Need Help. $2000 budget
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Joined: Aug 2004
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From: Greenville S.C.
Need Help. $2000 budget
My friend has a $2000 budget and needs help with choosing his next mods. He and I have both heard different things from different people and neither of us really know much about the l98 engine. So I recomended that with his budget, he needed to look here on the forum, but he doesn't know what questions to ask and doesn't want to get flamed for sounding stupid either. This is why i'm asking.
'91 l98 auto 3.07's
His mods so far are:
longtube headers
no cats
flowmasters
no frisbee
gutted air pump
cut lid airbox
custom chip
adjustable fuel pressure regulator
air foil
NX 100 dry shot (got a deal on it, but no longer wants it)
The 383 w/ AFR heads and SuperRam is what he hears alot about but 2G's he knows won't cut it now. Is one or another of those mods better for now or is there something else?
'91 l98 auto 3.07's
His mods so far are:
longtube headers
no cats
flowmasters
no frisbee
gutted air pump
cut lid airbox
custom chip
adjustable fuel pressure regulator
air foil
NX 100 dry shot (got a deal on it, but no longer wants it)
The 383 w/ AFR heads and SuperRam is what he hears alot about but 2G's he knows won't cut it now. Is one or another of those mods better for now or is there something else?
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 40,156
Likes: 45
From: San Pedro CA
Can you build an engine? If so, then go ahead and build one.
You can DIY a 383 for about $2k. The expense is the parts. If you can do the reassembly, you will save a bundle. Check with Speeddemon motorsports, I think they are clearing out their 383 rotating masses at quite a discount.
Check with Summit Racing and Jegs for rotating mass parts.
I will have to recommend staying clear of AFR for the moment, they are having serious QC problems.
If nothing else, you can build up the bottom end CORRECTLY and add killer heads later. I would highly recommend splayed 4 bolt mains. You will thank me later.
The superram would be a perfect mix for a 383.
You can DIY a 383 for about $2k. The expense is the parts. If you can do the reassembly, you will save a bundle. Check with Speeddemon motorsports, I think they are clearing out their 383 rotating masses at quite a discount.
Check with Summit Racing and Jegs for rotating mass parts.
I will have to recommend staying clear of AFR for the moment, they are having serious QC problems.
If nothing else, you can build up the bottom end CORRECTLY and add killer heads later. I would highly recommend splayed 4 bolt mains. You will thank me later.
The superram would be a perfect mix for a 383.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 7,178
Likes: 1
From: Bahston Mass.
Originally Posted by bogus
Can you build an engine? If so, then go ahead and build one.
You can DIY a 383 for about $2k. The expense is the parts. If you can do the reassembly, you will save a bundle. Check with Speeddemon motorsports, I think they are clearing out their 383 rotating masses at quite a discount.
Check with Summit Racing and Jegs for rotating mass parts.
I will have to recommend staying clear of AFR for the moment, they are having serious QC problems.
If nothing else, you can build up the bottom end CORRECTLY and add killer heads later. I would highly recommend splayed 4 bolt mains. You will thank me later.
The superram would be a perfect mix for a 383.
You can DIY a 383 for about $2k. The expense is the parts. If you can do the reassembly, you will save a bundle. Check with Speeddemon motorsports, I think they are clearing out their 383 rotating masses at quite a discount.
Check with Summit Racing and Jegs for rotating mass parts.
I will have to recommend staying clear of AFR for the moment, they are having serious QC problems.
If nothing else, you can build up the bottom end CORRECTLY and add killer heads later. I would highly recommend splayed 4 bolt mains. You will thank me later.
The superram would be a perfect mix for a 383.
You sound as though you are speaking from experience
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 5,889
Likes: 2
From: Castro Valley Calif.
St. Jude Donor '03 thru '26
Originally Posted by bogus
The superram would be a perfect mix for a 383.
Skank (I love that screen name
), you can get a superram and an LPE219 for a thousand give or take......that would be a nice torque match for your 3.07s. You might be able to squeeze some decent heads out of the remaining cash......
