what are some good TPI mods that can be done without reporgramming the computer....here's my case, i got a 255HP corvette motor, i want to get around 300 outta it without spending too too much money cause i want to buy a 6 speed tranny yet....so i am gonna do a full exhaust for sure, LT's, 3in/3.5in exhaust with aerochamber muffler...then i'm gonna take out my turn signals and try to make them a ram air thing and hook some dryer hose to it and route it up to my TB....but I don't really know what else to do, or whatelse i have to do to get it up to 300 HP.....i will probably eventually get the computer reprogrammed, but not this winter, maybe next summer....it still has to be driveable without reprogramming, so no new cam or heads...i've seen people simaese there intake and base, and port out there plenum, but people were saying that screws up your computer....can i do that or no??

 

Start learning about PROM burning. It will be the best "mod" you can do. It will only help you in future mods also.

Exhaust is the best place to start. Headers and an exhaust system. Then AFPR, porting and larger, different runners. Suspension if you are worried about putting power to the ground. Those things are usually first.

By the way, don't yank your turn signals to make a ram air system. Just gut your current intake system or get a better one.

 

I got a SS hood to, so I might built something to take advantage of that also...I've tryed to learn about prom burning, and its way too complicated for me!!! i've read some huge articles about it and read abotu programs like tunercat and stuff, and it all doesn't make sense....don't you need special/expensive equipment to make your own proms??? I was just gonna get it reorgrammed by callin up superchips and telling them my mods, adn they send you a computer thinger and they do all the hard work for you...or is that not the best way??

 

not the best way. they will charge you $200 or something rediculous like that. for less then 200 you can buy all the equipment and software and burn as many chips as you want. if you read the DIY Prom board you will find out these usually don't do much to the chip and you won't get the most out of your combo

 

Downlaod WinALDL for free and hook a lap top up to your car and watch it and learn that way. Datalog and stare at it as you start to understand it. Then slowly start to change small stuff. Enjoy.

 

Anything you can do to get cool air in motor will only help. Porting of the factory plenum and lower intake also ok. Underdrive pulleys and exhaust mods,lower temp thermostat, relocating air intake sensor,etc. All these mods will work well on a maf car with good cooperation from factory programming. Mild head work and careful cam selection also not much issue. We have modded 1/2 dozen or more maf cars with no grief. Good luck with the project.

 

what do you mean by that??? where else can I put my MAF sensor to make it more effective??

 

Intake air temp sensor and mass air flow sensor are 2 different sensors. I usually relocate the atc to the air cleaner housing. This lets the ecm read the air temp coming in (cool) rather than the heat soaked air in plenum. Some cars respond to this mod.

 

Cruising in town with the MAT in the plenum I found temperatures could get as high as 120*F. With it located to the air cleaner housing I rarly see above 80*
The MAT sensor can pick up heat from the intake manifold also, HSR's don't have the oil baffle on them.

 

Pete, only SD use the MAT/IAT sensor to calcuate fueling requirements. MAF cars rely solely on the MAF sensor for detecting temperature variation. The only thing controlled by the MAT/IAT sensor on a MAF car is the EGR.

I base this on my understanding of the $6E MAF calibration which is the best known of the MAF calibrations. So, I MIGHT be incorrect on other MAF calibrations, but no one has been able to produce the code so far to dispute it.

If you wish to test this, go to a track and replace various resistors in place of the MAT sensor on both a MAF & SD car, and do a scan of the engine. Try to do this on a day when the ambient air temp is about the same. With the different resistors, the SD car will show an affect on the injector pulse widths but the MAF car will not.

Of course a test bench would be preferable.

The relocated MAT kit for a MAF car was one of the greatest rip-offs pulled on MAF car owners.

I am only saying this about the MAT sensor, getting cool air into the intake and through the MAF sensor is still good for more power as the MAF will detect it.

 

what is the $6E calibration? Also what does SD stand for?

 

The $6E is an ECM calibration mask. This one does not use a cold start injector, as a $32 would. They are for a MAF equipped car.

SD= Speed Density.

 

My car has a cold start injector. I am new to all of this electronic crap. Is there some calibration that I should do to my car? Right now it is basically stock. I do know that my cold start injector is probably not working very well because the connector head is broken off and one of the pins slides in and out so I just have the plug taped to it for now. Do you know where I can get one. Every parts store that I got to can't seem to find it in there computer. A part number would be helpful.

Are there any other helpful tuning tips that I should know about?

 

Clip a connector off a late 80-early 90 injector (multi-port) at the junkyard. Pricey to buy from the dealer.

 

Check out the DIY Prom board. Here is a link to a good start.

https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/sho...hreadid=216664

 

Glenn is correct about the $6E, $32, and $32B MAF setups. Moving the MAT really accomplishes nothing. I don't know about the '85 FM setups.

As for the cold start valve, you can get a connector at any parts store that has the complete Standard Motor Products line. That leaves out the auto parts "grocery chains" like Autozone, Pep Boys, Checkers, Cragens, Advance, etcetera. You'll probably have to go to a REAL parts store. Even NAPA can get most connectors. Incidentally, I've seen the Rochester injector connectors at Pep Boys, too, but the full line of connectors will probably have to come from GM or a better parts store. .

If you reprogram the ECM PROM, you can "write out" the need for a cold start injector. Oddly, I use the $6E mask and added PW for cranking/starting fuel, and have found that it still starts just fine with the CSI connected and operating. Strange, huh? I've played with starting fuel and it doesn't seem to matter. (It's nice to have a UV eraser.)

WinALDL is free, but you'll have to build or purchase a data link cable to "speak serial" to the laptop. You can build one for about $30 or less. It will be a good investment.

...Along with air foils?

As for the original question, with a 350 TPI, a good first mod is a die grinder. Clean out that nasty pair of EGR walls behind the throttle body. You can even upgrade the cam to a rather mild .450/.450-sh lift and 250-ish duration and still get acceptable running without reprogramming. If you do this, and AFPR will be a good item to tune at WOT and prevent leaning.

It's still cleaner and easier to do it through injector constant, PW adders, and good MAF tables, but you could at least get by without that for starters. The MAF will pick up the extra flow at lower throttle angles and compensate for the most part.

Another reason to reprogram is some of the known problems with the '86 TPI programs (prompting a TSB and new calibration).

 

actually my plug is just fine. It is the cold start injector that I need.