QC Performance upgrades... 500+rwhp goal

[WA 2 FST]

So, I've had my QC for 18+ months. It's in great shape (just hit 17k miles on the ODO, bought it with 6100), and I enjoy the way it drives. It looks good, is comfortable, gets compliments consistently, and it has been a good daily-driver to this point.

Before I get too far into this, I know some of you will say, "just get a SC." Well, if I didn't need the backseat, I'd have considered that... or just kept driving my '04 Lightning which was a low-12 second truck without breaking a sweat. Also, given it is my DD, I want an auto. That also allows my wife to drive it at times when needed (she cannot drive a stick, and does not want to learn on my other 2 cars... fine with me. ).

I have done the following mild mods: Roe SCT tune, K&N drop-in, 170^ t-stat (helps on highway), and Magnaflow cat-back. The truck runs significantly better than stock, but I would be shocked if it ran better than very high-13s, if not low-14s. I mean it is a heavy truck, and I understand that I'm moving a brick here (have owned several factory "hot-rod" trucks before, so I've been down this road... just not with a QC).

Budget: I don't mind spending some coin to do it _right_. This is my DD. At the same time, I am not going to spend $20k on this project. If I need to do that, then I will either sell it, or just leave it alone (feel free to tell me to do the latter, if you believe that is the best advice).

Goals: would be happy with 500-550rwhp

Here's what I do NOT want: 1) lots of maintenance problems, 2) spend $$ on nickel/dime mods that do relatively little. 20-30hp from cat-less mids, etc is not something I am interested in. I'm either all-in, or holding my cards as they are.

Questions: will the tranny hold this type of power if I'm fairly conservative with how I drive the truck (meaning that I don't do repeated downshifts over and over)? at this rather low HP goal, can I install a Roe blower on a stock block, so long as the engine is healthy now (it is)? If I want to build a motor and stay N/A, can I make this kind of power relatively easily and with a cam that will keep me street legal (I'm in TX and in a county that requires OBD-II... I know the test is easy to pass with the right tune, but I do not want such a big cam, the truck won't idle in traffic with the A/C on).

What I've been reading is that most likely I have to build an engine and build a trans or both/either will not last long with increased power. That's really too bad given that my truck is low-mileage.

Given it is my DD and I live in a hot climate, I set the HP goal relatively low and reasonable, I think. But I could be wrong.

Thoughts please? TIA

 

[SANTEEN]

If you're not willing to do catless mids, then you wont even come close. Roger (kickinassrt-10) and myself had almost idenentical mods. Basically every bolt-on, except for long tubes. The best we could do was 440 at the wheels with either one of our trucks. Long tubes would have helped a little. But we still wouldn't have hit the 500 rwhp mark. I just dont see it happening on a qc without spray or FI. You can cheat and put it on a Mustang dyno and maybe get real close. Since they usually give unusually high numbers. :dontknow:

 

[ARRESTmeRed04]

with the mods you have you should be 13.50-13.30's at the track, the QC's that were at the dyno day put down abotu 425-430rwhp. What I would do(and what i plan to do to my RC) is
1. catless mids with headers
2. ported/polished heads with a cam
3. have it tuned on a dyno
4. bbk throttle body

i haven't really seen many mild built N/A motors dyno'd might ask tooloe what his put down, i'm sure you could get a little more than his(at the flywheel) since his cam is setup for spray. at that power level i wouldn't really worry about the bottom end unless you plan to run the snot out of it. i think you could get to 500rwhp but for a QC i don't see 550 without spending major bucks on a set of strykers

 

[LETHAL HEMI]

I DONT DRIVE A SRT BUT I SAY GET LT HEADERS, TUNE, FREE FLOWING EXHAUST(MAGNAFLOW), BBK TB, VOLANT INTAKE SYSTEM( THE ONE THAT ALLOWS ARE TO COME IN TRUE THE HOOD),

I CAN SEE THE TRUCK GOING A LOW 13 WITH THOSE MODS. IVE SEEN FARENHIET TRUCK GO 13.0 WITH THOSE MODS OR CLOSE TO IT

 

[jontyre]

So, I've had my QC for 18+ months. It's in great shape (just hit 17k miles on the ODO, bought it with 6100), and I enjoy the way it drives. It looks good, is comfortable, gets compliments consistently, and it has been a good daily-driver to this point.

Before I get too far into this, I know some of you will say, "just get a SC." Well, if I didn't need the backseat, I'd have considered that... or just kept driving my '04 Lightning which was a low-12 second truck without breaking a sweat. Also, given it is my DD, I want an auto. That also allows my wife to drive it at times when needed (she cannot drive a stick, and does not want to learn on my other 2 cars... fine with me. ).

