Sure you’re not going to squeeze 650hp out of a mild set of injectors and a turbo upgrade like you can on a common-rail, or unlock 100 extra ponies for free like you can with a P-pumped 12-valve, but the VP44-fueled 24-valve can still be made to turn out respectable horsepower. Case in point, many seem to forget how easy it is-especially in the modern era-to reach 500-hp with the 24-valve platform. This time, we’re examining a 550hp part’s recipe we’ve seen play out on the dyno time and again. In a nutshell, it calls for a set of 150hp injectors, a hotrod VP44, a chassis-mounted electric lift pump system, a turbo upgrade, and the right tuning. For insurance, minor valvetrain upgrades and head studs are preferred, but other than that the path to making 550-hp (or more) is clear. Perhaps the best part is the fact that you don’t need to make any hard-part changes in the bottom end. The factory rotating assembly has zero issues tolerating 550 hp and 1,100 lb-ft on a regular basis.
