Alright someone asked me to help them out so this isnt my car. He has a 92 Camaro RS which is automtic and TPI or whatever injection they had in 92. He wants to spend around 1500 give or take and get more horsepower. I dont have any experience with v6's so I cant help him, what should he do?

By the way hes not that knowledgable of cars so you might want to be specific.

 

Tuneup followed by a cam swap (shop around, Crower makes alot of them). Add a set of hedders and some juice. he could have a 13 second car....maybe. Or have him save up a grand or so more and he can go turbo.

 

Do you honestly believe with head, cam, and juice he could reach 13's? Thats a accomplishment when you have a carbed 305.

 

A modded V6 will clown a carbed 305 (mine does). About a 75 shot and the right cam should do it, if he ports the heads, he won't even need that much probably). Heck, for that kinda change, he could swap in a 3.4 longblock and cam that. Add the juice and he'll definately hit 13's.

 

Im going to have 3.1 with headers dynomax cat and dynomax catback and then juice.

 

Ya if you had a 3.1 liter with nitrous, headers, and a good cam you could beat a stock carbed 305. Im just kind of partial because for one I've heard bad things about the TPI and second its a very small engine. Alright well could you be specific on recommending a cam, etc. This kid doesnt know the basics really so anything you can tell him would be good.

 

Tell him to go for a Melling MTC-5 cam (or Crower pt# 03015).
He'll need some different valvesprings (K-motion K-700's) Summit carries them. And some +.050 valve locks (Crane cams 7*). Get a set of OEM lifters and a gasket set, all this outta run about 300~. You don't have to pull the radiator when swapping the cam, it's easy. You'll need a valve holder (the one that screws into the sparkplug hole and uses air to hold valve closed). Anyhow, the manual tells the procedure. A smaller cam can be used that allows the use of stock valve springs, but the MTC 5 seems to be the best one for a mild application. Comp cmas 2030 is the one that'll work with stock setup, but I don't care for the grind. ANyhow, just the cam should have the 3.1 running with the carbed 305 guys (prolly most of the Lo3 boys too). But he'll definately want more power, so go ahead and spray it. These motors love nitrous or boost, they have a really good exhaust port (SOMEHOW, they look like crap...but they work better than the intake valve on these heads). Anyhow, if he really wants power, hit up AM91, he has the fastest all motor 3.1 on here.

 

Double post sorry...
He won't just beat a stock 305, he'll murder most TPI 305s and some of the 350's

 

No offense but where are you getting your facts from. Think about it, like a 100 pounds less weight, half the cubic inch, a TPI which isnt nearly as powerful as a carb from what I've heard, and your saying that cam is going to give you the same power as a 305 or 350 V8.

 

Are you sure you aren't confusing TPI and TBI? TBI engines are less powerful than TPI. Info I have says a TPI 305 at 190 hp with an auto trans. Carbed 305 at 165 hp. 2.8L at 135 hp doesn't have far to go to beat a carb.

My '88 Formula had a 305 TBI (170 hp) and my seat of the pants dyno says my '87 2.8l MPFI with intake and exhaust mods, and chip burned, is about the same performance.

 

I dont know much about the topic myself but I have heard from various people on this site and a mechanic that the carb is much mor epotent than the TPI.

 

i think the original poster is confusing tpi with mpfi. as he said he has a 2.8 in the topic, and he wouldnt have posted in the v6 forum if he knew it was tpi.

also it should be a 3.1 if its a 92 yes?

and 1500 wont get it close to 13's even if he spends it all on holy water


oh and stock to stock tpi put out more power than carb

 

Trust me, with the right cam and enough juice, it'll hit a high 13, these motors will take alot of beating on.... And yes, on motor alone I will straight up walk 80% of the 305's out there (but I have more cubes than a 3.1).

 

LOL!!

Might be true- which carb are we talking about? Factory? Nah. Aftermarket? Depends on the motor. And are you talking about Factory TPI or aftermarket TPI? Factory GM TPI systems are known for running out of steam at high RPM because they can't flow enough air. So an aftermarket carb, not the E4ME factory smog-carb, would beat a factory TPI. Throw an aftermarket carb on a stock F-body V8 and I doubt you'd see much improvement; you'd need the other hi-air-flow goodies like headers & cam & headwork and etc.

Like 85berlinetta2.8 said, V6's never got TPI. V6's got MPFI. TPI is only for V8's, and it's very similar to MPFI, but not the same. The "TPI" comes from "tuned port injection" meaning the runners were tuned for a specific air flow on a V8. So if the 8th digit of your buddy's car is a "T", then he's got a 3.1 Speed-Density MPFI system, not a TPI system.

Add rear gears to your buddy's list; a set of 3.73's will wake that car up. $200 for gears, $200 to have them installed (or $200 worth of tools to install them yourself).

 

Alright well I messed up, I meant to say it was a 3.1 (thanks for the catch) but some guys telling my there was a 3.8 liter v6 in a 91 firebird stock? Thats why I accidently put 2.8.

Well about the injection thing he told me it had fuel injection so I just assumed the v6's had Tpi like the others. So its got multiport which is one reason why it has a decent amount of power considering the circumstances.

Lets get this straight, it the 3.1 liter a good engine for power and worth the money. He wants to put a max of $2000 for some more power. One of you guys are saying that theres no hope of reaching 13's and the other guy says it very easy. Personally I would have to go with the first guy but this is the important area so any feedback is good feedback.

Also is it me or is $2000 a large price for a 92 rs, 3.1 v6 in alright condition?

 

2000 is not a bad price for any 92 in decent condition, regardless of drivetrain. The V6 doesn't kill the price tag (much), as it is a decent motor all things considered. 2000 for 13s is actually quite realistic if he doesn't spend it frivilously (scrounging skills help too). The 3.1 runs an 8.5:1 CR stock and all of these 60 degree V6s respond obnoxiously well to boost (224hp @ flywheel on a measy 7 psi) ... you should probably take the time to look at some of the other high-hp V6 threads, particuarly the turbocharging threads.

 

Agreed, $2000 is a great price for any '92! Oh and yeah, that guy was wrong; the only 3.8 that came stock in a 3rd gen f-body was the '89 TTA (turbo trans am).

It basically comes down to what your friend wants to do with the car... if he wants to enjoy it and have fun with it, yeah, spend the $$ on the V6. If he wants to be a street king and tear up the racetrack for pinks, a V8's going to make him happier, so he should fix the $2000 car up into a $5000 car, sell it, and buy a V8 car.

 

tell him to buy dowards turbo kit when it comes out

 

Or you could just have him buy the engine out of my car.

 

hey guys i need some help ive got an 87 CAVALIER Z24 with the 2.8liter multiport vin w the car will sit and idle however when you hit the gas it shuts down if i feather the gas about 60percent of the time it will take fuel for alittle bit then shut off im at my whitsend with it i have replaced everything i could possibly think of