Ambition

Im new to the v8 game but im loving it already. The past 3 years ive spent building hondas.. I recently purchased a 1988 trans am thats been swapped with a tbi 350, stock automatic trans. It does have hooker headers with a high flow cat, and a open element air cleaner. I want to get some more power out of this car, but am not positive on which direction to lean towards. Ive heard little things help such as underdrive pulleys, tbi spacer, free tbi mods, cam, and intake. My brothers alot more v8 inclined and suggested ordered a transgo shift kit. As of right now im looking to play with around $1500. Im looking for 300-350whp goal in the long run. As i stated ive never built anything with more than 4 cylinders, so what cam would i run? would a msd distributor or even just a blaster pack be beneficial? Also rear end options? ford 9" rear or a 4th gen rear? I do have tuning experience with eprom ecus however as stated that was with turbo 4 cylinders. Basically looking for the best bang for the buck from members who have been there and done it, i dont want to order parts thats that will be waisted money, Thanks alot!

Shadow Z

iTrader: (2)

Use the same methods you used for getting power out of them 4 bangers. Boost. Boosted engines can have perfect street manners, and make huge power. Due to their ability to make that huge power with low compression, no exotic extremely high lift cams, without revving to 8K, etc.

Well then again, a naturally aspirated K20 in a gutted EG hatchback can pretty quick.

Spacers are a waste of money, all they do is increase the distance the air has to travel to enter the engine. The only practical use I've seen for them is spacing for aftermarket intake setups that won't clear engine accessories. Such as this:



Basically you can mess with the heads, cam, do all the bolt on jazz, etc, or boost it. The cheap ebay kits can get 300 RWHP relatively easy. Buy a setup for everything minus the cheap Chinese turbos, and replace them with a couple Garretts or Turbonetics turbos.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Chevy...Q5fAccessories



It's exactly what I'd do. Whenever I decide to put money into the IROC, I'll build a low compression 383, and buy an ebay kit for the exhaust manifolds, cold side piping, intercooler, etc, and replace the cheap turbos with Garretts.

Good luck either way. 300-350 RWHP is a very respectable number for the street, and should be fun no matter which way you achieve it.

Fast355

iTrader: (2)

You didn't mention if you had smog, but with the open element air cleaner I doubt it. Here is an easy way to 300 RWHP on your average run of the mill 350.

906 casting 350 Vortec heads with upgraded springs
Edelbrock 2912 Victor Jr 2bbl for vortecs, open up the plenum and use a TBI-2bbl adapter on top
If you have a roller cam block, go for a nice mild roller cam upgrade that focuses on high lift and quick valve action.
Dynamic EFI EBL unit

Ambition

i live in NY and getting a pre obd2 vehicle inspected is not a problem no cats or whatever it may be i can get a vehicle inspected haha. Now with these what injector setup would you run? keep the tbi? i recently sold a b20vtec ek so that was deff fun ive had turbod z6s and just about everything you could imagine. I would deff love to turbo this car i just honestly dont know what these engines will handle or what all is a necessary upgrade? ARP headstuds and rod bolts? ive read the tbi 350 heads are junk and so are the cams. What vehicle or year engine could i take the heads from? how can i locate vin to find out exactly what this 350 is to see if its a roller cam block? i am mechanically inclined just know absolutely nothing about these cars. Thanks for all the advice and support

Ambition

Also would the stock 88 trans am rear end/ driveshaft hold up to 300-350 whp? would the 700r4 hold up as well? would turbo- hood clearance be a issue as well as mounting the IC and piping?

Shadow Z

iTrader: (2)

42LB injectors would be fine with a good tune, and I'd just stick with the TBI. My IROC is carbed so I'd have to go with a blow through carb from CSU.

There's a member on here (zz3astro) who made over 260 RWHP, over 300 RWTQ with his single ebay turbo kit on an otherwise stock, highmileage 5.7. And he mentions how it drives exactly like a stock 5.7 IROC until you get into the boost. I believe his limiting factor was fuel delivery, then he might have eventually ran more boost.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fk-mxfF0miI

You could talk to him about his fuel setup, and what he did tuning wise. I believe that'd be around 325 crank horsepower, what he was making back then.