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 40,156
Likes: 45
From: San Pedro CA
Originally Posted by JB666
You sound as though you are speaking from experience
caboboy - I wish... 383 would be cool, but hardly affordable.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 7,163
Likes: 61
From: NH
St. Jude Donor '14
As said before - intake mods are key in his situation. I would recommend the superram, or miniram, depending on his long-term goals. I chose a superram because the miniram is designed for higher revs (which would imply a more bullet-proof high-rev engine and bottom end would be preferable, since it makes most power up top) while the superram I feel a lot more comfortable plugging onto a stock bottom end, because I don't plan to push the redline as often, and enjoy the bottom end torque over the minirams (from what I understand, anyway). Both have their place, though, so I would think long term goals on that choice. The thing to keep in mind with heads, is they'll take a LOT of your money (of that 2k budget), and you'll be choking it horribly with a stock manifold and base, while the new intake mods would let your stock heads breathe a lot more, and you'd notice more power short term. But maybe a set of stage 3 ported and polished heads are the answer long term (ie, he plans in 6 months to do the entire base-up manifold)... All things to think about.
As also said, 383 assemblies can be had for cheap, its just reassembly. If you don't know what you're doing, like me, you need to figure in the expense of labor as well... *sob*... Ok, I'm better (until I get the bill).
-Joe
As also said, 383 assemblies can be had for cheap, its just reassembly. If you don't know what you're doing, like me, you need to figure in the expense of labor as well... *sob*... Ok, I'm better (until I get the bill).
-Joe
Last edited by Draven; Jan 16, 2005 at 11:02 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 40,156
Likes: 45
From: San Pedro CA
I will be honest - rebuilding a motor that has been machined right will not be much more then time to assemble.
The tools are minimal, really - good sockets, torque wrench, things like that. The hard part is R&Ring the motor from the car!!!!
The tools are minimal, really - good sockets, torque wrench, things like that. The hard part is R&Ring the motor from the car!!!!
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Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2002
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From: Charleston SC
Heads or the intake. He will need both any way for his long term goals and they are both around 2K. I would get the SR first since you need to rip 1/2 the motor apart for a head swap. Also since you don't have the limited head selection like us LT1 folks you may want to go with either Brodix or Dart on those heads because AFR has had QA problems latley or at least get a set of the AFR's assembled by someone other then AFR like I did. I used More Performance and was pleased with the results. Its the same price it's just people like More and TPS get bare castings and do all the work in house so the QC is much better.
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 90,675
Likes: 304
From: SE NY
Cruise-In II Veteran
Well it sounds like he is now building around 300chp with current mods on a '90 L98 and those are a good collection of bolt-on mods for a L98.
OK, so the next step is for him to ask himself where he wants to go now. That is:
- what is his intended use(s), street, strip, auto-cross, etc.
- how much power does he want, 400chp from a 350cid L98 is possible
- does he intend to mod the drive train, a TransGo shift kit and 2,000rpm-2,400rpm TC will enhance performance and driving fun
- how much of the budget is parts and how much is labor
- is this the end of mods or one step on the path
Heads, cam and intake should put him between 350 and 400chp, with some tuning. If he can do the porting of the stock #113 heads the cost of head work will be greatly reduced.
So first come with the goal or discuss possible goals and then the plan will evolve.
OK, so the next step is for him to ask himself where he wants to go now. That is:
- what is his intended use(s), street, strip, auto-cross, etc.
- how much power does he want, 400chp from a 350cid L98 is possible
- does he intend to mod the drive train, a TransGo shift kit and 2,000rpm-2,400rpm TC will enhance performance and driving fun
- how much of the budget is parts and how much is labor
- is this the end of mods or one step on the path
Heads, cam and intake should put him between 350 and 400chp, with some tuning. If he can do the porting of the stock #113 heads the cost of head work will be greatly reduced.
So first come with the goal or discuss possible goals and then the plan will evolve.
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 90,675
Likes: 304
From: SE NY
Cruise-In II Veteran
Since he already has 3.07s I suggest:
-port & work the stock #113 heads with larger valves, 5-angle, etc.
-install a nice cam, i.e. ZZ-9 or 219 with new valve springs
-160deg T-stat & fan switch
-if he can do any porting or or grinding work on the intake, siamese the stock intake base. This will allow him to pull strongly to 6k RPM between shifts.
After he does the engine he can think about a little more stall in the TC and the shift kit.
The A4 work along with engine mods will make for a very nice DD and a good strip car that will run with the C5s and maybe the stock C6s.
-port & work the stock #113 heads with larger valves, 5-angle, etc.
-install a nice cam, i.e. ZZ-9 or 219 with new valve springs
-160deg T-stat & fan switch
-if he can do any porting or or grinding work on the intake, siamese the stock intake base. This will allow him to pull strongly to 6k RPM between shifts.
After he does the engine he can think about a little more stall in the TC and the shift kit.
The A4 work along with engine mods will make for a very nice DD and a good strip car that will run with the C5s and maybe the stock C6s.
