Last month we compared a 406ci traditional Mouse to the 402ci LS2 shown here, only we ran out of time before we could kickit up a notch with a little spray action. You honestly didn't think we would let something like that slide, did you? Now rather than getting into all the ins and outs regarding nitrous (since that's on page 20), let's get to the point and define it as what most call it on the street-horsepower in a bottle. Some like to call it cheating, but horsepower is horsepower and the engine is simply a big air pump that doesn't care how the power is being generated. While we don't advocate trying to hook up the insane amount of torque shown here onto the street, it's a surefire way to showcase what a basic kit can do for you.
To recap, our mule is an all-aluminum-block LS2 from the General that we had Turn Key Engine Supply assemble with a set of 62cc Dart as-cast Pro 1 LS1 225 cylinder heads, an Edelbrock LS1 Victor Jr. manifold, and all Lunati internals. Utilizing a 4-inch stroke and bore, the cubic inches measured 402, with a final compression of 11:1. Again, nothing out of control, and everything is available off-the-shelf; however, it made for a formidable combination, pumping out 583 hp and 530 lb-ft on nuts alone.
For round two, we talked to Texas Nitrous Technology (TNT) to see what we could do to turn up the wick even more. It was a pretty simple solution: the dual-stage nitrous plate. If you already have access to a nitrous bottle and feed lines like we did, then you can opt for TNT's conversion package, which includes the plate, nitrous and fuel solenoids, and all of the stainless braided lines. Enough of the rambling, let's get to the fun!
Quick Notes
WHAT WE DID
Turned our 583hp carbureted LS2 into a nitrous-inhaling freight train.
COMBO
Texas Nitrous Technology Dual-Stage Force 2 plate, Turn Key Engine Supply 402ci LS2, Lunati rotating assembly, Dart Pro 1 LS1 cylinder heads, Edelbrock Victor Jr. LS1 manifold.
PRICE (APPROX)
$1,000 for a complete dual-stage system and $800 for the conversion kit. Single-stage conversion systems start at $425.
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The TNT Force 2 Plate features a trick billet construction with dual crossbars that are each good for up to a 300hp shot. With this dual-stage application, you can also stack the nitrous for a massive 600hp hit. While this is technically considered a two-stage plate, you can essentially create a three-stage system. For traction-limited applications at the dragstrip, you could launch on a 150 shot, hit a 200 shot midtrack as traction permits, and ultimately stack them together for a final 350 shot, making it extremely versatile. |
Mounting the solenoids is easy with the supplied universal brackets. Since both the stainless braided nitrous and fuel lines are precut to a specific length, just mount them as you see fit. In our application, we mounted both the fuel solenoids on the front of the engine, off the factory coil bracket, whereas the nitrous solenoids were mounted out back. |
Every kit comes with AN-4 lines routed from the solenoids and into the plate. Supplying the fuel and nitrous is a larger AN-6 hose for big nitrous hits. |
To fuel the fire, we used a 750-cfm Mighty Demon jetted with 78/82 in the primaries and secondaries. To expel the fumes, we took full advantage of Westech Performance's in-house set of 131/44-inch Kooks long-tube headers. |
To control the timing, we used MSD's LS1/LS6 controller. Unlike some of the conventional plug-in types that utilize a preprogrammed chip, the MSD unit allows you to have complete control to progressively ramp in timing at any given rpm. If you haven't used one, it's a must-have. As a reminder, the LS2 utilizes a 5-volt cam sensor, whereas the controller was designed for the older LS engines with a 12-volt sensor; in order for the controller to function properly, reverse the two outer wires to change the polarity and you're good to go. |
With timing set at 31 degrees total and the 100hp jetting in place, our mule blasted out 710 hp and 753 lb-ft on 91-octane! In anticipation of the 150hp jetting, we dropped the timing to 27 degrees total and dumped in a few gallons of 100-octane Rockett Brand fuel to prevent any chance of detonation. The result was 798 hp and 786 lb-ft, and this baby pulled clean without a single hint of hesitation. It's important to note that, while we had a gain of 215 hp and 256 lb-ft, the Force 2 Plate is rated as rear-wheel horsepower gains, which is why the 150 jetting gave us so much more on the engine dyno. CHP |