I have done the following mild mods: Roe SCT tune, K&N drop-in, 170^ t-stat (helps on highway), and Magnaflow cat-back. The truck runs significantly better than stock, but I would be shocked if it ran better than very high-13s, if not low-14s. I mean it is a heavy truck, and I understand that I'm moving a brick here (have owned several factory "hot-rod" trucks before, so I've been down this road... just not with a QC).

Budget: I don't mind spending some coin to do it _right_. This is my DD. At the same time, I am not going to spend $20k on this project. If I need to do that, then I will either sell it, or just leave it alone (feel free to tell me to do the latter, if you believe that is the best advice).

Goals: would be happy with 500-550rwhp

Here's what I do NOT want: 1) lots of maintenance problems, 2) spend $$ on nickel/dime mods that do relatively little. 20-30hp from cat-less mids, etc is not something I am interested in. I'm either all-in, or holding my cards as they are.

Questions: will the tranny hold this type of power if I'm fairly conservative with how I drive the truck (meaning that I don't do repeated downshifts over and over)? at this rather low HP goal, can I install a Roe blower on a stock block, so long as the engine is healthy now (it is)? If I want to build a motor and stay N/A, can I make this kind of power relatively easily and with a cam that will keep me street legal (I'm in TX and in a county that requires OBD-II... I know the test is easy to pass with the right tune, but I do not want such a big cam, the truck won't idle in traffic with the A/C on).

What I've been reading is that most likely I have to build an engine and build a trans or both/either will not last long with increased power. That's really too bad given that my truck is low-mileage.

Given it is my DD and I live in a hot climate, I set the HP goal relatively low and reasonable, I think. But I could be wrong.

Thoughts please? TIA

Striker heads, cam and your done done. See Rotten Ronnie's numbers. I think he is around 588 or so at the wheels on stock manifolds and stock motor. Lookin at around 5-7k or so. This sounds like the best route for you. You would have to get with him on what he has done with his tranny or see if a stock tranny woud hold up with that kind of power though.

 

[BurntRubber]

throw on a roe and run 5-6 pounds

down the road buy some headers and catless mids...plus you can always pull off the blower and sell it

 

[rottenronnie]

As you may have guessed, I am a big fan of going the naturally aspirated route on these trucks for a normal street-power improvement.
The head & cam installed dropped 1.2 SECONDS off of my elapsed time. The m.p.h. is somewhat misleading and is normally a bit higher for the e.t., but I chose a custom cam grind that produced torque over horsepower. THAT is what you need to move these trucks in a street application build, i.m.o.

Arguably, n.a. may not be the cheapest route initially, but it is very simple and requires no maintenance other than your regular plug, oil changes and tranny service once it is installed; same as a stock engine needs.

If you go with a reasonable cam to match the heads, there are no driving compromises and they are very easy to tune.
I have never pulled this engine and it now has 60,000 miles on it with all the stock internals. I've spray checked the piston tops more than once and there are no signs of problems, just a nice burn pattern..

Power results with a head and cam package are good.
I don't consider my own truck a drag vehicle by any stretch as it is full street weight (heavy) and a daily driver.
Mileage is up after the install. It is a simple point-and-shoot pump gas engine with a slight lope to the idle.

The trannys' need some help. They are strong enough for the regular bolt-on mods but not when you add good heads and a cam. I had mine built locally a couple of years back and it was trial and error for us at that time.
Dusty and others offer kits and complete trannys so you may want to check with them although the shift for regular street use are harsh, but I'm sure could be changed for personal taste.
They need better bands, clutches, a shift kit and a few other parts so they are strong enough to last under increased power conditions.

Even with a built tranny, you'll lose about 30 horsepower through the auto compared to a manual truck and you will weigh at least 400 pounds more.. It is a bit of an uphill battle modding a QC; but fun in the end.

Ronnie

 

[BurntRubber]

greg goods heads might be a cheaper way than striker to add to the above post.

 

[rottenronnie]

greg goods heads might be a cheaper way than striker to add to the above post.

Yes, or the CNC Gen III heads from JM Cylinder Heads.
The PROPERLY ported Gen IIIs are "generally" 50 h.p. less than Strikers, with comparable mods.

I've been in contact with Greg a few times and he seems dedicated to the task.
You should do fine with either choice..

Keep in mind though it is the power you are after in the end and NOT the flow numbers..

Ronnie

 

[chrisguidry04]

It's a lemon if you run 14's id say...i went to evadale with nothing but magnaflow cat-back when i first got mine (about 30% tread i might add) and ran a 13.8.....i have seen some videos of people running 14.5s and what not and i dont understand why???

 

[rottenronnie]

It's a lemon if you run 14's id say...i went to evadale with nothing but magnaflow cat-back when i first got mine (about 30% tread i might add) and ran a 13.8.....i have seen some videos of people running 14.5s and what not and i dont understand why???

Altitude is a big factor and so is the weak tune the Quad Cabs come with.
Mine ran 15.2 to 15.3 stock at our dismal altitude/d.a.
That same truck at sea-level will likely run a mid 14, yes with NO changes to it.

