Ok, I just bought a 92 Camaro RS, L03 Auto. I'm looking to get a little more power out of it, so let me know if it sounds liek I'm on the right track. So far I have ordered:

Open Element 14" Air Filter
97 LT1 Cam
160 degree Thermostat
tbichips.com Stage 2 Chip


The car came with an aftermarket muffler, looks kinda like a flowmaster but too quiet. I am trying to keep costs down for now.

Any ideas what kind of hp gain this will give me? Any recommendations?

I'm also looking into a set of 1.6" rockers, can anyone recommend a specific model #?

Thanks!

 

Keep the engine near stock, until you learn how to burn your own chips. Once you can tune on a stock or near stock engine, go for the cam swap. I would go with a Stock LT4 cam over a LT1 cam. The 160* thermostat is TOO cold IMO, go with atleast a 180*. I would have stayed away from the TBIchips.com chip!

The open element will make your car sound better at the very least.

If you decide to open the valve covers up to switch to 1.6:1 rockers (I run the Crane Gold self-aligns (factory equipment on the LT4) , switch to some good springs. Springs are a good way to pick up a decent amount of RPM potential.

I know this is just desktop dyno, but here is a 305 TBI, stock 187 heads with springs for .510" lift, GM STOCK LT4 cam (NOT HOT), full exhaust from the heads back including headers (avoid ones that say they are for LG4/L03s), ultimate TBI moded TBI, stock intake, open element, in a good tune. I would use a S10 2,000 (around 2,400 behind this engine) RPM stall behind this as well as 3.42-3.73 gears

The LT1 cam no headers is worth around 210 FWHP @ 4,500 and 278 ft/lbs @ 3,500. The LT4 cam with headers and a full exhaust is around 295 HP @ 5,000 and 346 ft/lbs @ 4,000.

Both scenarios are assuming plenty of fuel and a good tune. There will be some difference in the actual numbers, but they should be pretty close given accurate input.

.

 

I would put exhaust at the top of the list, followed by the "nearly free" mods like open element. Then you can dive into chip burning so you can make the most of your mods from here on out. I really wouldn't suggest a cam swap untill you can tune yourself. Mail order won't do it. I suggest looking at the thead titled "Don't want to tune?....too bad!" this guys picked up 25 HP on an LT1 cammed motor. Tuning really is the key.

 

What are your thoughts on stroking the 305? Is it worth it or should I swap in a 350 shortblock?

 

i would say a 350 would be better then the 305 if your willing to put the cash into the 305 get the 350 for more of the power boost

 

Ok, well I was looking at summit, how do these look?
Rockers: http://store.summitracing.com/partde...rt=PRO%2D66915
Cam: http://store.summitracing.com/partde...art=SUM%2D1105

That cam (almost used to saying cams plural because my other car has DOHC lol) is alot cheaper than the LT4, the specs are in the same ballpark. I'm gonna go ahead and do the cam before the exhaust since in a couple weeks imma go to a friends house who can help me install it. Then I'll get some headers (any recommendations?) and maybe get my muffler shop to do a GMMG style catback ($800 is a lot!).

How hard is it to install headers/downpipe on these cars? My avenger took me all of 2 hours, but I know better when I look under this hood

 

I dont think that the wide type rockers will fir under the valve covers, also as soon as you put a cam in im sure the car is barely going to even run at all without tuning.

 

Ok then. I just noticed thats what the other guy said. I guess i missed that part or I just didn't absorb it. Gotta get the equipment to tune the sucker.

Oh, and it says their body type is narrow, am I missing something?

 

My 1992 L03 runs fine with a hypertech chip in it. I have a total rebuilt 305 with a comp cam w/springs, eldebrock performer tbi mainifold, 3in cat back, open element, 165F themostat. My car runs fine and starts perfect with just a hypertech streetrunner chip. I know to get a few more ponies out of it I shold get a custom prom. But my car runs great and runs like a top. I think many TBI guys hear think that by doing any mods to a TBI you have to get a custom chip. Well you don't, becasue GM probley desgined their TBI engines to be able to accept some performace parts. I don't want anyone getting mad at me for saying this but this is what I feel and I have proof that my L03 does good with an off the shelf chip.
Thanks

 

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1992camarors, your cam is probably pretty darn small, or you have a pretty high tolerance for backfires and stalling. Guys have huge problems with even LT1 cams, let alone a 224/234 in a 305. That cam won't even make it out of the driveway, heck I'd be surprised if it'll stay running for more than 30 seconds. Seriously you need to get the hang of tuning before diving into mods like this. That cam is going to give you a power band that stretches north of 6000 rpm in a 305 and right near 6000 rpm in a 350. Don't even think about stroking a 305 half the money will rebuild a 350 and you'll have the 350's bigger bore to help unshroud the valves.

