Ok guys, another performance thread for our "cute" little motors. WHile trying to figure on a way to boost my overall performance (E.T. hunting), I took my car for a relaxed full throttle romp from a stoplight on an empty 6 lane highway (Farm road it's called in TX). I noticed that, while my car has good low end grunt, it still doesn't pull as hard in the higher RPMs as I'd like. It's almost as if it is starving for air or somthing. Don't get me wrong, the engine has much more mid-highend pull than it did before the camswap, but still not what I'm looking for. I use this car for dragracing, that's its main task. So, I need a way to get more pull out of the old girl up top. ANy suggestions?
I've considered the following:
Larger TB and severely ported plenum/runners
Mild head porting job on my spare set (I have been SO lazy about getting them ported)
That's pretty much it. I reallly want to match the little cam that I'm running (204/214 duration). According to math I've read, my combo should make its power above 5000 and its torque peak close to 4200 (but it's just math). I would like this mill to peak at 4500 rpm in the tq department. Hp just has to be right before redline (6K ?)

 

port the heads you'll get one hell of a difference

 

Just make sure you port YOUR heads before you drop that 3.4 in I've got a set in my shop right now, I've been putting off porting them due to laziness and not wanting to drop another 25 bux on a gasket set to match them to (those intake ports are WAY off). Guess I'll have to break down and get those heads done...by bye money (Might as well have them magnafluxed too).

 

oh trust me, i'm not screwing around when it comes to the new motor, porting and everything.


might as well do it now rather then later

 

As far as mods for pure top end, I can think of.
Big mechanical cam.
Over sized TB.
All out drag race porting job, if you can even do that to our heads.
Roller rocker, they will help every where.
Headers.
A good ignition coil, the stock one is weak up top.
As far as porting I even rounded out the coolant passages, well gasket matched them form head to intake manifold. Leting more coolant flow can't hurt nothing.

 

The biggest factors at upper RPMs are -

1) Airflow efficiency (duh... ya think??) - Headers, port matched intake, larger TB, ported heads. Good gains to be found there, with the 204/214 cam!

2) Internal friction - not AS big a role, but the higher you spin, the more it matters. Roller rockers, roller timing chain, roller cam, if you can. Make sure the valvetrain is good to your intended RPM levels. Found out mine will do 7000 rpm pretty easy.

3) Rotating Mass - Not as big a role as power output - more longetivity, here. You will want to lighten the valvetrain, and rotating assembly. Anything here - Lightweight flywheel, lighter valves/locks. This is one thing that hydraulic flat tappets have over roller lifters - much lighter.