DA1984VETTE

...keep it stock...it's a great DD...I planning on keeping mine when I purchase another one...C5 Z06....I love my 84...

powerpigz-51

They did a crossfire build in Corvette Fever quite a few years ago, where they did quite a few mods, S/R Torquer heads, bored throttle bodies, cam, porting, chip, etc. and ended up with 270 horses at the wheels. I am basing this on a article I read 10 years ago, so the details are somewhat sketchy. My friend has a 82 crossfire 305 TA (that used to be mine) and he is the one who showed it to me. He still has the car and is contemplating a crossfire 350 build. That new Renegade manifold is something to look at. It would be expensive to get 300 HP at the crank. You might be able to find the Fever article in their archives.

kangi

Wow $5k? not if you shop around or buy used. I spent under a grand on heads, cam, and headers. No need to blow all that coin if you don't want to, just know what you need and keep your eyes open!

LD85

you can go budget, no doubt, but if you buy AFR or Edlebrock = $1000 or more, then add $400 for headers, then $150 for a cam, then a y-pipe, then a set of gaskets, then $250 for retro roller lifters, the $300 for retro roller rockers, then you still have to address the intake.

If you plan on less than $2500 then you get what you pay for

HughG

I am a bit shocked at all the response I got, I guess I should have been more specific. As I said, I drive my 84 everyday, I do not have alternative transportation so I am not wanting to build a race car, and I don't have the money to do it anyway. To be honest, I was looking to stay under $1,000. I just thought boring it out .30 and adding a cam would punch it up some... but that alone will probably only add 30 hp. I have a guy that believes he can open up the intake. He also suggested shaving the heads.

My problem is, if I was to leave the crossfire and the computer intact, if I bore .30 over and put in new pistons, what cam can I get to get the most improvement but still work with the computer? I mean specifically... can anyone give me a link to a cam that will work with the computer?

I believe I am just going to get the oversized pistons, cam and open the intake and possibly get bigger injectors and get what I can get out of that. The car needs to be overhauled, it smokes some when you start it and it uses a quart of oil every 2-3 weeks. Just wanted to get some power out of it too, I see that 300 hp was a bit optimistic now that I have been made aware of all the limitations of the system.

I probably should sell the car, but only having it 6 months I have grown some bizarre attachment to it. I have owned a 78, 77, a different 84 and a 01. I'm a Corvette fanatic. I love the cars. My 01 was the nicest but I just couldn't afford it. The 84 is my second favorite just because of the way it rides. The 78 was great just because it looks cool as hell...

I realize I am not going to make any money with this Vette, I paid $3500 for it and have already dumped over $1,000 into it to get it running decent (injectors, dual exhaust, fuel pump, new distributor, tires... etc.). Once again, any specific help is appreciated - I have no real money to build a car. If I did I would probably upgrade to a newer Vette instead of dumping a ton of money into this one. I just want to make this one run and look good and keep it as my daily driver.

Jake Dragon

I would love to do is convert my Tunnel Ram into a port injected monster.

856SPEED

As you mention, you have no real money to build a car, so why put this out here on the forum..........no offense.......I understand you are trying to get information from others on making the car faster.......

keep the car stock, drive it, enjoy it, sell it later for something faster in your "300 hp desire" level........you're not going to ever surprise a guy in a 300 hp Mustang anyway........besides you already said racing is not your objective here......just being honest and straight forward......

qws

I'm not shocked at the responses you've gotten. It happens all the time.

There are a bunch of cams that can be used.

However no one can select a cam for you yet. You need to provide us with more information.

What heads are you going with?

The Green Rocket

Okay, with that info:
1) Do the best you can porting the intake manifold.
2) Don't shave the heads too much, but do give them a good 2 or 3 angle valve job - and work on the short turn radius.
3) Look in the truck/rv section of the cam catalogs. You will want a cam that is advertised for off idle to 4,500 rpm power. Resist any temptation for bigger cam meant for engines that still breath well higher up in rpms.
4) Leave the 3.07 differentia gears and stock converter.
5) Tune it - and consider that the computer upgrade helps with engine responsiveness as well as power.

