#gate45

[spiritual-core]

The rebirth of Venus (in gate 35, June 3-4 2024). A personal story of potential new love and some human design integration.

Sandro Botticelli, The Birth of Venus (c. 1484–1486). Tempera on canvas. 172.5 cm × 278.9 cm (67.9 in × 109.6 in). Uffizi, Florence

My friend might have met her soulmate

After years of chasing guys who don’t honor her (as much as I feel she deserves!), the final week of May, she met someone

He then promptly had to travel to visit family, and there was a nice forced separation, allowing feelings to simmer…

As Venus moved into the heart of the sun, he texted her from his holidays.

I don’t want to get too excited and neither does she…

Regardless of whether this IS her soulmate or not, it is a rebirth of progress -

35.6- Gate of Progress - line 6- Rectification

It’s almost as if all her abstract experiencing of all the guys in the past led her to the progress of being able to really see and know, the signs, feelings and all the technicalities behind a guy even more suited for her.

What to do, in the coming days?

The sun, Venus and moon moved promptly to the next gate - gate 45 “Gathering Together” in the line 1: canvassing.

It might be a nice time for:

Talking with loved ones

Journaling

Canvassing - learning information from a few different places

Gathering together all your eggs in one basket

Plan your life from a “big picture perspective”

Imagine you are the CEO or Managing Director of your life - don’t fuss too much with the details, where overall, is your inner energies guiding you towards?

[chauffeurservices-blog1]

MEET & GREET SERVICE AT SCHIPHOL AIRPORT AMSTERDAM

WHAT IS MEET & GREET SERVICE AT SCHIPHOL AIRPORT? This is a personalized service that ensures you have a professional chauffeur waiting for your arrival at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam. Every private taxi transfer from Chauffeur Services Holland, (CSH) you will have the assistance you need to guarantee your arrival is comfortable. It is a high-quality taxi Amsterdam service that enables you to reach your destination in trouble-free style.WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT FROM CSH’S MEET AND GREET SERVICE? The Meet & Greet service begins the day before you travel when we contact you with a text message to provide the contact details of the chauffeur who takes care of you. For your security and convenience, it is important that you do not lose this information.While you are in the air we monitor your individual flight so that your chauffeur is aware of any alterations that may affect your scheduled arrival time. As soon as your plane has landed safely we will send you another text message with the precise details of which departure gate your chauffeur is already stationed at. After completing the passport inspections and collecting your luggage, you walk to the exit gate to meet your chauffeur who is waiting for you with your name board. After welcoming you, your chauffeur will personally take charge of your luggage and assist you with any additional services you may require within the airport such as locating refreshments, shops or a cash ATM machine. Your chauffeur will wait for as much time as you need. CSH’S MEET & GREET SERVICES INCLUDE: Flight MonitoringPersonalized Meet & Greet sign (company logo or your name)Pick up at the gate45 min free waiting timeAssistance with luggageYour own personal chauffeur MEETING YOUR CHAUFFEUR IN COMPLETE SAFETY Our streamlined procedure ensures your safety and comfort at every stage of your arrival, particularly when meeting your chauffeur. It is part of our service to locate and safely escort you throughout your arrival rather than leaving you to try and find your chauffeur on your own. All you have to do is a phone or send a text to your driver using the security details you were provided with the day before. There are many distinctive features within the airport which will enable you to accurately describe where you are. Then you simply wait in that location for a few moments until your chauffeur comes to collect you. If unforeseen circumstances require you to move to another area always keep your chauffeur informed. Alternatively, if you have seen your driver holding a sign indicating your name, your company’s name or its logo, this is an extra security check to confirm that he is actually your assigned driver. HOW YOU BENEFIT FROM A MEET-AND-GREET SERVICE Schiphol Airport is the main airport in The Netherlands. The principal airport is situated just ten kilometers from the center of Amsterdam.It is one of Europe’s busiest air terminals supervising more flights than any other airport and accommodating the third-highest level in passenger traffic.Although the building itself is designed as a single terminal it is arranged into four departure halls which can often present an overwhelming appearance to newcomers. It can understandably be difficult on occasions to negotiate your way or identify your chauffeur amongst the large crowds that gather there. Our personalized service is designed to provide reassuring assistance to calmly reach the exit quickly and safely enabling you to continue your journey without interruption or unnecessary delays. HOW CSH’S MEET & GREET SERVICE DIFFERS FROM OTHER COMPANIES? We pay very close attention to every single detail of your arrival transfer. The majority of taxi and chauffeurs companies at Schiphol Airport only provide assistance after your flight has landed. Every company applies its own method to collect their passengers.Many companies avoid spending parking costs for additional waiting time for you to arrive. With some companies, it is no exception that you have to wait until your driver arrives at Schiphol. They give you instructions on the phone where you have to go to meet your driver. (Meeting point, exit gate, taxi stand, WTC building, etc.) The waiting and searching for your chauffeur can be very inconvenient at such a busy airport as Schiphol. It can also be very annoying to you if you have to attend a business meeting, almost as soon as your flight has landed. You have to maneuver your own luggage and risk losing your connection if you decide to take additional time to use any the airport’s facilities. With the exclusive services of Chauffeur Services Holland you have the benefit of personalized, professional attention that’s designed to provide you with efficiency and consideration from the instant you arrive until the completion of your journey. SUPERIOR PERSONALISED CHAUFFEUR SERVICES All of the chauffeurs provided by Chauffeur Services Holland show exemplary levels of professionalism. They are friendly and polite with polished, courteous manners that ensure you receive the warmest of welcomes whenever you travel to the beautiful city of Amsterdam. In addition, they are all fluent in English as a second language.  You’ll find our services particularly beneficial if you have had a stressful flight. You can truly depend on the professional assistance of our chauffeurs within the airport and on the transfer to your destination. SPECIAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR EVERY TRAVELLER CSH offers flexible arrangements for parties of all sizes. When arriving as a larger group we always monitor every access point to ensure that every member of your party is located quickly and receives appropriate attention. Our chauffeurs can also collect you from the airport’s VIP lounge if you are arriving by a private airplane. Our fleet of Mercedes limousines, multi-seat vehicles and coaches are maintained to the highest standards to ensure every journey you make is continued in luxurious comfort and style. CSH: STREAMLINED AND PROFESSIONAL CHAUFFEUR SERVICES We offer an unrivaled, affordable service that concentrates on providing the ultimate in customer care by providing you with guaranteed attention before you have even boarded your flight to Schiphol Airport. Whether you are traveling to Holland for business or pleasure you can be confident that your private taxi hire with a driver is secure, safe and comfortable. Receive a relax arrival service with CSH, you will also have the convenience of a streamlined taxi service that is prompt and efficient, avoiding any delays in continuing to your destination. Your private taxi transfer enables you to enjoy a smooth, uninterrupted journey. When you pre-book a private taxi from Chauffeur Services Holland before you travel, you will receive personalized professional attention to the highest quality that is perfectly tailored to meet your requirements. Our exclusive, cost-effective service provides you with peace of mind and ensures your arrival in Holland is a safe and comfortable experience. Article Source: https://chauffeurservicesholland.com/meet-greet-service-at-schiphol-airport-amsterdam/

[itsworn]

Dyno Test: Exploring Methanol Injection on a Turbo LS

When it comes to pump-gas performance, the name of the game is usually compromise.  Unfortunately for turbo LS (or other) enthusiasts, real street (and some track) cars walk that fine line between drivability and maximum performance. Who among us doesn’t want big power? But who is willing to sacrifice our daily driven street car for that track-star performance? Not surprisingly, the two are at opposite ends of the spectrum, so catering to one side will negatively affect the other. Nowhere is this scenario more evident than the limitations presented with the use of pump gas. The elevated octane associated with race fuel allows a powerful combination of both boost and timing. The diminished octane offered by pump gas requires one or both of these to be significantly scaled back. The result of the reduction in boost and/or timing is a significant reduction in power. Though none of us want less power, it is a much better choice than the alternative, meaning engine damage from detonation! What the performance world needs is a way to combine the performance potential of race fuel with the affordability of pump gas. Time to let it snow!

The SBE LY6 test mule featured only increased ring gap. Extra power for the stock bottom end came from a set of TFS 225 heads, a BTR Stage 3 turbo cam and Dorman LS6 intake. This 6.0L combo was capable of producing over 500 hp in naturally aspirated trim.

When it comes time to maximize performance on a boosted application, the added octane from race fuel can be very beneficial. The additional octane (compared to pump gas) offered by race fuel allows you to increase timing and/or boost pressure to maximize power production. By contrast, the lower-octane pump gas will not tolerate elevated boost and/or timing values. For those unfamiliar, octane rating is actually a measurement of the fuel’s resistance to detonation, the higher the rating, the greater the resistance. The greater the resistance to detonation, the more timing and boost the combination will safely tolerate. Having to dial back timing or boost to compensate for the low-octane pump gas will definitely cost performance, but there is a trade off. As nice as it would be to drive around with full timing and boost at the ready, the cost to do so would be prohibitive for most enthusiasts. Imagine reaching deep into your wallet to pay for $10/gallon (or more) race gas at every fuel stop! Who can afford that, right?

To monitor the inlet air temps, we positioned a thermal probe in the inlet tract just after the Accufab throttle body.

