Does anyone know what will give me the most power increase for the least money respectivley. Since I only have a V6 and I'm not rich, what can I do to give my car some umph without killing my wallet?

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173 2.7L V6
Flowmaster Muffler

 

Tune up, K&N filters, check out
http://www.geocities.com/overlift

This site has some pretty good tips.

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86 Sport Coupe, 2.8 V6, dead stock, but not for long!

Daily driver:
2000 Pontiac Grand Am SE2

"Little girls play with ponies!"
www.geocities.com/camman86

 

Here, call this guy & do as I did, get a 3.4 long block on your current induction system.
323-587-3144. Ask for Marty, tell him Karl w/Firebird sent ya.
I'm coaching 9 people doing this current swap.
My combo pulls so strong, it's a treat. Switching lanes, fishtailing is always mucho fun!
Can't wait to get a posi & and try drag racing this thing.
I know my tranny is the current weak link, not strong upshifting. That tranny detail will take some more $$ effort before I destroy it!

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Chat Soon,
KED85
Karl
1985 Firebird 2.8 to 3.4 swap project for Smog Happy LA, CA

 

HEy, just so you can save face in the future, it's a 2.8, not 2.7. Also, if you're already in good tuning and all, get underdrive pulleys ($60-$75) and a B&M shift kit ($25). Grand total under $100, and you'll be grinning like mad when you feel the difference.

-Reno

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'88 Firebird LB8
"Cerberus"
"You think you're weak and maybe I'm the cure, but I've got 6 pistons in my engine, and I got one for ya...it's a long shot"
http://www.angelfire.com/il/Firebird28/index.html

 

Go to the tech area on this site and do all the free mods you can. TB bypass, open up your air box etc. Every little bit helps

 

Cheapest bang for the buck, NOS. EVeryone knows you get the best results cheap, or bang for the buck

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86 Trans Am 355 TPI Rebuilt 700R4 with Corvette servo, modified valve body, and a B&M Torque Converter (2000 rpm stall w/ lock up), 87 350 block bored .30 with new crank. Reworked 305 heads with 3-angle valve job. Added in the rebuild was an SLP TPI cam, BBK 58mm Throttle Body,MSD 6A, Hypertech Power Coil, 1.5 Crane roller tipped rocker arms, SLP Intake Runners and Port matching in upper intake including fully ported plenum, TPIS adjustable fuel pressure regulator @ 46psi, Hooker shorty style headers w/ Thermotech heat wrapping, Custom 3” exhaust with Flowmaster muffler and chrome quad tips, Hypertech Thermomaster Computer chip, K&N open element cone filter on modified MAF per TPIS specs, MSD Wires, removal of A/C hardware and added a 1LE firewall cover installed. Also there has been a PST front suspension kit with Hotchkis strut tower brace added. Soon to have Intrax lowering springs.
http://geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Garage/9548/kyle.html

Kills:
95 Talon TSI, 96 Probe GT, 91 T/A L98, 89 RS, 86 Mustang GT, 88 Mustang LX 5.0, 92 Thunderbird V8. couple or ricers that I think were Civics or Preludes not sure what year, 95 Celica GT-S, 94 Chevy 1/4 ton 350, one of those NASCAR F150's

The Third Gen Will Never be Forgotten

 

it'll depend on how you view cheap. If you mean stuff you do on Saturday morning, and test sat. afternoon, i'd say tuneup, K&N (maybe an open element) but if you mean HP is the biggest goal, then i'd say NOS, but that's only if you don't want to do a engine swap, such as the 3.4L. Now, a 3.4L supercharged with NOS would be a nice, and very quick ride, but i'm sure a 3.4L bored out a little more, would do just fine, but it'll cost a little more than NOS i think, maybe not, depends on your hook up, remember with a 3.4L you can use the block and heads and then switch all your components onto the new block, it's a direct replacement, and smog people can't tell the difference. So, for HP i'd say do that, or NOS.

 

I agree with NOS for the best bang for the buck for HP you REALLY feel.

 

But as I would say, I wouldnt ever put NOS through any of my cars. After awhile it will just eat away, plus our cars cant handle that much! Just an opinion.

 

i agree garmer, but contrary the NOS wouldn't be used all the time, so but i'm also not sure of the corrosiveness of the substance, it could be brought into questioning. Also Lopezzi, remember that you don't want to put NOS on a tired motor, if you did a supercharger the same applies, but hopefully when you had it SC'ed the company would also do a rebuild of the motor, to prepare it for the higher output of power. Oh, and i've heard that the 2.8L can only withstand about 75hp shot all the time, and 100hp could be withheld, but it'd be pushihng it. Now, with your motor bored out to say 3.0L, and reinforced, some good head work done, and a 75hp shot, you could yeild say, 225-230hp, enough to put you in v8 range when you're on juice. Plus you'd have a weight advantage, but all of that will cost some $$$.

 

Actually, just "booting" it alot on an old tired motor will tend to end its life quickly.

Revving a motor out will always shortens it life. The more often you do it, the quicker you will shorten it's life. That is where "bigger motors" have an advantage, they develop enough torque to allow you to "briskly" accelerate without revving it out.

But if you are planning a rebuild, why not have some fun with it in the meantime? On the otherhand, if you are concerned with longetivity, do nothing and just enjoy your car.

 

ok, i'm bored so i decided to guesstimate the cost of building a powerful N/A V6, so.......

long block 3.4---$800
cam--------------$150
rockers----------$110???
alum. heads------$600(from GM parts direct or if you can get dealer discount)
headers----------$170
custom y-pipe----$100
machine work CR--$100-150???i dunno
ported plenum----$??? well you could do it yourself
misc. stuff------$200
edit:3.8 injectors---$40??? tons at the junkyard
injector cleaning----$60


total------------$2300-2400

did i miss anything???????


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Dan
1990 3.1L RS
80 Series Flowmaster
It's fast(er than a 3 cyl metro)

[This message has been edited by CaliCamaroRS (edited March 06, 2001).]

 

Thanks for all the help everyone!

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173 2.8L V6
Flowmaster Muffler
The rest stock.