BuckeyeROC

How much HP could a stock shortblock take if it was freshened up w/ new bearings, Fel-Pro gaskets, etc. and you put some good forged pistons in it? I hear the stock shortblock is good for 450 HP as is, but would the forged pistons help alot? Would it hold up to a 150 HP shot of N2O for a total of about 575 HP at around 6000 rpm?

ede

i doubt if you gain any increased strength with only forged pistons, you'd want to use better rods, floating pins, arp rod and main bolts, and at around 450 to 500 hp consider a better crank. the forged pistons would be a smart move if you were going to spray it.

------------------
ICON Motorsports
1st & 3rd
MM Black Diamond 538 F&AM

branz28

Are we talking about crank or rear wheel? I am still planning my engine buildup but, i don't know how high i want to go with the hp level. I don't wanna do 450 then a week later i decide to see what the build up did for me and !!THONG!!...engine goes caput.

------------------
89 IROC-Z 350 TPI

-Flowmaster Catback
-Performance Resource Chip
-700R4 (Rebuilt) Too much done to actually list
-K&N Airfilters
-Ported Plenum
-2.77 Gears (not much to brag about but eh, its there)
-MSD 8.5 mm plug wires
-Gutted cat
-!AIR
-Gutted Air Boxes

BuckeyeROC

I was refering to HP at the crank. And ede, you think everything would have to be replaced after 450 HP? I knew the stock pistons wouldn't like the juice over that level, but just wondered where the rods and crank would give. I've heard of the 5.0L Mustang guys pushing 525 HP on a stock shortblock before (or so they are saying), and I know they have forged pistons stock.

Monty

You can go alot higher than 450 hp with a stock block, even with a cast crank, as long as it's normally aspirated, no NO2, and you keep the rpms at a sane level. There are plenty of cast crank, stock blocked 550hp motors out there. As mentioned, ARP rod bolts are a must and main studs help.

My old 383 with a cast Scat crank, pink rods and SpeedPro hypereutectic pistons made 540hp on the engine dyno. I ran it for 2 years in my Vette, before deciding I wanted something more and built my SBC 427. I pulled the 383 out a few months ago and sold it to a friend. We pulled it all apart and put new bearings, rings, gaskets in it, but we really didn't need to to. All the bearings wre in excellent shape. The only problem we found was a bad torrington bearing on the cam thrust button. My friend has the motor in his C4 Corvette road race car. He put a carb on it instead of DFI, but it still made 515hp, 500 ft lbs.

------------------
1982 Corvette Tremec TKO
<A HREF="http://www.geocities.com/monty_williams/434specifications.html" TARGET=_blank>SBC 427 650hp/580tq
</A>