For most, the choice comes down to high-priced race fuel and more performance, or, less-expensive pump gas, and reduced performance. We are here to tell you, there is a third option, and it’s called water/methanol injection. A little company called Snow Performance has been advocating the benefits of water/methanol for years, and for good reason. Their Boost Cooler systems have been proven time and time again in the heat of battle, and the systems from Snow Performance continue to evolve. So what are the benefits of the Snow Performance Boost Cooler, and (more importantly) how well does it work? The major benefits offered by the Boost Cooler include increased octane and charge cooling, both of which help to keep harmful detonation at bay while simultaneously allowing increased timing and boost for further power gains. In essence, water/meth injection can be used as an effective replacement for expensive race fuel. The methanol portion of the mixture offers a significant increase in octane rating compared to typical pump gas. When you toss in the additional charge cooling offered by the methanol with the anti-detonate properties of water, you have a potentially powerful combination.

Snow Boost Cooler kits start at around $360 (upgraded braided line kit shown).

So now that we understand the theory behind water/methanol injection, let’s take a look at how it performs in the real world. To illustrate the power gains offered by a Snow Performance Boost Cooler system, we set up a turbocharged LS test motor. The stock bottom end (SBE) 6.0L was somewhat famous, having already produced 1,543 hp at 29.2 psi for an episode of Engine Masters TV. Originally a Gen 4 LY6 short-block, the only change to the SBE was to increase the factory ring gap. To help produce power, the LY6 was treated to a set of CNC-ported, TFS 225 heads, a Stage 3 turbo cam from Brian Tooley Racing, and (for this test) a Dorman LS6 intake. Also present were 120-pound Holley injectors, an Accufab throttle body, and single LJMS Borg S475 turbo. The DIY turbo kit included reversed truck manifolds feeding a custom Y-pipe. The Y-pipe fed a single T4 S475 from LJMS, while boost was controlled by a pair of Hyper-Gate45 waste gates from Turbo Smart. To ensure safety, and allow us to run identical timing with both combos, we ran all of the testing on 118-octane Rocket-Brand race fuel.

The 6.0L truck exhaust manifolds fed a custom 2.5-inch Y-pipe build by JFab. Note the provisions for dual waste gates.

To get things started, we ran the non-intercooled, turbo motor at a peak boost pressure near 13 psi. The ignition timing was kept constant at 20 degrees, while the air/fuel ratio for each combination was optimized at 11.7:1. Run with a Holley HP ECU, the non-intercooled turbo 6.0L produced peak numbers of 856 hp at 6,600 rpm and 713 lb-ft of torque at 5,200 rpm. After our baseline run, we installed the Snow Boost Cooler then configured the adjustable system to start the injection at 5 psi, then reach 100 percent once the boost pressure reached 12 psi. The results were immediate, as the power output jumped to 868 hp and 748 lb-ft of torque. The gains offered by the Snow Boost Cooler were dramatic through the entire rev range, with gains as high as 44 horsepower. Naturally we logged the inlet air temperature (IATs) during both of the runs, and the Snow Boost Cooler dropped the temps by nearly 100 degrees! Run without the water/meth injection, the IATs reached a peak of 200 degrees, but this dropped to just 107 degrees with the Snow system. It should be noted that no changes were made to timing or boost with this test, and the cooling effects offered with the water/meth kit would certainly allow more of both compared to pump gas (meaning the power gains would be even greater). So if you run on pump gas, and want more power, just let it Snow!

On The Dyno

The benefits of cooling the inlet air temps on a turbo motor have never been more evident that in this graph. Running the modified 6.0L LS with the single S475 Borg Warner turbo from LJMS resulted in impressive power. What LS enthusiasts would like to have 850 hp at their beck and call? Things got even better after we activated the Snow Performance Boost Cooler system. Running the specified Boost Juice through a #6 nozzle with a 5 psi activation point and full on by 12 psi, the water-meth kit improved the power output by as much as 44 hp. We liked the fact that the Snow system improved the power output through the entire curve. We also feel that a little more tuning with the Snow system might further improve the power output at the top of the rev range. The additional timing and/or boost available with this system (compared to pump gas) would yield even greater gains had we not run race fuel on both combos.

Air Charge Temp

Though most turbo guys will be more interested in the horsepower and torque gains, the drop in charge temperature was every bit as important. As is evident by the graph, the Snow water/meth system dropped the charge temps by nearly 100 degrees, from 200 degrees to 107 degrees. A little more injection might lower the peak charge temps even further, but we ran out of dyno time for fine tuning the system. It is important to point out we made no changes to timing or air/fuel ratio during testing, but the lower charge temps would certainly allow adjustments to both to further improve power.

With great boost, comes great cooling responsibility!

Our turbo system started out life as a set of stock, 6.0L truck manifolds. The factory manifolds were reversed to form the DIY kit, but still offered plenty of plug access and eliminated burnt plug wires.

Boost was supplied to our modified 6.0L by a single Borg Warner S475 turbo from LJMS. This S475 featured a standard housing, cast compressor wheel, 83mm turbine wheel, and T4 turbine housing.

Knowing boost control was critical, we installed a pair of Gen V, Hyper-Gate45 waste gates from Turbo Smart. Check out the open port (next to the vacuum/boost reference line) for water cooling!

Though they begged us to upgrade to the latest generation, we had nothing but good luck running this OG Race-Port blow-off valve from Turbo Smart. Note the multi-colored discharge tube we configured on our non-intercooled turbo motor.

We started by running the turbo 6.0L in non-intercooled trim. Run at a peak boost pressure of 12.6 psi, the turbo LS produced 856 hp at 6,600 rpm and 713 lb-ft at 5,200 rpm.

After running the baseline in non-intercooled form, we installed the Snow water/meth nozzle in the discharge tube. We selected a #6 nozzle for our turbo 6.0L.

Using the supplied plastic line, we connected the nozzle to the injection pump.

We took the liberty of hanging the water/meth supply tank on the dyno to gravity feed the injection pump. Note the plastic feed line to the pump at the bottom of the tank.

The major player in the water/meth system was the high-pressure injection pump.

Since we were using the Boost Cooler water/meth injection kit, we opted to include their Boost Juice (49 percent methanol, 51 percent distilled water).

The kit includes this hand-held, digital programmer/gauge assembly.

Using the gauge, we programmed the starting point of the injection for 5 psi.

We then programmed maxed injection (100 percent) for 12 psi

We then made sure to activate the injection by switching it on. Injection started once the preset boost level (5 psi) was reached.

Run on the dyno with the Snow Boost Cooler water/meth injection, the peak power numbers jumped to 868 hp and 747 lb-ft of torque, but the gains in the middle of the rpm range were as high as 44 hp.

  The post Dyno Test: Exploring Methanol Injection on a Turbo LS appeared first on Hot Rod Network.

from Hot Rod Network https://www.hotrod.com/articles/dyno-test-exploring-methanol-injection-turbo-ls/ via IFTTT

[itsworn]

Borg Warner Turbo shootout: Size Matters!

LS motors continue to be all the rage and for good reason. They are cheap to buy, have plenty of aftermarket support, and you can make stupid power with nothing more than a cam, springs, and an off-shore turbo. With four-digit power levels so easy to come by, it’s a wonder they haven’t taken over the performance world! As good as any LS is in stock trim, it is even better after performing a few modifications. All the tried and true stuff works, like heads, cam, and intake manifolds, but what really makes an LS shine is boost. Adding boost to an LS has never been easier, or less expensive, given the vast array of turbos currently available for them. The problem with such massive availability is that there are almost too many choices. Choosing the right turbo for your application becomes difficult, and when we do choose, we can’t help but second guess our pick. What if the turbocharger of choice was too small, or, too large for your application? To illustrate how different turbos might affect the power curve of an LS, or any engine for that matter, we decided to put a couple popular versions to the test in a good old-fashion, back-to-back, Borg Warner boost brawl.

Testing the turbos required three things, a test motor, a suitable turbo system, and (of course) a couple of turbos. For our test motor, we decided to dust off the Gen 4 Big Bang 6.0L. Fresh from producing 1,543 hp at 29.2 psi for Engine Masters TV and Hot Rod, mods to the stock bottom end (SBE) LY6 6.0L included just increased ring gap. It is amazing how much power these stock short-blocks will take, and the Gen 4 LY6 was still alive and well after over 250 dyno pulls (dozens near the 1,000hp mark), including the big-boy power run. The stock short-block was augmented with a set of CNC-ported, Gen X 225 heads from Trick Flow Specialties, a stage 3 turbo cam from Brian Tooley Racing, and (for this test) a Dorman LS6 intake. The Holley Race Sniper used on the motor during the Big Bang testing was on loan again to the Engine Masters guys for another test on a turbo 5.3L. Additional bits used on the 6.0L included a stock throttle body, 120-pound Holley injectors, and a Holley HP ECU.

