5.3 turbo build questions?

[kerrige]

Honestly you dont need to touch the heads. Im running stock 862's, stock intake and throttle body and it makes at least 650 rwhp @ 15 psi, probably more really

Your absolutely right its not necessary to touch the heads. However, it would help a lot. For example in your case with a mild porting the heads would likely net you an extra 50-60hp. At your power levels that could mean .2 in the 1/4. Also it would increase the efficiency of the turbo dramatically meaning less heat. A simple swap to an NNBS intake with 90mm tb could add 40hp while again adding efficiency. As I am sure you have realized with boost most mods will have much more dramatic results than they would NA. Yes these things aren't necessarily needed, BC boost is going to help you make huge power without modding other parts. However, you may be sacrificing efficiency and leaving more power on the table. As for strength of stock rods. When everything else is setup right it would appear these rods are good to just about any boost level. Good AF minimizing knock and keeping things cool these stock rods seem to hold up under 25+ in many builds. Stock pistons are a much greater risk. Ring lands bearings or valve spring always seem to go first.

[DBRODS]

As for strength of stock rods. When everything else is setup right it would appear these rods are good to just about any boost level. Good AF minimizing knock and keeping things cool these stock rods seem to hold up under 25+ in many builds. Stock pistons are a much greater risk. Ring lands bearings or valve spring always seem to go first.

You are completely wrong. A bad tuneup kills ring lands and bearings. The stock rods will bend up before a piston has a failure or a rod bolt lets go.

[o2camaross]

Yea limiting factor on Sbe is the rods and rod bolts. Pistons will hold up just fine as long as tune and detonation is kept in check.

[cjcalhoun]

You are completely wrong. A bad tuneup kills ring lands and bearings. The stock rods will bend up before a piston has a failure or a rod bolt lets go.

I've heard of a lot of people saying that the stock rod bolts will hold as much as the rods will before letting go. Is this true?

[DBRODS]

Yeah replacing rod bolts is a gimmick also. If I turn the boost up over a certain level I can guarantee it will bend the rods up as I've done it a few times. Usually everyone blames the rod bolts as a failure cause they spin a bearing and the rod breaks sending pieces of bolts everywhere. The spun bearing is due to a bad tuneup that causes detonation beating up on the upper bearing half till it finally looses its crush or a oiling issue due to starvation. Its all about the tune 99% of the time. And when mine bends rods it still runs and you don't really notice a difference in normal driving until you load it. Or the knocking noise from the bottoms of the pistons hitting the counter weights on the crank.