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Part 2: Young Gun Builds First LS Engine with a Pro Charger Supercharger

By John Gilbert   –   Images by the Author

Last month, we started part 1 of the story of 15-year-old Hunter Hay and his dad, Ron, building a 408ci LQ9 stroker engine to run in a drag ’n’ drive 1966 Nova when Hunter turns 16. In part 1, Dunsworth Machine of Enid, Oklahoma, balanced and blueprinted the LQ9 stroker short-block, then Ron and Hunter gathered up the Summit Racing Pro LS 6.0L rotating assembly (PN SUM-R24400308). Dunsworth finessed and carted the LQ9 home in kit form where Ron guided Hunter how to build a high-horsepower engine to endure thrashings.

001 LS engine rotating assembly forged pistons short block assembly
In last month’s issue we covered Dunsworth Machine blueprinting the short-block and Hunter assembling Summit Racing’s Pro LS 6.0 4340 forged steel crank rotating assembly.

Shane Dillon at Dunsworth knocked the cam bearings in then Hunter fed Summit Racing’s cam (PN SUM-822R1) into the block. In part 1 we focused on the short-block going together but disclosed that Hunter and Ron completed the 408ci LQ9 right up to installing a pair of Trick Flow heads (PN TFS-3061T002) straight from the box.

002 LS engine ARP head stud installation torque sequence
The threads in the LQ9 block were chased clean prior to hand-tightening the ARP Ultra-Torque lubed (PN ARP-234-4317) head studs.

We concluded part 1 with Ron and Hunter returning the completed engine back to Dunsworth Machine to make a dyno pull to break in the cam and make sure the engine didn’t have any problems. With only 21 degrees advance and a four-barrel carb, the results were 580.9 hp and 545.1 lb-ft of torque. Not bad since extracting the maximum amount of horsepower wasn’t the goal in that state of tune.

003 LS engine hydraulic roller lifter install camshaft upgrade
Pre-soaked in oil, Summit Racing ZDDP Performance 10W-30 motor oil to allow the oil to seep inside and ensure the lifters would “pump up.”

In part 2, our focus is returning to the photos we took of the top-end going together during the time Hunter and Ron were building the LQ9. At the end of part 1 we teased the possibility of capping the LQ9 off with a ProCharger supercharger because at that stage it was only a dream.

004 LS engine lifter tray alignment GM LS series block
Sourced from Summit (PN 12595365) genuine Chevrolet LS valve lifter guides followed inserting the hydraulic lifters.

Enter Hunter’s grandpa, Harold “Papa” Clay, with an early Christmas present for Hunter: an F-1A-94 ProCharger supercharger complete with a 1LS400 LS Accessory drive kit. A few weeks after Christmas 2024 Hunter and Ron were back at Dunsworth Machine to make a few dyno pulls with the supercharger installed. Blowers and turbochargers amongst gearheads are often referred to as power adders, but after dyno testing the 408ci LQ9 and producing nearly twice the amount of horsepower we’re calling the ProCharger a “power doubler.” The key to extracting the horsepower was tuner Jonathon Lorg downloading Holley’s program for the Holley EFI management system (PN HLY-554-114) and manipulating the data logging from setting the idle for the Holley drive-by-wire pedal (PN HLY-145-160) to achieving maximum power. The results with a 5-inch pulley, 16 pounds of boost and 18 degrees advance, the blown LQ9 produced 1,025.3 hp and 822.9 lb-ft of torque.

005 LS engine MLS head gasket install high compression build
Great for a boosted LS-type engines (PN BTC-BTR22033-2), LS9 head gaskets were installed as-is without applying any type of sealant.

Is building a 1,025hp 408ci LQ9 something that can be repeated by the average DIY guy at home? All the parts from the stroker kit to engine oil were mail-ordered from Summit Racing and were not modified in any way, so that’s a “yes.” The tricky part is finding a machine shop like Dunsworth Machine that is capable of precision work and has testing facilities. That’s not exactly a “no,” that’s a “maybe.”

