86 L98 Build Up Review Request
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 145
Likes: 0
From: San Antonio TX
86 L98 Build Up Review Request
Am original owner on an 86 L98 (iron heads) with 50K miles - have some time and a little money and would like to build up the motor. Looking mostly for torque 1500-5000rpm. Was thinking that the Vortec heads and manifold, cam and headers, mated up to my original TPI reprogrammed would be the right balance of performance and cost. Went to a good place here in San Antonio and they asked me to consider a crate motor and the following options and prices:
Vortec TPI Crate Motor $4,199.00
Large Runners $449.95
52m Throttle Body $399.95
Adjustable MAF Sensor $496.95
30 lb injectors $299.95
Stainless Stell CatBack $699.95
Hooker Headers $810.95
Engine Labor 25 hours $1,875.00
Exhaust Labor TBD
Coputer Reprogramming $250.00
Dyno Tune $600.00
Total $10,081.70
Appreciate your thoughts about how this would achieve my original build up objective and what parts and prices I should question. Thanks
Vortec TPI Crate Motor $4,199.00
Large Runners $449.95
52m Throttle Body $399.95
Adjustable MAF Sensor $496.95
30 lb injectors $299.95
Stainless Stell CatBack $699.95
Hooker Headers $810.95
Engine Labor 25 hours $1,875.00
Exhaust Labor TBD
Coputer Reprogramming $250.00
Dyno Tune $600.00
Total $10,081.70
Appreciate your thoughts about how this would achieve my original build up objective and what parts and prices I should question. Thanks
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 4,870
Likes: 25
From: Long Island, NY
I recommend that you forget the crate motor. You have only 50K miles on your car, these L98's can go 200K on the bottom end.
Go with a nice exhaust setup to include Hooker headers and a cat back system. Next add AFR heads and a Lingenfelter cam.
Lastly, install a Superram intake.
You do not need 30 lbs fuel injectors. Yuor stock 22 lbs injectors will be fine.
Parts should run you about 5K for what I listed above.
Vic
Go with a nice exhaust setup to include Hooker headers and a cat back system. Next add AFR heads and a Lingenfelter cam.
Lastly, install a Superram intake.
You do not need 30 lbs fuel injectors. Yuor stock 22 lbs injectors will be fine.
Parts should run you about 5K for what I listed above.
Vic
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 62,178
Likes: 1,740
From: Athens AL
C7 of the Year - Unmodified Finalist 2021
C4 of Year Finalist (performance mods) 2019
I wouldnt go with a Vortec setup, go with some nice aluminum heads. If you want to save money, try to find some 88-91 Corvette heads, casting '113. They should be available on ebay or perhaps in the for sale section here, just start looking.
Do NOT buy the adjustable MAF, keep the original.
30lb injectors will likely be way too much, especially if its staying as a 350. 24lb should be plenty.
You could find the headers cheaper on ebay, and you can buy them new on Summit for less than that, though with shipping it may come out the same.
52mm TB is useless for you on a 350.
Complete catbacks will run roughly that amount from anywhere.
You can find the runners cheaper than that as well.
I would not pay that money for programming and a dynotune, thats outrageous to me.
You should run a search in the archives, look for Heads, cam, and intake setups: like AFR, TFS heads, Superram or Miniram intake, Hooker and TPiS headers, etc.
You will find more than you can read.
Do NOT buy the adjustable MAF, keep the original.
30lb injectors will likely be way too much, especially if its staying as a 350. 24lb should be plenty.
You could find the headers cheaper on ebay, and you can buy them new on Summit for less than that, though with shipping it may come out the same.
52mm TB is useless for you on a 350.
Complete catbacks will run roughly that amount from anywhere.
You can find the runners cheaper than that as well.
I would not pay that money for programming and a dynotune, thats outrageous to me.
You should run a search in the archives, look for Heads, cam, and intake setups: like AFR, TFS heads, Superram or Miniram intake, Hooker and TPiS headers, etc.
You will find more than you can read.
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 14,130
Likes: 7
Cruise-In II Veteran
I had my 86 L98 with stock heads rebuilt for around 1500 bucks.I raised the compression and added a crane cam and it made the car run really strong.I used the stock intake,tubes and TB and had no problems with it.
