C4 Tech/Performance L98 Corvette and LT1 Corvette Technical Info, Internal Engine, External Engine

Modest HP gain

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Old Dec 14, 2014 | 03:37 PM
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Default Modest HP gain

Have a 95 LT1 AUTO with the 3.07 rear gear. The car has 52k on the clock and is only used for cruising and an occasional trip of a few hundred miles. Bone stock but with Borla exhaust.
I asked my mechanic what can be done to get the best performance without the expense of heads, cam, or intake. It's a Ca car so headers are a problem here.
His advice was to change the thermostats to a lower temp and set the fan speed to also come on at slower temp. I think he said a 160 degree thermostat. His reasoning was the Motor starts to lose power up around 208 degrees and the lower operating temp would prevent that.
His second suggestion was to install a performance chip and do some reprogramming to get the most hp and torque. About 30 hp should be the expected gain.
Since I' new to changing anything on the Vette to enhance the performance does this seem reasonable or am I wasting my money? Thanks in advance for your feedback!
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Old Dec 14, 2014 | 04:10 PM
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Find a new mechanic.
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Old Dec 14, 2014 | 04:45 PM
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Originally Posted by corvettewd
sHis second suggestion was to intall a performance chip and do some reprogramming to get the most hp and torque.
About 30 hp should be the expected gain.
Your car does not have a replaceable chip.
You could reprogram the computer, but your not going to get anything near a 30 hp gain out of a stock car.

Originally Posted by DanielRicany
Find a new mechanic.
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Old Dec 14, 2014 | 05:00 PM
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too

What is "modest" and what is you budget?
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Old Dec 14, 2014 | 05:10 PM
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Originally Posted by corvettewd
Have a 95 LT1 AUTO with the 3.07 rear gear. The car has 52k on the clock and is only used for cruising and an occasional trip of a few hundred miles. Bone stock but with Borla exhaust.
I asked my mechanic what can be done to get the best performance without the expense of heads, cam, or intake. It's a Ca car so headers are a problem here.
His advice was to change the thermostats to a lower temp and set the fan speed to also come on at slower temp. I think he said a 160 degree thermostat. His reasoning was the Motor starts to lose power up around 208 degrees and the lower operating temp would prevent that.
His second suggestion was to install a performance chip and do some reprogramming to get the most hp and torque. About 30 hp should be the expected gain.
Since I' new to changing anything on the Vette to enhance the performance does this seem reasonable or am I wasting my money? Thanks in advance for your feedback!
The factory T-stat is a 180 so I would leave that in place. I agree with turning the fans on earlier, I would set them to come on at 200 and off at 195. Once the car gets above 220 it start to pull timing which is power. You could get a dyno tune and then you have the timing and fuel dialed in for your combination and it will not cost that much. I also do not believe there is 30 HP to be found in the dyno tune. On a stock car maybe 10 to 15 HP.
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Old Dec 14, 2014 | 05:35 PM
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If you want more acceleration you could try a stall converter.Make sure to add a tranny cooler as well.
Turning the fans on sooner is a good idea.
You could cut the lid on the stock airbox and run a K&N filter or the like.
A dyno tune will give some hp with the airbox mod and the exhaust but would have to be done again if you mod more later.
1.6 roller rockers is worth a few ponies.
An electric water pump and/or under drive crank pulley is a few ponies as well.
A good solid tuneup and fuel filter for starters if it hasn't been done.

Not much to be had without spending $$$ so leaving it alone and enjoying what it is is a viable option also.

If you are willing to bite the bullet a set of nice 180cc AFR cnc cylinder heads would give you power everywhere and drive like stock when cruising.
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Old Dec 14, 2014 | 06:32 PM
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Gears first.
Delete the Throttle body coolant.
The Fans can be programmed in the contents table. Changing the MPH, oil temp also the fan/s speed percentage.
1.6 rockers will add apprx .30 lift, a slight increase of power.
A tune after these simple mods. I believe 30 + extra.

Last edited by THE 383 admiral; Dec 25, 2014 at 12:20 AM.
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Old Dec 15, 2014 | 12:52 AM
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Thank you all for your suggestions. You gave me some great ideas to think about and discuss with the shop. Hanks again.
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Old Dec 15, 2014 | 01:45 AM
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