power increases or waste of money?

[boonie]

here are my plan future purchases for power increases to my 1994 C4 6SP, I would appericate your inputs.
1. 52mm throttle body
2. throttle body flow booster
3. vortex ram booster or the K\N Hi flow air cleaner + metal lid?
4. Hyper tech programable power chip
5. Mid America,s throttle performance switch
6. camber brace (suspension mod)

i would greatly appericate any opinions.
thanks boonie

 

[vader86]

52mm-you dont need it for a 350, only 383+ ci motors
Flow booster-waste of money, as is the power tower spacer plate
Vortex or SLP intake is worth a little, but not worth the money either in my opinion. Not compared to a K&N with a cut lid.

hypertech-junk
Throttle performance switch is a stupid mod, why would you want to lie to the computer, if you want the butterflys 100% open, PUT YOUR FOOT ON THE GAS.

Camber brace is actually worth it.

So, now you know never to believe whats stated in MidAmerica or Ecklers magazines. The only mods in there that actually help are exhaust systems.

 

[c4cruiser]

A bigger throttle body would be useful only if you have added a larger cam, headers and some more displacement. You can bypass the coolant line that runs through the bottom of the stock TB. 3 or 4 bucks worth of tubing and you will drop the temps in the TB resulting in a slightly colder air charge.

#2 and 5 are simply a waste of money. Use the cash for something else.

Go with the K&N filter but cut your own lid. A bit of time with a jigsaw or dremel will do the same as the lid you buy.

The HyperTech programmer will allow you to basically change the temps that the fans turn on and unless you are installing a 160 thermostat, that won't really help. You can also recalibrate the speedo if you get larger diameter tires. It will allow reprogramming of shift points in the A4 tranny but I see you have the MN6.

The camber brace is a very good deal. It helps stiffen the chassis and may even take some of the cowl shake out. If you're going to autocross, it will however take you out of stock classes.

If you don't have an cat-back exhaust system, I would recommend doing that mod. Corsa or B&B TriFlo are expensive but will give you about 10HP and 15-20 ft.-lbs and makes the car sound like a Vette should!

New NGK TR-55ix iridium plugs and MSD 8.5mm Super Conductor wires are a big improvement over stock but they are a real PITA to do.

 

[vettered91]

The hypertech proggramer can help you with the temps even if your car has the stock 180° Tstat (fans on/off at 213°/205 w/hypertech) but to get the most of it you should get the 160° like c4cruiser says.

 

[kingman]

HI
The biggest bang for your buck is to change your rear and have your speedo re calibrated.

Don't get to crazy, but anything around 3.55 to the mid 3.70's should give you what you want and feel it.

The rest of the power increase's is mental masturbation period.
That is my opinion, and l'm not a mechanic, but l've listened and the answer alway's goes back to the rear ends.

Alan

p.s. When l had my 68, all l did was change my rear and l was pleased as punch. If l was going to hang onto my 96, l would change the rear in a heart beat.

 

[vettered91]

Hi there,

I agree with Alan about the rear end, I am changing myself from 2.59 to 3.54 in this days.

About the mental thing, If you can lower your temps from stock 240°-225° to something like185°-175° then you have something you can feel- prove in the track. The same goes if you let your engine breathe better (intake & exhaust. Vader and the rest of the guys already said how).

Good Luck Boonie!

 

[invinceablevett]

I have done a few mods to my 92 converible(forced-air induction with K&N and new cannisters,termostat,pulley changes,fuel pressure regulator).They were all nice changes but the best mod has to be the 3:7something gears my mechanic put in my differential(along with the speedo re-calibration).The only drawback with the gears is that I lost top speed....actually in my case it's a good thing..........I tend to enjoy the 5000 rpm feel.With this gear you can speed up quickly and ease off the pedal when the rpms get too high.With the stock gears I was way beyond the speed limit before I could hear the faintest purr from my LT1....

 

[vettered91]

invinceablevett,

I believe you. I am scared of my self, with the 2.59 in my LT1 abut a month ago in a 70 m p/h higway with the a/c on, I nailed it to 165 m p/h.(I dont need that kind of top speed) and even in the city in the stop lights every rustang, rice, bmw, volvo & mercedes wants to see my rear end. Imagine what happens in my long trips! I really love the feel and sound of the hi revs in my vette!

