First off, i know if i really wanted performance I should'a got a v8 bird, but at the time when i bought this one I was 20 and in california for a performance car like the F-Body insurance would have killed me, but anywayz...are there any places on the net that sell any kind of bolt on performance parts (other than an air filter)? Or anyone have any suggestions on getting more performance outta my 90 Bird w/ 3.1 Multi Port Injection?

 

Most common:

Cold air intake kit/short ram kit -
(expensive if bought retail; cheap if homemade and not hard to do!)

A catback exhaust system -
Flowmaster, Dynomax, Borla.... so many makers - do a search.

High flow catalytic converter -
Maybe 4 horses. Maybe.

Headers -
Most expensive but biggest power gain as far as 'bolt on' i'd say.

If you did all of this you'd have a much smoother breathing engine therefore if you decide to do some heavier work in the future you got the intake/exhaust to handle it. Plus these mods will free up some noticable power.

Heavier stuff:
Ported: heads; upper intake; lower intake. Hotter camshaft - you name it it's been talked about here as far as i know =)
do a search on the v6 board.

 

Bolts on for any ride really are not drastic unless it is NOS, Super or a Turbo. The real power comes from valve train components. If you arew looking for bolt on power look into:


Dynomax cat back 139.99
Catco/Gutted High Flow Converter 59.99
MSD 6a and MSD Coil 129.99 and 39.99

Those are all items you can do yourself.. What you’re looking for is a real kick in the butt. Dollar for Dollar you can not bat a 90HP shot of NOS. 450.00 bucks with shipping and you have 10-15 ¼ mile runs of nitrous.

 

after you make it breath better, I would look into the ignition system and if you dont have a large radio system, you could get the power crank pully from aspracing.

 

The first thing I recommend doing, especially if you just bought the car, is to do a major tuneup... and do it yourself. You'll save money, do more than a shop would, and most importantly, you'll learn about your car. The major tuneup is basically "remove old, install new", and you can't really screw it up.. unless you forget to put new oil/fluids back in! Here's the tuneup message...

-----------------------------------------------------------
Tom P's Major Tuneup Info: 3rd gen (82-92) F-body series

Here's the Major Tuneup stuff- this covers alot more than a garage would do for you, and it'll wind up to be cheaper (or at least the same price)! First, buy a Haynes 82-92 Firebird (or 82-92 Camaro) manual.. they're about $15 from any auto parts store. I like them alot better than the Chilton's manuals (which aren't what they used to be 25 years ago). And of course, the ultimate manual is the GM Service Manual, available from http://www.helminc.com - I paid about $60 for mine back in 1994.

Replace: Distributor cap/rotor, spark plug wires (use aftermarket), spark plugs, air filter (use K&N replacements), PCV valve, fuel filter, engine oil/filter, auto trans fluid/filter (or manual trans gear lube), and rear axle gear lube (use limited slip additive if required). Check and reset the timing to stock specs (in Haynes manual). Check and reset the TV cable if you have an automagic (in Haynes manual). Do a lube job and get an alignment done- the car will go faster "easier" if the front wheels are straight. Buy a can of "Intake and Throttle Body Cleaner for Fuel Injected Engines" by Gumout (yellow or gray can, with a red cap), and follow the can's instructions to clean out your intake. DO NOT USE CARB/CHOKE CLEANER- this removes the protective coating fuel injected engines have. Put a bottle of injector cleaner or my "red magic" (STP Gas Treatment) into a full tank of good gas.

It's also a good idea to replace your coolant, check your brake fluid level and p/s fluid level, check the belts, and check your brakes while you're at it.

Call Summit Racing at 800-230-3030 for a free catalog, then you can pick and choose a spark plug wire set and get your K&N air filter(s). (You can also find this stuff through their website, at http://www.summitracing.com , but it's not as thorough as the catalog.) When you leaf thru the catalog, you WON'T SEE any parts listed for a 2.8l v6 - you need to call them (they won't bite) and ask them for part #'s/availablility. (Same goes with exhaust, etc.) If you're like me, and can't want to wait for the catalog in the mail, call them and order one anyway! Then, go to their website, at http://www.summitracing.com , look up their ignition wires, decide on a brand, and give them a call for a part # and price.

But definately do a tuneup first... you'll see the best improvment from the "fun" parts when your car is in good running condition.

