C4 modifications?
#1
Intermediate
Thread Starter
Member Since: Oct 2012
Location: The Great State of Texas
Posts: 25
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
C4 modifications?
What is the single most valuable performance modification that you can do to a 1995 LT1 corvette...I have been aimlessly searching for an answer for a half hour...
Please advise....chip...exhaust...mod? what?
Thanks
I have topped my c4 out 2 times and it has stopped on 155 is this because of a GM computer setting?
Please advise....chip...exhaust...mod? what?
Thanks
I have topped my c4 out 2 times and it has stopped on 155 is this because of a GM computer setting?
#3
Team Owner
Member Since: Oct 2004
Location: altered state
Posts: 81,242
Received 3,043 Likes
on
2,602 Posts
St. Jude Donor '05
Driver mod
Remove that part of the brain that pushes us to spend every last dime on these damn things lol
Remove that part of the brain that pushes us to spend every last dime on these damn things lol
#5
Because the engine won't pull the car any faster
What revs / gear were you in?
#7
Intermediate
Thread Starter
Member Since: Oct 2012
Location: The Great State of Texas
Posts: 25
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
#8
Team Owner
Member Since: Aug 2005
Location: Riverside County Southern California
Posts: 34,988
Received 501 Likes
on
342 Posts
Co-winner 2020 C4 of the Year - Modified
2018 Corvette of Year Finalist
2017 C4 of Year
2016 C7 of Year Finalist
St. Jude Donor '09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17-'18-'19-'20
Swap the driver side from left to the right side, Euro lights, fill tires with nitrogen, Octane Booster, Dexcool, tornado, and new floor mats.
#9
Le Mans Master
Depends on what exactly you want from the car, and how you use it the most.
Do you want to go faster? Quicker? Handle better? Louder?
I've not heard of a governer on the Corvette's and I believe the LT1 cars were once tested by one of the car mags with a top of around 162 or such. Read it along time ago, so...
But there is no one magic trick for noticeable gains. It is when a variety of mods are done that compliment eachother, that the real seat of the pants results are found. Like cam+rockers/heads+exhaust. Each one, alone may give a little more, but it's when these things are planned out to work in concert, that the goal is achieved.
So, what you are really asking, is "where do I start?"
Do you want to go faster? Quicker? Handle better? Louder?
I've not heard of a governer on the Corvette's and I believe the LT1 cars were once tested by one of the car mags with a top of around 162 or such. Read it along time ago, so...
But there is no one magic trick for noticeable gains. It is when a variety of mods are done that compliment eachother, that the real seat of the pants results are found. Like cam+rockers/heads+exhaust. Each one, alone may give a little more, but it's when these things are planned out to work in concert, that the goal is achieved.
So, what you are really asking, is "where do I start?"
#10
Le Mans Master
Well Doofus, It won't go any faster because you don't have a
...................... "Rear Wing".....WW
...................... "Rear Wing".....WW
#13
Race Director
A bad optispark will cause the engine to bog down under load in high gear. (Uphills, with the wind resistance of a top speed run, etc.)
When mine was bad I would hit say.... 115 MPH and then it would feel like you just hit a brick wall. It would not go any faster.
Last edited by dizwiz24; 12-01-2012 at 09:42 AM.
#14
Race Director
What is the single most valuable performance modification that you can do to a 1995 LT1 corvette...I have been aimlessly searching for an answer for a half hour...
Please advise....chip...exhaust...mod? what?
Thanks
I have topped my c4 out 2 times and it has stopped on 155 is this because of a GM computer setting?
Please advise....chip...exhaust...mod? what?
Thanks
I have topped my c4 out 2 times and it has stopped on 155 is this because of a GM computer setting?
there is no 'single mod' that is going to provide you a noticeable improvement.
I would say heads/ cam / tune / long tube headers...is what you want to do. I did these all at once (made 353 rwhp/ 355 rwtq) and felt a difference in top end pull.
IMHO... dont waste money on the exhaust. its already a free-flowing setup.
#15
Team Owner
As far as a top speed, 155 is not that bad depending on the trans and diff gear ratio. And I assume you are talking about hitting these speeds on a closed course Talking about driving at high speeds on the street may wind up having a Mod locking your threads.
So what is the car configuration? Auto trans coupe? Manual trans car? A manual trans C4 will make its top speed in 5th gear, not in 6th. For either trans, you can expect a top speed in the 155-160 range as that was the speeds that various car mags came up with when the tested the later C4's when they were new.
#16
Race Director
Maybe the question should be what do you want the car to do? HPDE events? Drag racing? Autocross? The type of event you want to do can make a difference in the type of engine mods that will help the best.
As far as a top speed, 155 is not that bad depending on the trans and diff gear ratio. And I assume you are talking about hitting these speeds on a closed course Talking about driving at high speeds on the street may wind up having a Mod locking your threads.
So what is the car configuration? Auto trans coupe? Manual trans car? A manual trans C4 will make its top speed in 5th gear, not in 6th. For either trans, you can expect a top speed in the 155-160 range as that was the speeds that various car mags came up with when the tested the later C4's when they were new.