This are the main reasons I am going for the 3.54 Who cares about 165 & maybe a little more (with small mods I did after that)

I think the sooner they see your tail the better they will respect a red vette! ;worship

 

[invinceablevett]

vettered 91.....I hear you and agree ............top speed is great on a track.we had initially ordered 3:54 gears but they were back order so I took the 3:7something instead.We had a show at a track that I didn't want to miss so I installed the 3:7something.I ran a 13.52 1/4 mile......stunned everyone.But guess what I need more ponies..........I came close to giving in on a 2001 mettalic blue convertible with tan top and interior.I bagained him down but for some reason the numbers 2005 and 425hp kept haunting me.I hope I can hang on till then....and maybe put a gear on that vette?.........what can I say?I'm sick....lol.

 

[vettered91]

invinceablevett,

Maybe is time for you to start thinking in a new cam, ported heads, stuff like that while you wait for that 2005 beauty.

For me; that follows after the rear end. While I wait for an LT4 that I want after I put some miles in my LT1 (its almost new).

There are many vettes down here in Guadalajara, but almost nobody uses them (I think people here dont want to get attention). They are always in mint conditions with almost no miles on them. Last year my brother bought a 92 LT1 with 11000 miles on it from the original owner.

 

[kingman]

Vette Price's???????

Vettered91

Now that's what l call a low mileage vette. Where can you find a stretch of road where you can obtain 165mph??

That is where the pebbles from the road don't rip your front end apart??

Maybe l should look south of the border for my next vette? How's the exchange rate and how much does it cost to have it taken across the border (USA). And does it have to be certified?

Alan

 

[Gorgon]

Guys, keep in mind the MN6 LT1 already comes with 3.45 rear gears. This will not be the same jump as you guys going from a 2.59 rear end in your automatic. The MN6 is already pretty responsive.

Leon

 

[vettered91]

You are right Leon, that´s the reason I am going for the 3.54 with my auto. It is not that I like autos I already had the 91 L98 auto, I just took the nice oportunity when it came with the LT1.

Alan, there´s a pay highway that goes from Guadalajara to the coast (Mansanillo Port). About 40 miles from here it crosses a dry lake in almost a straight line for +-20 miles it has 3 lines each way. I take that way often and some times when there is no cars as far as I can see (miles away).... Usually i used to go for the 140 with the L98 for no more than a minute but this time I was already in the 140 with the almost new (for me) LT1, new magnaflows, no cats, New K&N, open lid, new wires, just cleaned injectors, new spark plugs, new front tires, no cars in sight, I had curiosity I have never did it before and when it was in the 165, in a fast look I saw oil & coolant temps both at the top so I let the engine slow down by it self (and my hart) no brakes and when it was about 90 mp/h I realized the a/c was on. I am not proud of it, you can believe it or not but that night I had nightmares it just happened.
By the way, I have never had a ticket with my vettes (lucky me) and I hope there are no Mexican Cops in this forum.
The Mexican Dealers started selling vettes since the 1991 but the garaged ones are in Guadalajara and Mexico City (all the Mexican vettes have the analog instruments in metric but in the digital they have the metric-inglish selector), about the imports (back) to USA The US Customs are the ones to ask.
$ 10.12 Pesos for $ 1.00 USDllr (today exchange rate)

I apologize for any inconvenience because this looong and maybe out of place post.

See you,

George

 

[invinceablevett]

vettered91.........About that cam and those mods you suggested I will have to pass.I bought a brand new trans-am GTA back in 87 and changed cam,put headers,new intake,mas sensor,runners,modified chip to match the modifications and all, and a whole other bunch of goodies.I had fun with that car but I won't do it again.I ran into many problems making everything work properly........AND........when I finally did,the car was stolen right under my nose.That adventure costed me a bunch of cash,and a couple of sleepless nights!!!All those headaches just to blow away the stangs,but let me tell you,making those stang owners eat my dust was worth every penny.......lol.

 

[sothpaw]

boonie,
I have looked into this and I have to agree with Vader86.(yes,
I joined the dark side). The 52mm TB will help me because
I am putting in ported heads and a new cam.

I recommend to you my current set up (before it went in the shop
just this month):
160 T stat, hypertech chip(turns fans on early), coolant bypass,
SLP claw (although K/N with cut lid may be just as good).
With that, I ran 13.29 in the 1/4. My previous best was 13.9.

 

[all4c4lt4]

1. No, not on a 350 even if you have a cam or headers.
2. No - waste of money
3. For the money, the open lid/K&N is much better than the Vortex. Gains between the two are about the same. Some think the Vortex looks cool. So if you have the money to burn...
4. No - waste of money
5. No
6. Yes. For the money is the best handling mod and is the only one on your list that you will feel, and actually works.