Hey, I have had my 1991 GTA for a few weeks now and I am ready to start modding it(too many fast Disgustangs around here). So anyway it is a 350TPI, auto, stock for EVERYTHING except an airfoil. I have about $500 What should I do? Also give 1/4 mile gains for the mods if you have them. Thanks

 

Hey, welcome to the big dawg club, I'm new here myself, used to have a V6.

If I had $500 to throw at my Formula (also 350TPI/A4) right now, and it were in perfectly stock trim, I'd get a dynomax exhaust (quiet, but best flowing, $180 or so), a K&N air filter ($50ish, maybe?), B&M shift kit ($25, plus fluid and all), and a dremel tool with all the attachements and start porting stuff in the intake.

-Reno

------------------
89 Formula

EDIT: you have done a FULL tuneup already right? Aftermarket ignition, all the way through, changed tranny fluid, oil, coolant, etc? Should be another good $100 spent there...

[This message has been edited by Reno (edited April 29, 2001).]

 

hmmm.... me thinks dynomax sucks (sounds stock)
anyways, exaust is mosty a matter of opinion. get a cat back and a K&N for sure
do what i did. it only costs like 35 bucks at summit. (this only works if u have the fender well air filter housing) rip out the whole box and find a K&N cone filter with a diameter the same as the tube going to the throttle body. i know there is ALOT more air flowing because when my car idles i can hear a distinct sucking sound

btw RENO we need to run in a couple weeks when i get my car out!

 

I would do a complete tune up if you haven't yet, and also get a cat-back exhaust system. Then you can save whats let for a set of headers.

------------------
1987 Chevy Camaro IROC-Z
L98 TPI 350 (5.7L)
TH 700R-4 Transmission
Borg Warner 7.75" 9 Bolt Rear End

Current Mods: LT4 HOT Cam, Comp Cams 1.52:1 Roller Rocker Arms, Edelbrock TES 1 5/8" Headers, Hooker 3" Aerochamber Cat-Back System, Performance Resource Chip, Accel Ignition Coil, Cap, Rotor, 8.8mm Wires, K&N Filters, JET TPI Air Foil, All Free Mods, Falken ZIEX Z-Rated Tires.

Best ET (w/o LT4 cam): 14.32 @ 97.7mph
(corrected for elevation)

Soon to Come: 7.625" 10 Bolt with 3.42s and Accel TPI Intake Base

 

Dynomax SOUNDS stock, which I personally think is great, but it outflows flowmastr and most others. Of course, for good sounding exhaust, he could just drop the whole $500 and change on a borla, and not get anyhting else. ::shrug::

As for me kicking yor butt around the suburbs of Chicago for kicks sometime, sounds like a plan, but first I gotta go pick up my new Formula, it's sstill in Indiana!

-Reno

------------------
89 Formula

 

ready to see my tail lights?

------------------
89' Firebird Formula WS6 L98,AFPR, MSD 6AL, MSD Blaster, Hypertech chip, K/N filter cone(no air cleaner box),flowmaster 80 series, hypertech air foil, modified MAF, ported plemum, koni shocks, edelbrock trailing arms, EdelBrock Panhard bar, subfame conectors, March Pulleys, Jet fan switch,Throttle body bypass, BFG drag radials, Edelbrock strut tower brace, 3.27 posi rear, B&M deep tranny pan, B&M Shift kit...

 

hehehe, it's on...

-Reno

"100+ through black and white, warhorse, warhead, **** it man, white knuckle tight, through black and white..."

------------------
89 Formula

 

How about a Dynomax exhaust with 1 5/8 headers? A quieter exhaust like Dynomax will let you hear the headers, instead of a loud system (ie Hooker AEROCLANKER) which is just loud and really has no tone. Go Dynomax!


------------------
'83 Firebird 2.8
'89 Firebird Formula 350
Red/grey, t-tops, and a 3.27:1 rear
K&N, TB bypass, no MAF screens, CAI, full Accel ignition, no cats, Hooker Supercomp shorties, Hooker 3-inch catback
No real ET yet...

 

all of you talk to much about exaust.If I had that set up I would put a bigger cam $100.00. bigger gears $200.00, and that was a good idea about the dremal tool for porting $50.00, and a K&N air filters $50.00.

------------------
406
accel supper ram
6000 rpm Hyd roller cam
afr heads
t-56 trans
9" ME rearend

 

89 l98 firebird here, , i get steve sphons lcas and brackets, ya be running faster with those becuase your car will hook up , and pull hard through 1st and 2nd gear, example ran a 9.8 in the 8th installed the lcas and brackets ran 9.4 , if you do the install and work yourself ya still have about 200 bucks left, buy a k and n and do away with the air box like some one said, get a 3" EXHAUST CUTOUT, if you do that yourself ya still have about 100 bucks left, port the plenum and buy underdrive pulleys, and ya run better then 9.2 in the 8th 14.3-14.7 in the quarter ? i ran those times, with a engine that had 250k on the motor and no compression

 

Hey 89Formula...

