Last week, my brother opined on my doing some light engine upgrades to my '96. He suggested chipping it, changing the air intake and installing a larger throttle body. Before I seriously consider this advice, I thought I'd run it past the experienced crowd here. My concern is that by upgrading one thing, I'll have to upgrade a great number of things to accomodate the first upgrade. Once a person starts upgrading the engine, is it a never ending process or can it be done in phases or stages? If it can be done in stages, what would you all recommend for starters? Any suggestions would be much appreciated!

 

Engine mods can be done in stages, but the ones you suggested won't do anything at all. Check out the C4 Tech FAQ; there's a list of mods that work and don't.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/showthread.php?t=956100

I would suggest LT headers, then maybe a HotCam.

 

Thanks! Before I go with something like a hotcam and headers, shouldn't I do some more basic upgrades first in order to maximize the efficiency and performance offered by the more major upgrades? I'm the furthest thing from what anyone would consider mechanically inclined so any additional tips and info would be nice.

 

Headers are that first step.

You don't need a throttle body, you don't need a chip/programmer, and you don't need a different intake. None of those will do anything for you unless you're making WAY more power than you are now.

Long tube headers and a free flowing exhaust is a great place to start.

 

The only reason for a chip now is to lower the temp that the fans kick on. LT headers and a good catback should be your first mod. After you do a cam/heads mod, then have a new chip burned. Maybe gears?

 

If you're thinking of doing any modification(s), even in the future, you should seriously think of getting yourself a Corsa exhaust. Even with gobs of power, a Corsa setup still seems to be able to keep the resonance/drone to a minimum or even non-existent. I wish I went the Corsa route instead of my B&B. I like the look and sound of the B&B better than the Corsa, but you just can't beat Corsa's sound, or lack thereof in the cockpit.

Don't forget about getting yourself free flowing cats. When you do the new free-flow exhaust, you've got to also go with new cats. I suggest Random Technology, Catco or CarSound. Naturally, there are other fantastic free-flowing catalytic converters on the market beside the three I listed here, but I know that these three are excellent.

Make sure that you shop around before you buy. Spend some time on the Internet. DO NOT purchase from the first vendor you come across. You're guaranteed to find lower prices on identical items if you spend a little time researching. And don't forget to check out the items that the Forum's vendors have for sale. Sometimes, they give a discount to Corvette Forum members. When I purchased my Catco "cat" a few years ago, it cost me $106 including shipping. I think that was a good deal, but I found it only after a great deal of research. Time is money and if you spend some time, you should be able to save yourself some money.

There's a whole sheetload of mods that you could do to increase power. What you listed should NOT be done until other mods are done first. Installing a larger throttle body before doing other mods will do nothing for your car and will probably cost you some horsepower. No joke. Doing engine mods is not cheap but it probably is one of the best things you could do to your car to increase its acceleration, power, etc. Doing all of the following will get you more than 100 HP, at least. Stroking the motor (making it into a 383 for example) will get you a major noticeable increase in power, but you must also change some of the engine's internals and that isn't cheap (such as larger connecting rods). If you mod your car and the horsepower jumps considerably, you will need to upgrade to larger injectors.

Boring your block (.030 over), decking, honing and balancing it as well, changing the lifters, pushrods, pistons, rings, headers, roller rockers, heads (preferably ported), valves, cam, etc. to all high performance products will give you huge increases in power. You should have forged parts installed as they will hold up much better. But forged equipment is more expensive, but well worth it if you intend to make a lot of power. And should you ever decide to run nitrous, you MUST have forged internals. If you install these mods, it would be a good idea to go to a larger throttle body.

Increasing power considerably can take its toll on the suspension (if you run it hard) if you do not modify it as well. But that's only an issue if you modify your car by increasing the horsepower by the hundreds. You also have the option of installing a superram. This will force tons of air into the engine, thereby increasing power. But this takes a skilled technician to get it just right. It's actually not that expensive when compared to the above engine work. Doing all of the work listed above will undoubtedly be in the thousands.

Installing a good set of wires is mandatory as is a distributor. Performance Distributors - D.U.I., makes an excellent distributor. You should go with Clevite bearings in all areas, use a double roller timing set chain (extra strength and durability) and if you want even more oomph, go to a 3.73 or 4.11 rear end. If you do any highway driving, stick with the 3.73. Changing your transmission to a Keisler 5-speed from the 4+3 or automatic would be an excellent step in the right direction. When your car makes lots of horsepower, it can cause your original tranny to go "boom" and the Keisler can withstand a whole heck of a lot of horsepower. There are many more mods you can do to your car, but these should be enough to get you started. Yes I'm joking as I know you won't be doing all of these, but in the future, if you can do some or all, your car will be a rocketship.

