LS Fest: Test Sled ET's

(Narrator)>> The LS power plant is so well loved there's a festival dedicated to celebrating it. Today on Engine Power we check out the coolest cars at Holley's 10th annual LS Fest, and we brought our test sled with us. Speaking of the LS we're building this one into a street rod bullet. Plus race gas just created a new diesel formula and we can't wait to check it out.

(Mike)>> Welcome to Engine Power. It's Friday morning and we just arrived at LS Fest East in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Now we unloaded the test sled and spun it around and we have to say thanks to a few companies. It took a lot of effort to get here and those are Late Model Engines, Turbonetics, and No Corners Cut just to name a few.

(Pat)>> We'd also like to thank Factory Five Racing Type 65 Coupe-R chassis or we wouldn't even be here. Also Toyo Tires and of course Holley. Now with a car with this much power it takes a lot of safety equipment to make sure Mike and I are safe, and here's a look at that. Safety begins with seat belts. This is RaceQuip's SFI approved cam lock five point harness. It can be bolted in or wrapped around the roll cage tubing, and the cam lock makes for easy entry and exit.

(Mike)>> We gave the guys at RaceQuip a call and they hooked us up. Now we'll start off with the helmet. This is a Vesta 15 carbon fiber helmet. It's hand laid and clear coated. Now it's also setup for a Hans device and tear-offs already. Now inside is a Kevlar lining with a Kevlar chip strap.

(Pat)>> And then these suits are another good thing. These are their Chevron Fives. The Chevron stands for the obvious pattern but this is a dual layer suit as SFI approved to 328-5. That means it has an outer layer of Nomex but the inner layer is a soft layer of Nomex. Just in case anything bad happens we're gonna be protected. They also hooked us up with accessories, gloves, shoes, and neck collars.

(Mike)>> Now we've been outfitted with a full line of safety gear. We'll make a pass with the test sled in a little bit but first we want to walk around and check everything out.

(Pat)>> This is the tenth year for LS Fest. In a world where festivals come and go that is a major accomplishment.

(Bill)>> 10 years is crazy to think about but we really recognize how powerful the LS market was becoming, and throwing this party for the LS community really let them know that hey guys we know what you like. We like what you like, and it worked.

(Mike)>> LS Fest celebrates and shows off GM's wildly popular engine. It doesn't matter what make or model you bring. There's just one rule. It's got to be running an LS. From a '32 Ford Coupe and a Corvair setup for autocross and pro touring, To a 10 second Dodge farm truck and even boats. Part of the fun is seeing this engine show up in some unexpected place. Here's something you don't see every day in this type of configuration. We've all seen these Boss Hoss motorcycles with an original small blocks in them but never with an LS. This one right here makes 625 horsepower. It's got to be a blast to ride. This is what we'll call imports gone rogue. Somebody had a little too much time or a little too much money and transplanted a really nice LS into this Subaru Impreza. I wonder what kind of power this makes at the rear wheels because this right here is a great power to weight ratio vehicle.

(Pat)>> Arguably the largest even at LS Fest is the drag racing, and I am in the staging lines where it is chalk full of vehicles. Now everything in here has an LS in it. It doesn't matter if it's a Ford, a Chevy, an import, there are several classes and there's a lot of cool racing. So let's go check some of it out. [ engine revving ]

(Pat)>> There were the usual suspects, such as hot rod pickups. Then there's this Supra, which laid down an eight point four-nine-six e-t at over 124 miles per hour. This turbocharged Camaro topped 184 miles per hour. Now about this CTSV Cadillac making 144 miles per hour with an eight-79-four e-t? For pure style this old school pro street Buick caught our eye and recorded a nine-33-eight at 156 miles per hour. No matter what your taste is in cars you'll see it run at LS Fest.

(Narrator)>> Up next, speed and smoke as the test sled makes its maiden voyage.

(Pat)>> We're back at the LS Fest in Bowling Green, Kentucky. It's a three day celebration of everything LS related with a wide variety of LS engines performing on the autocross track and the drag strip. If you're looking for parts for your project this is the place to be.