 

These are my cam specs.


Part Number 08-500-8
Engine -9999 Chevrolet
305ci-350ci
8cyl.
Grind Number CS XR258HR-12
Description

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Intake Exhaust
Valve Adjustment 0 0
Gross Valve Lift 0.48 0.488
Duration At 0.006 Tappet Lift 258 264

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Valve Timing At 0.006
Open Close
Intake 21 57
Exhaust 68 16

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

These Specs Are For The Cam Installed At 108 Intake CL
Intake Exhaust
Duration At 0.05 206 212
Lobe Lift 0.32 0.325
Lobe Separation 112

 

That cam is basically an LT1 cam, and is about as big as you can go and still drive the car. This thread https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/tbi/352676-dont-want-tune-tough.html, which you have found already, shows exactly how much you’re leaving on the table without tuning even with a small cam. The cam this guy is considering is big for a 350 and huge for a 305. It probably won’t idle below 800 RPM, maybe 1000, can you say LOPEY. Tuning won’t be easy, Rbob’s EBL and code give you some tools that will make the process easier. I wouldn’t suggest tackling this project without some experience tuning first.

 

How much larger is the lt1 cam compared to my comp cam.

 

I think the LT1 cam is smaller than the one you listed...the specs on a 93-95 LT1 cam are 202/207 and 450 lift with 116 Lobe seperation...this is according to a spec sheet thats listed somewhere on this site i believe...isn't your cam a 480 lift?...thats higher than most/all LT1 cams I believe...maybe someone can correct me if I'm wrong

 

I think the LT1 cam is smaller than the one you listed...the specs on a 93-95 LT1 cam are 202/207 and 450 lift with 116 Lobe seperation...this is according to a spec sheet thats listed somewhere on this site i believe...isn't your cam a 480 lift?...thats higher than most/all LT1 cams I believe...maybe someone can correct me if I'm wrong

 

I think the LT1 cam is smaller than the one you listed...the specs on a 93-95 LT1 cam are 202/207 and 450 lift with 116 Lobe seperation...this is according to a spec sheet thats listed somewhere on this site i believe...isn't your cam a 480 lift?...thats higher than most/all LT1 cams I believe...maybe someone can correct me if I'm wrong

 

Just curious where you got a 165deg thermostat. All I see from Hypertech and other stats is the 160 or 180 and the ACDelco 170.

 

Your cam is a couple of degrees bigger than an LT1 cam, and more importantly it has a tighter lobe separation angle which means more overlap (time when both intake and exhaust valves are open) this will cause a rougher idle. You should be having some form of drivability problems, slight hesitation when stabbing the throttle, bad mileage who knows. Most people have problems with cam swaps and for good reason, your changing the brain of your engine. Most of the time you’re going to need less fuel below 2 grand and more above with a cam swap, so just jacking up the fuel pressure won’t fix your problem. How much fuel you need to add or subtract varies wildly from engine to engine. Take a look at this https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/tbi/352082-data-logged-now-what.html this guy has nothing more than a stock LO5 and a big throttle body, he also has a mail order tune (tbichips.com). If you take a look at his BLM tables you’ll see he’s as much as 10% lean below 2000 RPM and close to 10% rich above 2000 RPM. This is as mild of a combo as you can get without being completely bone stock. Imagine how bad his tune would be if had some serious mods like full exhaust or a heaven forbid a cam.

I know some of you might argue that all you need to do is send Brian some data logs and he’ll burn you another chip. The funny part is your 50% of the way there just getting a data log and being able to swap out the chip. You’ll notice in the above mentioned link under the BLM.txt file there is a table called “correction factor” this table is what you need to multiply your current VE table by to get your BLM’s at a perfect 128, it’s that simple, winALDL does most of the work for you. For the price of a mail order chip you can have the equipment to burn your own, it’s a simple fact, why so many of you resist learning about your ECM’s I’ll never know.