300 hp
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 1,504
Likes: 73
From: Georgetown TX
300 hp
Now that I have found a shop in Texas that will do a real time dyno Ecu tune on my 89, I want to do a little up grading. Nothing too wild. I am going to add headers and better exhaust. I don't know much about all this stuff but I wanted to bump it up from 240 to around 300 hp at engine. I was thinking about a different cam also. Don't want to change heads or manifold. I want to keep low end power, but would like a little rumble. Am I wasting my time and money by only changing those things. Tuning is about 450.00 out the door
Last edited by mlm0; Jan 5, 2016 at 11:37 AM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 2,931
Likes: 127
From: Ashland Alabama
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 21,543
Likes: 3,216
From: Park City Utah
I think headers/exhaust, cam and tune are a GREAT place to start w/a TPI engine. The stock manifolds and exhaust on a TPI are terrible. Stock cam is pretty terrible. Both places that you can get large gains. Probably the largest gains from a single part other than a forced induction on a stock or stockish TPI motor.
I think you're on the right track and have a good plan taht will result in ~300 hp.
I think you're on the right track and have a good plan taht will result in ~300 hp.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 3,065
Likes: 39
Miniram, headers and exhaust MIGHT get you there if you have an 88-91. With that combo, you probably won't even need a tune. You would lose low end torque though.
If that doesn't get you there, add a cam and you will be there.
If that doesn't get you there, add a cam and you will be there.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 21,543
Likes: 3,216
From: Park City Utah
Why are you bringing the Miniram into this!?
*The OP clearly stated that he doesn't want to lose low RPM tq AND doesn't want to change intake manifold. You just stated that w/ a miniram, he will lose low end torque, and it's a manifold change.
*How many peak hp will the miniram give him on stock heads? How many will a good cam give (cam will likely give more)
*How about the cost. Cam is ~$300. Miniram w/rails, etc? ~$900 or so?
Totally inappropriate advice for this thread. Cam headers exhaust and tune should get him damn close to 300 horse, IMO.
.
*The OP clearly stated that he doesn't want to lose low RPM tq AND doesn't want to change intake manifold. You just stated that w/ a miniram, he will lose low end torque, and it's a manifold change.
*How many peak hp will the miniram give him on stock heads? How many will a good cam give (cam will likely give more)
*How about the cost. Cam is ~$300. Miniram w/rails, etc? ~$900 or so?
Totally inappropriate advice for this thread. Cam headers exhaust and tune should get him damn close to 300 horse, IMO.
.
Last edited by Tom400CFI; Jan 5, 2016 at 02:31 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 3,065
Likes: 39
Why are you bringing the Miniram into this!?
*The OP clearly stated that he doesn't want to lose low RPM tq AND doesn't want to change intake manifold. You just stated that w/ a miniram, he will lose low end torque, and it's a manifold change.
*How many peak hp will the miniram give him on stock heads? How many will a good cam give (cam will likely give more)
*How about the cost. Cam is ~$300. Miniram w/rails, etc? ~$900 or so?
Totally inappropriate advice for this thread. Cam headers exhaust and tune should get him damn close to 300 horse, IMO.
.
*The OP clearly stated that he doesn't want to lose low RPM tq AND doesn't want to change intake manifold. You just stated that w/ a miniram, he will lose low end torque, and it's a manifold change.
*How many peak hp will the miniram give him on stock heads? How many will a good cam give (cam will likely give more)
*How about the cost. Cam is ~$300. Miniram w/rails, etc? ~$900 or so?
Totally inappropriate advice for this thread. Cam headers exhaust and tune should get him damn close to 300 horse, IMO.
.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 62,141
Likes: 1,729
From: Athens AL
C7 of the Year - Unmodified Finalist 2021
C4 of Year Finalist (performance mods) 2019
You could probably get close to 300 with the stock camshaft if you were willing to upgrade some of the TPI, but it would require changing the base, runners, and porting the plenum out. Do all that with the exhaust changes and you should be close to 300 bhp.
You will have to take it all off to get the cam out anyway, though you might be in the hole another $1K to replace and/or port it all out.
You will have to take it all off to get the cam out anyway, though you might be in the hole another $1K to replace and/or port it all out.
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 20,974
Likes: 261
Just pointing out that '90-'91 are speed density and a different computer. 85-89 respond better to tuning unless you a real tuner the speed density has advantages over maf.
Max G’s
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 2,751
Likes: 78
From: Monroe OH
NCM Sinkhole Donor
Several years ago, with the stock L98 with these mods listed below I got 250rwhp/350rwtrq;
cut air filter box, 52mm tb, ported plenum, large tube runners, stock base, March 3 piece underdrive pulleys, air pump removed, stock exhaust headers, front y-pipe without the pre cats, catalytic converter removed, magnaflow rear exhaust.
Dyno Tuned and I had the 3.07 rear axle ratio and 315/35/17 tires.
cut air filter box, 52mm tb, ported plenum, large tube runners, stock base, March 3 piece underdrive pulleys, air pump removed, stock exhaust headers, front y-pipe without the pre cats, catalytic converter removed, magnaflow rear exhaust.
Dyno Tuned and I had the 3.07 rear axle ratio and 315/35/17 tires.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 1,504
Likes: 73
From: Georgetown TX
You are close to me, Georgetown. It's Henderson performance in New Braunfels. I talked to them this morning on phone. On their web site, they did no list c4's, but when I talked to them he said no problem. They real time dyno tune it and then burn a chip with whatever settings make it run best. When I told him I would be getting an OSTRICH in order to real time tune, he told me they use somethings similar Told me roughly 450 out the door unless there are other problems. That price included new chip
Mike
Mike
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 2,216
Likes: 113
From: Michigan
If you get headers don't get bigger than 1 5/8 or your mismatching your parts too much, even with a better intake with your goals I'd stick with 1 5/8. Some people size headers to intended rpm and a 350 with 1 5/8 is good some past 6000rpm and your not gonna be there with a mostly stock engine. Some stock eliminator guys run 1 1/2 headers and make over 300hp. You can meet your goal long as you don't mismatch too much. Still once you do all the odds n ends stuff you might see a swapping some quality heads(not over sized) may be cheaper, quicker and easier in the long run.