supercharger or heads?

[sothpaw]

Guys,

These are kind of dumb questions, but I'll ask anyway...

In modding my car, I was originally thinking I should next go with
a free flowing exhaust as mine is now totally stock. In fact, the
car is stock except for 1.6 RR's, coolant bypass, K/N triple claw, and air foil. I'd like to break into the 12's on street tires and I'm
now at 13.38 or so at 85 F ambient and medium humidity.

The problem with exhaust I find--issues with resonance in 6th gear during highway driving-- not acceptable. The power effects
exhaust is adjustable, so I might avoid this if I go with it--but
it costs $1200!!!!!!!!!!

Now the question(s): 1) Is there any supercharger made that
clears the hood on the 1992-1996 LT1 cars? How hard is that
to install (I would pay a pro to do it)

2) For heads: You would have to pull the engine to get them out, right? What ballpark would shop labor be for this (500 or 5000?)

 

[Vettelt193]

superchargers.... Vortech, ATI for sure make systems... ATI is the best... either of them will fit under the hood of a vette with no problems www.procharger.com

Supercharger is way better bang for the buck than heads.... Labor will most likely cost more to get the heads done too (you don't have to pull the engine to install a supercharger) A supercharger from ATI comes as a package, and will install easily, and will tune easily to your car... with heads, you have to expect to spend some time at the dyno to tune your car in... check out the threads on UB2SLOW's car.... with the mods he did, he probably could have supercharged his car, and had an extra 150 HP easy... it is an easier install, you can go back to stock if you want to, and LT1/4's really respond well to mild boost (6psi regular or 8 psi intercooled)

 

[69MyWay]

You have plenty of bolt on super charger options. If you have the $$$, it is the best possible single mod you can make. I imagine if you pay to have it done you are talking about a $5,000-$6,500 job including the unit.

The heads can be done with the engine in the car. There is no need to pull it just for that. Labor to yank and reinstall the heads will be at least $500 if not $1,000 depending on what other mods you have them do.

Talk to TranceLT4. He recently had his heads pulled and headgaskets replaced. I think he was around $1,200, but can't remember for sure.

 

[Trance_LT4]

You are correct. My total bill was $1700, but I had the heads pulled, milled, and a valve job. I believe the simple R/R head labor was around 800-900, the labor for the machine shop was 400, and the LT4s gasket set is 300, plus extra costs (coolant, ect.).

So, for you to swap heads, I would guess you'd pay 1000 max parts and labor other than the heads......then however much you get the heads for.


PS: they don't have to pull the engine to get the heads off.

 

[Vettelt193]

How much power do you have with the heads? (and other mods?)

 

[sothpaw]

no need to pull engine--great!

My mechanic is cheaper than the dealer, so maybe 800-1000
to R&R the heads is a good number.

Does anybody know a good manufacturer of ported heads? I would want one with a super reputation. I know you can screw up heads Oh-so-easily.

I have one rec. from a book by Dave Emmanuel--I think it's in Florida and is CNC something er other. The book showed bench testing of an LT1 gaining 28 hp from the head change alone.

I'll look into those chargers to, see if they clear.

There were some used ported heads and a used charger for sale on another site. I think used is the only way I can handle superchanging--

'Cause $6000 is not going to get by the wife!!!!!!!!

I told her the other day I was thinking of doing the exhaust for
around $900, she could only grudgingly accept that.

I should have moded this car more heavily in the beginning.

I knew when I bought that 1kt diamond that a blower would have
been more fun!!

 

[Vettelt193]

I am about to buy the 1ct. diamond myself... the blower does sound like more fun! LOL Keep checking ebay for superchargers, people tend to buy them, then take them off before selling because it is sometimes very hard to sell a vette with a charger.. people think it has been ragged out, and will need a rebuild, or at least need a ton of maintenance.... I am trying to find some of the lower cost superchargers, like powerdyne, but haven't had much luck with the corvette as the application.... anyway, good luck with the upcoming mods.

 

[Trance_LT4]

Here is one place I find for heads, don't know about reputation, but the prices seem good.

http://www.westol.com/lpavtis/cnc.htm

Other places I know and would trust are AFR (Air Flow Research), Lingenfelter, Doug Rippie.

Tons of places out there for LT1s. Lt4s are alot harder to shop for.

Mine right now makes 320rwhp (368 flywheel). Mod list is pretty short, just ignition, exhaust, and air intake work (ie K&N, MSD, headers, ect.)

 

[Vettelt193]

I assume you had it on the dyno... did you tune it? Sounds like you could squeeze an extra 20 or so HP with your mods

 

[Mad-Mic]

hey sothpaw,

look up a guy named Bob Bailey. if you are serious i can put you in touch with him. he is a god when it comes to small block chevy heads and does them at a reasonable price. he is a family friend and this is all he does. you can ask around capitol raceway about him. he used to run a chevy duece II (66 nova) with a 327 winding it up at 12 grand and running mid 9's with it. all steel body. he knows his stuff and when i get mine done thats who i'm going too. i think it's a wise investment to get your heads ported polished and matched. while their off go with true roller lifters and a good roller cam since you already got the roller rockers. this alone will free up around 20 extra horses just in the lifters. you can also get the valves punched out to a 2.02 exhaust 1.95 intake. i'm not sure what size valves your heads are but you can go upto a 2.05 valve very easily and the costs are minimul when you are already getting the heads ported polished and matched. all this done will net over 150 hp if matched and done right. this way when you do decide to go with the supercharger you'll really notice the difference. all horspower is made from the heads with out a good set of heads you can add all you want but you'll be robbing yourself of the extra horsepower. with all the mods you got in order to get them max hp #'s that they state you need the heads done.

good luck!