With the motor taken care of, we obviously needed to apply boost to it before we could test our turbos. Rather than select a dedicated kit, we did what most LS owners do and pieced one together. Starting with stock truck exhaust manifolds, we flipped them forward then had JFab whip up a fabricated 2.5-inch Y pipe. The Y pipe featured provisions for dual waste gates and culminated in a 3.0-inch v-band. The V-band was designed to accept our (fabricated) v-band T4 (or T6) turbo flange adapters. The dual waste-gate provisions were filled with a pair of Gen V Hyper-Gate45 waste gates from Turbo Smart. The gates were set up with 10psi springs. To gather as much data as possible, we also took the liberty of drilling and tapping the Y pipe for a back-pressure sensor. The DIY turbo system provided all the exhaust energy we needed to the turbos while maintaining plenty of clearance for plugs access. There was also zero concern for burning plug wires, something that can’t be said of some aftermarket turbo manifolds. The finishing touch was an air-to-water intercooler from Procharger. For this test, we ran the cooler with 90-degree dyno water.

The two Borg Warner turbos used for the test came from Lil John’s Motor Sports (LJMS). Because 1,000 horsepower is the new 500 horsepower, we chose two turbos capable of supporting that level, though that was likely near the (hot-side) limit of the smaller S475. As indicated by the boost curves, the smaller S475 was plenty responsive on the 6.0L, and could be run successfully at lower boost and power levels on any street LS (including the smaller 4.8L and 5.3L). The larger S480 was capable of eclipsing the S475 by 250-300 hp, thanks in part to the billet compressor wheel upgrade, but certainly the larger hot side also played a major part. In the tail of the tape, the S475 offered a 75mm, cast compressor wheel, standard compressor housing, an 83mm turbine wheel, and 1.0 AR, T4 turbine housing. By contrast, the S480 featured an 80mm billet compressor wheel, standard compressor housing, 96mm turbine wheel, and 1.25 AR T4 turbine housing. The S480 was larger on both the compressor and turbine side, facts that definitely showed up under testing.

With everything in place, we were finally able to compare the two turbos. First up was the smaller S475 turbo. In reality, this T4 S475 was chosen to run as one of the two turbos on our 6.0L Big bang motor, but it performed well on this single-turbo application. Run with the S475, the 6.0L produced 878 hp and 804 lb-ft of torque at a peak boost pressure of just 11.3 psi (meaning there was more left). Naturally we kept the air/fuel and timing values the same for both turbos. The S475 offered nearly 9 psi of boost on the load in, meaning it offered plenty of response, but the penalty for the response was elevated back pressure. Run at the peak boost of 11.3 psi, the back pressure checked in at 22.5 psi, meaning a 2:1 ratio of back-to-boost pressure. Run with the larger S480, the power output jumped to 977 hp and 807 lb-ft of torque. The boost curve started out slightly lower with the larger S480, but rose from 7.1 psi to a peak of 12.9 psi. Even with the elevated boost pressure, the back pressure offered by the S480 peaked at just 20.5 psi, for a back-to-boost pressure ratio of just 1.59:1. In this Borg boost brawl, bigger was definitely better, but check out the graphs to see the changes in not just the peak numbers, but also the boost and power response. Use the info in the graphs to find out why the boost changed with the bigger turbo when we made no changes to the waste gate.

S475 vs S480: Power & Torque It is obvious from the shape of the power and torque curves that the S475 turbo offered better low-speed torque, but the S480 came on strong at the top of the rev range. The cross-over point was about 5,100 rpm, which is interesting if you look at the boost curves in graph 2. The boost curves didn’t cross over (where the two were making the same boost) until after 5,900 rpm, meaning the S480 starting making more power than the S475 even before it started making more boost. How is this possible? The answer to that question can be found in the back pressure curves in graph 3, but know that the S480 turbo upgrade improved the peak power of the single-turbo 6.0L from 878 hp to 977 hp, with plenty left in reserve.

S475 vs S480: Boost This graph represents the boost-pressure curves generated by the S475 (blue) and S480 (red) during the two turbo runs. Though we made no changes to the waste gate, swapping the turbos had a decided effect on the boost curves. Equipped with the S475, the boost started at 8.6 psi and rose to a peak of 11.5 psi. After installation of the larger S480, the boost curve rose from 7.1 psi to 12.9 psi. The reason for the boost (and power) increase can be found in the back pressure readings from graph 3.

S475 vs S480: Back Pressure The boost pressure offered by any turbo system is usually controlled by one or more waste gates. Using internal spring pressure, the waste gate is designed to open when a given boost pressure is reached. This works thanks to a boost-reference line working with a diaphragm against the spring to open the gate. The other variable that determines the opening point of the gate is back pressure, as back pressure between the cylinder head and turbo applies pressure to the face of the waste-gate valve. Increased back pressure will result in an early opening of the waste gate. This is what happened on our test, as the larger turbine housing and wheel used on S480 reduced back pressure at every attending boost level. With less back pressure working on the gate, it stayed shut until a higher boost level was reached (compared to the S475). The reduced back pressure also resulted in an increase in power over the S475 (measured at the same boost level). HP per pound of boost calculations (based on the normally aspirated power output) tells us that each extra psi of boost was worth nearly 35 hp (514 hp/14.7). The increase in boost from 11.3 psi to 12.9 psi was worth an extra 56 hp (35 hp x 1.6 psi). This means that that the drop in back pressure accounted for the other 43 hp, though efficiency of the compressor may have played a small part as well.

When it comes to turbos, is bigger really better?

The test motor was a high-mileage, SBE LY6 6.0L with extra ring gap, TFS 225 heads, and a BTR Stage 3 turbo cam.

For this turbo comparison, we set up the 6.0L with a Dorman LS6 intake and Holley 120-pound injectors.

The DIY single-turbo system featured a set of 6.0L truck manifolds and a custom Y pipe. Use of the factory manifolds ensured plenty of spark plug access and eliminated any concern for burning plug wires (a common occurrence with aftermarket turbo headers).

Working with the truck manifolds was a custom 2.5-inch Y-pipe whipped up by JFab.

Boost was controlled by a pair of Gen V, Hyper-Gate45 waste gates from Turbo Smart. The new generation of gates offered a number of new features, including provisions for water cooling.

To monitor back pressure, we drilled and tapped the Y pipe to allow installation of a pressure fitting.

To eliminate the build-up of boost under closed-throttle/high-boost situations, we relied on this OG Race-Port BOV from Turbo Smart. Their new generation was even smaller and lighter.

Keeping things cool was this Procharger air-to-water intercooler. We ran 90-degree dyno water through the core for this test.

Turbo number 1 was an S475 from Borg Warner supplied by John Bewley at LJMS.

The S475 was equipped with an 83mm turbine wheel and 1.0 AR turbine housing.

Run on the dyno with the Borg S475, the turbo 6.0L produced 878 hp and 804 lb-ft of torque at a peak boost pressure of 11.3 psi.

Next up was the larger Borg Warner S480.

This S480 was equipped with an 80mm billet compressor wheel.

The S480 featured a larger 96mm turbine wheel and 1.25 AR housing.

Run with the larger S480 turbo, the 6.0L produced 977 hp and 807 lb-ft of torque at 12.9 psi. Thanks to reduced back pressure, the larger turbo was free to produce more boost pressure using the same waste-gate setting. The combination of more boost and reduced back pressure was worth nearly 100 hp over the smaller S475.

The post Borg Warner Turbo shootout: Size Matters! appeared first on Hot Rod Network.

from Hot Rod Network https://www.hotrod.com/articles/borg-warner-turbo-shootout-size-matters/ via IFTTT

[itsworn]

What is the hot setup for a turbo LS, rectangular port or cathedral port heads?

Just in case you aren’t up on current events in the LS community, there seems to be a divide wedged firmly between cathedral port and rectangular port enthusiasts. For those unfamiliar with the terms, they refer to the shape of the ports in the most popular LS head configurations. Cathedral port heads came on the original (Gen III) LS1, but were also used on the performance-oriented LS2 and LS6 versions. Cathedral port heads were bolted on literally millions of truck variants, which included (among others) the 4.8L LR4, the 5.3L LM7, and 6.0L LQ4. By contrast, rectangular port heads were offered on the Gen IV version of the LS, the most famous being the LS3, but they were also installed on the L92 and L76 truck engines.

When GM introduced the LS3-based rectangular port heads they were the best flowing small-block heads ever offered on a production vehicle (although they were eventually surpassed by the 7.0L LS7 heads). The best factory cathedral port heads (243, 799, and 317 castings) flowed near 250 cfm, which represented a huge step up from the conventional small-block heads that preceded them. However, the LS3 heads flowed a whopping 317 cfm. This begs the question, how much power are the rectangular port heads really worth, and do the power gains remain consistent once boost is added to the equation?

To answer the proposed question about the rectangular port and cathedral port heads we needed the following: a test engine, two sets of heads, and a turbo system. The test engine actually solved another of our needs, as the crate LS3 engine featured a pair of Chevrolet Performance “as-cast” LS3 heads. In preparation for the test we augmented the LS3 short-block with a cam upgrade that featured a 0.617/0.624-inch lift split, a 231/243-degree duration split, and 113-degree LSA. In preparation for boost, the short-block also received a set of Fel-Pro MLS head gaskets and ARP head studs.

Though some might argue with our choice of cathedral port cylinder heads, we selected the 317 truck heads primarily because they offered the best combination of flow and chamber volume. The 71.5cc chambers nearly matched the 70cc chambers of our LS3 heads and the 317 heads flowed just under 250 cfm (just a few ticks below the 799/243 heads we’ve tested). The 64cc chambers of the 799/243 heads would increase the static compression and certainly help the power production of the cathedral port heads, but we liked matching the compression ratio as best we could for this test. Both the 317 and LS3 heads received valvespring upgrades to work with the revised cam profile and boost.

