In a case of, “how did this one miss us,” we recently caught wind of a video that Katech Engines put together, spotlighting a 1500hp LT5 build on their brand new engine dyno. Now, it’s no secret that the LT5 is one bad crate, but with factory boost and an ever-growing aftermarket, it should come to no surprise to anyone that 4-digit horsepower numbers are a real possibility.
In the video above, Katech Engines president, Steve Spurr, breaks down what goes into such an engine, from the bottom end, to the Roots-style blower sitting on top of the block.
With an Extreme DFI fuel injection system and the help of E85, the LT5 engine cranked out over 1,000 horsepower. Shortly thereafter, a set of ported CNC-ported LT5 heads and Hellion bolt-on turbo kit went into place.
A pair of Precision snails were used in the combination, with a TurboSmart boost controller and waste gate to get it dialed in just where it needed to be. A total of 1300 ponies, and over 1100-lb/ft of torque were realized.
With C16, the power hit a peak of 1486 horsepower — just before it exploded its guts all over the shop floor. All things considered, that’s an incredible feat — considering the fact that it did this on a stock bottom end!
Scrolling through their YouTube channel, this does appear to be the latest update on the engine. However, Steve tells us that there will be more to follow, as they plan to rebuild the engine better than ever before!
Rick Seitz is the owner and founder of AutoCentric Media, and has a true love and passion for all vehicles; GM, Ford, Dodge, imports, trucks — you name it! When he isn’t clacking away on his keyboard, he’s building, tuning, driving or testing his current crop of personal projects!
