colotocali

Just wondering what is the best performance mod you can do on an L98 for under $500......in your opinion. And what kind of HP should I get out of it? :grouphug:

vinnies87

This should be interesting - good budget question.... Okay Scorp - let it fly...vinnie

NUckINg FuTS

Longtube headers no doubt! Headers and y-pipe should net you 20-25 at the fly....or you can get a nitrous system for around $500 and gain 150hp!

Strick

Go to a good driving school :lolg: :rofl: :lol: :thumbs: :skep:

FD2BLK

:iagree:
Exhaust and mabey a cam for under $500

VetteNoob

Is this a DIY project or are you paying someone labor to install?

DYI, you can do a cam, RRs, and headers w/ Y-pipe (used) should get you a good 50hp or so.

Paying someone labor limits you to used headers and used RRs.

Maybe?

scorp508

This is tough.

Roller rockers ~ $270 = ~20hp
Undersized pullies ~$120 = ~10hp
Headers (good ones) ~$450 = ~20-25hp (Still need a new y-pipe made for more $$)
Catback ~$500 = ~15hp
Superam base ~$460 = Negotiable depending on other stuff.

red L98

edelbrock manifold = 350 feul reg = 70

slp runners= 200 rr arms = 200

nos kit = 500 spin tech mufflers = 140 sounds sweet

tpis mass air=50 :reddevil


[Modified by red L98, 8:48 PM 9/3/2003]


[Modified by red L98, 8:49 PM 9/3/2003]


[Modified by red L98, 8:50 PM 9/3/2003]

TA

You'll probably get a lot of differing opinions on this topic, but I will tell you that the exhaust made the biggest difference on my car to date. I replaced the front y-pipe with a mandrel bent, 2.5" one without precats. I hollowed my main cat and added a 2.5" Borla rear y-pipe with 2 chamber Flows. I bought all these items used from another forum member (Zelement) for I think $250. Just these exhaust mods improved my 1/4 mile by about 3-4 tenths and thats with me still using the stock exhaust manifolds.

LD85

Cat back exhasut and port your heads

SUPERNINJAB0Y

i know its not hp but....try some E/T STREETS,under 400 bucks

MrNuke

Best/Cheapest performance mod is of course Nitrous.
IF installed right and your car is in decent shape, could last you for a long time.

Headers are great, but new ones WILL cost a heck more than $500 installed.

If you are mechanically savvy, I'd at least port the heck out of the upper plenum/runners/lower plenum and the exhaust manifolds. Cut the airbox cover open and put in a K&N filter, Add some free-flowing mufflers, and you should be a good 30+ HP over stock.




[Modified by MrNuke, 10:56 PM 9/3/2003]

scorp508

Nitrous in my mind installed CORRECTLY will be well over $500 also once all of the safety equipment is in place.

MrNuke

True.. but not by much... A hundred or two max..

Caboboy

Cali, there are a bunch of ways to go, depending on your long term goal with this car/motor and if you're doing the work yourself.

If your goals are short term, then N2O plain and simple. If you plan something more long term, then all the suggestions above are good ones, as long as you do them in a progressive and complimentary manner as time goes on. If you plan it right, you can move right on up the performance ladder, and don't forget gears/D44 if applicable at some point....... :cheers:

scorp508

I paid $475 for my NX kit off ebay and then another $370 for the bottle heater, purge, blown down tube, fuel pressure safety switch, pressure gauge. There is $845 before the money I spent on my MSD digital 6+ ($275), RPM window switch ($75), RPM pills ($40), MSD install harness ($20), MSD low resistance HEI bushing ($10), MSD HEI coil ($70).

Fill the bottle, $40.

In total $1375 granted the MSD stuff isn't NECESSARY nor is the $370 accessory kit (well you DO need a blowdown to be legal at the track), but thats to get it together safely and uniformly.

MrNuke

Yup most of the stuff you have is not needed for a good install..

All you need is the kit (Usually they come with 2 points of safety already), if you are really worried, a FuelPressure switch (If Fuel Pressure is too low it turns the Nitrous off), and the blolw-down tube for legality.. SO we're still only talking $600-700 max, even from NOS.

scorp508

Standard NX and NOS kits from what I've seen only come with a WOT switch and main arming switch. Some would consider that 1 point of safety.

In my opinion I do not consider that a "good" install at all. Its bare bones and asking for trouble.

I've seen too many people accidently sitting there with the kit 'on' and press the pedal to the floor with the engine off not realizing they just filled their intake with nitrous since they wired the switch to a constant hot 12v instead of switched 12. Start the car.... kabooooom. Then there are those who go WOT at 1000 RPM off the line and blow crap to pieces from the immense cylinder pressures at too low of an RPM. It can happen to any of us with a simple brain fart.

Still $700 "max" is 40% over what he wants to spend.

Nathan Plemons

I gotta agree with Scorp on this one. A proper nitrous install has a window switch at the very least. If you want it to be consistent at all you get a bottle heater too.

SonnyinVA

for the track... slicks
for the street? muff elims and 1.6 roller rockers, and a K&N