Best power mods (L89)
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 16
Likes: 0
Best power mods (L89)
Ok... I have a '89 auto vette that I'm looking to upgrade. My '89 (white) auto firebird/th700r4(intake/exhaust/ignition/p&p'd heads @139k) gets great gas milage (and slaughters early 80's vettes... LOL it murders them!!!!) (but both get toasted by my friends '86 5spd carb'd Z28). IMHO it would pwn my awesome '89 vette under 70-80mph(maybe+) so I wanna put some pep in the step of my '89 vette (dark metallic red) so I don't have to depend on my T/A to whoop some ***! Know what I'm say'in! (vettes are god IMO).
My mechanic friend tells me only a cam+exhaust will save me...????? I honestly tried searching but didn't come up with much... So where do I go with a stock '89 vette???? It's just not fast enough,not even close!!! I want power.. Talk'in 400+ at the rear wheels@!@!@!@!!!! Or should I just start shopping for an LT vette????
All help greatly appreciated!!!
My mechanic friend tells me only a cam+exhaust will save me...????? I honestly tried searching but didn't come up with much... So where do I go with a stock '89 vette???? It's just not fast enough,not even close!!! I want power.. Talk'in 400+ at the rear wheels@!@!@!@!!!! Or should I just start shopping for an LT vette????
All help greatly appreciated!!!
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 988
Likes: 7
From: Sarasota Fl
Yea, I'm pretty sure the '89 were L98's. 
But for 400+ HP, it is definitely possible, but it may be cheaper and easier to just buy a newer vette. Search the archives for literally hundreds of posts on L98 headers, cats, mufflers, heads, 383 strokers, intakes, and tranny upgrades.
Good luck,
Jonathan
But for 400+ HP, it is definitely possible, but it may be cheaper and easier to just buy a newer vette. Search the archives for literally hundreds of posts on L98 headers, cats, mufflers, heads, 383 strokers, intakes, and tranny upgrades.Good luck,
Jonathan
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 20,974
Likes: 261
I'm not trying to offend you but it sounds to me like you are braggin g up your fire bird -TA and laughing at the vettes and this is a new acount but, I think if you have that stuff done on your fire bird you are aware that the both of them have the same motor basicly except heads and the vette auto has a better servo in the tranny! any ways if your bird is so good then do the same to your vette. Or you can do a TPIS miniram intake and complete long tube headers, and straight pipes, exhaust, with a 100 shot of nitrous! should put you in the ball park if no emmisions! cams and heads get real expensive if you are not a handy guy!
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 24,460
Likes: 7
From: sw Ohio
Its been asked many many times before about how to beef up the L98. These things will net you a solid 300+ HP at the wheels. The easiest way to push over 400 is more cubes or nitrous.
1. Exhaust (long tube headers, catback, etc.)
2. Intake (port the stocker, Miniram, Super Ram, etc.)
3. Cam with 1.6 roller rockers
4. prom tuning
5. Heads ('89 already has the 113 casting which is great, port them and upgrade the springs)
1. Exhaust (long tube headers, catback, etc.)
2. Intake (port the stocker, Miniram, Super Ram, etc.)
3. Cam with 1.6 roller rockers
4. prom tuning
5. Heads ('89 already has the 113 casting which is great, port them and upgrade the springs)
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 2,171
Likes: 1
From: Warwick RI
What you could be noticing is the 2.59 gear in the rear. Your firechicken probably has a lower gear so you get more snap. You could do the basics to get the motor to breath as already suggested then throw some 3.54s back there and you will get much more snap out of it.
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 16
Likes: 0
I'm not trying to offend you but it sounds to me like you are braggin g up your fire bird -TA and laughing at the vettes and this is a new acount but, I think if you have that stuff done on your fire bird you are aware that the both of them have the same motor basicly except heads and the vette auto has a better servo in the tranny! any ways if your bird is so good then do the same to your vette. Or you can do a TPIS miniram intake and complete long tube headers, and straight pipes, exhaust, with a 100 shot of nitrous! should put you in the ball park if no emmisions! cams and heads get real expensive if you are not a handy guy!
. Vette's=top's!!! period!I was not aware they had the same engine,L98? the engine in my Fbird is all cast Iron,as this vette is supposed to have aluminum heads or something like that right(?). Didn't know about the tranny servo,is that a big diff?
I love my vette,just wish it had more power lol + no emissions in Oregon.
Edit:my vette has the 309 rear and fbird has the 3.42 or such...
Last edited by c4steve25; Sep 18, 2008 at 08:53 PM.
