Hey guys i was wondering if i need to change up my prom with new headers? Would it be cheaper to buy a new chip or to buy a chip burning kit?

 

Headers by themselves wouldn't necessitate a prom change. Especially, since you have MAF, any increase in air flow would be compensated (unless you are maxing the MAF - and your mods don't suggest that).

As for a BONE STOCK engine - it can benefit from a proper tuning of the eprom. 15-30 HP (.1-.3 sec) improvements can be expected on a bone stock plus a 10% increase in fuel economy.

But you would need to spend some time learning & tuning to get those benefits...but then you would also know how to handle any future modifications to your car.

Therefore, I will say your best bet is to get the eprom burning equipment and start learning to burn your own eproms. Also, it's far easier to learn how to burn an eprom when your car is still basically stock. It's far harder when you made a ton of modifications and MUST get an eprom.

 

Its my opinion that a custom chip is not required unless you change the camshaft, engine size, or the injectors. But even a stock engine will benefit from one, as said above.

 

To make sure people new to the board don't get the wrong idea: this doesn't mean that you can bolt on a miniram, 1.6+ rockers, and headers (let alone a set of high flowing heads) and get away with it, even on a MAF setup. sure it might start and run, but you'll be leaving performance on the table.

 

So with my stock 350 i could take off the MAF sensor and a tuned PROM and run better too?

 

Well, if you set up the custom prom to make the '7165 MAF computer run in speed densitiy mode, you could take off the MAF sensor.

 

You only do that IF you convert away from MAF and go to Speed Density. But you would either have to replace the ECM and run the $8D code or look at converting to the Australian SD code that runs on the 7165 ECM (which is in your car). But you would need to obtain a MAP sensor (which is cheap at a wrecking yard).

Or, you could just tune your MAF car "as is". If your MAF is functioning, I see no reason to throw away a perfectly good working MAF system. There is a great deal of "tuneabilty" in the MAF code now, especially the $6E, the last MAF code calibration used in 1989. For most guys who run MAF, they usually convert to the $6E. A popular bin for the $6E is the ARAP bin, but there are a few changes you need to impliment on the ARAP bin to make it function properly (such as the Fan Operation Switch, the extra fueling the lower 16 Crank Fuel Pulse References and lowering of the main spark table a few degrees). Do a search on "ARAP" in the DIY Prom Board and you'll find a ton of info.

But, you don't have to "dump the MAF" if your MAF is working properly.