Small-block V8 engines are usually capable of making good power without the need to rev exceedingly high. However, the smaller your engine is, the more RPMs you can spin, which explains why most modern V8 engines are often limited to less than 7,000 RPM. Revving any higher can cause an undue amount of engine stress on a stock longblock without any increase in horsepower.

When it comes to high-revving engines, European exotics and Japanese compacts have had a bit of a monopoly. Americans were more content with low-revving torque monsters like the early 90s LT1 engine or the pushrod 5.0 from the Fox-body Mustang era. But Ford’s new Coyote 5.0 engine can rev up to 7,000 RPM, making us wondering if American automakers are starting to see the beauty of a high-revving V8.

But when done right, an American small-block V8 engine can sing well past 7,000 RPMs…especially when there is a turbocharger involved. Behold this video of an 5.3 LS series V8 engine screaming up to 8,000 RPMs on the engine dyno. That’ll do just fine.

Interestingly, this particular engine is really nothing all that special; featuring a 5.3 liter shortblock with “LS3 heads” (perhaps the Small Bore L92 heads?), a 9.5:1 compression ratio, a hot cam, and a relatively small turbocharger. All told this combination made 1,092 horsepower at the flywheel and 755 ft-lbs of stump-pulling torque. That is the kind of engine that belongs in, well, just about everything that moves – if you ask us.

Update – The engine’s owner, Jackson Stevens, let us know that the engine is a 6.0L with a stock 4.8L crank, making for a nice de-stroked combo that can use real LS3 cylinder heads thanks to the 4.00″ bore. Nice job Jackson!