About that mod to take out the whole box and do a K&N cone filter. I have been wanting to do this for a while, but this is the prob: Next to the box, seems like a couple inches away, is the Mass Air Flow Sensor...seems too close for me to fit a K&N there...then, it goes into what seems like some sort of rectangular box, and then finally into the intake through some sort of "rippled" rubber ovalish tube. How can i do this mod, with the MAF so close to the box, and all that other nonsense garbage in the way? Do i need new rubber tubing, or what? If i had a dig. camera, i would show the pic up here, but i dont. Any help would be great. Thanks.

------------------
1986 WS6-Equipped 5.0 TPI Trans Am
Random Tech High-Flow Cat
Two Chamber Flowmaster Muffler
Megs Custom 4.5" Stainless Steel Rolled Tips
1999 Grand Am GT In-Dash CD Player w/Equalizer(fits like '86 original)
5% Tint On Rear, 35% On Sides
http://www.pitt.edu/~zyhst/trans86/

OTHER RIDE:
1998 C5 6Spd. Corvette Coupe
Silver w/Gray Leather Int.
12/14 Options
Stock(for now)
Best 1/4th: 13.5 @ 104.4MPH

 

500$ is a lot of money you can:
port the plenum - free
k&n - 30$
make a homemade cold air induction - 5-30$ for tubing(depends on which type you use,aluminum or rubber)
gut your cat - free
cat back system - ?
this should be a good amount of mods.
if you have any $ leftover, look into plug wires.
you have speed density so relocate your mat -35$
ps. dont get a bigger TB, its not needed, and do NOT get a B&M shift kit,, if you want tranny upgrades get a vette servo and .500 boost valve.
hope this helps..

------------------
1988 GTA Trans Am 350tpi: 47k miles,3:27 BW rear, aftermarket t-tops
Hotchkis: subframe connectors & strut tower brace
Flowmaster: 3inch exhaust& dual chamber muffler
Accel: 8.8mm wires, cap&rotor, u-groove spark plugs
Edelbrock: 52mmTB, intake & runners
K&N: filtercharger
TPIS: 170* stat, afpr, mat relocation kit
March: performance crank and alternator pulleys
Hypertech: 176* fan switch
Other mods: ported plenum, gutted cat, tb coolant bypass, homemade cold air induction, flux capacitor, driver side floor mat removed

 

http://www.hptransparts.com/
get one of thier torque converters.$175 for a 2500 stall converter.use the rest of your money on intake upgrades

------------------
1991 banditt2 #130 of 600
Project 350 TPI Banditt II
http://www.street-dawg-racing.cityslide.com
http://photos.yahoo.com/tonysams72
http:/discussion-board.com/GreaterCincinnatiFBodyAssociation/

 

Have you used their convertors? Any 1/4 improvements? Also if I wanted to use nitrous in the future is that converotr ok?

 

Phantom TPI,

i dont know what you are talking about, the mass air flow sensor is farther up the rubber tubing towards the throttle body. im not sure about your car, but there was no problem fitting it into mine i just found a cone w/ the same diameter opening as the opening on the intak tubing, when i take my car out of storage i will get some picks. its not the greatest, but its way better than using the stock air box.

------------------
89' Firebird Formula WS6 L98,AFPR, MSD 6AL, MSD Blaster, Hypertech chip, K/N filter cone(no air cleaner box),flowmaster 80 series, hypertech air foil, modified MAF, ported plemum, koni shocks, edelbrock trailing arms, EdelBrock Panhard bar, subfame conectors, March Pulleys, Jet fan switch,Throttle body bypass, BFG drag radials, Edelbrock strut tower brace, 3.27 posi rear, B&M deep tranny pan, B&M Shift kit...

 

there is a pontiac engine magizine out right now they put a 89 transam in 13.60 range for just over 300$ so if you are serious see if you can find that mag at your local book store. that can hopefully help you

 

89Formula98...

Yea, i know, its a weird-@$$ setup, but i cannot get my hands on a dig camera yet...otherwise, i'd email you what i mean. The only thing i can say is that the box is there, then right next to the box it seems, there is the MAF, then the tubing(which is short) comes to another rectangular-type box, and then thorough the oval, rippled intake tube, and finally to the throttle body. Somone at one of the monthy MAFBA meetings i attend had a thirdgen, and told me that that setup is sh*t, and to get rid of it, i just dont remember how to setup the MAF again and what size cone i need to replace the box. But i definetly want to do this setup, so that i could get some more flow to my engine. At 116,*** miles, she's still running strong, but before that old 305 goes, i'd like to give it some pep...then its on to either a 383, 377, or 406...but thats another post....