As I stated, your first mod should be your exhaust (free-flow, not a Midas) and your cats. That will give you additional horsepower and it's mandatory to have a free-flowing exhaust system if you intend to do any sort of engine modifications that will increase horsepower. Without a free-flowing exhaust, you'll just be pissing in the wind no matter what you do to your engine.

I hope this helped. Good luck!

 

I just had my mechanic check everything out for me. Inspection time. I asked him to check the cats. They are fine he said. Is there any real advantange to changing to Hi Flows on a stock LT1? I already have the Corsas.

 

Now that's the kind of experienced info I was talkin' about! I appreciate the thorough explanation 85 500 horse! You all have given me a very good starting point! Also, thanks for steering me away from the mods suggested by my bro' (He's a good mechanic but his 'Vette knowledge is obviously not as extensive as yours). As I stated before, I'm not much of a mechanic (yet) but what you guys have said makes alot of sense to me. I have priced out various parts and anything a guy does will be spendy which is another reason I value the input I've gotten here. What's been recommended will, no doubt, give me the most bang for my buck and who wouldn't appreciate that?! Thanks again! This forum is a real blessing!!!!

 

Great reading! Thanks for the link!

 

If there's nothing wrong with them, like your mechanic said, I doubt going to free-flowing ones will have much of an improvement. If you do any engine mods, then I'd get them. But for now, I'd leave them alone. You did the exhaust which was the main thing to do.

 

Something like these?

http://www.stainlessworks.net/cart/p...e70575255f47fc

 

Good to know! Much appreciated.
Right now my main thing is the rear end and TC. When that is finished maybe something to engine its self. Well see!

 

Those are headers with the cats (http://www.stainlessworks.net/cart/p...0 575255f47fc). And that seems awfully expensive. I'm talking something like this. This is just for example and not to purchase from. You will need to get a good set of headers besides the exhaust system. A good set of headers can get you an extra 20 HP. Make sure you get them coated.

http://www.performancecenter.com/exh...rmance-exhaust

 

Thanks again 85 500 horse! Nice photos you have posted, BTW!

 

On my 94 LT-1, I put on a "Ram-Air" intake, 1.6 roller rockers and shortie headers this spring and went from a previous best 1/4mi of 13.75 @ 101mph to 13.2 @ 106mph.
Not bad for some basic bolt-ons.

 

I m not mechanically inclined either but have spent some unless cash and so maybe you can do better than me. I brought the famous airfoil for 50 dollars, which was useless. Brought a mass airflow sensor for 400 which doesnt do a thing. Bought the vortex air intake system and I might get 3 to 5 extra hp for 260 dollars. I got muffler eliminators with an x-pipe for 500 dollars which was good because of a good rumbling sound and some power, maybe 15 hp. I previously had the B&B 3inch tri flow catback system for 1200 dollars and didnt feel much of anything and was too quiet for my taste. I got the 4:11 gears and felt a little also. The gears is good for most but for my car was not that great for 1300 dollars. Must be different from car to car. Just got my car out yesterday with a CC502 cam and ported stock LT4 heads. That finally made a great difference but the cost was 5 thousand. I would first go with headers and a good exhaust system like the other knowledgeable members said. Good luck.

 

Thanks myslvlt4! Yours is as good advice as any of the others who posted here. I appreciate your warning me of a few of the many needless and unproductive measures I could fall prey to. I think it's just as important to know what not to do as it is knowing exactly what to do. Thanks to everyone who offered me advice. I have a much better sense of what my first steps should be!!!! Someday, I hope to return the favor!

 

After drooling over "mods" for years, the fact that you never see that $$ again bugged me.

So, why not go the ZR-1 route - get gobs of hp, gobs more with DIY mods, and a vehicle that appreciates in value??? And, it elbows it's way to the bar with most contemporary "sports" of today.

How 'bout these mods...



Completely new all aluminum design
Dual overhead cams
4-valve pent-roof 11.25:1 compression
hand built and balanced to high specs
DIY porting and headers nets close to 400 rwhp (w/ tune) and another 30 or so w/ heads ported...(and still idles like a kitten)
many, many, more..

Features like smooth at idle and in traffic, yet screams like a banshee at WOT (7000+ rpm) , great gas mileage, FX3 suspension, 3" wider at the rear, built to race from the git go...and so much more.

For what I would spend in mods, the ZR-1 could be had w/o all the downsides...Or so it seemed to me!

Just a thought!!

P.