 

[sothpaw]

Bob Bailey..

Is he local? It sounds that way. Does he actually do the work
or is a parts guy only?

Thanks everybody for the leads, I will be checking into them.

I'll be doing final mods on this car next year. After that, I bet
I won't be able to get way with much of anything.

 

[Mad-Mic]

he's local and owns a machine shop he does it all when it comes to head work. i also know of a shop that is very good and is reasonable in price. all they do is hi-po stuff for the track. Bob don't pull the heads thats why i'm bringing that up

 

[rrubel]

Mike, I'm also definitely interested in contacting this guy...

[RICHR]

 

[Mad-Mic]

no prob fella's let me dig his # up and i'll get back with ya!

 

[sothpaw]

heads: what do I need?

I started searching on the 'net last night, the manufacturers info raises some interesting questions:

1. Do I need finish machining once I buy the heads? They mention that this is not included but I don't know what it would
be for. Do you have to match the heads to some other part with
a honing operation?

2. Polished intake manifold: they recommended using the heads with one, but didn't sell it. I suppose a speed shop would pull the intake man. and hone it, what is the ball park cost?

3. Would I need new springs with my set-up? I have 1.6 RR's, stock springs and cam.

4. I would add a 52 mm TB if I do the heads, I know the increased air flow provided by the heads warrents a larger TB. What else would I be stupid NOT to change?

 

[Trance_LT4]

Change the Cam, use a K&N filter, you don't have a MAF sensor....so no worries there, and maybe smooth intake ducting IF YOU CAN FIND IT (I've seen it, but no place ACTUALLY sells it. Mid America says they do, but don't).


About the springs, ect......cylinder heads come in two configurations. Bare & Complete. Complete I like because they already have the valves, springs, retainers, ect. already attached, so there is no guesswork as to what valves/springs to buy. The only thing left is the pushrods and rockers.

#1. Finish machining? a Satin Finish maybe? No heads I've ever bought needed special machining to match MY block.

#2. Lingenfelter and a few other places sell worked over intakes. Never messed with porting stock ones myself, Don't know

#3 & 4. see above

 

[sothpaw]

Thanks Trance,

I actually have 3 small K&Ns as my "airbox" now--they are attached to a metal air housing which takes the air from the 3 filters the stock duct.

I did the coolant by pass and air foil also. Next really should be exhaust, but I'm worried about resonance (not making it too loud but drone at cruise rpm).

 

[Trance_LT4]

Drone.......my mustang did that alot once I had flowmasters and offroad h-pipe on. The vette doesn't do it at all. Its loud, and in 6th gear its real quiet. Even in lower gears, when you can hear the exhaust at cruise, it never slips into that resonating "drone" sound. I'm using flowmasters to.

My current setup is long tube headers, 2 2.5 inch cats, 2.5 inch x-pipe, then the 2.5 inch flowmasters.

I'm doing some videos this weekend, so I'll post the sounds next week.

 

[Mad-Mic]

what i ment by porting polishing AND matching had nothing to do to the block. Matching means making sure every combustion chambered is cc'd and matched to the largest ported one. you'd be suprised even in your stock castings how far off each combustion chamber is off. Serious horsepower comes from matching the motor and heads together. for the block it's matching and cc'ing the cylinders and getting them honed to almost perfection along all 8 of them. it can be done we do it all the time in dragracing our top alcohol dragster. same goes for the heads not only matching the combustion chamber but also the intake and exhaust after being ported. there is an artform in making massive horsepower but anybodies brother can take a dremel and port then polish and say you got a great set of heads. somethings are suppose to be ruff on the insides of the intake for better atomization of the fuel and air charge. smooth them out then your loosing horespower....ask bro Ken we don't run 5.40's for nutten :J

 

[WhalePirot]

Yups and nopes

I like both sets of Flowmasters I've had, for flow and decent quiet. No objection at cruise; at all! The first set is available, cheap; bolted right onto the stock pipes and helped noticeably. Minor exterior rust, in sunny SoCal. The second set fits my 3" TPIS exhaust and is equally satisfying. Much better than the free-for-the taking Monzas I have here.

I spoke with a (senior hot rodder; respected boost king, locally) , guy who hated the Procharger on his Z06. It worked when he could keep the belt on it, due to poor fit. He had to remachine the mounts to keep the belt on! The chip cost him $500 each time (repeated) to try to get the car to run right. He claimed their customer service was as lousy as their machining. Point is: talk to someone(s) who is running what you purport to buy, on your engine, before buying.

Lingenfelter's boys told me to save my cash and not port match his intake to my aluminum Dart Pro-1 heads. This is a 406 engine that dynos around 550hp; reds at 6500.