Hello all,I've an 86 pace car stock engine except 2nd stage chip.id like to upgrade the cam but I know nothing about them and everything I've looked up confuses me more.ive figured out I at least have to have a computer controlled cam.id like to keep the intake stock and fuel injection so if possible what can I get as far as cam kits a link if possible so I can look at it.also would changing the cam require computer flashing? What I was hoping to do was keep engine as much stock so I could upgrade in stages.like cam kit first,head's later maybe bigger fuel injectors n pump but I don't know what I can do while keeping car computer controlled.i don't want carbureted.ive been looking on net,eBay for ideas but don't know what's possible.as far as money goes I don't have thousands laying around.thats why I'd like to do in stages.i figured I'd get the biggest cam kit possible have installed then save twards heads.

 

Cam change generally requires computer tuning or reprogramming. Different runners and related parts and headers or "cat back" don't always require tuning.

 

When you say runners are you referring to the fuel rails! And injectors? My exhaust is basically straight pipe I've no cats just pipe n mufflers.stock headers I am going to get new headers figured I'd get a bigger cam kit first.i might now someone that could flash or tune the computer if it's possible but not sure,things I've read say it might not be possible.supposedly gm made them so couldn't be flashed.dont know if true

 

The TPI consists of several parts. Accel, SLP, and Arizona Speed & Marine all made intake parts. If you're on a tight budget a cam change can get expensive pretty quick trying to get tune right.

 

Off shelf chips don't do much more than lighten your wallet. You have a Stage 2 wallet lightener if you got it off the shelf.

The computer does not control the cam. What they mean is a "computer friendly cam", IOW it really isn't much more than stock so it doesn't get out of the program's parameters. So you might get a little more but probably not worth what you put in.

See above. Even when I changed the intake to a Superram and Tri-Y on my F-body, it didn't run quite right till I had Lingenfelter tune it.

Your biggest restriction seems to be the intake and the exhaust manifolds. If you really want to do it, my suggestion would be to do it once and do it right and NOT have to do it again and again. First thing is to outline what your goal is. After that figure out what it will cost to get there. Now here is the hard part. You may have to let the car sit while you build up funds. OTOH, you can figure out an intake and headers that will be necessary to get to your goal. For instance, If I want 600 HP, I wouldn't want some small headers and stock intake. So I would plan for that goal and buy the intake necessary and later the headers and so on. Install them. That is the easy part. What you need to do is find a tuner that will dyno tune it. That is getting harder so you need to get that in first.

 

The first thing I would do is add long tube headers. Then a better intake, miniram or SuperRam. Then change the cam.

 

Absolutely correct on all counts!

OP: Have a goal, research the options, and establish a "blueprint" for getting there: plan and build toward it. You'll save a lot of money on wasted junk/gizmos (like that "Stage-II" chip BS.).

 

Ok so could I buy a larger cam kit? I was looking at lunatti cams for around 400$ with power band between 1500-5500 roughly.but from what I'd read they say 86 plus or minus a year vettes couldn't be tuned or flashed.i plan on buying new headers as well and new injectors.id like to gain 200 hp if possible.the chip my mom installed back when they were the thing.i did buy and install a high performance coil in distributor blue deamon I think it's called by accel.my car has 197k miles on it so I plan on having it rebuilt when I've the parts I'm just trying to figure out what I can do while keeping it fuel injected and computer controlled.

 

Sure you can but you need to find a tuner first. I would start with intake and headers first. Thing is, the cam is going to have to be matched with the intake and headers not just throw pieces at the car. Set your plan and have the tuner advise you what to do Get the intake and headers set up first. Don't pull the heads and all that Have him tune for the intake and headers. If you when get more money you can get a fresh motor withe right cam and tune again.

 

Ok thanks.my wife's soon to be nephew tunes cars and is a mechanic so I'll try talking with him to see if he can tune my car.

 

Does he have a chassis dyno or what do you mean by tune? He needs to be able to rewrite the program Sometimes most mechanics unless they are at a speed shop do not do.

 

I don't know if he has a Dyno but he uses software on his laptop to tune cars computers,he reflashed my brother-in-law's wrx giving him 100 extra hours by adjusting his turbo.ill have to talk with him to see if he can reflashed or tweak the original tuning but he lives in Georgia and I in Tennessee. So I'll have to see what he's capable of.

 

Okay That could work if he has the software

 

Uff-da!

500 HP (up from 300) with a 5500 rpm limit on a motor with near 200k miles... This is no 'what can be added on', street driven project now! This is a going to have to be a "clean sheet" design from the ground UP.

CHEAP-POWER-RELIABILITY...pick TWO!

