I'm sure people ask this all the time, but I can't find answers.

I just bought a 1985 with the 4+3 transmission. Everything is currently stock. I want to spend a couple hundred dollars and get the most bang for my buck.
Possibilities include:
StreetRunner Hypertech powerchip or Ed Wrights FastChip
MAT Sensor relocation
Open Air lid
Cold Air Intake
Throttle body flow booster (bu I have heard bad things)

Eventually new mufflers

Any advice is greatly appreciated

 

You should drive the car for 6mos-1yr before doing anything serious to the engine. Keep that in mind.

Dont buy into the advertising in the MidAmerica/Ecklers catalogs. The only things they sell which improve HP are exhaust systems, and even then they overrate them. Flowbooster, airfoil, all crap.

Any of the catback exhausts will give about 10hp, the only real difference is sound. Thats a personal preference. Flowmaster, Borla, B&B, Power Effects are the popular ones. Headers are a nice step up in terms of sound and power also.

Dont buy the Hypertech chip, and dont buy Ed's chip. The only reason you need a chip is for a cam change. The hypertech only turns the fans on earlier, and so will Ed's on a stock motor. If you want the car to run cooler, install a fan switch wired to the main fan.

The cold air intake helps, but I would only use the SLP/TPiS Cold air setups. I would stay away from Breathless products. Its not going to give you a noticable gain over the K&N/open lid that you can really feel.

MAT reloc is fine. Remove the screens in the MAF sensor, and bypass the coolant from the Throttle Body (mate the two hoses together).

 

.I have an 85 also. Exhaust is the only thing I really noticed added power, but the exhaust tone improvement was that I liked better. I went with Borlas. As for the MAT relocation, from my understanding on the 85 it is only used for EGR functions, so relocating it really doesn't do anything. Get a K&N and open the lid, did fell like it reved better up top. I have a Hypertech chip, but only because I got it for only $20 on Ebay, wouldn't be worth the $150+ retail. Also a 160deg t-stat is nice, keeps the coolent in the 170-180F ranges all the time, even hot days. Only downside is if you run it in really cold weather it takes forever to get heat.

 

I would get some flow masters..

 

I have an 85 4+3 also.

I'd reccommend getting the K&N and cut lid, a new exhaust system, cat back at least, and then I'd take off the plenum and do some home porting. The porting is simple, only requires a dremel tool and a metal cutting bit. There's a wall in the plenum right after the throttle body openings that blocks about 15% of the flow area.

 

heres what Ive found is the best bang for the buck if your staying with a basically stock setup

carefully port the plenum,runners and base

install a crane #114142 hydrolic cam
http://dab7.cranecams.com/SpecCard/D...1=Display+Card
install a K&N air filter

get hooker headers installed

a good free flow exhaust is extremely important, your choice on brands but at least increase the pipe size from the headers colectors to the cat to 2.5" and 3" won,t hurt

THINGS TO READ IF YOUR INTERESTED IN MUCH MORE EXTENSIVE MODS, BUT EXTENSIVELY PORT OR CHANGE THE CYLINDER HEADS, FOR MUCH BETTER FLOWING ONES LIKE DARTS,TRICKFLOWS,AFR,PRO,ACTION,ETC,AS THEY ARE A MAJOR HP RESTRICTION IF MAJOR HP IS YOUR GOAL,AND A 10:! CPR 383 KIT WILL ALSO HELP A GREAT DEAL) http://www.ws6.com/mycar.htm
http://www.eecis.udel.edu/~davis/z28...age021105.html
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/zerothread?id=302300]

 

First thing you should do is pull the radiator and clean all the junk out. Do a search, there are many threads on this subject. And no, you can't clean the front of the radiator from underneath the car.

 

Thanks so much. For now I think I will try to open my intake lid up, do the TB bypass, remove the screens in the intake, get a K&N air filter and eventually get some mufflers, I had a flowmaster before and liked it. If I find an airfoil on ebay for less than $25, I'll likely try it.

I think I will pass on a chip at least for now. Again thanks so much

 

JUST SAY NO..... to air foils :thumbs:

First mod, hmm.... how about an LT1? j/k.... I'd go with exhaust/intake, the easy things. I've heard some really really really good sounding L98s. :cheers:

 

Cut lid, K&N filter , Carig Marcho chip and exhaust gave me my least expensive SOP improvement.

I would guess the whole setup costs @ $300