What does a budget heads/cam 346 build sheet look like?
Speedway's 400+ hp LS1 recipe keeps the stock block, rotating assembly and heads, and gets its power from breathing and fuel:
- Cam kit with matched valve springs, retainers and pushrods, so it can rev without valve float.
- Intake and throttle body: a higher-flow intake and a suitably sized throttle body. Swapping heads can also mean changing the intake, since the port shape must match.
- Exhaust: headers (long tubes if they fit) and a cat-back.
- Injectors sized for the extra airflow.
- A custom tune for air/fuel and timing.
- Cooling: a good radiator and electric fans for the added heat.
Room to grow: Speedway notes porting the stock heads and moving to forged pistons. Its 500+ hp recipes add forged pistons, H-beam rods and aftermarket heads.
| LS1 bottom end | What Speedway says it handles |
|---|---|
| Stock block and rotating assembly (anything bolted on) | 400–450 hp and about 400–450 lb-ft, reliably |
| Forged crank, rods and pistons | 600–700 hp and similar torque — suits a blower, turbo or big nitrous with proper tuning |
| Max displacement on a stock block | 383 ci: 4.000 in stroke crank with 6.125 in rods |
Confidence: medium — sources disagree or are limited; check the sources below.
Community discussion
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Sources
- 5.7 LS1 Engine Upgrades: Build Recipes for 400 HP-700+ HP — Speedway Motors