While the cathedral port camp will lament us not using the 243 heads, the LS3 camp will take exception to our use of a FAST intake with the 317s. The reason for using the FAST intake was that the LS3 heads were run with what is arguably the best factory intake ever produced. The LS3 intake is better on that combination than any of the respective cathedral port (or LS7) intakes (yes, including the TrailBlazer SS). Rather than restrict the 317 heads with a substandard intake, we installed what is basically the LS3 equivalent for the cathedral port heads. There, both camps have something to complain about.

Additional components used in testing included a set of 120-pound Holley injectors, 1 7/8-inch Hooker headers, and a Holley Dominator ECU. The modified LS3 engine was run with both sets of heads in naturally aspirated and turbocharged trim. Run naturally aspirated with the 317 heads, the 6.2L produced 551 hp at 6,600 rpm and 507 lb-ft of torque at 4,900 rpm. Run with the LS3 heads, the peak numbers jumped to 584 hp at 6,700 rpm and 526 lb-ft of torque at 5,300 rpm. The high-flow LS3 heads sure made themselves known on the naturally aspirated 6.2L, but how would they do once boost was added?

The application of boost to our LS3 came from a single Precision 7675 turbo. Capable of supporting over 1,100 hp, the turbo is more than capable of supporting the power levels our 6.2L would achieve. All we wanted to do was to find out if the gains offered by the LS3 heads in naturally aspirated trim remained under boost. In this case, we set the boost pressure at a conservative 7 psi using a pair of Hyper-Gate45 wastegates from Turbosmart. Turbosmart also supplied a single Race Port blow-off valve for our turbo LS. The homemade turbo system featured a pair of stainless turbo headers from DNA coupled to a custom 3-inch Y-pipe crossover. The crossover was home to the pair of wastegates as well as the T4 turbo flange.

The exhaust system for the turbo consisted of a single 4-inch section of tubing, while the cold side featured 3.5-inch aluminum feeding an air-to-water intercooler from ProCharger. We measured both boost and backpressure during testing, as we made no effort to adjust the boost. We relied on the 7-psi wastegate spring to control the boost, and any variation would be a result of changes in backpressure. Backpressure in the system works with the boost pressure to open the wastegate valve. An increase in backpressure will effectively open the wastegate earlier for any given spring setting.

After installation of the turbo system, we ran the LS3 once again with the two cylinder head combinations. Equipped with the 317 heads, the turbo 6.2L produced 807 hp at 6,800 rpm and 747 lb-ft of torque at 4,900 rpm. The boost pressure peaked at 7.6 psi, before dropping to 6.9 psi at 7,000 rpm. The backpressure started out at just 6.6 psi (lower than the boost pressure), but soon peaked at 13.8 psi (giving a 2:1 ratio of backpressure to boost pressure). After installation of the LS3 heads, the peak numbers jumped to 826 hp at 6,700 rpm and 771 lb-ft of torque at 4,600 rpm. Just as they had on the naturally aspirated engine, the LS3 heads offered more power under boost, but the extra power also increased the backpressure. The boost pressure peaked at 7.6 psi, but dropped to 6.4 psi at 7,000 rpm. The backpressure started out at 6.7 psi, but eventually climbed to a peak of 14.2 psi (a ratio of just over 2.2:1). The increase in backpressure caused an early opening of the wastegate (by 0.5 psi) which would only add to the gains offered by the LS3 heads, but would further increase backpressure.

This test shows the LS3 heads are certainly better than the 317 heads on both a naturally aspirated and a turbo LS. But what about them against a set of 243 heads? Then, the question becomes, what about a set of ported LS3 heads against ported cathedral port heads? The questions and dyno testing never ends.

1. The test mule used for the test was a factory LS3 crate engine. We added a set of Fel-Pro MLS head gaskets and ARP head studs (not shown). Although the LS3 cam was a decent performer, we installed a performance-oriented hydraulic roller cam. The new profile featured a 0.617/0.624-inch lift split, a 231/243-degree duration split, and 113-degree LSA.

2. Both the stock LS3 (shown) and 317 heads received a valvespring upgrade to work with the cam upgrade.

3. Both heads were run on the flow bench prior to installation on the test engine. The 317 heads flowed 245 cfm and the LS3 heads flowed a whopping 317 cfm.

4. The stock LS3 heads were run with the impressive factory LS3 intake (shown). The 317 heads received a FAST truck-style intake manifold.

5. To ensure adequate fuel delivery, especially under boost, we installed a set of Holley 120-pound injectors. For the dyno tests, engine management was under the control of a Holley Dominator ECU.

6. First up on the dyno were the 317 heads. Run in naturally aspirated trim, the 317-headed LS3 produced 551 hp and 507 lb-ft of torque.

7. After the test, off came the intake to allow access to the 317 heads. In truth, no one would replace the stock LS3 heads with 317s, but they would definitely go the other way on a 6.0L truck engine.

8. Run on the dyno with the LS3 heads, the aluminum 6.2L produced 584 hp and 526 lb-ft of torque. After comparing the heads in naturally aspirated trim, it was time for some boost.

9. For our healthy LS3, we selected a single Precision 7675 turbo capable of supporting over 1,100 hp.

10. The turbo headers fed a custom Y-pipe crossover equipped with the T4 turbo flange and a pair of Hyper-Gate45 wastegate mounts.

11. Boost from the Precision turbo was fed through an air-to-water intercooler from ProCharger.

12. We drilled and tapped the Y-pipe to monitor backpressure during the turbo testing.

13. Run with the 317 heads, the turbo 6.2L produced 807 hp at 6,800 rpm and 747 lb-ft of torque at 4,900 rpm. The peak backpressure checked in at 13.8 psi.

14. After installation of the LS3 heads, the peak numbers jumped to 826 hp at 6,700 rpm and 771 lb-ft of torque at 4,600 rpm. The backpressure rose slightly with the more powerful LS3 heads to a peak of 14.2 psi.

15. Given the difference in flow rates offered by the two cylinder heads, it is not surprising that the LS3 head easily outperformed the 317 heads. After all, the cathedral port 317 heads were designed for a pedestrian 6.0L truck application, while the LS3 heads were designed for the performance-oriented Corvette. Given the minor increase in chamber volume of the 317 heads (71.5 vs 70), the gains attributed to the LS3 heads are primarily down to flow, though the chamber design of the LS3 is also better than the 317. Thanks to the cam upgrade, the LS3 produced 551 hp and 507 lb-ft of torque with the 317 heads. After installation of the LS3 heads, the power numbers jumped to 584 hp and 526 lb-ft of torque. Not many people would consider putting 317 heads on their LS3, but the LS3 heads (along with the intake and rockers) are a solid upgrade for any 6.0L LQ4.

16. This is really the dyno test that fans of two respective head camps were waiting for. Run with a single Precision 7675 turbo, ProCharger air-to-water intercooler, and 317 heads (at 7 psi), the 6.2L produced 807 hp at 6,800 rpm and 747 lb-ft of torque at 4,900 rpm. After running the same setup with the LS3 heads, the 6.2L produced 826 hp at 6,700 rpm and 771 lb-ft of torque at 4,600 rpm. The gains offered by the high-flow LS3 heads continued under boost, but there is evidence that the gains diminished slightly. A peek at the boost and backpressure curves might offer some insight.

17. The two sets of curves illustrated here represent the boost pressure and backpressure offered by the two turbo combinations. Both turbo combinations were run with 7-psi wastegate springs and no controller. Equipped with the 317 heads, the combination produced a peak of 7.6 psi, which dropped to 6.9 psi at the top of the rev range. Run with the LS3 heads, the boost curve peaked at 7.4 psi and fell to 6.4 psi at the top of the rev range. The reason for this can likely be traced to the backpressure curve, as the extra power offered by the LS3 heads (in naturally aspirated trim), increased the exhaust flow in the system and elevated the backpressure. The peak backpressure registered during the runs was 13.8 psi for the 317s and 14.2 psi for the LS3s. The higher backpressure worked with the boost pressure to open the wastegate at a slightly lower boost level with the LS3 heads than with the 317s.

The post What is the hot setup for a turbo LS, rectangular port or cathedral port heads? appeared first on Hot Rod Network.

from Hot Rod Network http://www.hotrod.com/articles/hot-setup-turbo-ls-rectangular-port-cathedral-port-heads/ via IFTTT

[itsworn]

We Find Out Which Factory LS Head Performs Best Under Boost

What happens when you make a post in any of the many LS performance forums and ask the following question? What is the best factory LS head to use on a turbo engine? The obvious answer for any question regarding factory cathedral port heads is never the stock 706 heads, and always the legendary LS6 heads, right? I mean, the 243 (or later 799) is the go-to head for any application, but the 317 usually isn’t far behind. After all, the 317 truck heads were blessed with the same ports as the 243 and 799 heads, but were saddled with much larger combustion chambers. For turbo (and blower) guys, the drop in compression is often seen as a positive, as boost brings all that back, right? In truth, the drop in compression can be beneficial for keeping detonation at bay, assuming the chamber design of the 317 heads is less prone to detonation than the 706 heads we tested them against. That is a different debate for a different day, but right now we plan on finding out just how much power the drop in compression is worth when you replace the stock 706 heads with a set of 317s on a turbo 5.3L.

