Hi All,

I got a 1990 Camaro RS Convertible with the famous 305TBI.
Love the car and want to keep the engine but just want a little bit extra.
My thoughts are:
- Headers, Y-Pipe, 3" Exhaust (Summit Headers, Flowtech Y-Pipe, Flomaster Exhaust incl. High Flow Cat)
- TBI-Mods (Maybe also a Spacer)
- Camshaft (something like 215/215)
- 3.73 Gears

What does you guys think? Anything I missed? Anything I definitely should not go for?
Hoped to gain maybe 30hp

Chris

 

Gears, exhaust, bump up the FP, TC.. All that is good for a lil bump in the SOP but I wouldnt go through the trouble of a cam change, id save that effort and time for a 350 swap.

 

I agree with this, but either one will require DIY chip tuning. Start learning that now or skip the cam swap. The car will be fine with exhaust and intake mods, but you'll lose all the benefits of a different cam without the EPROM tuning.

 

Question to the Chip: What's better: Doing my own Chip (currently I don't have any Equipment for this) or just order one?

 

You'll have to do it yourself unless you constantly data log and send it to someone to review and burn a new chip. That will be slow and repetitive. Luckily, there is tons of info on DIY EPROM tuning on this site. That is unless you know someone locally that knows how to tune EPROMS.

 

If you are planning on tuning a single GM vehicle I would get an EBL Flash and save yourself the trouble of finding a bunch of discontinued and hard to find tuning stuff.

 

Why handicap yourself by keeping the 305? You're instantly giving up 50-ish ft/lbs of torque you'd have with a 350.

 

Thanks for all that good feedback.
Another stupid idea (found on ebay):
I just found LT1 Heads (Casting: 10125320 )
- Would these fit?
- Should bump up some horses?
- I'm guessing it also need some PROM tuning, right?

 

gen 2 heads won't work without extensive modification that is beyond the scope of the project. Also not worth the effort. They'll bolt up but thats about the only easy part

 

The LT1 heads will need a new coolant cross over and a couple holes welded up. Also will need new holes drilled for the intake to bolt on. If you can weld aluminum then its not a big deal, if not its going to be a chore.

 

Because it is a convertible and a 7.5" rear along with an equally weak 700r4 or T5.

 

If I was doing a mild upgrade on a '90 rs L03,i would: 3.42 rear,exhaust upgrade from manifolds back(no need for headers on a very mild hop up),swap out the grocery-getter cam with a mild ECM friendly one,possible small fuel pressure increase and see how it goes Ithink 3" exhaust is a little big for the situation-2.5" about right.

 

Manifolds is one place you are wrong. The LG4/L03 manifolds are the absolute worst flowing trash you could ever put on an engine. Swapping manifolds for headers even shorties will give bigger gains than a cam. The 90-92 LB9s lost 25 hp and 15 ft/lbs using the LG4/L03 exhaust rather than the L98 dual cat. Most of that loss is the manifolds themselves.

Dual 2.5" to single 3" is what you want for exhaust for a mild SBC, it just plain works.