-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l)

 

NOS - bottles are for babies.
Just say no to NOS =)

a naturally aspirated engine that runs fast is much cooler than fake power from NOS in my opinion...

If you get the breathing nice and smooth you're next move would be ignition upgrades like Dale said. After that, if you are satisfied with the way the car is running, go for suspension and improve its ride as well.

 

call me crazy, but if you're using a 75 shot of nitrous; 135hp stock + 75hp nitrous=210 HP. That sounds like it's giving you more power to me, so I don't see why you're saying it's fake.
I would definently agree with Tom, do a major tuneup and get your car running good and keep it that way. Not only will you preserve the value of your car, but you'll create a good platform for future upgrades. Putting on a flowmaster, dynomax, etc. exhaust won't do you any good if your spark plugs are fouled. Same goes for any other mod, your system will only be as strong as the weakest link.

 

Funny thing is, you only have that 210HP when you hit the NOS... thats lame dude its like cheating at a video game. Our cars (even the 2.8) definitely have the potential for some good power WITHOUT a bottle. NOS is like.... temporary power.

 

While I agree it's temporary, any sort of forced induction is gonna be the same way. If you have a turbocharged engine, you won't have any boost at idle. You've gotta wait for the turbos to spool up. Ram air? Forget about getting any real gain above it being a cooler intake below 60 MPH. I'm not saying that nitrous isn't a cheap way out, but I don't see it as cheating either. There's a reason they developed electronic wastegates, cause some people don't wanna drive around with 350 HP to go to the grocery store, I guess nitrous is sorta the same deal.

Oh and I like cheating at video games, it makes me feel good about myself because then I always win

 

Well, that's ignorant as hell- no offense. How is nitrous cheating? It forces more air and fuel into the cylinders. How is that different than a Supercharger- doesn't that force more air/fuel in? Or a turbo- doesn't that force more air/fuel in? Oh, but you have to refill a nitrous bottle- big deal.

If someone's racing, or claiming horsepower, and doesn't mention that they have nitrous, then that is cheating. If they make the nitrous known, it's not cheating! And the SAME thing goes for superchargers! Say I have a v8 f-body, and say I make 350 HP to everyone- but I don't mention I have a supercharger- that's cheating. Would it be cheating if I took a supercharged v8 and through a 100 HP shot at it? What's the difference? Does that make me a half-cheater?

I guess it's cool to say "bottles are for babies"? Haha, get real. 90% of the people that say that don't even have a supercharger or a turbocharger or a high HP n/a block! What about all the big shot racers that are on the juice? Like Pat Musi? Mike Moran? You want to tell them that bottles are for babies? Yeah, sure.

Nitrous is a cost effective way to increase horsepower. As long as the person doesn't hide the fact that they have nitrous, and can give n/a and juiced 1/4 mile times, there's no cheating about it.

You guys saw the Slow and the Serious (fast/furious), right? Who was the cheater in the first race? The cop, who had his nitrous system out in the open? Or Vin Diesel, who had a hidden nitrous system inside the passenger seat? Were they both cheaters?

 

Nitrous is not a cheat that is as lame as saying a turbo is a cheat or a super is a cheat. Nitrous is just the most cost affective way to add power. SO you only have 210 when you spray, what can you do to your 2.8 for 400 bucks that will give you 75, 90, or more HP?????

I am all for a cam, head work and so on, but once I get my headers on my next performance mods after suspension is Nitrous.

Also what other mod besides nitrous can you stick on a camaro, v6 or v8, stang, then toss on your econo box to do some import racing.

 

forgot to mention a homemade CAI system.

 

Cost effective is right, and thats why in my opinion it's lame. ****, at least a supercharger/turbo is an engine part thats there all the time. Its a superficial means to speed... omg nm. you like NOS, great. go for the NOS.

 

Nitrous is a superficial means to speed? So's a turbocharger or supercharger. And technically, NOS is a brand of Nitrous.

 

Ok - to totally mutate this whole post into an argument (me against everyone it seems) over NOS...

My whole point is - NOS can make any car fast... you can stick it in a Nissan Stanza for all intensive purposes and get a super quick car. Which is why I disagree with it entirely. Like I said, Supercharger/Turbo = actual engine part that works along with the engine as a functioning part. NOS is an outsource to power. It can be applied to any ride. Its not unique or creative or even clever in the least! <intake of breath>

 

I agree, it just a magic gas for a few seconds that pulls the **** out of your engine. It costs money and is only really useful on the 1/4 track. For every day driving you want to strengthen your valve tran and port and polish your engine and strengthen your ignition plus exhaust system. Thats HP that you can use everyday.

