:: It’ll do 160 mph without getting close to the red line ::
You’ve opened/widened the aspiration system somewhat on that engine, haven’t you?
You can get 3-7 bHP with each minor “widening”.
From the simple flip of the air-cleaner cover to straight-piping the exhaust.
And every tweak in-between.
With today’s EFI, you have to spend $$$ to get a change implemented.
Sucks...
Widened the aspiration? In this case it didn’t seem necessary. The power is/was there. Just go thru it to make sure all is up to snuff. This particular 454 is in the “truck” version of a 3/4 ton Jimmy Suburban. The faktery ignition system got itself changed out. Low ratio gears and overdrive along with back fit oversize tires keep the engine raps down. The fender wells on the 96’s limit how much extra tire one can use. Two inches o/s diameter is about the limit without screwing with suspension or cutting sheet metal.
The Xtra thing I do with this one is load two hundred pounds of sandbags clear back by the tail gate. It takes just enough off the front axle to make it hold the road super good in the mountains. And for night runs it has a flame thrower mounted in the cow catcher which all-but starts forest fires.
You mentioned EFI. I’m not sure when they changed up that system but my older trucks used 15 PSI for the fuel supply, and could be problematic. This one uses a 60 PSI fuel pump, which I took out of the fuel tank, and I back-fit it with an industrial size moisture separator. Doesn’t wet down fuel filters any more. And, as I noted, it goes where I point it——fast.
Been a long time since I’ve done a buck fiddy plus. The Mini won’t do it. I’ve pushed her to a buck twunny and that was all she had.