But, with a Walbro 255 and 42LB injectors, should be able to support your power goal. All in the tune. He made that sort of power at less than 10 PSI with a stock TPI setup.

Shadow Z

iTrader: (2)

Some have, some won't. Most people would probably say no. PATC sells a fully built level 4 700R4 that can handle 700HP for under $3,000. There are local guys near me that build a 700R4 for over 400 HP with a 2 year warranty for below $600.

Driveshaft and rear should be fine unless you want to run slicks, and actually launch it a lot. Just have some fun with roll racing if you want to extend the life of the drivetrain at that power level. Less shock to the trans, driveshaft, rear, compared to a launch.

Ambition

so tbi would consist of 2 42# injectors? and also for tuning would that be just tunerpro or like a stand alone manage system? what map sensor would i want to use with say around 10psi? also how would piping clamp to the throttle body? im really considering this if there is an efficient way to tune these cars via ecm, seems to me like tpi would be the easiest route but i could be very wrong

Shadow Z

iTrader: (2)

I've been researching the 350 TBI, and they seem to be nothing like the TPI engines. It almost seems like ditching injection and going with a mildly built 350 or 383 carbed crate engine would be the easy way out.

Apparently they have some of the absolute worst heads ever made, worse than the smog heads of the 70's. Some of the worst cams ever made, etc. Also, just the stock 454's used 80 and 90LB injectors. So what I know of the few turbo TPI cars around just went out the window on this. Knowing that, man, I'd just save some more and drop a hot crate engine in it.

It'd be easier than junking the TBI and going to something like an HSR, or carburted, then still having to deal with the bad heads.

A place called CME sells a 10:1 compression, 4 bolt block, iron headed crate engine that makes 400HP for about $3,800. 500HP 11:1 383 for just below $6,000.

http://www.cmengines.com/

I'm doing it the hard way if I ever quit putting money into the Mustang. 383 stroker kit from Eagle, Edelbrock Performer RPM aluminum heads, not sure of what cam I'd go with yet. Something on the mild side. I don't like really radical cams, and I'd eventually go turbo with it.

Ambition

my brother has a 350 block 4 bolt main and a set of roller rocker heads, with a msd distributor and a bunch of stuff for it.. i know its a carbd setup from he told me and none of the parts would fit my 350. so would it be just easier to build a low compression carbd 350 and boost that, but i dont see you could tune a turbo carbd motor.

Fast355

iTrader: (2)

Smog heads and carbs of the 70s are MUCH worse.

Shadow Z

iTrader: (2)

They don't necessarily need tuning, other than retarding and advancing the timing. There are carburetors that are built for boost. That's basically my goal. A carbed, turbo 383. Cheaper, less hassle. I've got the Mustang if I want to mess around with tuning an EFI car.

http://www.csucarbs.com/

Shadow Z

iTrader: (2)

Just going off of what I read on what seems like a reputable site. Not exactly Wikipedia.

http://www.tbichips.com/truckmods.htm

UnderCover89TBI

iTrader: (25)

So out of curiousity. On a TBI 350. If you want to remain emission legal, meaning egr in stock location etc. What is the best cylinder head for that? Thinking of doing a 350 tbi swap and wanna know if the edelbrock 60859's are worth it. I can pick them up used for 500 now. I passed on some zz4 because the lack of 2.02 valves for a 350 and I did not think they were for egr cars....sorry I am thread hijacking.

Fast355

iTrader: (2)

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/AFR-1041/

UnderCover89TBI

iTrader: (25)

So passing up on the edelbrocks used set for 500 and just go for the Afr's your saying?

Ambition

well im thinking short term goal for now might be converting to carb get diff heads and a cam. really want some shorter gears and posi just dont know whats a decent price for say a 4th gen rear end. or where to even find one in this area haha. What would be your guys opinion for best power right now, without boost. I work water transfer for chesapeke (fracking) and we had a well head blow up and a couple people unfortunetly died this month, so work is slow as of right now.

Ambition

i found a local guy selling some parts. http://elmira.craigslist.org/pts/2316728184.html
would one of those intakes work? he said they were for carbd motors and im sure my brother or grandfather has a good carb layings around. also would the heads be worth buying? thanks alot!