------------------
1986 WS6-Equipped 5.0 TPI Trans Am
Random Tech High-Flow Cat
Two Chamber Flowmaster Muffler
Megs Custom 4.5" Stainless Steel Rolled Tips
1999 Grand Am GT In-Dash CD Player w/Equalizer(fits like '86 original)
5% Tint On Rear, 35% On Sides
http://www.pitt.edu/~zyhst/trans86/

OTHER RIDE:
1998 C5 6Spd. Corvette Coupe
Silver w/Gray Leather Int.
12/14 Options
Stock(for now)
Best 1/4th: 13.5 @ 104.4MPH

 

Phantom:

Don't worry man... I know what you are talking about. Just take out the airbox, (the big black box mounted to the body all the way over on the passenger side next to your carcoal canister. I just did this last weekend and stuck a 3" inlet K&N cone on the end INSIDE the ducting that was coming off the MAF Sensor. I had to move my charcoal canister over a few inches to get everything to fit, but it works. When I get a hold of my camera I'll post what it looks like.

------------------
Kevin Irving
85 Trans Am WS-6, 305 TPI, custom burned '86 PROM with '87 "165"ECM, Accel Supercoil & 8.8 Wires, Rapidfire #2 @ .055", MSD 6AL, 1.6:1 Roller tipped rockers, Homemade AFPR, K&N cone, no airbox, Aluminum Driveshaft, Wonderbar, TB Coolant Bypass, Ported Plenum, Descreened MAF, Syclone Fuel Pump, JET Airfoil, Mobil 1 synth in all but transmission.

15.556 @ 86.65mph, Nov 10, 2000.... I know it sucks.. but it will get better!

http://www.geocities.com/transam85tpi/

Member - The Tidewater Trans Am Club, Norfolk VA http://www.geocities.com/ttacva/

 

Hey Kev...

WHEW! I thought i was going a bit nuts here for a second...first my stock stereo was something that the installation places have never seen and couldnt work on...then i thought this was odd...i was beginning to think my car came from the Twilight Zone Anyway, i would really appreicate those pictures and with it a step by step if possible...i AM mechanically inclined, but my experience is limited...for now. I would really apprciate it man. That MAF Sensor is just about 2 inches from the box itself. But anyways, you could email me with that info if you wish. Thanks man.

PhantomLo@aol.com

------------------
1986 WS6-Equipped 5.0 TPI Trans Am
Random Tech High-Flow Cat
Two Chamber Flowmaster Muffler
Megs Custom 4.5" Stainless Steel Rolled Tips
1999 Grand Am GT In-Dash CD Player w/Equalizer(fits like '86 original)
5% Tint On Rear, 35% On Sides
http://www.pitt.edu/~zyhst/trans86/

OTHER RIDE:
1998 C5 6Spd. Corvette Coupe
Silver w/Gray Leather Int.
12/14 Options
Stock(for now)
Best 1/4th: 13.5 @ 104.4MPH

 

Is your intake like this? This is before and after pics of my intake.


After



------------------
'87 Trans Am:
(Engine)
305 TPI
180 Degree Thermostat
JET Fan Switch
TB Bypass
Accel 300+ 8.8 Racing Wires
Accel Super Coil
Bosch Platinium Plugs
Custom Ram Air with K&N
Removed Emissions Equipment & Cat.
(Stereo)
Full Kenwood Excelon System

Member at kyfbodies.org

 

One word for your $500 "nitrous"

------------------
1988 GTA (29,000 original miles):
Crane Cam, K&N
Flowmaster, Off Road Pipe.

 

Hey Jobryan...

YES!! THATS IT!!! Thats the son of a bi*ch intake setup i have! Ok...yours is how i want mine to end up like. So my question is, how did you do it? I mean, where did you get the tubing and parts from, and what size cone do i need?(3"?) Also, does the MAF sensor get moved around at all, or no? I would appreciate if you could let me know by either posting here or emailing me at PhantomLo@aol.com. I have been wanting to do this mod for a while. Thanks.



------------------
1986 WS6-Equipped 5.0 TPI Trans Am
Random Tech High-Flow Cat
Two Chamber Flowmaster Muffler
Megs Custom 4.5" Stainless Steel Rolled Tips
1999 Grand Am GT In-Dash CD Player w/Equalizer(fits like '86 original)
5% Tint On Rear, 35% On Sides
http://www.pitt.edu/~zyhst/trans86/

OTHER RIDE:
1998 C5 6Spd. Corvette Coupe
Silver w/Gray Leather Int.
12/14 Options
Stock(for now)
Best 1/4th: 13.5 @ 104.4MPH

 

N-I-T-R-O-U-S...end of story. You will lose about a second off your et. You should be able to get past most hotshots on motor alone, but when you can't...spray a 150 horse shot to victory, man.

