performance upgrades
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 648
Likes: 0
From: Newark, OH
Car: 1992 Camaro RS
Engine: 305 TBI
Transmission: 700R-4
performance upgrades
i am thinking about getting headers and dual dynomax or flowmaster exhaust and possible even a chip. how much hp increase am i looking at with each of these upgrades. I hope to get to around 200 hp from my stock 305 without spending a whole lot of money, especially since i am only 15, and dad isn't really into helping me add more hp to an all ready pretty fast car. well thanks for the help
------------------
86 sc z-28
305 ci around 150 hp prob lil more
my first car and the best one i will ever own.
------------------
86 sc z-28
305 ci around 150 hp prob lil more
my first car and the best one i will ever own.
Supreme Member
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 18,457
Likes: 16
From: Loveland, OH, US
Car: 4
Engine: 6
Transmission: 5
Headers = very good idea
DO NOT get ones made specifically for your LG4!!! If you do, they will have the weenie little y-pipe (Y-straw) that is the mainmost bottleneck in the whole motor. Get the chassis-specific ones for a 350 TPI from an 88 or so, and a cat to match; Edelbrock TES or SLP or Dynomax or Hooker. Ditto the cat: the LG4 one is a puny little restrictive thing, get it as far from your car as possible, put a 3" in & out one on it.
Dual exhaust = very bad idea
Stick with a 3" single, from Blowmaster, Dynomax, Hooker, Edelbrock, etc. Same advice as above. Duals are very difficult to fit to these cars without ground clearance problems, and will provide zero improvement over a 3" single. In fact, it might even be worse than the single 3", if it has to be smaller than 2½"; and it will definitely be worse if it's not mandrel-bent which is something no exhaust shop I've ever seen can do. I don't believe yo can buy a dual for these cars off the shelf from anywhere.
Chip = waste of money
There isn't much a chip can do for one of these cars; and what they could do (more aggressive timing mostly), they don't.
You won't get 200 HP with those mods, or any others except nitrous or a S/C, until you also put a decent cam in it. On the other hand, you won't get 200 HP with the stock exhaust either, so start with the exhaust as you are planning. That's the foundation without which all else is in vain.
OBTW you're right about the HP, those came from GM with about 150. Pretty lame by modern standards, or even the standards of the time. But, there is considerable room for improvement without spending alot of money or otherwise sacrificing much of anything.
------------------
"So many Mustangs, so little time..."
ICON Motorsports
[This message has been edited by RB83L69 (edited December 03, 2001).]
DO NOT get ones made specifically for your LG4!!! If you do, they will have the weenie little y-pipe (Y-straw) that is the mainmost bottleneck in the whole motor. Get the chassis-specific ones for a 350 TPI from an 88 or so, and a cat to match; Edelbrock TES or SLP or Dynomax or Hooker. Ditto the cat: the LG4 one is a puny little restrictive thing, get it as far from your car as possible, put a 3" in & out one on it.
Dual exhaust = very bad idea
Stick with a 3" single, from Blowmaster, Dynomax, Hooker, Edelbrock, etc. Same advice as above. Duals are very difficult to fit to these cars without ground clearance problems, and will provide zero improvement over a 3" single. In fact, it might even be worse than the single 3", if it has to be smaller than 2½"; and it will definitely be worse if it's not mandrel-bent which is something no exhaust shop I've ever seen can do. I don't believe yo can buy a dual for these cars off the shelf from anywhere.
Chip = waste of money
There isn't much a chip can do for one of these cars; and what they could do (more aggressive timing mostly), they don't.
You won't get 200 HP with those mods, or any others except nitrous or a S/C, until you also put a decent cam in it. On the other hand, you won't get 200 HP with the stock exhaust either, so start with the exhaust as you are planning. That's the foundation without which all else is in vain.
OBTW you're right about the HP, those came from GM with about 150. Pretty lame by modern standards, or even the standards of the time. But, there is considerable room for improvement without spending alot of money or otherwise sacrificing much of anything.
------------------
"So many Mustangs, so little time..."
ICON Motorsports
[This message has been edited by RB83L69 (edited December 03, 2001).]
Supreme Member
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 7,164
Likes: 1
From: Someone owes me 10,000 posts
Car: 99 Formula
Engine: LS1
Transmission: T56
Axle/Gears: 342
I totally agree with all the above suggestions. Dual pipe would not only be a wasted of money, but will not have enough backpressure for a lightly modded 305. I would suggest getting the Hooker cat-back, the $200 one and have it welded on, that's what I did. There are soundclips of it on the exhaust board.
------------------
2 Tickets to game= $250
Gas= $20
Sitting 20ft. from MJ= Priceless
'86 IROC T-TOPS, TINTED WINDOWS, BRAKE LIGHT BLACKOUTS
GM GOODWRENCH 350
EDELBROCK HEADERS Hooker CatBack
EDELBROCK 600CFM CARB.
KN AIRFILTER
ACCEL HEI DISTRIBUTOR
160* Stat, just switched to 180* b/c of winter coming and going to college in the mts.
3:73 Posi Rebuilt 700R4
B&M Megashifter, 5" Autometer Tach w/shift lite
------------------
2 Tickets to game= $250
Gas= $20
Sitting 20ft. from MJ= Priceless
'86 IROC T-TOPS, TINTED WINDOWS, BRAKE LIGHT BLACKOUTS
GM GOODWRENCH 350
EDELBROCK HEADERS Hooker CatBack
EDELBROCK 600CFM CARB.
KN AIRFILTER
ACCEL HEI DISTRIBUTOR
160* Stat, just switched to 180* b/c of winter coming and going to college in the mts.
3:73 Posi Rebuilt 700R4
B&M Megashifter, 5" Autometer Tach w/shift lite
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post