(Mike)>> The aftermarket continues to lend increasing support to LS Fest. This year a record 109 vendors are here displaying all kinds of parts to upgrade the LS power plant as well as tons of additional parts designed to handle the increased power of these modified engines.

(Bill)>> Now we have vendors tell us that it's their number one event all year long where they sell the most parts and it's because of how dedicated this crowd is, and the spectators are just as dedicated as the guys that bring their cars.

(Mike)>> Butler Performance has been racing and building Pontiacs for more than 20 years. When they saw a growing demand the original focus on old school Pontiac parts expanded into high end pieces for all kinds of LS power plants. David Butler Performance has been known in the Pontiac engine and part scene forever. Something looks a little different on the tables back here.

(David)>> Well yeah we're at the LS Fest, and something a little newer for us. We've been doing it for a few years. So we do the full gamut from mild builds, daily drivers, up to twin turbo, Procharged engines, whatever you're looking for.

(Pat)>> Tyler Powell chose the LS engine for his 1972 240-Z sporting a custom built body and chassis along with hydraulic shocks. It's a beautiful machine! The GM power plant is topped with Lingenfelter heads, MSD intake, and Holley control systems. This setup makes about 570 horsepower at the wheel.

(Tyler)>> The LS is a compact engine. It makes a ton of power. It's a strong engine, it's cheap. You can get the parts anywhere. It just makes sense.

(Mike)>> Just like Tyler we know the LS is a versatile high powered engine. That's why it's our choice for the first engine to go in our test sled. We just made it through tech inspection and the guy said the car looked awesome. They're gonna let us run but they've held us back to an eighth a mile, and that's because we don't have a window net or a windshield but we did get Pat some arm restraints for safety.

(Pat)>> Now I've driven plenty of fast vehicles, seven and eight second quarter mile ones. I've never driven something with this power to weight ratio. So it's gonna get interesting. [ engine revving ]

(Mike)>> Well first time down the drag strip straight off the lift nothing blew up, nothing leaked. So everything's good there. The tune's a little bit off still cause we just pulled off the engine dyno. Haven't had a chance to tune it on the chassis dyno. Now that we've made an eighth mile shake down run it's time to take the test sled back to the shop and put it on the roller for some more tuning but we can't wait to get this rig back on the drag strip.

(Narrator)>> Up next we put Race Gas Diesel to the test on the dyno.

(Mike)>> This has got to be one of the nicest Duramax pickups that we've ever seen, and today Pat, Allen Fowler the owner of the truck, and myself get to test out a new product from the guys at Race Gas on it. It's called Race Gas Diesel, and instead of raising the octane rating to prevent detonation like in gasoline this stuff raises the cetane, the oxygen content, and the lubricity properties of low sulfur pump diesel. Now it's made for high performance diesel applications and raises the cetane 14 points.

(Pat)>> And speaking of high performance it looks like there's some pretty racy parts on this truck. Tell me about it.

(Allen)>> Well it's a 2010 LMM. The motor's never been gotten into. We put a bigger turbo over the stock, upgraded the fuel system, a better transmission and torque converter from Calvin's and Suncoast. Thanks to them this truck has lived. Pat I bought the truck and it had a six inch lift and 35's on it. We put the billet S-475 over stock, left stock fuel, Fast F-150 and Calvin's trans. We took the six inch lift off of it and threw it back down on the ground. Took it to the track.

(Mike)>> If you don't mind saying what did it run?

(Allen)>> The best times we've had is 7.50, 7.60's out of the truck in an eighth.

(Mike)>> Man that's pretty impressive.

(Pat)>> When he hears a diesel running LT always seems to show up. So he's here to help. The first thing we need to do is establish a base line.

(LT)>> Hit it! [ engine revving ]

(LT)>> Beautiful!

(Pat)>> One ounce of Race Gas Diesel treats one gallon of diesel fuel. So a full can will treat 32 gallons. It increases throttle response and torque, it cleans the injectors and fuel system, and increases oxygen in the fuel for more power. We drained the tank before adding the mixed fuel. Then let the truck run for a few minutes to consume the old diesel that was in the lines.