There's your budget build. Of course if anything is hurt or damaged, like the catalytic converter, then replace it. In the rpm range of a crossfire the factory exhaust is more than adequate.

Thomas

qws

When did you build a CFI?
And let me know how you tuned the stock computer?
Just through my timeslips alone show greater than 300 hp at the crank. Do the math.

Powermax 2030
Powermax 2040
Powermax 2050
Just to list a couple of very common cams for the stock CFI
Now are they big lumpy cams? NO... But all are TPI cams. They're also some common comp cams as well.

The response above that I quoted clearly shows inexperience with the CFI motor

cv67

Cams listed above can work well. If you port the intake have a LOT of time ready to put into it, youll have to go all the way through it to see the improvement not just the first few inches most do.

Thing is with your budget theres no easy way. A cam by itself I wouldnt bother with. Too much time/labor for minimal gains. Without intake/head/exh work I feel your tossing good money after bad. Honestly 300 rwhp will entertain you for maybe a day or two then youll think, man that was expensive and the car isnt really that fast....You havent had it long and are at that crossroads. Forget the weird attatchement to the car that will cost you a BUNDLE in many ways.
You want something with more beans to it, cut your losses now sell it and buy something that has more to start with.

A DD EFI car wont be a DD for awhile til youre all done modding/tuning and working the bugs out of, just the way it is.
Almost nothing is "bolt on" when its supposed to be and all the little stuff will drive you crazy weve all been there.

Its different than the old days of swapping a cam carb and intake on a weekend and driving to work monday

LD85

Dude, pull the engine, new rings, get headers, and call it good

mack89vette

A lot of great info here, this forum needs to be commended for the
worlds best advice, perspective, and knowledge.
I own other cars, makes, and their forums are largely a mess.

Powerpigz has great advice. I have that corvette fever article and I remember when it came out.
If you want a copy of it, I can send it.PM me.

I am sure you will reach your goal, you have common sense, willpower.
cool.

HughG

When I originally put the 300hp question out there I didn't realize it was such a far fetched idea. I have built cars before with little money and 300hp was not difficult. I bought a 400 hp freshly rebuilt engine for my 78 for $1200. I see now that 300 hp is out of my price range (whether I had the money or not, I would not dump $3,000 into an engine on any car unless I planned on keeping it for life... and even then I'm not sure if I would do it). I have a lot of connections where I can get things done fairly cheap - just the oversized pistons, cam with the rebuild kit was only going to cost me around $500, and that is parts and labor. Another $200 in machine work.

cv67

Quite honestly without heads cam intake headers converter etc etc. on top of a shortblock that may be old. Youre seeing the light early at least and wont be chasing a dragon so thats good .
One persons estimate of 5k by the time its done right is accurate may even crest that. Let us know what path you decide to take.

One member out here used an intake edelbrock heads 2030 cam headers 3.45 gear 2800 stall etc etc. he runs 13s. lot of work for the money. Sure in better climates it may go faster but realistically thats what youre looking at. Not worth it.

There will always be the guy who knows how to do more with less, drive the car well, set up the car itself well and will get a very good time but dont fall prey to thinking that something minimal will get huge gains, it usually wont. Theres always more to those stories than is told.

The Green Rocket

Ed, I dig what you have done with your Crossfire - not so fond of the boorish critique. This is not the Engine Masters Challenge, you may relax a little. That's the way the Internet can be, sometimes harsh for no helpful reason. Why not add and expand on the ideas instead?

I know that the Crossfire is capable of more than it has been given credit, somewhere I have a saved article on a Crossfire that was running 12.7x's. Anything is possible with determination and money.

