196hp??? THAT'S ALL?????
Thread Starter
"Rodstoration &am p;quot; In Progres
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 1,397
Likes: 1
From: Frisco TX
196hp??? THAT'S ALL?????
Well... I've been looking forward to my dyno tune day for almost two weeks! Figured since my 1980 came off the production line with 195hp and I have completely desmogged her. Then the following upgrades:
Edelbrock Thunder 650
Edelbrock Performer Intake
Hooker Headers
Hooker true dual w/ Flowmaster Delta 40s
Flamethrower HEI
SPAL Dual 11" fan
120amp alternator
Thought for sure I would get around 230 from it (muchless crack the 200hp mark). First pull was 190hp (at rear wheels) then after tuning carb and timing we got it up to a whopping 196hp!
I'm being told that the factory 195 was at the flywheel and that my 196 at the rear wheels is showing some good improvement.
WHAT GIVES?????????? This really frustrates me! Should I continue with the heads and cam or just drop in a crate now????
Edelbrock Thunder 650
Edelbrock Performer Intake
Hooker Headers
Hooker true dual w/ Flowmaster Delta 40s
Flamethrower HEI
SPAL Dual 11" fan
120amp alternator
Thought for sure I would get around 230 from it (muchless crack the 200hp mark). First pull was 190hp (at rear wheels) then after tuning carb and timing we got it up to a whopping 196hp!
I'm being told that the factory 195 was at the flywheel and that my 196 at the rear wheels is showing some good improvement.
WHAT GIVES?????????? This really frustrates me! Should I continue with the heads and cam or just drop in a crate now????
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 1,239
Likes: 0
From: NY
There is a considerable difference from flywheel to rear wheels.
What you did isn't so bad. You brought flywheel horse to the pavement.
You are running stock heads & cam?
Heads is where you find all the ponies...
How much do you want?
What you did isn't so bad. You brought flywheel horse to the pavement.
You are running stock heads & cam?
Heads is where you find all the ponies...
How much do you want?
Pro
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 564
Likes: 0
From: Pittsburgh PA
Not TOO bad! My '96 Impala had 260HP/330 lbs.-ft of torque... But only 160HP at the rear wheels... So, while this tends to be a more extreme example, we could say your car (by the same ratio?) is pumping out somewhere around 300HP at the flywheel... If you're more conservative, you're still at least 250HP... So, don't sweat it....
Tell us more about your engine- how many miles since the last rebuild (or major work, besides what you listed)???
For a REAL seat-of-the-pants boost, I would recommend a nice RV-type cam, something in the 260-degree (advertised) duration... It *should* work nicely with your stock valve-springs and valves, yet give you an impressive improvement in torque... And of course, it'll work with the low-compression engines, without giving you any vacuum or idling issues...
Just my $.02.
Pro
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 543
Likes: 2
From: Miami FL
St. Jude Donor '11, '14
The most conservative estimates put chassis dyno loss at 15% compared to flywheel. Recent magazine articles show they typically cost more. That puts you at a min of ~230 HP, a very respectable gain for the mods you have made.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 10,258
Likes: 1
From: Calif.
Not too bad. Looking at your laundry list the only mods you've done performance-wise is the intake and the headers. If you want to get a ballpark flywheel HP number, just take your 196 RWHP and add 19 percent or so to account for driveline losses. That would put you at about 230 or so at the flywheel. That's an improvement.
Thread Starter
"Rodstoration &am p;quot; In Progres
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 1,397
Likes: 1
From: Frisco TX
I really appreciate all the comments and support! I was looking for the dyno to show around 240hp. To answer a few of the questions:
* engine is original L48 with 52,000 miles (some startup smoke...but that's it)
* Heads and cam are stock
I have an estimate and am ready to put Edelbrock 64cc RPM heads on her with a Comp Xtreme Energy 274 cam. What do you all think the rear wheels will show after this?
Seriously, thanks everyone!
* engine is original L48 with 52,000 miles (some startup smoke...but that's it)
* Heads and cam are stock
I have an estimate and am ready to put Edelbrock 64cc RPM heads on her with a Comp Xtreme Energy 274 cam. What do you all think the rear wheels will show after this?
Seriously, thanks everyone!
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 1,426
Likes: 1
From: San Diego, CA Website: ChrisMitchell.us
Originally Posted by 80TexasC3
* Heads and cam are stock
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Thread Starter
"Rodstoration &am p;quot; In Progres
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 1,397
Likes: 1
From: Frisco TX
Originally Posted by 77Dream
Yup, thats your problem. I bet if just replaced the cam you would see the big improvement you are looking for.
