Honest power output from this...

**LT4Hawk9** · 07-21-2010, 09:01 AM

I've got a '97 LT1 in a non-stock application. It's a stock engine with the following exceptions: smog removed, conical air filter right on the MAF, true dual 2-1/2" exhaust with no cats, and GMPP LT4 Hot cam.

What would the flywheel power be? I'm guessing around 325-340hp. Is this in the ballpark? A chassis dyno run is going to be happening in the not-too-distant future. It's in a 1980 International Scout, which is a 4x4 similar to a Blazer or Bronco, so the drivetrain loss is going to be fairly significant with the larger tires, transfer case, etc. I'm just curious as to if I'm thinking along the right lines with the cam and exhaust power increase.

**bigrondownhiller** · 07-21-2010, 02:47 PM

Should be right around that. Might want to get the air filter towards the corner of the fender for some cooler air. Do you have pics?

**LT4Hawk9** · 07-22-2010, 05:51 AM

Here's the first round:

Then the #8 rod bearing tossed it's cookies at around 190k miles, so I put a new long block in it, with the Hot Cam. I'm redoing a lot of the underhood sheetmetal and a few other things, so now it's more like this:

And it all sits in this Scout:

It's always going to be a work in progress, but I enjoy it as a daily driver, so long as the engine isn't sitting on the floor beside of it. I just got it running again yesterday, and still have to get the radiator installed and finish up a few things before final assembly.

**bigrondownhiller** · 07-22-2010, 06:12 AM

Nice truck. Did you solder a copper elbow on that radiator?

**LT4Hawk9** · 07-22-2010, 06:24 AM

Thanks!
I did. It was run like that temporarily, with a single '97 F-Body fan hanging in the middle of nowhere. It cooled fine until I got into traffic on a really hot day. So, I ended up replacing it with this:

Needless to say, I no longer have cooling issues. Now my only issue is paying off my credit card debt, lol.

**bigrondownhiller** · 07-22-2010, 06:51 AM

Nice. You should put some slots or flaps in that shroud. that way at highway speeds you can get some airflow through without needing the fans to run all the time.

**5.0THIS** · 07-25-2010, 01:47 PM

Couple things... try to move the air filter away from the MAF some. You want a nice straight pipe leading to the MAF whenever possible, even with the screens in place in the MAF. Also, it looks like you're running stock manifolds. You're giving up alot of power there, especially with a non-stock cam in the car, even if it is just a hotcam. I assume you have some sort of custom tune done to take advantage of the cam? An LT1 with all the bolt ons and a hotcam can easily go over 350 flywheel hp. Many LT1 f bodies have gone to 320-330 rear wheel horsepower with similar mods.

**LT4Hawk9** · 07-26-2010, 05:11 AM

THanks!

I've got a set of shorty headers that I was going to put on there, but I made my motor mounts so that they are right in the friggin way, lol. I will modify the mounts to clear them at some point in the future for sure.

As for the air filter location, there really is no good way to move it away from the MAF. I figured that SLP got by with the filter box right up against it, so it should work okay.

**5.0THIS** · 07-26-2010, 09:42 AM

I would change your fan shroud as well. Cooling fans should be used from a supplemental standpoint, to aid in cooling when needed. With that shroud you are really limiting airflow through the radiator unless the fans are on.

**LT4Hawk9** · 07-26-2010, 10:25 AM

While I don't totally disagree about the radiator, I will play the devil's advocate here. My radiator was made specifically for my application by TAPP, Inc in North Carolina. I looked when I bought this radiator and it come with the solid shroud, and found that Griffin, Ron Davis, and several others I found use a solid piece eerily similar to mine. I figured that they must know what they are doing, and let it drop. I can say that this joker runs COOL with this radiator in it.

Be Cool is one I found that has vents cut in most (but not all of) theirs, however. At least there's somebody out there building them like you guys are saying.