To fully demonstrate the change in power offered by the head swap, we ran the 5.3L test engine both naturally aspirated and turbocharged with each pair of cylinder heads. This way we could demonstrate that the power gains offered in naturally aspirated trim carried over under boost. The 5.3L test engine used to illustrate this was a high-mileage LM7 yanked from a local LKQ Pick Your Part. In preparation for the test, the 5.3L received a cam upgrade, a fresh set of Fel-Pro MLS head gaskets, and ARP head studs. Rather than rely on the stock truck intake, we installed an LS6 intake and manual throttle body. Both pairs of heads were run with stock rockers, hardened pushrods (of the same length), and long-tube headers. The fuel supplied by the Holley 120-pound injectors and the timing values were controlled by a Holley ECU. Run with the 317 heads, the modified 5.3L produced 448 hp at 6,800 rpm and 398 lb-ft of torque at 5,000 rpm. After installation of the 706 heads, the power jumped to 468 hp at 6,800 rpm and 413 lb-ft of torque at 5,300 rpm. The 706 heads consistently improved the power output of the naturally aspirated 5.3L by 20 hp. But how would they compare under boost?

To illustrate the gains offered under boost, we set up the 5.3L to accept a single turbo system. The kit featured a custom Y-pipe designed to work with a pair of stainless steel turbo headers. The headers featured V-band clamps to connect to the Y-pipe crossover tube. The crossover tube included not only the necessary T4 turbo flange but also a pair of wastegate flanges designed to accept Turbosmart Hyper-Gate45 wastegates. The use of two wastegates ensured proper boost control, as our Precision Turbo 7675 turbocharger was capable of supporting over 1,100 hp if left unchecked. Boost from the Precision turbo was channeled through an air-to-water intercooler supplied by ProCharger. Like the turbo, the intercooler was designed for 1,000+ hp applications so it had no trouble on our 5.3L running just 7 psi. The intercooler was fed 85-degree dyno water. Obviously, ice water would work best, but this test wasn’t about maximizing the combination. Also part of the turbo system was a 4.0-inch exhaust system and a Race Port blow-off valve.

As with the naturally aspirated testing, we ran the turbocharged 5.3L with both the 317 and 706 heads. The discharge tube from the intercooler was plumbed to the throttle body. Run with 7-psi wastegate springs, the 317 heads produced peak numbers of 691 hp at 6,700 rpm and 612 lb-ft of torque at 5,000 rpm. Running just 7 psi, the turbo system improved the power output by 243 hp. But the real question is, would the 706 heads still make more power under boost? After installation of the 706 heads, we got our answer.

Run with the same air/fuel ratio, timing, and boost, the turbo 5.3L produced (ironically enough) 706 hp and 641 lb-ft of torque. Despite running just on the wastegate springs, the boost with the 706 heads was down slightly (by 0.5 psi) at the power peak, but even with that difference in boost, the 706 head still offered almost 20 hp and nearly 30 lb-ft of torque where the boost differential was only 0.2 psi. Given that every pound of boost was worth 32.66 hp, the extra 0.5 psi might be worth as much as 16 hp. Either way, the extra power offered in naturally aspirated trim translated directly into power under boost. After this test, it looks like LS guys might be digging out all those old 5.3L heads! CHP

The only way to find out which factory heads were best for boost was to run them on the dyno, with a Precision turbo. (Ed note-The TEA head was used as a photo mockup only.)

Though it was hardly necessary at the low boost level we were running, we upgraded the high-mileage 5.3L LM7 with a set of Fel-Pro MLS head gaskets and ARP head studs.

The stock 706 heads are often discarded due to the smaller valve sizes and perceived lack of flow, but this test shows they worked well on a turbo 5.3L.

Used on the 6.0L truck applications, the 317 heads offered more flow and larger valves than the 706 heads, but they also featured larger combustion chambers (by 10 cc). This dropped the static compression ratio by over 1.2 points.

Prior to dyno testing, both heads were run on the flow bench. The 317 heads flowed as much as 19 cfm more than the 706 heads, but the extra flow was not enough to overcome the difference in compression.

Rather than waste our time with the least powerful of all the factory cams, we replaced the LM7 grind with a more performance-oriented unit. The hydraulic roller cam offered a 0.614/0.624-inch lift split, a 227/243-degree duration split, and a 113-degree LSA.

Both heads were topped off with this factory LS6 intake and manual throttle body.

To ensure adequate fuel delivery under boost, we installed a set of 120-pound Holley injectors. Holley also supplied this 2-bar MAP sensor.

Controlling the timing and fuel was critical on the turbo application so we stepped up to this Holley HP ECU.

To work with the cam upgrade, each of the factory heads received a valvespring upgrade from Brian Tooley Racing.

First up on the dyno in naturally aspirated trim were the 317 heads bolted to the 5.3L. After tuning, the modified 5.3L produced 448 hp at 6,800 rpm and 398 lb-ft of torque at 5,000 rpm.

After testing, we performed a head swap to replace the 317 heads with the 706 heads.

After installation of the 706 heads, the power output of the modified 5.3L jumped to 468 hp at 6,800 rpm and 413 lb-ft of torque at 5,300 rpm.

After the NA testing, it was time to duplicate the comparison under boost. In this case, boost was supplied by a single Precision Turbo 7675 turbocharger.

Boost was controlled by a pair of Turbosmart Hyper-Gate45 wastegates.

Though we limited boost pressure to just 7 psi, we ran the boost through this air-to-water intercooler from ProCharger.

The turbo system consisted of a pair of stainless headers feeding a custom (3-inch) Y-pipe. The crossover pipe featured a trio of flanges, one for the T4 turbo and a pair for the dual wastegates.

Run on the dyno with the 317 heads and single turbo, the 5.3L produced 691 hp and 612 lb-ft of torque.

After installation of the 706 heads, the peak numbers under boost jumped to 706 hp and 641 lb-ft of torque. The gains offered in naturally aspirated trim continued and were slightly multiplied under boost.

706 vs. 317 Modified (NA) 5.3L Right off the bat, it is obvious that the stock 5.3L 706 heads easily outperformed the 6.0L 317s. This was even more impressive when you consider the fact that the 317 heads offered more flow, larger ports, and larger intake valves. Credit the difference in chamber size for the majority of the gains, as the 706 heads were a full 10 cc smaller than the 317s. Tested on the naturally aspirated 5.3L, the result was an extra 20 hp, and almost as much torque. Equipped with the 706 heads, the 5.3L produced 468 hp and 413 lb-ft of torque. After installation of the 317 heads, the power numbers dropped to 448 hp and 398 lb-ft of torque. The question now, how would they compare under boost?

706 vs. 317 Modified (Turbo) 5.3L Though LS enthusiasts seem to think some sort of magic happens when you introduce boost pressure from a turbo, the reality is that things actually remain the same. The only change is usually that the differences experienced naturally aspirated occur at a higher power level. This was the case when we added boost from the same single-turbo system to both sets of cylinder heads. Run with the Precision turbo, ProCharger intercooler, and 317 heads (at 7 psi), the 5.3L produced 691 hp at 6,700 rpm and 612 lb-ft of torque at 5,000 rpm. After running the same setup with the 706 heads, the 5.3L produced 706 hp at 6,500 rpm and 641 lb-ft of torque at 5,000 rpm. The gains offered by the extra compression of the 706 heads remained (and even increased slightly) under boost.

Sources:

ARP

805.339.2200

arp-bolts.com

Brian Tooley Racing

888.959.8865

briantooleyracing.com

DNA Motoring

626.965.8898

dnamotoring.com

Holley/Hooker

270.782.2900

holley.com

Precision Turbo

219.996.7832

precisionturbo.net

ProCharger

913.338.2886

procharger.com

Turbosmart

909.476.2570

turbosmartusa.com

The post We Find Out Which Factory LS Head Performs Best Under Boost appeared first on Hot Rod Network.

from Hot Rod Network http://www.hotrod.com/articles/we-find-out-which-factory-ls-head-perfoms-best-under-boost/ via IFTTT

[itsworn]

A twin-turbo 540 big-block lays down 1,312 horsepower!

Having exceeded the 1,000hp mark with our BluePrint Engines (BPE) 540ci ProSeries Stroker Crate Engine using a ProCharger F-1A-94 supercharger, you might think we would be done with the big-block, but you’d be wrong. The boys at BPE were adamant about us putting the crate engine through its paces, so here we are again ready to subject the big Chevy to yet another power-adder. For those who are just joining the party, the BPE 540ci engine was shipped to us ready for action. According to BPE, the 540 was designed with boost and/or nitrous in mind, thanks to BPE’s own heavy-duty, four-bolt block filled to the brim with forged internals. They built the power-adder ready crate engine with the same components you would choose in your own boost build, such as a 4340 forged steel crank, forged H-beam rods, and matching forged aluminum pistons. To ensure the short-block made plenty of power, the 540 was equipped with rectangular port aluminum heads and a stout solid roller cam. The boost-friendly cam profile offered 0.652/0.652-inch lift, 255/262-degree duration, and 114-degree LSA.

