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

need help on getting HP up!!!

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Oct 24, 2015 | 07:52 PM
  #1  
Brxndon's Avatar
Brxndon
Thread Starter
Intermediate
 
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 27
Likes: 0
From: Amityville New York
Default need help on getting HP up!!!

Hey guys I own a 1984 Corvette with the Cross injected small block L83 engine. What simple upgrades can I do to increase the HP up to like the 270s-280s range? I'm only 17 and have a $400 budget but I'm still curious and have been working on this car now for 3 months non stop. I love this car to death and love learning new things so be free and leave any comments.

Last edited by Brxndon; Oct 24, 2015 at 09:00 PM.
Reply
Old Oct 24, 2015 | 08:00 PM
  #2  
antfarmer2's Avatar
antfarmer2
Race Director
 
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 15,926
Likes: 579
Default

best to start with wires, plugs,filters, 02's and grease and fluids.
Reply
Old Oct 24, 2015 | 08:26 PM
  #3  
FASTAZU's Avatar
FASTAZU
Race Director
20 Year Member
Veteran: Navy
Community Favorite
Top Answer: 3
 
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 11,618
Likes: 1,055
From: Compound in the Grove, Ga.
2026 Corvette of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2025 C4 of the Year Winner - Unmodified
2024 C4 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2020 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2019 C4 of Year Finalist (performance mods)
2018 C4 of Year Finalist
2015 C4 of the Year Finalist
St. Jude Donor '16
Default

Enjoy it drive it and keep learning, in time you will have the money to get a later car with more HP. Good Luck
Reply
Old Oct 24, 2015 | 08:29 PM
  #4  
Brxndon's Avatar
Brxndon
Thread Starter
Intermediate
 
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 27
Likes: 0
From: Amityville New York
Default

Originally Posted by We Gone
Enjoy it drive it and keep learning, in time you will have the money to get a later car with more HP. Good Luck
Oh trust me I've enjoyed it man. I remember the first feeling when I turned the key. the deep roar of the car but, who needs a radio when the real entertainment comes from the car itself.
Reply
Old Oct 24, 2015 | 08:38 PM
  #5  
pologreen1's Avatar
pologreen1
Team Owner
15 Year Member
 
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 20,974
Likes: 261
Default

You can't on that budget
Reply
Old Oct 24, 2015 | 08:56 PM
  #6  
ex-x-fire's Avatar
ex-x-fire
Melting Slicks
15 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 2,236
Likes: 286
Default

Originally Posted by pologreen1
You can't on that budget
That's a laugh, best bang for the buck is porting the $hit out of the intake, making the stock fuel pressure regulator adjustable (so you can bump the fuel pressure up), & bumping the ignition timing. BAM! Just as fast as an L98 with out buying new parts.
Here's a picture of an intake cut in half.
Attached Images  

Last edited by ex-x-fire; Oct 27, 2015 at 08:01 PM.
Reply
Old Oct 24, 2015 | 08:57 PM
  #7  
Brxndon's Avatar
Brxndon
Thread Starter
Intermediate
 
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 27
Likes: 0
From: Amityville New York
Default

Originally Posted by pologreen1
You can't on that budget
My realistic budget as of right now is $900 and I don't pay any labor fees for mechanic either.
Reply
Old Oct 24, 2015 | 09:01 PM
  #8  
FASTAZU's Avatar
FASTAZU
Race Director
20 Year Member
Veteran: Navy
Community Favorite
Top Answer: 3
 
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 11,618
Likes: 1,055
From: Compound in the Grove, Ga.
2026 Corvette of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2025 C4 of the Year Winner - Unmodified
2024 C4 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2020 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2019 C4 of Year Finalist (performance mods)
2018 C4 of Year Finalist
2015 C4 of the Year Finalist
St. Jude Donor '16
Default

Originally Posted by ex-x-fire
That's a laugh, best bang for the buck is porting the $hit out of the intake, making the stock fuel pressure regulator adjustable (so you can bump the fuel pressure up), & bumping the ignition timing. BAM! Just as fast as an L98 with out buying new parts.

