Magnuson TVS2300 Heartbeat supercharged Camaro SS LT1 runs 9.9@139 in the 1/4 mile

[Sticky]

Well, it is safe to say the Eaton TVS2300 based Magnuson Heartbeat Camaro SS LT1 supercharger system is provided a large performance boost. You may remember the Maguson Heartbeat kit at only 6 psi being good for a 10.8 @ 128.53 on a stock Camaro SS LT1.

Well, turn up the boost with associated modifications and you can get into the 9's. They gave this Camaro upgraded injectors, an upgraded fuel pump, a meth injection kit, and race gas. It is still on the stock LT1 internals.

Here is the result:

Not bad at all. BoostAddict member @LesBaer is running this kit and has not reported any issues.

A great way to significantly boost the performance of the Camaro SS.

[LesBaer]

Very similar but no meth for me...also not sure what injectors they're using. I'm running E85 and all is well 15k miles later on stock internals. It's a crap shoot though for someone wanting to do this on a new car with a high efficiency V8 due to ring gap deviations from car to car.

[Sticky]

Very similar but no meth for me...also not sure what injectors they're using. I'm running E85 and all is well 15k miles later on stock internals. It's a crap shoot though for someone wanting to do this on a new car with a high efficiency V8 due to ring gap deviations from car to car.

I'm not sure on the fuel system details but I'm sure they would tell you if you e-mailed them.

Glad to hear yours is running well!

I haven't heard anything about ring gap deviations. Is this a quality control issue?

[LesBaer]

I'm guessing that it's within the acceptable parameters of GM's quality control since it's been around now for a very long time. Remember we're talking about the LT1 engine here with the stock internals, which wasn't manufactured for this purpose. I just think this is one of those YMMV situations for people. Some cars are going to be able to handle more than others. My recommendation for anyone who wants to really push the envelop with boost (and play it safe) would be to purchase one of the many forged drop in piston and rod kits and re-gap the rings while you're in there doing the blower cam. I'm not a fan of meth injection systems so I'm not even going to go there.

Now, I did not do this since I have no intention of going beyond this point (at least right now). The car is really just my summer toy for the street. I'm also taking precautions by not pushing the car on 1/2 mile WOT pulls with pure E85 in the tank. I mix in some 93 octane and try to keep around 60% or below. If something does go wrong, which I highly doubt at this point, I'll just build it out fully forged and go bananas At the end of the day, what did I lose? It's going to cost me just about as much so I figured I'd just ride out what I've got as long as I can.

This is what ProCharger had to say about it:

These LT1 engines are designed to pass the crazy tight emissions testing that is now in place. Which is drastically different then it was 10 years ago. And with that in mind these LT engines have some of the tightest ring gaps I have personally ever seen.

Not only are the gaps very very very tight. There is an inconsistency to them, and that inconsistency is why "some live" and "some don't" when it comes to big power and long highway pulls. (even if the cars are tuned the same, and have the same modifications)

EXAMPLE: When a guy takes a "junk yard" LS motor and goes to make big power with it, one of the first things they do is open up the ring gaps... since all it takes is the time to take the motor apart,...file the rings to say .020-.028 gap (depending on power level, bore, and acceptable blow by) Once that is done, the chances of the rings "butting" is pretty much eliminated, and the pistons live a long and happy life. (until 25+ psi of boost is shoved in them. lololol. ) And even then many live a long long time.

THE LAST LT1 that I took apart to inspect had a factory ring gap of .008 on one slug, .009 on the next, and .012 on the remaining (6) slugs. Those two "tight" holes wouldn't survive long duration highway pulls no matter how "safe" the tune is. Thermo expansion would put an end to that fun in a hurry.


So there are a couple things to remember here.....

1) 1/8th mile, and 1/4 mile races are far far less stressful
2) Thankfully both a "drop in piston" and a "Drop in Piston/Rod" packages exist
3) If the piston does break, it usually doesn't hurt the block or anything.
4) With normal driving, spirited driving, 1/4 mile or less racing its pretty unheard of to break an LT1.