In the first installment, we ran the 540 in naturally aspirated trim to the tune 649 hp. The first power-adder applied was a shot of nitrous using a Zex Perimeter Plate system. The Zex kit was plumbed with jetting to provide an additional 250 hp, which pushed the output of the BPE 540 to 937 hp and 891 lb-ft of torque. We followed up the Zex nitrous with a polished 6-71 supercharger kit from Speedmaster. Running a pulley combination that provided 11.1 psi, the supercharged 540 produced 939 hp and 866 lb-ft of torque. The final supercharged hurrah featured an intercooled, ProCharger F-1A-94 supercharger combined with fuel injection. That combination netted a peak of 1,197 hp at 11.8 psi of boost. The magical 1,000hp glass ceiling was officially shattered, but the BPE 540 was still standing tall and begging for more.

With our healthy BPE 540 crate engine at the ready, we decided it was high time to try turbocharging. And if one turbo is good, then two must be better, right? In preparation for the twin-turbo system we retained the Edelbrock 454-R intake previously run with the ProCharger supercharger. The Edelbrock intake had been converted for EFI use with eight injector bungs. This was combined with 120-pound Holley injectors and the 105mm throttle body and inlet elbow. To support the turbos, J-Fab whipped up a pair of tubular turbo manifolds and T4 turbo mounts. These manifolds and mounts allowed us to install the T4-based BorgWarner 475S turbos from Lil John’s Motorsport Solutions. For oil drain-back from the turbos it was necessary to tap into the oil pan. A pair of Turbosmart Hyper-Gate45 45mm wastegates controlled boost pressure, while pressure spikes were eliminated with a Race Port blow-off valve.

With boost production and control taken care of, it was time to deal with cooling. It is a law of physics that heat is an unfortunate byproduct of compression. This means that boost will heat the intake air temperature, and since heat is the enemy of both power and safety, every means should be employed to reduce unwanted heat buildup. To minimize detonation and improve power production we added an air-to-water intercooler, with CXRacing supplying the core and miscellaneous tubing. The intercooler featured a pair of high-flow cores, a pair of 3-inch inlets, and a single 3.5-inch outlet. Plumbing the turbos to run through the intercooler required only a couple of 90-degree aluminum bends and silicone couplers. We relied on dyno water to feed the intercooler, though additional power can be had with ice water. Tuning for our twin-turbo combination came from a Holley HP management system, and our fuel supply was augmented with a Kenne Bell Boost-A-Pump.

Using 112-octane race fuel we snuck up on boost and the tune, and the twin-turbo BPE 540 did not disappoint. Pump gas would certainly work at lower boost levels, but we wanted to maximize power production using the safety margin race fuel afforded. After dialing in the desired boost level with the Turbosmart manual boost controller, we were rewarded with a peak of 1,080 hp at 10.6 psi. Apparently the turbos and big-block were a match made in performance heaven! Cranking the boost up to 12.1 psi brought an increase in peak power to 1,128 hp and nearly 1,100 lb-ft of torque. The final run pushed the peak boost pressure up to 15.8 psi, where the twin-turbo BPE 540 thumped out an amazing 1,312 hp and 1,251 lb-ft of torque. Though there was plenty of power left in the BorgWarner turbos, we stopped there, satisfied that we had officially put the BPE 540 power-adder big-block through its paces. Imagine, a crate engine that—with almost any power-adder—can be made to exceed 1,000 hp and comes with a 30-month/50,000-mile warranty. A Mad Adder indeed!

Supplied in long-block form, the BPE 540 was built for boost. The crate engine featured a forged crank, rods, and pistons secured inside BPE’s own heavy-duty, four-bolt block. To ensure plenty of power potential, BPE added rectangular port aluminum heads and a healthy solid-roller cam. The BPE 540ci ProSeries Stroker Crate Engine even comes with a 30-month/50,000-mile warranty.

Though Edelbrock offers an EFI version of the 454-R intake, we used this converted version Westech Performance had on hand for the twin-turbo EFI combination.

Knowing our twin-turbo big-block was going to push right past the 1,000hp mark, we stuffed the eight bungs with Holley 120-pound injectors.

J-Fab whipped up a set of dedicated turbo headers complete with V-band flanges

The V-band flanges were set up to accept these J-bends. The bends featured a V-band flange on one side and a T4-turbo flange on the other. They also featured provisions for the Turbosmart wastegates.

Lil John’s Motorsport Solutions supplied a pair of BorgWarner 475S turbos for our big-block. Capable of exceeding 1,000 hp each, the turbos offered more than enough flow for our power needs.

Exhaust from the turbo exited through 4-inch stainless tubing using V-band flanges to the turbine side.

Since heat is the enemy of performance, we installed this air-to-water intercooler from CXRacing. The dual-core intercooler featured a pair of 3-inch inlets and a single 3.5-inch outlet.

We dialed in the air/fuel ratio and timing of the twin-turbo combination using a Holley HP management system.

Possibly the coolest part of the whole twin-turbo combination was this two-piece, CNC inlet elbow and 105mm throttle body combination from Wilson Manifolds.

To ensure adequate fuel delivery, we augmented the dyno fuel pump with a Kenne Bell Boost-A-Pump.

Mounted on the dyno, the 540 was fitted with an MSD billet distributor paired with a 6AL ignition box while an Aeromotive four-port pressure regulator controlled the fuel. For fuel, we went with 112-octane from Rockett Brand Racing Fuel.

The BPE 540 easily surpassed the 1,000hp mark, producing 1,080 hp at just 10.6 psi. Things got even more exciting when we cranked up the boost to 12.1 psi, where the twin-turbo 540 produced 1,128 hp. The final run of the day brought an amazing 1,312 hp at a peak boost reading of 15.8 psi. Best of all, the BPE 540 survived all the abuse and was ready for more.

Sources:

ARP

800.826.3045

arp-bolts.com

BluePrint Engines

800.483.4263

blueprintengines.com

Edelbrock

310.781.2222

edelbrock.com

Holley

270.782.2900

holley.com

Lil John’s Motorsport Solutions

888.583.4408

liljohnsmotorsports.com

Kenne Bell

909.941.0985

kennebell.net

MSD

915.857.5200

msdignition.com

Westech Performance

951.685.4767

westechperformance.com

Wilson Manifolds

954.771.6216

wilsonmanifolds.net/wm/ecart/

The post A twin-turbo 540 big-block lays down 1,312 horsepower! appeared first on Hot Rod Network.

from Hot Rod Network http://www.hotrod.com/articles/twin-turbo-540-big-block-lays-1312-horsepower/ via IFTTT

[itsworn]

We Test It! Hooker’s LS Engine Turbo Exhaust Manifolds

No matter how many times we test them, it still amazes us how easy it is to make power with GM’s LS series of engines. Even something as ordinary as a high-mileage 5.3L will respond to boost, and do so with gusto! Lately, the hot ticket is to grab a 5.3L truck engine from the junkyard, change the cam and add a turbo, and you have the makings of one serious powerhouse. Yes, folks, turbo LS engines are the hottest things going right now, and because of that, a multitude of aftermarket exhaust options are available, the latest of which are Hooker’s new Turbo Exhaust Manifolds, which we will be testing here.

First, some background information. For those unfamiliar with turbocharging, the concept is simple. A turbo consists of a pair of impellers, the turbine and compressor, with a common shaft connecting the two. The exhaust from your engine is used to spin the turbine wheel. Since it’s coupled to the compressor wheel, both wheels spin at the same speed. As the compressor wheel spins, it draws air in and forces it through the compressor housing and into the engine, thus taking exhaust energy, which is usually wasted, and using it to drive an impeller that supercharges the engine. The compressor continues to add air, which in turns creates more exhaust, adding even more air and exhaust. Without a wastegate that allows some of the exhaust to escape and limit the pressure, this cycle would continue until the engine blew up from excessive boost. Also, since compressing the air also increases the temperature, turbo systems often employ intercooling to lower the air temperature back near ambient (or below ambient if using ice water). Intercooling simply involves running the heated air through an air-to-air, or air-to-water heat exchanger (much like a radiator).

Now, back to our test engine. Since we were turbocharging the LS, naturally we had to grab a truck load of forged internals and heavy-duty hardware, right? Wrong! This turbo combination contained nothing more elaborate than what came from the junkyard. Not that you can’t make even more power with the proper rods and pistons—it’s just that the stock stuff will take you a long way before things go south (check out the Big Bang Theory engine dyno series).

When snatched from the yard, the 5.3 was a typical high-mileage unit and has since been used tirelessly for dyno-testing. During a recent cylinder-head test, we replaced the stock head bolts and gaskets with Fel Pro and ARP components, but the remainder of the internal components remain stock (including the wimpy stock LM7 cam). For this test, we upgraded the intake to a TrailBlazer SS unit, installed a 90mm throttle-body, and added 89-pound injectors. Equipped with Hooker 1 7/8-inch long-tube headers, the normally-aspirated 5.3L produced 359 hp at 5,200 rpm and 384 lb-ft of torque at 4,200 rpm. Time to bring on the Hookers!