All Great improvements to the CF, have done them all to my 82, Porting the intake is the best but not something a novice has the tools to do.


Reply
Corvette Stories

The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts

story-0

10 Ugly Corvettes That We Still Kinda Love

 Joe Kucinski
story-1

Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer

 Brett Foote
story-2

10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)

 Michael S. Palmer
story-3

8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-4

10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years

 Joe Kucinski
story-5

How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972

 Joe Kucinski
story-6

Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!

 Michael S. Palmer
story-7

Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!

 Joe Kucinski
story-8

150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter

 Joe Kucinski
story-9

8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time

 Verdad Gallardo
Old Oct 24, 2015 | 09:02 PM
  #9  
Brxndon's Avatar
Brxndon
Thread Starter
Intermediate
 
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 27
Likes: 0
From: Amityville New York
Default

Originally Posted by ex-x-fire
That's a laugh, best bang for the buck is porting the $hit out of the intake, making the stock fuel pressure regulator adjustable (so you can bump the fuel pressure up), & bumping the ignition timing. BAM! Just as fast as an L98 with out buying new parts.
Here's a picture of an intake cut in half.
I'll run that by my mechanic and see what he thinks.
Reply
Old Oct 24, 2015 | 09:05 PM
  #10  
Brxndon's Avatar
Brxndon
Thread Starter
Intermediate
 
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 27
Likes: 0
From: Amityville New York
Default



This is my 84 that I own.
Reply
Old Oct 24, 2015 | 09:21 PM
  #11  
antfarmer2's Avatar
antfarmer2
Race Director
 
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 15,926
Likes: 579
Default

nice car great to see a kid wanting something other than a rice burner!!!!!!!!
Reply
Old Oct 24, 2015 | 09:36 PM
  #12  
Brxndon's Avatar
Brxndon
Thread Starter
Intermediate
 
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 27
Likes: 0
From: Amityville New York
Default

Originally Posted by antfarmer2
nice car great to see a kid wanting something other than a rice burner!!!!!!!!
Hahaha yea man. The kids at my school say I have the worst corvette ever yet their car sound's like a busted up weed wacker.
Reply
Old Oct 24, 2015 | 11:36 PM
  #13  
ex-x-fire's Avatar
ex-x-fire
Melting Slicks
15 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 2,236
Likes: 286
Default

Originally Posted by Brxndon
I'll run that by my mechanic and see what he thinks.
It'll be costly to have him port the intake, this is where you could do the work. Set aside 20 minutes a day opening up each port. Someone said they filled up two 5lbs coffee cans with shavings when doing theirs.
Reply
Old Oct 25, 2015 | 06:58 AM
  #14  
Lloyd Smale's Avatar
Lloyd Smale
Le Mans Master
15 Year Member
 
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 5,761
Likes: 47
From: munising MI USA
Default

maybe a used nitrous system
Reply
Old Oct 25, 2015 | 11:27 AM
  #15  
corvettenorway's Avatar
corvettenorway
Burning Brakes
10 Year Member
All Eyes On Me
Liked
Loved
 
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 1,173
Likes: 152
From: norway
Default

first port the manifoil , timing to 10 - 12 deg , fuel pressure to 12 -13 psi , kn or cool blue filter , 1.6 roller tip , better cat back , headders ,a general tune ! this can make a crossfire run ! not happy then heads , cam , bigger injectors ( paralell plumbing) boring the tb ...... read this treat https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...re-intake.html
Reply
Old Oct 25, 2015 | 11:57 AM
  #16  
Brxndon's Avatar
Brxndon
Thread Starter
Intermediate
 
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 27
Likes: 0
From: Amityville New York
Default

Originally Posted by corvettenorway
first port the manifoil , timing to 10 - 12 deg , fuel pressure to 12 -13 psi , kn or cool blue filter , 1.6 roller tip , better cat back , headders ,a general tune ! this can make a crossfire run ! not happy then heads , cam , bigger injectors ( paralell plumbing) boring the tb ...... read this treat https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...re-intake.html
I like that idea to. Thanks man
Reply
Old Oct 25, 2015 | 01:21 PM
  #17  
383vett's Avatar
383vett
Race Director
20 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 17,700
Likes: 1,667
From: moraga ca
Default

'84, great year. I agree with the others. Pretty much free hp porting the intake and playing with the fuel pressure and timing.
Reply

Get notified of new replies

To need help on getting HP up!!!