If you want to increase torque,dont bother with a larger TB,runners or etc.Keep the intake set up stock and maybe change the engine to a 383 size with a decent cam and some head work.Youll make so much torque like this youll be roasting the tires into 4 gear.Especially for your powerband you want it to work at.If you want to doa 383,and change the intake and runners to a larger size,thats fine.It may help the power band some more.But 10K for an engine you quoted is a rip off.
If I spent 10K I would expect the package to exceed 400 HP and 450 ft lbs of torque.
If you want to increase torque,dont bother with a larger TB,runners or etc.Keep the intake set up stock and maybe change the engine to a 383 size with a decent cam and some head work.Youll make so much torque like this youll be roasting the tires into 4 gear.Especially for your powerband you want it to work at.If you want to doa 383,and change the intake and runners to a larger size,thats fine.It may help the power band some more.But 10K for an engine you quoted is a rip off.
If I spent 10K I would expect the package to exceed 400 HP and 450 ft lbs of torque.
Race Director
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 10,749
Likes: 41
Originally Posted by ramiles
Am original owner on an 86 L98 (iron heads) with 50K miles - have some time and a little money and would like to build up the motor. Looking mostly for torque 1500-5000rpm. Was thinking that the Vortec heads and manifold, cam and headers, mated up to my original TPI reprogrammed would be the right balance of performance and cost. Went to a good place here in San Antonio and they asked me to consider a crate motor and the following options and prices:
Vortec TPI Crate Motor $4,199.00
Large Runners $449.95
52m Throttle Body $399.95
Adjustable MAF Sensor $496.95
30 lb injectors $299.95
Stainless Stell CatBack $699.95
Hooker Headers $810.95
Engine Labor 25 hours $1,875.00
Exhaust Labor TBD
Coputer Reprogramming $250.00
Dyno Tune $600.00
Total $10,081.70
Appreciate your thoughts about how this would achieve my original build up objective and what parts and prices I should question. Thanks
Vortec TPI Crate Motor $4,199.00
Large Runners $449.95
52m Throttle Body $399.95
Adjustable MAF Sensor $496.95
30 lb injectors $299.95
Stainless Stell CatBack $699.95
Hooker Headers $810.95
Engine Labor 25 hours $1,875.00
Exhaust Labor TBD
Coputer Reprogramming $250.00
Dyno Tune $600.00
Total $10,081.70
Appreciate your thoughts about how this would achieve my original build up objective and what parts and prices I should question. Thanks
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 7,033
Likes: 12
Keep your short block, it only has 50k on it. Use Mobil1 and keep the revs below 6,000.
Trickflow heads 1250, P.S. their junk
I had to say it.
Used intake, Big tube runners, 600.
Headers, I use TPiS, no more learning curve to install. 750.
Cat back, 300
HotCam 180
Pulleys, 150
1.6 rockers 300
Hi Flow cat 150
Alvin chip 150
So far that is 3830 a damn far cry from 10 large.
Not sure if you are an auto but if so,
PI Tq conv 750
Shift kit 100
Boost valves 75
Now you are at 4755
Please send me the balance left over from the 10grand to my bank acct.
This setup will be a very fun car to drive.
Seriously, I do have a bigmouth and Large tube runner (NOT HEADERS) the intake TPiS runners for sale.
Trickflow heads 1250, P.S. their junk
I had to say it.Used intake, Big tube runners, 600.
Headers, I use TPiS, no more learning curve to install. 750.
Cat back, 300
HotCam 180
Pulleys, 150
1.6 rockers 300
Hi Flow cat 150
Alvin chip 150
So far that is 3830 a damn far cry from 10 large.
Not sure if you are an auto but if so,
PI Tq conv 750
Shift kit 100
Boost valves 75
Now you are at 4755
Please send me the balance left over from the 10grand to my bank acct.
This setup will be a very fun car to drive.
Seriously, I do have a bigmouth and Large tube runner (NOT HEADERS) the intake TPiS runners for sale.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 145
Likes: 0
From: San Antonio TX
Thanks for this feedback. It was the kind of experienced based replies I was looking for.