Off came the headers and on went the Hooker turbo manifolds. The first thing we noticed about the new manifolds was plug access. This is an important point, as many of the tubular turbo manifolds have a reputation of limiting plug access and burning plug wires. What good is a turbo system if you have to keep replacing burnt plug wires? The Hooker manifolds were as easy to install as their factory counterparts. The hefty, cast-iron manifolds should have no trouble outlasting the rest of the engine. They also excel at keeping the heat energy in the exhaust and channeling it to the turbo. Using a crossover (actually, under) tube, the exhaust from the driver-side (right) manifold feeds the back of the passenger-side manifold. The exhaust from each side is merged in the passenger-side manifold and allowed to flow through a single 3-inch exit. The exit features a V-band flange that allowes us to secure the mounting for our T4 turbo (this piece is not provided with the manifolds). The T4 mounting tube also featured a provision for the Turbosmart Hyper-Gate 45 wastegate.

With our mainfolds in position, we obviously needed a turbo to go with our manifolds. Since we had it handy, we used the T4-based Precision 7675. Though it is capable of supporting north of 1,100 hp, it has served us well time and time again at significantly reduced power levels. We weren’t looking to Big Bang this engine, but just needed to add sufficient boost to demonstrate the merits of our Hookers. The Precision turbo was teamed with an air-to-water intercooler we pirated from our Procharger testing on a 540-inch big-block Chevy. Having exceeded 1,300 hp with the core on the Blueprint 540 Power Adder crate motor, we knew that, like the turbo, this intercooler was more than sufficient for our little junkyard 5.3. All it took to connect the turbo, intercooler, and throttle-body was a few sections of aluminum tubing and a handful of couplers and clamps. One of the sections of tubing that we had from previous testing even featured a Race Port blow-off valve from Turbosmart. That’s why we never throw anything away!

With the Holley HP ECU still in control of our 89-pound injectors, we jumped in and tuned the new turbo combination. The wastegate was configured with a 10-psi spring, which resulted in a maximum pressure of 10.7 psi at the power peak. We ran ambient-temperature dyno water through the Procharger intercooler core for this test, and we purposely kept the total ignition timing at a pump-gas-friendly 19 degrees (at the power peak). After dialing in the timing and air/fuel ratio, we were rewarded with peak numbers of 602 hp at 5,700 rpm and 614 lb-ft of torque at 4,600 rpm. Taking a look at the power curves (see graph), the turbo system enhanced the power output significantly through the entire rev range. Adding more than 240 hp and 230 lb-ft of torque to your stock 5.3 shows just how amazing turbocharging is. Having those gains occur through the entire curve means you will never be at a loss for power. What this combination now needs to make it complete is a cam upgrade—such as Brian Tooley Racing or Lil John’s Motorsport Solutions Stage 2—which have been shown to add more than 120 hp at the same boost level. If you have a 5.3L that you’re looking to turbocharge and want manifolds that fit, don’t burn plug wires, and flat-out work, you would do well to bring on the Hookers!

Graph 1: 5.3L LM7-Na vs Hooker Turbo Manifolds (10.7 psi)

Pulled from a local LKQ Pick a Part, this 5.3 engine was left internally stock. The modifications made before dyno testing included a TrailBlazer SS intake and 92-mm throttle-body, larger injectors, and long-tube, Hooker headers. Run in this trim, the normally aspirated 5.3 produced 359 hp at 5,200 rpm and 384 lb-ft of torque at 4,200 rpm. After installation of the Hooker manifold and Precision 7675 turbo (at 10.7 psi), the power output jumped to 608 hp at 5,700 rpm and 641 lb-ft of torque at 4,700 rpm.

We can’t remember the last time we got excited about cast-iron exhaust manifolds! inset.

Inset

Built from high-silicon-moly, ductile iron, the Hooker manifolds were designed for greater strength and longevity compared with the typical tubular manifolds.

The passenger-side manifold feature the merge for the driver’s side. Note the design features V-band flanges for ease of installation and a leak-free seal.

The inside of the manifold reveals the merge point from the driver’s side crossover.

To test the Hooker manifolds, we dusted off one of our junkyard 5.3L test engines. The factory truck manifold was replaced by a TrailBlazer SS intake.

The factory TBSS intake was flanged to accept a 90-mm throttle-body.

To ensure adequate fuel delivery, we upgraded the factory injectors with 89-pounders.

The NA 5.3L was run with a set of 1 7/8-inch Hooker headers feeding 18-inch collector extensions.

To dial in the air/fuel and timing curves on both combinations, we relied on a Holley HP ECU.

Run on the dyno in normally aspirated trim, the internally stock 5.3 produced 359 hp at 5,200 rpm and 384 hp at 4,200 rpm.

After running the normally aspirated testing, we removed the headers and replaced them with the Hooker turbo manifolds.

The exit of passenger’s side manifold features a 3-inch, V-band flange to allow the user to mount the tubing for the turbo. Note the heat shield used to protect the radiator hose (and yes, we moved ours after the photo).

Hooker offers a number of different crossover tubes for various applications, but we ended up making our own to fit the dyno. Hooker also offers a DIY kit for custom fitment applications.

Obviously, the Hooker manifolds needed a turbo to provide boost, so we grabbed our tried-and-true (1,100-plus-hp) 7675 turbo from Precision. Though it’s overkill for this stock 5.3, the T4 turbo worked well at this reduced power level.

Boost is nothing without control, so we enlisted the aid of a Hyper-Gate45 wastegate from Turbosmart.

Though we purposely kept boost at a reasonable level, we still added this air-to-water intercooler from Procharger to drop the charge temperatures. The discharge tubing also featured a Race Port blow-off valve from Turbosmart.

Run on the dyno with a conservative (pump-gas) tune and the boost set at 10.7 psi, the turbo 5.3L produced 601 hp at 5,700 rpm and 614 lb-ft of torque at 4,600 rpm.

The post We Test It! Hooker’s LS Engine Turbo Exhaust Manifolds appeared first on Hot Rod Network.

from Hot Rod Network http://www.hotrod.com/articles/test-hookers-ls-engine-turbo-exhaust-manifolds/ via IFTTT

[itsworn]

How much boost can a 6L LS truck short-block take?

If you are new to the LS scene or haven’t spent much time online, or at events, or near other LS owners, you might have missed the first or second “big bangs.” Originally, the big bang test was designed to find the absolute boost and/or power limit of the factory LS short-block. With drag racers out there laying down some pretty impressive numbers using stock short-blocks, we wanted to find the absolute power limit of the LS platform. Armed with a 4.8L back in 2011 for Hot Rod, we subjected it to some minor top-end mods and a pair of turbos to the tune of over 1,200 hp. We followed that exercise up with the same program on the larger (and more popular) 5.3L for Truckin magazine. The combination of lessons learned and increased displacement allowed us to push the 5.3L over 1,300 hp before things went south. Having run both the 4.8L and 5.3L, this left only the iron 6.0L yet to be tested. Well my friends, that day has come and we finally got the chance to give a Gen III 6.0L LQ4 the old big bang treatment.

Before we get to the test, know that the larger 6.0L had a great many strikes against it, at least according to the Internet. The 5.3L was by far the favorite among turbo LS owners, due no doubt to the combination of reduced cost and tremendous availability. GM produced millions of 5.3L LM7s (and its variants), but the larger 6.0Ls were (relatively speaking) few and far between. One need only peruse eBay, local wrecking yards, or even Craigslist to see the difference in pricing and availability between the two. Pricing aside, according to online rumblings, the bigger bore used on the 6.0L (4.00 vs 3.78) also made it less desirable from a head gasket sealing standpoint. The theory was that the larger bores reduced both cylinder wall thickness and the sealing surface between cylinders—both bad for high-boost, turbo applications. Never mind all the other engine combinations that run elevated boost and power levels with considerably less sealing surface between cylinders, this folklore eventually became the law of the land. As such, prospective turbo LS owners tended to steer clear of the 6.0L for fear of head gasket or cylinder wall issues.

We decided to test the strength of the iron 6.0L for ourselves. After all, we were also told the stock powdered metal rods on the 4.8L and 5.3L wouldn’t last past 8 psi of boost and the stock pistons were going to break on the first hit. We know the stock, cast components (used in the truck engines) were never designed by GM to withstand the rigors of even minor boost, let alone the levels we had planned. That said, so far, the GM guys have been able to hold their heads pretty high, as 1,200 hp from the 4.8L and 1,300 hp from the 5.3L, are certainly nothing to scoff at. It was with these results in hand that we subjected our 6.0L to the big bang treatment. The procedure was a simple one. Locate a suitable, used, high-mileage (running) engine, increase the ring gap, and then throw in a ball hone and a deck surface. After this minor amount of prep, we’d toss in a good cam, ported heads, and the right intake. Then, sprinkle with the right amount of boost from a pair of sizable turbos. Using race gas and the proper tune, just crank up the boost until something pops. Easy-peasy, right?

