L98 build for street/strip
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Junior Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 39
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From: long island, NY
Car: 92 camaro rs
Engine: 305tbi
Transmission: 700r4
L98 build for street/strip
Heres my problem or not realy a problem but my situation...I want to build a motor but im confused by picking out difrent parts and matching them together..I Felt the best way to avoid picking clashing parts was to get a package set up by a manufacturer....my search has lead to me to complete top end kits from trick flow. one that cought my eye was this
http://www.trickflow.com/partdetail....0&autoview=sku
(mods if it is a problem i linked to a difrent site please remove link)
says it will make 490HP and that seams like a nice number...my questions are how street friendly will this set up be and how acurate is there 490hp number? also what kind of carb intake manifold would compliment this well? any imput would be helpfull...and this will all be bolting to an L98 and a 700r4
http://www.trickflow.com/partdetail....0&autoview=sku
(mods if it is a problem i linked to a difrent site please remove link)
says it will make 490HP and that seams like a nice number...my questions are how street friendly will this set up be and how acurate is there 490hp number? also what kind of carb intake manifold would compliment this well? any imput would be helpfull...and this will all be bolting to an L98 and a 700r4
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 4,767
Likes: 63
From: Trumbull CT
Car: 87 TA clone
Engine: 70/70 Turbo 5.3 LS
Transmission: bullet proof 2004R
Axle/Gears: ford 8.8, 3.55 gears
Re: L98 build for street/strip
i dnt think that 490hp number is accurate. there 195cc heads are decent but nothing crazy. i would expect that with AFRs, the trickflows maybe flow 260-270 cfm at .6 lift (which the cam doesnt even get to so its useless) which will support 450hp average. so basically the heads dont flow enough to be matched to that cam, the cam has too much duration and would be better suited for AFR 195-215s, but the cam would be better with .600 lift. The cam has ALOT of duration... u will have a big lopy idle, not good for the street, it will require lots of idle rpm and a very high stall converter. id say a minimum of 3000rpm stall. it will not create alot of vacume so u can kiss ur brakes etc goodbye unless u get a vacume pump etc. peak power on that thing will be around 6500-7000rpms bc of the cam duration. lift is not that high being less than .5" lift is nothing crazy. a 6500rpm engine will most likely require a forged bottom end (rotating kit) a good balancer and at least 4 bolt mains on the block.
basically the kit is not worth it. unless it was a track car and i would dump those heads and cam and get some AFR's and a comp cam around 230-240 duration and u should hit 500hp easily. this will not work with ur L98 since all L98s are 2 bolt mains (which wont like the 6500rpm shifts) and this is not really a street friendly combo, alot of stall and alot of duration means BAD gas milage and no throttle response.
pick a budget, make a HP goal, decide how u want to drive the car and then start from there. top end kits are only 1/2 the battle, the rotating assembly is far more important and should be picked first with a block. decide if u want a 350-355-383-400 idk whatev u want. if u go forced induction/nitrous u will need forged pistons (something to consider when ur building the shortblock)
im also not a fan of trickflow... there not bad but i think they are amatures with certain things.
basically the kit is not worth it. unless it was a track car and i would dump those heads and cam and get some AFR's and a comp cam around 230-240 duration and u should hit 500hp easily. this will not work with ur L98 since all L98s are 2 bolt mains (which wont like the 6500rpm shifts) and this is not really a street friendly combo, alot of stall and alot of duration means BAD gas milage and no throttle response.
pick a budget, make a HP goal, decide how u want to drive the car and then start from there. top end kits are only 1/2 the battle, the rotating assembly is far more important and should be picked first with a block. decide if u want a 350-355-383-400 idk whatev u want. if u go forced induction/nitrous u will need forged pistons (something to consider when ur building the shortblock)
im also not a fan of trickflow... there not bad but i think they are amatures with certain things.
Last edited by customblackbird; Dec 19, 2009 at 09:12 PM.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 39
Likes: 0
From: long island, NY
Car: 92 camaro rs
Engine: 305tbi
Transmission: 700r4
Re: L98 build for street/strip
i figure it wouldent b streetabel..im not too good with cam specs but i thought it was lift that gave a loppy idle thanx for reminding me its the duration. I wanna keep the factory short block and avoid a trip to the mechine shop ...i dont wanna go crazy with spending. i got the short block (and most of a TPI set up) for cheep from a friend and would like to keep the rest of the build around 2g...im looking to get some exp with engine swaps and do something relitivly cheap now so in the near futer i can go at an LS2 swap with more under my belt.... im just looking for a car i can have some fun on the street with muscle gets no respect around my way. basicly id like around 350- 375 at the wheels for around another 1-2 grand. and im leaning more towards a CARB engine as opposed to a TPI or TBI.. any sugestions?
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 7,736
Likes: 14
From: Not in Kansas anymore
Car: 82 Z28
Engine: 383 SP EFI/ 4150 TB
Transmission: T400
Axle/Gears: QP 9" 3.73
Re: L98 build for street/strip
If you wish the engine to hang together for any time then the as noted above the bottom end is 1st concern
So you are running Patriots instead of TFS ?
Last edited by vetteoz; Dec 20, 2009 at 06:27 AM.
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 4,767
Likes: 63
From: Trumbull CT
Car: 87 TA clone
Engine: 70/70 Turbo 5.3 LS
Transmission: bullet proof 2004R
Axle/Gears: ford 8.8, 3.55 gears
Re: L98 build for street/strip
You want to bolt 2K worth of parts on a used 350 short block to get 375RWHP. Is the stock bottom end in good enough shape to make 450FWHp ?
If you wish the engine to hang together for any time then the as noted above the bottom end is 1st concern
So you are running Patriots instead of TFS ?