Was surprised that no one said anything positive about the Vortec approach - that that for the L98 and a torque objective those heads would have gotten a positive.
Was surprised that no one said anything positive about the Vortec approach - that that for the L98 and a torque objective those heads would have gotten a positive.
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Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 81,241
Likes: 3,063
From: altered state
St. Jude Donor '05
The 113 head isn't bad, but its outdated in comparison. I'd keep the stock block;if it needs a timing chain the time to replace it would be now as you may want to stick a small cam in, maybe a ZZ4, Lingenfelter 211, Comp XE262, etc.
Vortec heads and intake, AS&M runners
48 mm (stock) TB-You don't need any bigger
22-24 lb injectors
LT's if you can, a good 2.5" exhaust, hi-flo cat
Don't underestimate the Vortec head, they make great torque for the street and last indefinitely. You'll have a strong runner on your hands for a LOT less than 10k.
Vortec heads and intake, AS&M runners
48 mm (stock) TB-You don't need any bigger
22-24 lb injectors
LT's if you can, a good 2.5" exhaust, hi-flo cat
Don't underestimate the Vortec head, they make great torque for the street and last indefinitely. You'll have a strong runner on your hands for a LOT less than 10k.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,110
Likes: 0
From: JUPITER FLORIDA
Originally Posted by ramiles
Am original owner on an 86 L98 (iron heads) with 50K miles - have some time and a little money and would like to build up the motor. Looking mostly for torque 1500-5000rpm. Was thinking that the Vortec heads and manifold, cam and headers, mated up to my original TPI reprogrammed would be the right balance of performance and cost. Went to a good place here in San Antonio and they asked me to consider a crate motor and the following options and prices:
Vortec TPI Crate Motor $4,199.00
Large Runners $449.95
52m Throttle Body $399.95
Adjustable MAF Sensor $496.95
30 lb injectors $299.95
Stainless Stell CatBack $699.95
Hooker Headers $810.95
Engine Labor 25 hours $1,875.00
Exhaust Labor TBD
Coputer Reprogramming $250.00
Dyno Tune $600.00
Total $10,081.70
Appreciate your thoughts about how this would achieve my original build up objective and what parts and prices I should question. Thanks
Vortec TPI Crate Motor $4,199.00
Large Runners $449.95
52m Throttle Body $399.95
Adjustable MAF Sensor $496.95
30 lb injectors $299.95
Stainless Stell CatBack $699.95
Hooker Headers $810.95
Engine Labor 25 hours $1,875.00
Exhaust Labor TBD
Coputer Reprogramming $250.00
Dyno Tune $600.00
Total $10,081.70
Appreciate your thoughts about how this would achieve my original build up objective and what parts and prices I should question. Thanks
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 884
Likes: 0
Originally Posted by hippy
Keep your short block, it only has 50k on it. Use Mobil1 and keep the revs below 6,000.
Trickflow heads 1250, P.S. their junk I had to say it.
Used intake, Big tube runners, 600.
Headers, I use TPiS, no more learning curve to install. 750.
Cat back, 300
HotCam 180
Pulleys, 150
1.6 rockers 300
Hi Flow cat 150
Alvin chip 150
So far that is 3830 a damn far cry from 10 large.
Not sure if you are an auto but if so,
PI Tq conv 750
Shift kit 100
Boost valves 75
Now you are at 4755
Please send me the balance left over from the 10grand to my bank acct.
This setup will be a very fun car to drive.
Seriously, I do have a bigmouth and Large tube runner (NOT HEADERS) the intake TPiS runners for sale.
Trickflow heads 1250, P.S. their junk
I had to say it.Used intake, Big tube runners, 600.
Headers, I use TPiS, no more learning curve to install. 750.
Cat back, 300
HotCam 180
Pulleys, 150
1.6 rockers 300
Hi Flow cat 150
Alvin chip 150
So far that is 3830 a damn far cry from 10 large.
Not sure if you are an auto but if so,
PI Tq conv 750
Shift kit 100
Boost valves 75
Now you are at 4755
Please send me the balance left over from the 10grand to my bank acct.
This setup will be a very fun car to drive.
Seriously, I do have a bigmouth and Large tube runner (NOT HEADERS) the intake TPiS runners for sale.