As far as a top speed, 155 is not that bad depending on the trans and diff gear ratio. And I assume you are talking about hitting these speeds on a closed course Talking about driving at high speeds on the street may wind up having a Mod locking your threads.
So what is the car configuration? Auto trans coupe? Manual trans car? A manual trans C4 will make its top speed in 5th gear, not in 6th. For either trans, you can expect a top speed in the 155-160 range as that was the speeds that various car mags came up with when the tested the later C4's when they were new.
The 1992 c4 lt1 6spd ran 172 MPH in perfect conditions (no winds, flat desert road, low altitude) conditions. Averaged out 2 ways to cancel any minor effect of wind or grade. No, this is not the zr-1, but the lt-1 that ran that speed.
Though I will agree on certain conditions (headwind, grade of the road, altitude, etc.) could make 155 the top speed
Last edited by dizwiz24; 12-01-2012 at 10:36 AM.
#18
Race Director
Ill have to either agree or disagree with torchredlt4man depending on your answer to this next question:
Do you have a garage, tools, knowledge, service manuals, know-how to turn a wrench on this car?
If the answer is 'no', then torch's advice is pretty good.
Now, if the answer is 'yes'... then prepare to spend lots of money and invest lots of time (more time/money than you would to soup up a c5/6) to make the c4 run. Also plan on lots of downtime (time not driving the car). C4 mod's take time, patience. Not plug-n-play solutions. Rather 'find this guy and get him to weld/mod this part', 'find another guy who knows how to do this'.
Im just in it to prove a point. I will spend lots of money to do so. In the end, will probably be a slightly slower car than a similarly mod'd c5/6 that someone spent less money (than me) to mod and more time enjoying their car by driving it.
However, I like the c4 just that much more than the c5/6. Or maybe its the owners.
C5/6 guys Ive met seem to snicker and look down at me (as a c4 guy). I dont get on off-topic anymore as I got tired of people (who disagreed with a non-car viewpoint of mine) would look into my profile and bring up the fact that I have a c4. Its irrelevant. Those people SUCK.
Its reasons like this that I continue to mod the c4.
Do you have a garage, tools, knowledge, service manuals, know-how to turn a wrench on this car?
If the answer is 'no', then torch's advice is pretty good.
Now, if the answer is 'yes'... then prepare to spend lots of money and invest lots of time (more time/money than you would to soup up a c5/6) to make the c4 run. Also plan on lots of downtime (time not driving the car). C4 mod's take time, patience. Not plug-n-play solutions. Rather 'find this guy and get him to weld/mod this part', 'find another guy who knows how to do this'.
Im just in it to prove a point. I will spend lots of money to do so. In the end, will probably be a slightly slower car than a similarly mod'd c5/6 that someone spent less money (than me) to mod and more time enjoying their car by driving it.
However, I like the c4 just that much more than the c5/6. Or maybe its the owners.
C5/6 guys Ive met seem to snicker and look down at me (as a c4 guy). I dont get on off-topic anymore as I got tired of people (who disagreed with a non-car viewpoint of mine) would look into my profile and bring up the fact that I have a c4. Its irrelevant. Those people SUCK.
Its reasons like this that I continue to mod the c4.
#19
Team Owner
Member Since: Oct 2004
Location: altered state
Posts: 81,242
Received 3,043 Likes
on
2,602 Posts
St. Jude Donor '05
I would not count on anything being wrong wiht your car not doing 170 stock lol. 155, probably just fine for a 25+ yr old car. Cant believe everything you read.
#20
Drifting
Whoa!
Just kidding, guys!
I have had three (3) C4s. All new. I only sold the previous one to buy the next one.
In January '96, there was as much or more secrecy concerning the all new C5. I thought I would buy a 96 CE and wait to see if I liked the C5 enough to move up in a year or two.
Still waiting..............
I did like the C6 a little more.
BUT, there is NOTHING to compare sitting in the "Fighter Cockpit" of a C4!
Ordered my CE w/LT4 in March '96. I picked up my Vette up in April '96. I did my first mod in June. Oh well, I guess I do not qualify for NCRS!
There are so many tricks and mods that can be done to ANY C4. Some do more than others as far as HP and/for torque. There is also the question of customizing the interior/exterior.
The list goes on and on..........
Did I mention I really LOVE C4s?
Just kidding, guys!
I have had three (3) C4s. All new. I only sold the previous one to buy the next one.
In January '96, there was as much or more secrecy concerning the all new C5. I thought I would buy a 96 CE and wait to see if I liked the C5 enough to move up in a year or two.
Still waiting..............
I did like the C6 a little more.
BUT, there is NOTHING to compare sitting in the "Fighter Cockpit" of a C4!
Ordered my CE w/LT4 in March '96. I picked up my Vette up in April '96. I did my first mod in June. Oh well, I guess I do not qualify for NCRS!
There are so many tricks and mods that can be done to ANY C4. Some do more than others as far as HP and/for torque. There is also the question of customizing the interior/exterior.
The list goes on and on..........
Did I mention I really LOVE C4s?