If you wish the engine to hang together for any time then the as noted above the bottom end is 1st concern
So you are running Patriots instead of TFS ?
stock bottom end of a l98 will maybe take 350fwhp... if u want to make 350-375rwhp ud have to be making 460-480fwhp with an auto trans. hope ur ready to be spending close to 2000$ on the bottom end ALONE! not to mention machine work.... which u will need to do btw... u need to make sure the motor is perfect, align hone the mains, bore the cylinders, hone them, magnafux the block, install new cam bearings, new brass freeze plugs etc. i spend 900$ on the machine work alone, and my L98 mains were off so it cost 300$ for that alone. heres a price guide.
if u want to make up to 500hp this is wat i did so the bottom end will hold up.
cast scat 9000 series crank= good for 500-550hp but has a 6000rpm max
scat forged rods with ARP cap screws
SRP forged dish pistons=gives me friendly 9.3-9.8:1 comp ration depending on wat gasket i want to use. you could use hyper pistons if u dont want to use nitrous/forced induction and save alittle money.
throw away every bolt on that engine and go ARP, ARP main bolts/studs, ARP cam bolts, ARP rod bolts, ARP head bolts, get a double roller timing chain and an ARP oil pump stud and that will hold it to 6000rpms and about 500fwhp.
i paid about 1000$ for my crank,rods,bearings,pistons and flexplate all balanced in whats above. then 900$ in maching work, and about 150$ in ARP fastners. about 265$ for the cam, 130$ for the lifters, 900$ for the heads, 40$ pushrods, 40$ ARP rocker studs, 200$ rockers and then u have gaskets etc. not even a full long block yet bc of the intake. so be prepaired to pay like 5000$ for a complete engine.
you want more than 500hp and to spin higher than 6000rpms then u need forged rotating which will cost u about 2000$, then 4 bolt mains or splayed 2bolt mains... (splayed is better btw) so your original 900$ machine work will be more like 1500 at least bc of the splaying the mains. But if u splay the block u better be using billet steel mains, they will cost u too.
im making about what you want to make and im doing it with a L98 block but thats were the originallity stops.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 39
Likes: 0
From: long island, NY
Car: 92 camaro rs
Engine: 305tbi
Transmission: 700r4
Re: L98 build for street/strip
i know the block ran awsome dident burn oil dident leak all the gaskets are nice and tight...im the type to make high goals a littel higher then i would like so i have room for error and still b happy...like i said b4 i want to leave the bottom end stock and avoid mechine work...your saying i can make 350 flywheel HP that will put about 290 at the wheels correct? what would u recomend to get me there? i could drop the l98 in stock and its still gonna b a nice power boost but i figured doing heads and cam now would be easyer...so what do u think 2g will get me
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 4,767
Likes: 63
From: Trumbull CT
Car: 87 TA clone
Engine: 70/70 Turbo 5.3 LS
Transmission: bullet proof 2004R
Axle/Gears: ford 8.8, 3.55 gears
Re: L98 build for street/strip
i know the block ran awsome dident burn oil dident leak all the gaskets are nice and tight...im the type to make high goals a littel higher then i would like so i have room for error and still b happy...like i said b4 i want to leave the bottom end stock and avoid mechine work...your saying i can make 350 flywheel HP that will put about 290 at the wheels correct? what would u recomend to get me there? i could drop the l98 in stock and its still gonna b a nice power boost but i figured doing heads and cam now would be easyer...so what do u think 2g will get me
http://www.sdpc2000.com/details/scog...ter/sd8060raag
and the GM hot cam for stock roller blocks which the L98 is.
http://www.sdpc2000.com/details/gm-p...parts/24502586
u can reuse your stock lifters or get new ones... i dnt recomend the speed pro/federal mogul stock replacement lifters, this is wat died and destroyed my cam.
throw on a carb and u should make more than 350hp... id say something like 375ish... this is the best bang for your buck no doubt about it. and it will make power like 1500-2000ish to 6000 no prob. again tho pull the oil pan and replace the stock main bolts with ARPs for alittle more assurance.
the kits i showed u are direct bolt ons and require no mods. u are below ur budget at like 1400...but ur gona spend like 100$ on lifters and 300$ on a carb prob. hope this is what u want
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 7,736
Likes: 14
From: Not in Kansas anymore
Car: 82 Z28
Engine: 383 SP EFI/ 4150 TB
Transmission: T400
Axle/Gears: QP 9" 3.73
Re: L98 build for street/strip
good for 7K
http://www.jegs.com/i/GM+Performance...99225/10002/-1
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/NA...5&autoview=sku
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 4,767
Likes: 63
From: Trumbull CT
Car: 87 TA clone
Engine: 70/70 Turbo 5.3 LS
Transmission: bullet proof 2004R
Axle/Gears: ford 8.8, 3.55 gears
Re: L98 build for street/strip
LS7 lifters $130 a set ; GMPP # 12499225
good for 7K
http://www.jegs.com/i/GM+Performance...99225/10002/-1
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/NA...5&autoview=sku
good for 7K
http://www.jegs.com/i/GM+Performance...99225/10002/-1
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/NA...5&autoview=sku
Junior Member
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 63
Likes: 0
From: Lincoln, Ne
Car: 88 Formula 350 / 87 Iroc 68k miles
Engine: 355 / 355
Transmission: 700r4 / 700r4
Axle/Gears: 10bolt w/3.23 - 9bolt w/3.27
Re: L98 build for street/strip
if you would look at this if you have a 87 and newer 350 that kit will not work for your motor. good news is they do make a kit that does fit our motors. it makes about 465hp and 450trq.
heres the site that its on, also its on summit and jegs
http://www.trickflow.com/partdetail....0&autoview=sku
heres the site that its on, also its on summit and jegs
http://www.trickflow.com/partdetail....0&autoview=sku
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