Now we're ready for a power pull. [ engine revving ]

(Pat)>> A big gain was nine horsepower, and that is excellent for just mixing something up and putting it in the truck but it does not tell the whole story.

(Mike)>> No it also has a lot of lubrication properties that help your fuel system last longer and run better, and any time you can help your engine out and add power it's a win-win.

(Pat)>> Man thanks for bringing this in. We really appreciate it.

(Allen)>> Anytime, thank you.

(Mike)>> QA One has a new shock on the market. It's called the Mod Shock and it's packed full of new technology, like the quick tune modular valve packs that are easily swapped out with the shock still mounted on the vehicle, which is a first. Now the nitrogen charged canister is available in a piggy back or a remote mounting configuration, and the base eyelet of the shock is indexable. So you can unbolt it and reattach it for the best shock and canister placement. They are double adjustable and used in auto crossing, road racing, and drag racing. Now to find out more information or features on the mode shock visit QA One dot net.

(Pat)>> Permatex has come up with a solution for folks who need a high strength liquid thread locker but still want the easy of removal without heat. The solution Permatex Orange. It's a first of its kind hybrid thread locker that is three times stronger than their blue formula. It is highly vibration resistant and meets the ASTM standard for high strength thread locker but only requires hand tools to get things back apart. It has excellent chemical resistance and it has a temp range from negative 65 to 300 degrees Fahrenheit, and it's ideal for fasteners quarter inch all the way up to one inch in diameter. Find out more at Permatex dot com.

(Mike)>> It doesn't matter if you have a muscle car, a Sunday cruiser, or a late model vehicle Pertronix Performance Products offers an ignition part for your ride. First up is an HP bundle. Now it includes a digital HP ignition box, a Flamethrower billet mag trigger distributor, and a 50,000 volt E-core HP coil. This setup is available for both Chevy and Fords. Next up our Flamethrower LS ignition coils. Now these produce 10 to 15 percent more spark energy than an o-e coil, and they're available in either single or sets of eight. Now don't forget a set of wires to go with your coils. These are Pertronix eight millimeter wires with a 45 degree ceramic boot that can withstand up to 2,000 degrees. For more information on any of these products log on to Pertronix dot com.

(Narrator)>> Up next our LS street rod power plant gets even more style and substance.

(Pat)>> Hey welcome back. I am in my favorite room in the entire building, the dyno cell, and this time I'm doing something cool with a street rod engine. This is a five point three liter LS that's going into a mild street cruiser. It's 30 thousandths over bored with a stock replacement rotating assembling. We upgraded the heads to Trick Flow's Gen-X 205cc. In addition Harlan Sharp one point seven rockers, a mild Trick Flow track max hydraulic roller cam shaft, an SFI balancer from Summit Racing, and polished cast aluminum valve covers from Holley. That striking paint job is courtesy VHT enamel. The color Fire Red metallic. Making the connection from the coil to the spark plug are a set of Pertronix Flamethrower Max XTwo ceramic boot spark plug wires. Now these are an ultra-low ohm resistance wire. 500 ohms per foot to be exact, and they have an ultra-silicone high temp jacket that can withstand temperatures up to 600 degrees Fahrenheit. The ceramic boots are rated at 2,000 degrees and these are eight millimeter in diameter. They car a lifetime warranty. On the induction side we went simple and effective. The intake manifold is an Edelbrock Victor Junior. It's a single plane design with optimized runners to make power in a wide r-p-m range, and topping it off is Edelbrock's newest, latest, greatest carburetor, the AVS Two. This one has an 800 c-f-m rating, and the new thing with it it has annular boosters. That eliminates flat spots and helps improve drivability on anything it gets put on.