------------------
1990 Firebird Formula 350 speed density TPI; K&N, air foil, throttlebody coolant bypass, underdrive pullies, MSD 6AL, MSD HEI coil, 8.8mm wires, adjustable fuel pressure regulator, Hypertech Thermomaster chip, 160* thermostat, fan switch, B&M stage 2 shift kit, Edelbrock 1&5/8 headers, gutted dual cats, Flowmaster 80 series muffler, 3.73 posi rear end

 

Jobryan26....you there??

------------------
1986 WS6-Equipped 5.0 TPI Trans Am
Random Tech High-Flow Cat
Two Chamber Flowmaster Muffler
Megs Custom 4.5" Stainless Steel Rolled Tips
1999 Grand Am GT In-Dash CD Player w/Equalizer(fits like '86 original)
5% Tint On Rear, 35% On Sides
http://www.pitt.edu/~zyhst/trans86/

OTHER RIDE:
1998 C5 6Spd. Corvette Coupe
Silver w/Gray Leather Int.
12/14 Options
Stock(for now)
Best 1/4th: 13.5 @ 104.4MPH

 

I've got the same intake setup on my GTA. Go to a good hardware store (not Home Depot or Loews, they don't have it) like ACE hardware, and go to the plumbing section. You can piece together whatever you want from there. I used 3" PVC pipe and some of their rubber hose connectors with a cone style K & N like he has in the picture. Tubing cost was around $5, filter was like $40.

 

Thanks 89GTA...he emailed me and sent me the details to all the sizes and part # for the cone filter. Now i just need the piping, and the hose connectors, and i'm set. Thanks again, and thanks jobryan26 again man!

 

I would be very pleased if you could post the sizes for the piping needed and the part# for the cone filter.

Can't wait to get rid of that f**** airbox.

 

I've got an 87 gta with the same crappy air box, please post the sizes and directions. I'm sure the whole lot of us would appreciate it.

------------------
~3.1EyeCandy~
"The Car that started my craze"

'92 Firebird 3.1 (A car for sale now)

T/A Hood, New Paint, Custom Sound w/subs, T-Tops, K&N fcharger

My new baby: '87 flame red GTA 350 w'auto
Carmine interior with pioneer all around
Hooker Catback, Airfoil, K&N
http://www.3.1EyeCandy.tripod.com

 

Ok everyone, i have the sizes and part # for the cone and some instructions. This comes from and is credited to JOBRYAN26 who sent me the details, so we all owe him thanks for this. Ok...look above to the pictures for visuals, the bottom two(save, draw, print them if you can and mark them accordingly). Here we go: This is all 3" PVC piping found at Lowes, Home Depot, ACE Hardware, or a plumbing store. The boot on the TB stays put. He used a 3" PVC elbow(90-degree angle-use the "long" 90-degree one, because there is a short version also), and cut off the overlap on one end of the elbow so it could fit snugly into the boot(you may need to use WD40, becuase its a tight fit). The next piece is another piece of 3" PVC piping, from the elbow to the MAFS was either 4 or 6" long. But in order to connect the two pieces(the middle PVC pipe and the MAFS), he used the rubber gasket that was at the same place(connected MAFS to airbox) and unfolded it. Where the elbow is hooked up to the MAFS, he took it off, and shaved the little alignment tab off so he could turn it how he needed it. At the end, is the K&N filter...part #DFM9601C. Costs $37.95, the cheapest price he could find for it, from: http://www.thefordsource.com/store/m...duction_3.htm. Should take about an hour or so to do. You will also need about 5 rubber hose fasteners that screw to tighten(same kind as you see in the pic) for this mod. Good luck everyone. The f*****g airbox is pi$$ing me off too....

BTW-you will hear a strong sucking noise, that is very audible...JOBRYAN26 told me about it...its normal. ENJOY!

------------------
1986 WS6-Equipped 5.0 TPI Trans Am
Random Tech High-Flow Cat
Two Chamber Flowmaster Muffler
Megs Custom 4.5" Stainless Steel Rolled Tips
1999 Grand Am GT In-Dash CD Player w/Equalizer(fits like '86 original)
5% Tint On Rear, 35% On Sides
http://www.pitt.edu/~zyhst/trans86/

OTHER RIDE:
1998 C5 6Spd. Corvette Coupe
Silver w/Gray Leather Int.
12/14 Options
Stock(for now)
Best 1/4th: 13.5 @ 104.4MPH

[This message has been edited by PhantomTPI (edited May 11, 2001).]

 

How about a Dynomax exhaust with 1 5/8 headers? A quieter exhaust like Dynomax will let you hear the headers, instead of a loud system (ie Hooker AEROCLANKER) which is just loud and really has no tone. Go Dynomax!

ooo, he did not just say that!