Car tuning usually requires a little bit of trial and error. As the saying goes, if something can go wrong, then it probably will, so you had better be willing to go back to the drawing board a couple of times before you get things right.
Complete Street Performance (CSP), a Pennsylvania-based tuning shop that specializes in General Motors LS engines, was recently trying to squeeze even more power out of their shop manager’s 1,300 hp C6 Chevrolet Corvette and saw this lesson play out in real time.
It’s not clear what modifications CSP’s 1,300 hp Corvette has, although it appears to have a turbocharger or centrifugal supercharger, along with a cam and some other standard modifications. One area that the shop looked over, however, was the intake manifold.
via Complete Street Performance on YouTube
Despite having massive amounts of boost on tap, the engine still had the standard plastic intake manifold installed that it came with, which just couldn’t handle all 26 psi of boost and failed spectacularly on the dyno, as you will see in the video embedded above. The manifold failure caused a spectacular and thankfully brief fire, which was quickly put out by some fast acting CSP employees.
While no tuning shop wants to see a car blow up on the dyno, the damage done in this scenario was quite minimal. CSP will need a new (hopefully billet) intake manifold, but apart from that, it doesn’t seem like the ‘Vette sustained too much damage.
The car also produced 1,356 hp just before the intake manifold failed, so it’s certainly powerful. In racing, we’ve been told it’s easier to make a fast car reliable than to make a reliable car fast, so things could certainly be worse for the guys at CSP.
Check out this spectacular dyno failure in the video embedded above.
(source: Complete Street Performance on YouTube)
Comments
The car belongs to one of the shop employees, Eric. It’s running a 107mm turbo, and he didn’t have the money for a good intake at the time. He sent it and knew that there was a risk. Andrew, the shop owner and tuner, is a very knowledgeable and trustworthy guy, and he’d never do this to a customer car or even let a customer do this without serious warning. He’s one of the best tuners in the country, so make sure to consider CSP if you need work done and are in the area.
How could you have money for a forged f1 set up and no money for a sheet metal intake?
Couldn’t afford a proper intake manifold? Sounds like CSP needs to pay their employees better wages!
New intake and ready to go, lucky lucky lucky
Yeah…can afford the car, but no money for a decent intake. I’m guessing his coworkers passed around the collection plate so Wadblower could put a couple gallons of gas in it, or did his Mom cough up a Jackson for him?
Just guys being guys. He knew the risks and took a chance. Guys like this love when bad stuff happens. It gives them a chance to rebuild bigger and better. Its what they do.
All you internet clowns talking stuff REDICULOUS!!! SERIOUSLY GET A DAMN LIFE! I’ve personally ran stock LS3 Intakes on 21 lbs of boost no problem and yes I know thats not 26 but i garrentee dudes on a budget and got antcy, and said screw it, what’s see what it will do. Worst case he has to buy a intake that he already needs anyways.