**LT4Hawk9** · 07-26-2010, 10:26 AM

To my knowledge, from my research, there are 3 manufacturers out there making drop-in radiators for IH Scouts. I looked, and all three are built with solid shrouds like mine.

**jiveass** · 07-26-2010, 11:10 AM

that lt1 looks bad ass in there....

**LT4Hawk9** · 07-26-2010, 11:40 AM

Thanks! It really pisses off the die-hard Scout guys, but I have had nothing but smiles from them once they've ridden in it, lol.

**5.0THIS** · 07-26-2010, 10:47 PM

Originally Posted by LT4Hawk9

While I don't totally disagree about the radiator, I will play the devil's advocate here. My radiator was made specifically for my application by TAPP, Inc in North Carolina. I looked when I bought this radiator and it come with the solid shroud, and found that Griffin, Ron Davis, and several others I found use a solid piece eerily similar to mine. I figured that they must know what they are doing, and let it drop. I can say that this joker runs COOL with this radiator in it.

Be Cool is one I found that has vents cut in most (but not all of) theirs, however. At least there's somebody out there building them like you guys are saying.

It's a great way to build a shroud if you want to run the fans. It makes the fans very efficient when they run. When they're not running though, you've created a high pressure area directly behind the radiator, and all of the air that flows through it has to go through two fairly small areas, instead of flowing directly through, unrestricted. When that high pressure exists, air has a tendency to flow around the radiator, in the path of least resistance. And trust me, it may not look like it, but you've got big gaps around the radiator in front and around it where air can go.

I guess I would just rather have a cooling system where I dont have the fans running all the time. I like to use them as a supplement only when necessary. Now, I've taken into account that you may not have the fans running all the time, and it still runs nice and cool. In that case, I'd say you're running so much radiator that it may not matter what the shroud is.

It would be interesting to note what the cfm flow through the radiator is with your current setup and the fans on. And then compare it to one setup with a more open shroud in back, but a sealed airbox in front of the radiator which forces air to go through the radiator. Of course that design is one that relies more on constant speed for airflow through the radiator, and uses a fan at lower speeds. I run a setup like that in my racecar.

**Too Fast** · 07-27-2010, 03:15 AM

Originally Posted by 5.0THIS

It's a great way to build a shroud if you want to run the fans. It makes the fans very efficient when they run. When they're not running though, you've created a high pressure area directly behind the radiator, and all of the air that flows through it has to go through two fairly small areas, instead of flowing directly through, unrestricted. When that high pressure exists, air has a tendency to flow around the radiator, in the path of least resistance. And trust me, it may not look like it, but you've got big gaps around the radiator in front and around it where air can go.

I guess I would just rather have a cooling system where I dont have the fans running all the time. I like to use them as a supplement only when necessary. Now, I've taken into account that you may not have the fans running all the time, and it still runs nice and cool. In that case, I'd say you're running so much radiator that it may not matter what the shroud is.

It would be interesting to note what the cfm flow through the radiator is with your current setup and the fans on. And then compare it to one setup with a more open shroud in back, but a sealed airbox in front of the radiator which forces air to go through the radiator. Of course that design is one that relies more on constant speed for airflow through the radiator, and uses a fan at lower speeds. I run a setup like that in my racecar.

OP, nice set up you have their. I like how you said your Scout friends are made into believers after a drive. That SBC looks great in there.

5.0, I tend to agree with what you wrote. I wonder if the sealed shroud is made more for when these things are bumpin' along at slow speeds, for maximum effectiveness then, and giving up some highway speed cooling ability. There all always compromises in a design.

**LT4Hawk9** · 07-27-2010, 05:16 AM

It is highly possible that the folks who build the radiators for our Scouts do it this way so as to cool it efficiently at low speeds, like off road trail riding. Big vents or holes cut into the shroud would hinder cooling abilities in situations like these, while allowing air to flow through with less restrictions at road speeds.
I do, however, like the flap idea...seems like that could work well for all circumstances.