Hugh stated that he has little money, your build doesn't sound like it is in his budget, and he seems okay with not making the 300 hp goal of his initial post. From a modest budget standpoint cleaning up the factory heads and intake is a good way to go. I could have added more details on the cam - but I still think an R.V. type grind for a TBI truck would work well with his stock converter and 3.07 gears. Torque is your friend when the rpms are modest. Not a CFI, but I once built a torquey low rpm SBC for an El Camino - leaving it in drive with auto upshifts at 4,200 rpm and 3.08 gears it ran 13.1x's at 106 mph all day long. With your X-Ram and aftermarket heads you are likely going a lot higher in rpms than Hugh will go with a budget CFI build. By "tune it, and consider that the computer upgrade.." I should have said REPLACEMENT instead of upgrade, my bad - at least it is my understanding that a performance Crossfire needs a computer change. Maybe I'm wrong, I'll defer that to you.

Its true that I got my start with old school carburated engines...37 years ago my dad and I built my first engine. I like big blocks, in my garage are two right now: one at 681 hp, the other at 953 hp. Not a CFI, but I did put some thought into my Corvette's LT1, and my handprints are all over the engine build. I've got many time slips showing 111 to 114 mph trap speeds, which I think is pretty decent for what mostly amounts to a Hot LT4 top end conversion - I do understand some of the issues in building a performance EFI engine.

Someday I would like to get an '84 just for the challenge of building a performance crossfire - so I enjoy the Crossfire threads.

Thomas

qws

Thanks Tom that was a good post. I agree its not a engine builders challenge. It just so happened that your post was the closet at the time and I used yours rather than any of the others.
For years and quite often you hear B.S replies about what and what not to with a CFI from people that know nothing about them. So when you yourself have worked with them and have done extensive reasearch you do challenge others. Sorry for the snap...

On a lighter note I've been thinking about Hugh's budget. Not much to work with but is possible to give yourself some added H.P.
Looking back I think I would do this on that budget.
Take a weekend and port the intake. Your cost would be nothing with the exception of your labor. A novice can do this.
But you can't just port match it. Like cuisinartvette said you have to go into the runners a ways. Here's a pic of what you got. Left side ported, Right side stock

My next step IMO would be dual exhaust. Headers would a nice add but are not a necessity at this point. I just saw a dual exhaust set up for the 84 for around $250.00 from one of the vendors. At this point I think I would stop. This should give you about a 30-40 hp gain based off my orginal gain I saw on the dyno from my Xram install alone. You have to decide if its worth it to you.

Bank the rest of your money and save. Decide later if you want more or not.
Don't bother with the aftermarket chips they do nothing. Bored tb's or even larger injectors will do nothing for you until they are needed after Heads/Cam and bottem end work.
If you decide down the road to do heads/cam and good combo for the cfi is the dart ss heads ($625 pr) and either a 2040 or 2050 cam ($150.00), after that I would do a 2500 stall and gears. And even at this point you don't need a ecm tune.
With the exception of the stall and gears there's under a thousand dollars. A nice snappy combo, but I warn you that you will never be satisfied whether your car is a CFI,TPI or whatever you'll always be searching for more power! Its addictive. Good luck in your quest.

Rohn

I was where you are a few years ago. engine had 80K miles on it and after pullings heads the cylinders looked perfect. Did top end only.
Added:
Edel RPM 64cc alum heads.
XRam with 80 lb injectors
Crane 2040 210/214 @.05 I recall
timing chain/timing gears
real dual exhaust
new clutch
TPI pump
stock ECU.
engine barely ran as above was done over ten days.
swapped in 7747 ECU and started buring chips
Dyno 225 rear wheels 267 TQ, A/F 12.0/1

Then removed the XRam added Holley Projection intake with GM 7.4L TBI and external fuel pressure gauge
Added cold air
swapped cam to 224/230 .05 114LSA
added WB
added EBL-ECU
This spring gets single nozzle NOS kit 100 HP

It never ends

HughG

Okay, dumb question, but I have never done this before. What is the procedure to port an intake?

Also, as stated in previous posts, I have already installed a dual exhaust, which I purchased for $250 off of one of the Corvette sites, also put on new mufflers.

Lastly, some place on eBay sells a rebuilt t-body bored 51mm. Is this a good deal? Here is the link to their productl (kind of long but you should be able to copy and paste it to see the item): http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Cross...Q5fAccessories

kenv

^^^Good Advice^^^