Engine Masters: How Much Boost Can a Stock Engine Take?

[kevm14]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9pykOaMs5I

This sounds cool.

On this episode of Engine Masters presented by Amsoil, find out if you can stuff 25 psi of boost into a cast-piston, stock-crank short-block and have it live! Watch as we strap a ProCharger centrifugal supercharger to a bone-stock Chevy 350 bottom end and keep stepping up the boost to find the breaking point. But there’s a hitch: At the start, we agreed we’d let the engine live if it could make 750 hp and survive. So did we leave parts on the floor, or did we make stupid power with a foolish combo? We’ll tell you this much now—we did the best we could to show you blow-through boost tuning by keeping the ignition timing and the air/fuel ratio very conservative while also using Rockett Brand 118-octane fuel to prevent detonation. Engine Masters is supported by Mr. Gasket, Earl’s Vapor Guard, Auto Meter, and Permatex.

Until you realize that it would be much more interesting to see a lot of different engines compared. And some of the smallest things can make a huge difference. Or, maybe more specifically, not all failures are the same. So the idea that they are going to test a single engine and we are supposed to take something away from that...well that's not useful. Except as entertainment, which I'm sure it will qualify for.

[kevm14]

Fortunately they are using high octane to at least rule out detonation. But this is non-intercooled so that is going to be a ridiculous amount of hot air.

[kevm14]

I am only at 1:37 and so far this is good. He opened the ring end gaps. That is so key. A piston failure due to rings butting due to high temp isn't really a legit reason to say the engine can't handle boost.

[kevm14]

Wow, MLS head gaskets.

This should give this 350 the best chance, other than no intercooling.

I believe this is basically the L05 that's in my Caprice, at least the short block is.

Double wow, 195 cc heads. They actually want to make some power with this, to really see what the bottom end can do. I like this. I think they are focusing on the right things.

[kevm14]

Straight 60 oil??

There is such a thing as too much viscosity guys...

[kevm14]

lol

If we're gonna break it, I hope something hits the door.

They've all put in their guesses....

This is a fun one. They need to do this for a whole bunch of different engines though.

[kevm14]

So far we're at 700.

Just remember what I said before about dyno HP vs SAE net vs wheel. A Sloppy 700 rwhp LS turbo is putting down several hundred more than this. Still though.

[kevm14]

This was really good.

They mentioned some things that are worth listening to. Basically, they said the same things that Sloppy says. If you are careful and know what you are doing (especially the tune), you can make stuff survive that idiots blow up.

It is pretty funny. For how many decades were guys walking around repeating "junk cast pistons" ? Many. Turns out a high end forged piston isn't absolutely necessary if you have your other factors under control (i.e. no detonation, proper ring end gaps).

[kevm14]

Also...Procharger FTW! No oil, no coolant. Just a belt, no plumbing.

That is probably worth the extra cost. And unlike a turbo, no oil or exhaust debris can take it out. So you can reuse it on the next junkyard engine. Shit it doesn't even have a waste gate or boost controller to fail and grenade the engine.

This is worth looking into for sure. Maybe the best thing about the turbo is the centrifugal impeller design...and they can keep the rest?

[kevm14]

Freiburger replied to me!

My comment:

Is that a 2 or 4 bolt main block?? It might be a 2, which is even more hilarious.

His reply:

Two

Awesome. Two bolt mains. This was the best video in a while I think.