Old Oct 25, 2015 | 07:52 PM
  #18  
pologreen1's Avatar
pologreen1
Team Owner
15 Year Member
 
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 20,974
Likes: 261
Default

Originally Posted by ex-x-fire
That's a laugh, best bang for the buck is porting the $hit out of the intake, making the stock fuel pressure regulator adjustable (so you can bump the fuel pressure up), & bumping the ignition timing. BAM! Just as fast as an L98 with out buying new parts.
Here's a picture of an intake cut in half.
He said 280ish hp. That is a serious port job, plus cam and why not port the heads too then? For sure headers etc.

His number not mine.

I guess I am naïve here... how much hp does his '84 have new... let alone now?

OP just don't expect to port the thing and have a car with 280hp IMO.

I say save more, get a carb, cam, heads, and headers and have over 400hp.
Reply
Old Oct 25, 2015 | 08:01 PM
  #19  
Brxndon's Avatar
Brxndon
Thread Starter
Intermediate
 
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 27
Likes: 0
From: Amityville New York
Default

Originally Posted by pologreen1
He said 280ish hp. That is a serious port job, plus cam and why not port the heads too then? For sure headers etc.

His number not mine.

I guess I am naïve here... how much hp does his '84 have new... let alone now?

OP just don't expect to port the thing and have a car with 280hp IMO.

I say save more, get a carb, cam, heads, and headers and have over 400hp.
At the last Dyno it got 204.16 hp. As I said I'm only 17 so I'm still learning little by little. So what do you suggest to do to get to an extra 70-80hp?
Reply
Old Oct 25, 2015 | 08:10 PM
  #20  
ex-x-fire's Avatar
ex-x-fire
Melting Slicks
15 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 2,236
Likes: 286
Default

Originally Posted by pologreen1
He said 280ish hp. That is a serious port job, plus cam and why not port the heads too then? For sure headers etc.

His number not mine.

I guess I am naïve here... how much hp does his '84 have new... let alone now?

OP just don't expect to port the thing and have a car with 280hp IMO.

I say save more, get a carb, cam, heads, and headers and have over 400hp.
He gave a budget number & he's having some one do the work for him, so I think doing what I said would be the place to start.
Reply



All times are GMT -4. The time now is 07:03 AM.

story-0
10 Ugly Corvettes That We Still Kinda Love

Slideshow: 10 ugly Corvettes that we still kinda love.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-06-03 10:34:17


VIEW MORE
story-1
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer

A lot of money has changed hands at the online auction house over the years.

By Brett Foote | 2026-06-03 10:21:50


VIEW MORE
story-2
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)

Slideshow: 10 great gifts Corvette enthusiasts actually want for Father's Day!

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-06-03 15:43:40


VIEW MORE
story-3
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems

Slideshow: These are the quirks, annoyances, and oddly lovable problems that every Corvette owner eventually learns to live with.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-05-28 09:31:39


VIEW MORE
story-4
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years

Slideshow: 10 reasons why the C6 Z06 is still a performance benchmark after 20 years.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-27 17:20:09


VIEW MORE
story-5
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972

Slideshow: How much horsepower every Corvette engine lost in 1972.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-27 16:54:53


VIEW MORE
story-6
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!

Slideshow: How to Protect A Convertible Top: 10 DOs & DON'Ts

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-04-03 00:00:00


VIEW MORE
story-7
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!

Slideshow: The 10 most explosive Corvettes ever built based on power-to-weight ratio.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-20 07:23:03


VIEW MORE
story-8
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter

Slideshow: From C1 to C8 we compare every Corvette generation by the numbers.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-12 16:54:12


VIEW MORE
story-9
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time

Slideshow: Some Corvette pace cars became collectible legends, while others perfectly captured the look and attitude of their era.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-11 09:50:51


VIEW MORE