Need help
Thread Starter
1st Gear
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 1
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Need help
Dose anyone know how much horse a stock 85 ecm can handle before it needs upgraded. I'm going to do a head and cam and rocker arm swap. I need to know if I need to get it turned. The head specs are 64 cc combustion chambers 195 intake runners 74 cc exhaust runners. 202 and 16 valves. The springs are good for 575 max lift. The cam specs are 204/215 @ .050°. Advertised duration is 269/281. The max lift with 1.5 rockers is 420/442. I'm going with 1.6 roller rockers
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 1,590
Likes: 60
From: ft myers FL/Munising MI
Dose anyone know how much horse a stock 85 ecm can handle before it needs upgraded. I'm going to do a head and cam and rocker arm swap. I need to know if I need to get it turned. The head specs are 64 cc combustion chambers 195 intake runners 74 cc exhaust runners. 202 and 16 valves. The springs are good for 575 max lift. The cam specs are 204/215 @ .050°. Advertised duration is 269/281. The max lift with 1.5 rockers is 420/442. I'm going with 1.6 roller rockers
Last edited by playsdixie; Apr 15, 2018 at 07:10 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 28,472
Likes: 3,290
From: Hartford WI
Before I put anything in, I would strongly suggest you find a facility near you that will dyno tune. Several scenarios can happen
1. You get lucky and it runs OK, not great, OK for the most part.
2. You don't get lucky and it runs like crap
3. You are limited to whatever will run and have to stick close to stock specs.
I realize it isn't as sexy but get a tuner lined up, do intakes and LT headers that will support future mods and then ask him what cam and head combination he likes. From what I have seen, the intake and exhaust suck so even if you get the heads and cam done, you might not maximize your full potential.
PS. Why don't you fill up the profile so we know what car, your location, etc we are looking at? So if you need a tool or a recommendation, someone could actually help. You might have to buy them a beer or two though.
1. You get lucky and it runs OK, not great, OK for the most part.
2. You don't get lucky and it runs like crap
3. You are limited to whatever will run and have to stick close to stock specs.
I realize it isn't as sexy but get a tuner lined up, do intakes and LT headers that will support future mods and then ask him what cam and head combination he likes. From what I have seen, the intake and exhaust suck so even if you get the heads and cam done, you might not maximize your full potential.
PS. Why don't you fill up the profile so we know what car, your location, etc we are looking at? So if you need a tool or a recommendation, someone could actually help. You might have to buy them a beer or two though.
Racer
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 349
Likes: 55
Dose anyone know how much horse a stock 85 ecm can handle before it needs upgraded. I'm going to do a head and cam and rocker arm swap. I need to know if I need to get it turned. The head specs are 64 cc combustion chambers 195 intake runners 74 cc exhaust runners. 202 and 16 valves. The springs are good for 575 max lift. The cam specs are 204/215 @ .050°. Advertised duration is 269/281. The max lift with 1.5 rockers is 420/442. I'm going with 1.6 roller rockers
But as far as the stock computer goes, my car dynoed just shy of 400 to the wheels before long tubes, and she feels stronger now, except when under load at low rpm like I mentioned. When my car was built, it was started without a tune first, and wouldn't stay running (sputtering, coughing, dying). Based off of the info you provided, I suspect you will need a tune. The smaller combustion chambers may change how spark advance is needed. Any cam that is considerably bigger than stock will require a tune as well.
So in short: the 85 computer is capable, of at least ~500 crank hp, but you will need a tuner.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 28,472
Likes: 3,290
From: Hartford WI
I don't think my 91 computer was capable of that much without a tune either. I'm guessing that if you go more than 10%, compensation might be tricky. My 91 F-body would start up with Accel Tri-Y headers and a Superram intake. It ran also BUT the idle wasn't the greatest and the thing had a hesitation when you hit the WOT. Ran inside the garage with the door closed and about 65-75 degrees but take it outside in the winter and it was kinda rough. Only cure was getting Lingenfelter to retune the thing and then it smoothed out.