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 1,861
Likes: 2
From: New Zealand
Originally Posted by 80TexasC3
So does the Xtreme energy 274 sound right?
If you're not then a cam and head swap is your next step.....the XE274 will be problematic as a straight cam swap with your motor.......most mild streeters are using the 262 or 268.........
If you're glued to the 274, then you'll have to do a head swap and the heads you choose should match the cam.....and the intended use of your Vette........street or race..........
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 2,253
Likes: 1
From: Rochester Kent
Originally Posted by standup
If you're glued to the 274, then you'll have to do a head swap and the heads you choose should match the cam.....and the intended use of your Vette........street or race..........
Increase the compression with new heads and that will really make a difference, but still nice gains from your mods 
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 1,906
Likes: 0
From: Berlin
Out of those mods, only the exhaust will make a significant difference on a dyno versus a properly functioning stock system. If you look at it that way, you have a very respectable gain.
By the way, the performer intake, while ok as a stock replacement on an L48, is not a performance manifold. It'll choke the engine if you mod it more.
By the way, the performer intake, while ok as a stock replacement on an L48, is not a performance manifold. It'll choke the engine if you mod it more.
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 1,861
Likes: 2
From: New Zealand
Originally Posted by aharte
........By the way, the performer intake, while ok as a stock replacement on an L48, is not a performance manifold. It'll choke the engine if you mod it more.
........if you're going to make a comment like that you're going to have to back up what you mean by "performance mainfold" and how much one would have to "mod it more" to "choke" a Performer intake.......
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 1,906
Likes: 0
From: Berlin
I do not know offhand what a XE 274 cam does to an engine, but a performer intake is dead by 5000 rpm. There's only so much power a 350 can make without revving higher than that. I think it's good for trucks, not sports cars.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 65,492
Likes: 230
From: Orange Park Florida
You know, for being and olde tymey type hotrodder for decades now, and coming from the Pontiac school of torque, I still believe every V8 driven on the street should be built for torque, as about 99.9% of the time 5 grand is the top end for all practical useage, damn few if any times on a daily driven car will any V8 see over 5 grand in a 2 month span.....
track useage, sure, foolish to shift below 6 grand anyway...
so like anything else, you build to suit the purpose at hand,...and with ~50k miles on it, that means a 26? cam, and fresh heads....
leave it at ~300 hp and have done with it....
GENE
track useage, sure, foolish to shift below 6 grand anyway...
so like anything else, you build to suit the purpose at hand,...and with ~50k miles on it, that means a 26? cam, and fresh heads....
leave it at ~300 hp and have done with it....
GENE
Race Director
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 11,520
Likes: 13
From: CORVETTE 77 385 C.I. TEXAS
All you have really done is intake & exhaust. Needs more cam. Better heads would be good, needs more cam mainly. You would probably like XE-262 or XE-268 max. in your setup if you drive hard.
Intake is not a problem, 2101 is good for over 400 HP on a 350. SEE
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...tid=1546166224
Intake is not a problem, 2101 is good for over 400 HP on a 350. SEE
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...tid=1546166224
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 2,672
Likes: 1
From: New Cumberland PA
Originally Posted by mrvette
You know, for being and olde tymey type hotrodder for decades now, and coming from the Pontiac school of torque, I still believe every V8 driven on the street should be built for torque, as about 99.9% of the time 5 grand is the top end for all practical useage, damn few if any times on a daily driven car will any V8 see over 5 grand in a 2 month span.....
track useage, sure, foolish to shift below 6 grand anyway...
GENE
track useage, sure, foolish to shift below 6 grand anyway...
GENE
The first step in deciding what to buy is to step back and realistically look at how the car will be driven. That will not exactly determine what parts to use, but will eliminate a lot of parts not to use. Some people say you can't use a 300 degree or more duration cam on the street. Sure you can. Some people say you can't run a 850cfm carb on the street. Sure you can. I don't think anybody has been arrested by the engine police for doing it. However, there are better choices that are more suited for driving stop light to stop light or driving 65mph on the highway. A good low end torque engine will easliy spin the wheels when you want to 'show off'.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 990
Likes: 0
From: North Texas
Can you post the Dyno graphs? It would be nice to see where your making your power at.
As far as a crate goes, how much power are you trying to make....?
I originally started to rebuild my stock block and decided part way through that it wasn't what I really wanted. I'm now having a 383 with HR built.
As far as a crate goes, how much power are you trying to make....?
I originally started to rebuild my stock block and decided part way through that it wasn't what I really wanted. I'm now having a 383 with HR built.