 

I plan on having it rebuilt that's why I wanted to buy the upgrades so I could do it same time.its still great running condition needs some tlc on cosmetics but I've had the car for 13 years and bought it off my parents when my 79 got totaled.im just trying to figure out a basic model settup I can buy(combo) that allows for original tpi intake settup.like a cam kit possible head's that works.and while rebuilding engine possible flat top pistons to match.i planned on headers that I can do myself and I'm thinking I'll do the port & polish on the tpi units.again I can do that no problem I used to fabricate so I see no problem there.the car is only 245 hp so if I could get another 200hp that would be awesome buy if it's gonna cost major money or be seriously involved project I think it's not in my budget.id just fix it back up stock a drive it till it won't anymore.lol I was gonna buy a 2007 ish but things fell through so all I can do is fix this one up better or just back to par.

 

I'm not sure if you can port and polish a NA TPI intake into the 500 region. Remember, the transmission and rear end will be breaking soon after. Just how much money do you have to spend for this project? Good intakes, headers, transmissions, rear end and tuning don't come cheap.

I'd wait for the end of the year and see if Torquehead really come out the LS system that is plug and play. Drop in a crate motor and be done with it. Assuming it is financially feasible if you must do it in a C4 Or find another 07 would be the easiest way to get the goal

 

What you want to do is going to be very expensive, unless you do all the work yourself. You have a car with 230HP stock, as I recall. You will need a complete engine rebuild with 197000 miles on it. To get 500HP you will need a totally integrated build with all parts matched to each other to get your 500 HP. With 500 HP you will need to address the clutch, if a manual, the tranny, the rear end, brakes, cooling system and suspension. You are talking serious money.

I have driven some cars with big cams, intake, exhaust, etc. Some were almost undrivable on the street, with the big cam giving them a nasty idle and requiring that the car be revved up quite a bit before starting to let the clutch out. Is that what you want? Some cams give low end torque but sacrifice upper end performance. Others are the opposite. Decide what you need.

I considered building my 1991 for more power. It turned out to be too expensive for the gains I would have gotten. I sold the 1991 and bought a C5 Z06.
I now have a 1991 that is supercharged. The bottom end is stock so the boost is low to keep the engine together. It makes 320 rear wheel HP on the dyno (about 375 at the crank) and gets about 390 ft-lbs of torque. Below 4500 RPM it made more power and torque than my 2002 Z06, which was slightly modified.
The car is extremely drivable. It drives like a stock Corvette until I step on the gas a bit. Then you notice you have a lot of extra power.

You need to decide what you want from your car. Do you want a ground pounder with a nasty idle that may be almost undrivable on the street, something with a lot of low end torque for great acceleration, or top end power for high speed on the track? Do you want to change the necessary components in the drivetrain to cope with all the extra power?

You need to do a lot of research and figure out what you want from the car, and then decide the best way to get there. Then save the money to do it all at once. Good luck.

 

L98 TPI= restricted 350 CI

Performance L98= fully opened up 350ci

Cam needs, intake, heads, headers, and larger exhaust, injectors, tune

If auto it needs a stall and or gears generally.

In this case all or none. It sucks but...

The real 2 questions are:
-Are you willing to spend $5,000+ on a c4 motor build?
-Are you willing to throw that money away, because mods rarely add much value except to people like e that hate boring (fun)cars.

 

I thought he mentioned something about an 86 auto in another thread .Wish newbies would fill out the profile properly.

Auto has a D36 which I broke doing 420 RWHP. So budget in a D44 unless you can never launch hard.

 

An 86 vert has the '128 heads on it and 235hp stock. You are not going to get to 500hp from a non-turbo'd 350ci engine with an L98-style intake on it.

The '128 heads are not terrible, and can support 300ish HP in untouched form. I would not change these at this time.

I would add TPiS headers first, mate those with what you have now as true duals.

I would not add any gear changes to the rear. You have an L98 and do not need them. You do not need a higher stall TC in 86 automatics either, as it already has 2000rpm from the factory. Leave this be for now.

I would then decide if you wanted that 500 hp goal or not before I went changing the intake. If you want 500 it will not look stock once you open the hood up, because the L98 intake cannot get you there on a 350. It will not get here on a 383 NA and probably not a 406 either. It cannot flow the air at high rpm because of the runner length.

If you want 500, you will need to go with MR or Superram, then pick the cam to get there and the heads and do it at once. Then you must change the tune. I would not let just anyone with a laptop work on this. I'd have it tuned on a dynojet with a wideband O2 sensor or a reputable tuner, then you can tweak it all you want at home on your laptop.

Realistically you are better off picking a more moderate number if you want to keep it stock-looking. You can buy the base that works for the Superram and then buy AS&M runners and port the plenum. Add 1.6 RR and then an Accel 211 cam or something in the same duration range and redo the chip and call it done.