006 LS engine Trick Flow cylinder head upgrade performance build
The Trick Flow (PN TFS-3061T002) aluminum cylinder heads were guided down perfectly level to avoid hanging up on the ARP head studs.
007 LS engine thread sealer head bolt install torque spec
When installing the ARP head bolt washers, it’s important the smooth side of the washer faces up and ARP Ultra-Torque fastener assembly lubricant is applied liberally.
008 LS engine torque wrench head bolt tightening sequence
The torque setting and correct sequence to torque down the Trick Flow heads is specified in the instruction sheet.
009 LS engine roller rocker arms high rpm valvetrain upgrade
Harland Sharp SLS17 roller tip rocker arms were used. With numerous upgrades from a stock LQ9, such as decking the block, new cylinder heads, and thicker head gaskets dictated adjusting the pushrod length.
010 Trick Flow LS pushrod length measurement pushrod checker tool
To set the preload for (PN SUM-HT217-16) Morel high-performance lifters, Hunter measured the stock pushrod length as a starting point to adjust the Trick Flow pushrod length checker.
011 LS pushrod length verification Mitutoyo dial caliper measuring tool
The Trick Flow pushrod length checker is calibrated. Each full rotation equal 0.050 inch. Grooves on the inner sleeve keeps count of the number of rotations made, or measure length with dial calipers.
012 Summit Racing LS pushrods 7 500 length heavy duty performance
Summit Racing (PN SUM-14917500) HDR thick wall seamless chromoly pushrods (11/32 indicates tube diameter and 7.500 indicates length). Shorter-length pushrods, 7.400 for example, use PN SUM-14917400.
013 LS engine roller rocker arms aluminum rockers valvetrain upgrade
Final assembly of the roller tip rockers included a liberal coating of Lubriplate No. 105 on the threads and pushrod cups and tips.
014 LS intake manifold gasket install aluminum intake port match
The lifter valley gasket (PN SUM-G2629) is installed without applying a sealant.
015 Summit Racing LS valley cover billet aluminum gasket install
After installing the Summit Racing billet lifter valley cover (PN SUM-240055B), the four corner steam kit (PN SUM-220950B) was plumbed to the Trick Flow heads to vent steam pressure.
016 Trick Flow LS front timing cover billet aluminum engine build
Mounting the ProCharger LS accessory drive kit starts at the left bank (driver side) utilizing existing factory boltholes in the cylinder head and block.
017 Trick Flow LS block stiffener Summit Racing engine cradle setup
Summit’s (PN SUM-918019) billet engine stand adapter makes short work out of mounting the block to the stand.
018 LS engine accessory drive bracket install Holley EFI ignition coils
The alternator bracket mounts to the Trick Flow head and the mounting bracket for the ProCharger supercharger with supercharger tensioner pulley.
019 LS engine alternator bracket install billet aluminum serpentine system
This side view shows the alternator two-hole spacer prior to tightening in place. A 2007-13 GMC or Chevy truck alternator fits.
020 LS engine water pump install billet pulley aluminum bracket system
ARP bolts throughout the water pump are bolted into place after the alternator and ProCharger mounting brackets but before mounting A/C bracket assembly.
021 ATI Super Damper LS harmonic balancer NHRA SFI approved crank pulley
Belt slip means lost horsepower, so the decision was made to upgrade from an eight-groove serpentine belt to a 10-groove belt. Installing an ATI Super Damper is perquisite for 500-plus horsepower.
022 LS engine crank pulley install billet multi rib serpentine system
The 10-groove pulley for driving the supercharger and six-groove pulley works good for driving a Vintage Air A/C compressor.
023 Sanden SD7B10 air conditioning compressor install LS swap AC setup
The two M8x 100mm bolts must be inserted into the A/C compressor before mounting.
024 LS engine Sanden AC compressor install billet bracket system
A Sanden SD-7B10 A/C compressor was used for proper belt alignment and fitment.
025 LS engine ProCharger supercharger bracket tensioner pulley system
ProCharger (PN 1LS400) LS Accessory drive is engineered to tuck the F-1A-94 ProCharger as tight to the engine as possible. Equipped with a Tick Performance intercooler and Holley Hi-Ram intake, the Nova will be fitted with a 4-inch cowl hood.
026 Trick Flow LS3 cylinder heads Holley EFI ignition coils billet valve covers
It looks like Hunter’s 408ci LQ9 has never been run, but as pictured here it’s the veteran of several unblown and blown dyno pulls.
027 LS ProCharger supercharged engine Trick Flow intake Holley EFI fuel rails
Blown and injected induction is a Holley EFI LS Hi-Ram intake manifold with 220-lb/hr Siemens Deka Low-Impedance Extreme Flow injectors and AC Delco 19420707 throttle body.
028 LS engine dyno test SuperFlow engine dyno Dunsworth Machine tuning setup
Gary Dunsworth said another 75 hp could probably be coaxed out of the blown engine, but 1,025 hp will be plenty enough move Hunter and his Nova down the strip and driven to high school.

Check out this story in our digital edition here.

SOURCES

Dunsworth Machine
(580) 233-5812

Lorg Motorsports
(580) 716-3020

ProCharger Superchargers
(913) 338-2886
procharger.com

Summit Racing
(800) 230-3030
summitracing.com

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