A good tune will chop nearly a second off of a stock QC.

The NEXT second or more is WAY more expensive...

 

[rottenronnie]

You can cheat and put it on a Mustang dyno and maybe get real close. Since they usually give unusually high numbers. :dontknow:

There is a full 15% difference between some dynos around here, with the Dynojets being the highest over the Mustang and the Dynodynamics units.
Mine (stock) was 389 on a Dynojet and 340 wheel on a Mustang.

The numbers the Dynojet spits out are still to this day based on the mid 80s Yamaha V-Max motorcycle which was rated higher by the factory than it actually put out.

The factory Vmax power numbers were used as a base to design the then new Dynojet dyno. And after a while when some of them had sold, much to the horror of the design engineers, the decision was made to just leave it as it was.

Ronnie

 

[WA 2 FST]

Thanks for the responses guys.

I haven't had the truck to the track yet. It isn't slow, but I'm jaded. Maybe it would run mid-13s in decent air. It doesn't feel as fast as my son's Lightning (which isn't stock... runs high-12s).

Anyway, it does sound like Ronnie's config would be excellent for what I want... I, too, would want a "torque grind", given my driving habits. I don't need to spin the engine to 6500rpm and make power way up there.

Ronnie... I see you have Jesels listed in your mods... I assume these are shaft-mounted rocker arms?

Where is a good distributor for the heads/cam? What about aftermarket rocker arms, pushrods, etc that would be needed?

Would probably need Dusty to build me a tranny.

I also need to find a shop to do the install and competent tune. I'm near Dallas, TX if anyone has any suggestions. I've ripped apart my share of motors but do not have the time at this stage in my life to tackle the project myself.

 

[WA 2 FST]

It's a lemon if you run 14's id say...i went to evadale with nothing but magnaflow cat-back when i first got mine (about 30% tread i might add) and ran a 13.8.....i have seen some videos of people running 14.5s and what not and i dont understand why???

Good to know... we are in about the same climate... I'm in N. Texas. Never get great air here, but we aren't at 5000', either. I'm just guessing on the ET. The truck is not sick, so it probably runs better than I think it does. I'm just used to my "slow" vehicle running 12s. It definitely doesn't run that number.

 

[WA 2 FST]

SANTEEN, do you have a built bottom-end? I would think the Paxton would be easier on the motor than the Roe, given that boost is gradual with the centrifugal blower.

 

[Troy's QC SRT]

I'm looking for similar results WA 2FST and i have been looking into it, cam/heads will be the route i take when im ready, tranny build through rusty.......

 

[SANTEEN]

SANTEEN, do you have a built bottom-end? I would think the Paxton would be easier on the motor than the Roe, given that boost is gradual with the centrifugal blower.

Motor is stock. You're right as far as the centrifugal super charger. That's your best route bud. Slap the paxton on and be done with it. You comin' to Panama?

 

[kyle's srt10]

A striker heads/cam package is by no means the cheapest out there. From what I've read over the last several years it seems to be the best IF your willing to shell out the extra cash. It's going to set you back at least $7500 just for parts.

 

[JTS VENOM PERFORMANCE]

Thanks for the responses guys.

I haven't had the truck to the track yet. It isn't slow, but I'm jaded. Maybe it would run mid-13s in decent air. It doesn't feel as fast as my son's Lightning (which isn't stock... runs high-12s).

Anyway, it does sound like Ronnie's config would be excellent for what I want... I, too, would want a "torque grind", given my driving habits. I don't need to spin the engine to 6500rpm and make power way up there.

Ronnie... I see you have Jesels listed in your mods... I assume these are shaft-mounted rocker arms?

Where is a good distributor for the heads/cam? What about aftermarket rocker arms, pushrods, etc that would be needed?

Would probably need Dusty to build me a tranny.

I also need to find a shop to do the install and competent tune. I'm near Dallas, TX if anyone has any suggestions. I've ripped apart my share of motors but do not have the time at this stage in my life to tackle the project myself.

Just send Ronnie a pm, or he has allready sent you one , he is a distributor for jm striker cylinder heads

 

[WA 2 FST]

A striker heads/cam package is by no means the cheapest out there. From what I've read over the last several years it seems to be the best IF your willing to shell out the extra cash. It's going to set you back at least $7500 just for parts.

That's what I'm figuring out.

Thing is, a Paxton or Roe set up and tuned isn't _that_ much cheaper, if any, once its all done.

The thing that kills these QC's is the tranny situation. I'm not complaining that it has an auto (I prefer an auto in this application), but the fact it is so weak from the factory is ridiculous. Mine is doing great right now with the very mild mods, but I am nervous about what lies ahead if I turn up the wick significantly. But I think it does no good to spend some decent coin, only to have the trans blow a month after bolting it all together.