112: Building a BIG-POWER LS That Actually Lasts.

Tuned In

The formula for building a big-power LS is pretty simple — but things get a little more complicated when the motor needs to produce all that power for sustained periods of time in applications like drift or circuit racing. In this episode, we sit down with Mitch Pullen of Pullen Spec Engines, who specialises in putting together ultra-durable LS builds to discuss the ins and outs of these motors and much more.
Use “PULLEN50” to get $50 OFF our HPA Engine Building Starter Package:
https://hpcdmy.co/enginepackageb
Thanks to his father’s involvement in motorsport, Mitch Pullen started young, assisting in the pits and moving into the karting world at 10 years old. By 14, he was building engines, creating his own wiring harnesses, and figuring out fabrication. It’s probably no surprise, then, that he left school fairly early to learn everything he could about nearly all aspects of motorsport engineering.
Although Mitch is a jack of all trades, he decided to focus on performance engine building, and this now sees him running the well-respected and very busy Pullen Spec Engines based out of the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia.
In this conversation, Mitch goes into detail about how he builds LSs, discussing their inherent weaknesses and strengths and the work that’s needed to create a motor that can sustain high horsepower and high RPMs for more than just a pull or two on the motorway or a run down the strip.
Mitch is also well known for his unique S13 Silvia competition drift car, which runs a massive Roots-style blower sitting atop a Dart iron-block LS. There are a few obvious questions when it comes to this setup — why bother with this type of supercharger, how does it behave in a drift car, and can you even see anything when you’re driving? Mitch answers all these questions and more.
The conversation finishes with some great discussions around car setup, forged vs cast engine parts, performance aircraft engine builds, and more.
Watts linkage illustration: https://hpcdmy.co/watts
Follow Mitch here:
IG: @pullenspecengines, @mitchellpullen
FB: Pullen Spec Engines
WWW: pullenspec.com
Don’t forget, you can use“PULLEN50” to get $50 OFF our HPA Engine Building Starter Package: https://hpcdmy.co/enginepackageb
Timestamps:
4:08 How did you form an interest in cars?
11:31 Did you do any formal engine-building training?
15:09 Where did you go from rebuilding 2 stroke karts?
20:07 Watts link vs Pan hard rod overview.
24:53 Getting more power in the KE70.
31:43 How did you learn all these skills at such a young age?
32:52 What happened after the Khanacross?
35:03 Learning about LS engines and circuit cars.
45:40 Load on an engine for a sustained amount of time.
48:52 What do you do in your LS to make it live?
59:08 LS engine package.
1:07:27 Forged vs cast pistons.
1:16:52 Does the LS have enough factory clearance for boosted applications.
1:27:16 Why the roots blower?
1:35:57 Overview of Pullen Spec Engines.
1:45:50 Focusing on the LS.
1:48:47 Final three questions.

บท

1. Drifting With LS Engines (00:00:00)

2. Youthful Achievement in Engine Building (00:03:26)

3. Engine Reconditioning and Performance Modifications (00:11:50)

4. Custom Engine Building in Early Career (00:24:01)

5. Progression Into Drifting and Racing (00:32:45)

6. Engine Tuning and Race Car Performance (00:39:37)

7. Engine Tuning and Stress Management (00:45:56)

8. Engine Building Starter Package Details (00:54:47)

9. Dart Block vs Sleeving for Engine (00:58:57)

10. Forged Pistons vs Cast Pistons (01:09:43)

11. Maximizing Power With Engine Clearances (01:20:59)

12. Roots Blower Performance Challenges and Solutions (01:27:20)

13. High-Quality, Bespoke Engine Building Insights (01:35:43)

14. Engine Building and Future Plans (01:46:05)

15. Advancing Aviation Engine Technology (01:49:12)

16. Access Benefits Included in Course Purchase (01:59:32)