I think the true meaning of the QUOTE is that people that have never done any engine work just put on NOS as a quick getty up but then they have to keep buying their quick HP where as everbody else who does the work has cheaper HP in the long run and they don't have to worry about the wear and tare of NOS on an engine.

The rule still is "NO REPLACEMENT FOR DISPLACEMENT"

Doesn't matter how much $$ you put in a 4 banger or 6er, if you put the same amount of $$ into a v8er they will still beat you to because of the rule.

 

LMFAO Call me crazy, but if I put a supercharger on my dad's 94 saturn, it'd make it fast. If I put a turbo on my friends 92 Previa, it'd make it fast(er). My point is this, engines are engines. Anything you could do to enhance the performance of an engine in an f-body would work if you did it to a different engine.
O.k., lemme see if I get this right then. A turbo/supercharger will cost new around $3k. A kit from NOS will cost around $500. So that means that you'd have to spend $2600 on refilling the bottle to exceed the cost of a turbo or s/c. Call me crazy but that's a whole ton of nitrous. And I'd like to see you run enough boost on this engine in stock form to get an additional 75-100 HP. You want to talk about wear and tear from nitrous, can you say blown head gasket from too much boost?

While I agree that the total power output will be relative to the displacement, you forget that it's not as simple as just putting money into a v8. I've never done an engine swap and I'd venture to say that a lot of the people who say that you should only invest money in a v8 haven't done a swap either. For the cost of a v8 swap I could turbocharge my engine. Hell, I could put a nitrous kit on it and still have enough money to get the car repainted. My point is that 9 times out of 10, the engine that's in the car is the one you have to work with.

Besides, if I was gonna do a v8 swap, I'd pick an engine that was really worth all the time and effort. :hail: LT5.

 

Well if there was a turbo/supercharger for our cars go for it, I would problely too. BUT GUESS what there isn't one as of yet and I doubt there ever will be a professional kit. Maybe somebody can wip one up in a custom shop but really isn't worth the time.

I love my V6 and plan to swap in a 3.4L like KED85 only with more extras. But face is the RULE still lives ON!!

 

Nitrous is good if you dont mind spending money on replacing engines. Sure it will make your engine produce a tremendous amount of power ,but it will be at the expense of your engine.
IMO, Iwould much rather have an engine that has been beefed up internally and get the performance than to tear my stuff up with the bottle.
I believe sooner or later there are going to be more performance parts available for our cars . Basically because there are so many out there ,and they are not making anymore f-bodies.
True performance buffs are not going to waste their money on these rice burning front wheel drive POS !

 

I kinda agree and disagree on this.

NOS is a great way to get the most power for the least amount of money. Its the easy way of doing things

Now, anybody that knows me well, would tell you that I perpously make things more difficult than they should be, not to spoil myself!!! I love going the more difficult route, what can I say?

To get that power out of a naturily aspirated engine is 10X more difficult!!!

Also, I believe, to my knowledge at least, no one has successfully put NOS on there sixtydegree! I am also positive that there isn't any kits for our cars, correct me if I am wrong. I haven't done much research into this, becuase ITs not something I want to do...

 

You can make your own NOS kit, it's so simple and basic. If you can upgrade your valve tran then a custom NOS install would be a snap.

 

if your engine is not in the best shap should u still get nos

 

It will most likely Handgrenade

The Bottom end of your engine has to be pretty strong to handle it.
I agree with stuart I havent heard of a 60* engine with NOS either.

 

red91bird (no longer on the boards to my knowledge, but still a legend to a lot of us) was running a 100 shot on his car. Of course he was running 14's N/A and 13's on the bottle, so obviously his engine had TONS done to it, but I'm just saying Nitrous on a 60* has been done.

 

yeah...ditto.

the only way I would ever put nitrous on my car is after I have done every other performance mod first...then I would consider it...sorta a "frosting on the cake".

 

I love you guys... mostly you guys who agreed with me =) but all of you guys. I love you all.

 

thanks for the info, I didn't know that!

 

I belive they make a bolt in kit for the 2.8l TBI that comes in the s10. I was debating, but it was like 600 bux. I rather do other stuff first