It never ceases to amaze me the number of people who want to “build” a 400 horsepower LS engine, when you can easily make that with a junkyard engine and some bolt-ons. But what if you wanted to make 500 horsepower? That’s not a big deal with any LS engine if you use a little toot of nitrous or some boost. But if you want to go with an NA combo you are going to have to build something bigger, like a 6.0 or larger. For the sake of argument, lets say you had a 4.8 laying around and wanted to see what you could do with it.

Could you make 500 horsepower NA? No boost, no nitrous, just all motor. Why not, right?

Richard Holdener is going to try to hit that number with the 476 horsepower 4.8 he recently tested. Will he make it? What would you do to get there?

Video Description:

CAN A CHEAP, JUNKYARD 4.8L MAKE 500 HP WITHOUT BOOST OR NITROUS? HOW TO MAKE A 500-HP (ALL MOTOR) 4.8L! WHAT MODS DOES THE 4.8L NEED TO MAKE MORE THAN 500 HP? BOOST IS EASY, HOW DO YOU DO IT WITH NO BOOST OR NITROUS? HELP ME DECIDE WHAT TO CHANGE ON THE 476-HP 4.8L COMBO TO INCREASE THE POWER OUTPUT UP TO 500 HP. DOES IT NEED MORE HEAD FLOW?? DOES IT NEED A BIGGER CAM? DOES IT NEED MORE COMPRESSION? DOES IT NEED A DIFFERENT INTAKE? DO THINGS LIKE HEADERS, LIFTERS OR OILING SYSTEM MODS ADD POWER? HELP ME CHOOSE WHAT MODS ARE NEEDED TO PUSH THE 4.8L UP TO 500 HP.