(Mike)>> Like all the engines we build here in Engine Power that little five three was put together with ARP fasteners. Now ARP is a name that all of us should be familiar with in the automotive industry. They are the leaders in performance fasteners and cover everything from high performance o-e replacement parts to exotic custom fasteners for use in Nascar, NHRA, Indy car, and Formula One. If you have a gas burner, diesel, marine, or need a custom fastener made for aerospace or an off the wall project ARP is the go to source. They offer their fasteners in several different materials that have tensile strengths that range from 180,000 up to 310,000 p-s-i. These materials include 87-40 chro-moly, which has a 180,000 to 210,000 p-s-i tensile strength. A step up is the ARP 2,000 line that is widely used in short track and drag racing. It has a 220,000 p-s-i rating. L-19 is next. It's a premium steel that is much stronger than the 2,000 fasteners. This has a 260,000 p-s-i tensile strength, and must be kept well oiled and not exposed to moisture. Custom made 625 is a newly formulated super alloy that is resistant to atmospheric corrosion and oxidation. This has a 260,000 to 280,000 tensile strength. They also offer fasteners in the aermet material. Now this has a 290,000 to 310,000 p-s-i tensile strength. It's used in short but extreme environments like Top Fuel and Funny Car. You can purchase ARP fasteners individually, in bulk, or in vehicle specific applications like this accessory kit for small block Ford's. That a look at how ARP rod bolts work and a little bit of the science involved in them.

(Pat)>> A rod bolt acts the same way as a spring. When load is applied it stretches a small amount. Maximum clamp load is achieved at 75 to 80 percent of the fastener's yield point depending on its material.

(Mike)>> When the load is released the fastener must return to its original length or it is not reusable. The small amount of stretch is measured in 10 thousandths of an inch and is determined by ARP's extensive R&D. Measuring this amount stretch by using a high quality rod bolt stretch gauge.

(Pat)>> With the engine all bolted together the last thing to do is run it on the dyno. [ engine revving ]

(Pat)>> That is unbelievable. That card was smooth, it transitions nice. That's the idea with this carburetor because it has an annular booster in it. It has no flat spots. It eliminates those drivability things that sometimes you get with a different type of booster. So they've improved the booster. It has no flat spots. It has good throttle response, good economy, and obviously good power.

(Mike)>> For more information about the parts and equipment used in today's episode visit Powernation TV dot com.

Today we're going to talk about positive crank case pressure, the p-c-v system which stands for positive crankcase ventilation, and why it's super important to install an air and oil separator on a vehicle, especially one that is direct injected. All engines create some type of blow by, whether it's from warn out piston rings or the natural effect of air and gases that slip past the rings and makes its way into the crankcase, which creates a positive pressure that has to be evacuated. All engines do this and it is unavoidable. High performance engines that do not have a p-c-v system typically have a breather installed into a grommet in the valve cover. This is where the crankcase pressure escapes. On engines with a p-c-v system there are no breathers. It's a closed system, which means there are no gases or anything else that can escape into open atmosphere. The p-c-v system is simple to understand. Its job is to redirect the gases from the crankcase back into the intake track. From there those gases go back into the combustion chamber and have a second chance at combustion. Now that also poses a problem that's simple to understand. It's not just clean air but also oil vapor that is going back into the intake. That can cause a buildup on the intake runners, the intake valve, and the top of the piston. It worse in direct injected engines like this late model LT because fuel is sprayed directly into the combustion chamber, not into the intake runners. That allows that oil mist to build up heavier and faster on the intake runner's walls and the back of the intake valve because it's not getting the cleaning effect from the fuel being sprayed into the intake runner. To drastically reduce and almost eliminate the oil miscontamination into the intake system you need an air/oil separator. This is a dual setup but singles are also available. Now several companies make them and they all their own cool little features. Spend some time doing your research because some of these are much more effective at capturing the oil mist and storing it in the can itself compared to others. Separators have an inlet and an outlet side. Now the inlet side is where the crankcase vents to first. It has a filter that separates the oil particles and allows them to build up becoming heavier and falling into the bottom of the can where it is stored. The outlet will go back to the intake and allow the clean filtered air to go back through the combustion cycle. Now you know what an air/oil separator is and why you should run one on your vehicle. Now they work with anything with a p-c-v system on it and it doesn't matter if you have a car or a truck. Now you do want to do your research and make sure you buy a quality one when you do, and you can find them all over the internet and at Summit Racing.