The 6.0L used for this adventure came from a 2000 Suburban that had 247,000 miles on the clock. This early Gen III engine was sporting iron heads of all things. The engine was a runner (we ran it on the dyno prior to disassembly), but was taken apart and given a onceover, which consisted of a thorough cleaning, ball hone, and surface deck to ensure sealing under boost (remember those pesky head-gasket problems). Every part of the original short-block was reused, including the original pistons rings, which were given increased ring gap, from 0.022-0.032 inch. The stock 6.0L short-block was then treated to a new cam from Brian Tooley Racing, a set of CNC-ported 317 heads (factory aluminum 6.0L truck heads), and a Holley Hi-Ram intake. Also present was a set of factory LS9 (MLS) head gaskets, ARP head studs, and a Holley 105mm throttle body. The 120-pound injectors used on the Hi-Ram were controlled by a Holley HP management system. The engine was first run in naturally aspirated trim. So equipped, the Big-Bang 6.0L produced 529 hp at 6,800 rpm and 457 lb-ft of torque at 5,100 rpm. Now it was time for boost.

For those wondering why we chose to modify any components on what was essentially a strength test of the internal components, the answer is a simple one. Boost applied to an engine is simply a multiplier. The power output of any turbocharged engine is a function of the power output of the naturally aspirated engine multiplied by the boost pressure (pressure ratio). Your naturally aspirated engine is actually running at an atmospheric pressure of 14.5 psi. If you double this atmospheric pressure (by supplying boost from a turbo or blower), you can theoretically double the power output. On our 529hp 6.0L, this meant we could generate as much as 1,058 hp at 14.5 psi of boost, if everything went according to the formula (and the engine survived). This formula works regardless of the original power output. If we were to run the 6.0L in stock trim, the resulting power output would be around 400 hp (on this dyno the way we test). If we apply 14.5 psi from our turbos to the stock 400hp engine, we might get 800 hp. Having a more powerful naturally aspirated engine allowed us to produce more power with the turbos at any given boost level. More than just the boost limit of the Big-Bang engine, we wanted a big power number to go along with it. Big power is exactly what we got.

With the Big-Bang 6.0L primed and ready for action, it was time we added some boost. Rather than go with the same turbos from CXRacing used on the previous two Big-Bang adventures, we stepped up to some serious hardware. John Bewley over at Lil John’s Motorsport Solutions hooked us up with a pair of BorgWarner S475 turbos. Capable of supporting nearly 1,000 hp each, the T4 turbos featured 83mm turbines and 1.0 A/Rs. For this application we were less interested in boost response and more in efficiency. As it turned out, the backpressure registered during testing was always less than boost pressure by 5-7 psi, a sure sign of an efficient system. The turbos were fed by a pair of stainless turbo manifolds from DNA and custom 90-degree bends that included both the T4 turbo and 45mm wastegate flanges. To control the boost, we installed a pair of Turbosmart Hyper-Gate45 wastegates along with one of their manual wastegate controllers and a variety of springs. The turbo system also featured a dual-core, air-to-water intercooler from CXRacing (used on the two previous Big-Bang tests). For the higher boost levels, we plumbed the system for ice water using a Meziere electric water pump. Fuel was supplied to the 120-pound injectors from an Aeromotive Eliminator pump augmented by a 17V Kenne Bell Boost-a-Pump. Using this system and a boost-referenced fuel-pressure regulator (from Aeromotive), the fuel pressure was rock steady and increased in relation to boost. All testing was run on 118-octane Rockett Brand race fuel.

The Big Bang 6.0L started out life as a Gen III iron block from a 2000 Chevy Suburban. The block was surfaced to ensure proper head gasket sealing and given a light ball hone.

The stock Gen III rods and LQ4 dished pistons were reused. After all, with only 247,000 miles logged, they were still mint.

The one change we did make was to substantially increase the ring gap on the factory rings (yes, we reused the 247,000-mile rings) from 0.022 to 0.032 inch. We gapped the rings using this trick ring-gap tool from Total Seal Rings.

Looking to make a big number along with the big boost, we installed a Stage 3 Turbo camshaft from Brian Tooley Racing. The dedicated turbo cam featured a 0.609/0.610-inch lift split, a 230/235-degree duration split, and 114+4-degree LSA. The right cam can yield huge power gains, especially once you crank the boost up.

Once cammed up with extra ring gap, the short-block was prepped with a set of LS9 head gaskets and ARP head studs.

Topping the 6.0L short-block was a set of Stage 2, CNC-ported heads from Total Engine Airflow (TEA). The CNC program was applied to the intake and exhaust ports (shown), as well as the all-important bowl area.

Only minor work was performed to the combustion chambers, but the already sizable chambers helped keep the static compression ratio in the safety zone.

The TEA heads were assembled with a dual valvespring package that provided both adequate coil-bind clearance and plenty of pressure for the combination of rpm and boost we planned to run.

To optimize power production higher in the rev range we enlisted the aid of a Holley Hi-Ram intake manifold combined with a 105mm Holley throttle body.

To ensure adequate fuel delivery, we installed a set of 120-pound Holley injectors fed by an Aeromotive fuel pump. The pump was augmented by a 17-volt Kenne Bell Boost-a-Pump.

Since the proper air/fuel ratio and timing values were critical on a twin-turbo combination, we relied on a Holley HP management system.

Before adding boost, we ran the modified 6.0L LQ4 engine on the dyno in naturally aspirated trim. The 6.0L produced 529 hp at 6,800 rpm and 457 lb-ft of torque at 5,100 rpm.

After the initial dyno test, we replaced the long-tube headers with the turbo components. The stainless turbo headers were used to feed a pair of 90-degree bends that included the T4 turbo and wastegate flanges. We relied on 4-inch sections of tubing to allow exhaust to escape. Note the oxygen sensor and stainless steel fitting with coiled aluminum tubing used to measure backpressure before the turbo.

Boost was supplied by a pair of BorgWarner S475 turbos from John Bewley at Lil John’s Motorsport Solutions. Capable of supporting nearly 1,000 hp each, the turbos were plenty capable of putting the big bang on our 6.0L.

Though available with a larger T6 housing, we elected to run a pair of smaller T4 housings (1.0 A/R) in conjunction with our 83mm turbine wheels.

Boost is useless without control, especially when you have the ability to easily overwhelm the combination. Keeping the boost in check was a pair of 45mm Turbosmart Hyper-Gate45 wastegates. We also relied on one of their manual wastegate controllers and additional wastegate springs to dial up the boost pressure.

Since elevated boost was in the cards, we installed an air-to-water intercooler in the mix. At the higher boost levels, we ran ice water through the system using a 10-gallon cell and Meziere electric water pump.

The intercooler was plumbed for both temperature and pressure measurements. This allowed us to compare the boost pressure to the backpressure and the pressure before and after the intercooler core. It also allowed us to log the drop in inlet air temps using the dual-core cooler from CXRacing.

After the turbo system was up and running, we snuck up on the terminal boost pressure. The twin-turbo 6.0L made multiple passes near the 1,000hp mark, but we eventually started cranking up the boost. At 14.6 psi it produced 1,054 hp, while 20 psi pushed things up to 1,277 hp. At 25.3 psi it was up to 1,435 hp, but the big bang came at 28.5 psi and 1,482.7 hp. The engine was on track to easily exceed 1,500 hp, but one of the sissy Gen III connecting rods called it quits.

The cracked oil pan and blown-out windage tray only hinted at the carnage within the dearly departed 6.0L block. Still, making 1,483 hp at 28.5 psi is pretty damn impressive. Now we’re curious how far we could take a set of Gen IV LS rods.

Before we cranked up the boost to a big bang level, we made pulls at lower boost levels. Equipped with the TEA Stage 2 317 heads, BTR Stage 3 turbo cam, and Holley Hi-Ram intake, the naturally aspirated 6.0L produced 529 hp and 457 lb-ft of torque. After the application of boost from the twin BorgWarner S475s, the power jumped to 914 hp at 10.8 psi, 974 hp at 12.9 psi, and 1,054 hp at 14.6 psi. Making these numbers all the more impressive was the fact that they came without the use of ice water in the intercooler.

Things got serious once we plumbed the system for ice water. Cranking up the boost to an even 20 psi brought 1,277 hp, while 22 psi brought 1,343 hp. After dialing in another 3.3 psi for a total of 25.3 psi, the twin-turbo 6.0L produced 1,435 hp and 1,240 lb-ft of torque. The final step up to 28.5 psi brought 1,482.7 hp, 1,330 lb-ft, and the end of the Big-Bang 6.0L. In the end, it was a Gen III connecting rod that let go, which begs the question, shouldn’t we now run the same test on a Gen IV 6.0L with the stronger rods?

Sources:

 ARP

800.826.3045

arp-bolts.com

Brian Tooley Racing

888.959.8865

briantooleyracing.com

Comp Cams

901.795.2400

compcams.com

CXRacing

626.575.3288

cxracing.com

DNA Motoring

626.965.8898

dnamotoring.com

FAST

877.334.8355

fuelairspark.com

Holley/Hooker

270.782.2900

holley.com

Kenne Bell

909.941.6646

kennebell.net

Lil John’s Motorsport Solutions

888.583.4408

liljohnsmotorsports.com

Total Engine Airflow

330.634.2155

totalengineairflow.com

Total Seal Rings

800.874.2753

totalseal.com

Turbosmart

909.476.2570

turbosmartusa.com

The post How much boost can a 6L LS truck short-block take? appeared first on Hot Rod Network.

from Hot Rod Network http://www.hotrod.com/articles/much-boost-can-6l-ls-truck-short-block-take/ via IFTTT