a start up tune), full dyno tune(optimal), A wideband/laptop street method (this is hard to do due to laws, but if you know what you are doing and if researched it a bit then yes, works for alot of people).

Boltons+Nitrouse
CAI
throttle body
headers
clutch
fuel(injectors, fuel pressure regulator, depending on shot a bigger fuel pump)
catback
rocker arms(optional but recommended)
A mail order tune will suffice
Now to the juice https://www.camaroz28.com/forums/search.php best i can do for yah
dont forget to invest in some kind of controller for your fuel during nitrous use.
This way will be a cheaper way to make your car fast sometimes
You will also want suspension/chassis
LCA,Sub frame connectors, tourque arm, shocks list goes on,
tires
Ls1 brakes, or new front pads and a fresh bleed,
This way your car will be able to put that power down to the street, if you want to just smoke your tires then dont worry about the this last section.

But,
Must of all, learn your car, know how to drive it, know where its power is, BE Able to launch it. Practice practice practice

I also urge you to practice safe driving habits,
PurplearoZ28