What mods to do?

[Vettefan87]

Ok guys, now that I have my tax money, and some money saved up what mods should I do? I will have around 1000 dollars, and since both my cars are running great I might as well spend it. I was originally going to go with headers, but I see tpis offers a Miniram, they want 895, and they have four different brands. One is for stock and aftermarket heads so I am guessing that is the one I would get. If I get the Miniram I have to purchase a minram fuel rail kit....which is either 295 for the basic, or 355 for the complete kit. This is so far not looking like the best of decisions. The claim on the miniram on a stock motor is 75-95 HP, I know that this is probably a little exaggerated. But my question is what should I do? Should I just get the headers and have some money left over? Or should I save a little while and get the miniram, or try to find one used? I know that eventually down the road, I will build the motor it is just a matter of funds. Any suggestions are appreciated.

 

[Edmond]

With the stock L98 cam, there is no way that you could come close to 75-95 horsepower. The stock cam is anemic to say the least.

Have you thought about an LT1 conversion? www.lt1intake.com It could save you a few hundred bucks that could go into something else like 1.6 roller rockers.

For me, I would buy used stuff that doesn't move and isn't electrical.

Have you considered sticking with the TPI intake and going with one of the performance TPI intakes?

Check out www.thirdgen.org for their classifieds. They have a good TPI following there.

 

[Vettefan87]

Yeah I figured that the 75-95 that they claim is not right. Is the Miniram Setup a good one? Is it something that with different mods like heads, and came will really make a difference?

 

[Edmond]

Yeah I figured that the 75-95 that they claim is not right. Is the Miniram Setup a good one? Is it something that with different mods like heads, and came will really make a difference?

Yeah, it's a good setup. Good enough for GM to have copied it off TPIS back in the day (or that's what I've read and been told by many). But the stock L98 heads and cam just won't cut it for a MR.

The stock exhaust system will also kill it.

I always thought that the MR was more of a 6 speed car because it works best with all those gears. The MR is all about power on the higher end instead of the 4800 stock TPI fall off.

 

[Vettefan87]

Will a MR Eventually down the line make more power over the TPI system with me doing heads, cam and headers? Would the car run better with putting a MR on a stock engine or would it run worse?

 

[WhalePirot]

Coated headers. Maybe a better 'after' system to let them breathe. Much more bang/buck and you'll use them on whatever you do later.

There is nothing wrong with having some available, spare, emergency cash, either.

 

[Vettefan87]

That is very true. The only thing I was thinking is its easier for me to save 750. Then it is for me to save over 1000. It seems there is a virus that lives in my bank account. :L

 

[WhalePirot]

We all have/had that 'virus'. The cure is starvation of it, which takes practice, but is worth it.

 

[Vettefan87]

Have you thought about an LT1 conversion? www.lt1intake.com It could save you a few hundred bucks that could go into something else like 1.6 roller rockers.

I will have to go through that when im not really tired... :L Thanks for bringing that up I hadn't thought about it.

 

[redc4corvette]

I don't like changing the exaust on a car.
Your car has the L98 the most restrictive exaust ever installed on a corvette set up for a 305 motor not a 350.
And not 2 but 3 cat converters how much more can you do to a car before you need EXLAX to clean out the rear.
I would increase the pipes to atleast 3 inch diameter but not waste money on mufflers .
See how much money you have leftover and go from their.
All the mods in the world will not work on your engine until you get rid of the exaust.
Or you can do what I did on my L98,100 shot of juice and 12.70 fuel presure regulator set at 45 psi and no other mods.
Stock wheels and MT street tires rear.
The next thing should be valve springs and 1.6 rr.
Don't touch the intake or throttle body or MAF no gains until you change the cam.
You can install a K&N filter but until the exaust is larger you will see no gains.
Also the L98 does not like to breath so opening up the lid will lose you power.
I would go to the track make 3 runs ,then remove the sir filter and 3 more runs .
The car will go slower with the air filter off.
Why ? the air that goes in can only be as much as can escape out the exaust.

 

[SSTibet]

Yeah, it's a good setup. Good enough for GM to have copied it off TPIS back in the day (or that's what I've read and been told by many). But the stock L98 heads and cam just won't cut it for a MR.

The stock exhaust system will also kill it.

I always thought that the MR was more of a 6 speed car because it works best with all those gears. The MR is all about power on the higher end instead of the 4800 stock TPI fall off.

Edmond please excuse my ignorance. But what do the abbreviations TPI & TPIS stand for??? Are these trade marks?

Cheers,

Selim

 

[Edmond]

Edmond please excuse my ignorance. But what do the abbreviations TPI & TPIS stand for??? Are these trade marks?

Cheers,

Selim

Selim,

TPI stands for tuned port injection, which is the system that came on 85-91 Corvette's. It's the LT1's predecessor.

TPIS stands for Tuned Port Injection Specialties. They are a pretty popular company located in Chaska, Minnesota that made their name in working on TPI mods. They also sell LT and LS mods as well: www.tpis.com Check it out, it's a pretty cool site.

 

[Edmond]

Will a MR Eventually down the line make more power over the TPI system with me doing heads, cam and headers? Would the car run better with putting a MR on a stock engine or would it run worse?

It's weird that you say that because I was reading some article where someone talked about the TPI vs. other intakes. The gist of what they said was:

350 NA vs. 350 NA, the TPI won't make as much peak power as the other intakes. But when two Corvettes line up at the red light, anything can happen.

 

[SSTibet]

Selim,

TPI stands for tuned port injection, which is the system that came on 85-91 Corvette's. It's the LT1's predecessor.

Ed, is the 95 LT1 "MFI"; i.e. Multi-Port Fuel Injection?

Too many questions from the other end of the world

Selim

 

[Edmond]

Ed, is the 95 LT1 "MFI"; i.e. Multi-Port Fuel Injection?

Too many questions from the other end of the world

Selim

I believe it's SFI, sequential fuel injection but I'm not totally sure.

 

[kingman]

TPIS site!

Edmond

I just looked at the site you suggested TPIS and they claim to be the orig Throttle body airfoil makers and they also claim added performance.

Didn't this Air foil device come up as a waste of money and didn't show any improvement?

Alan

 

[87blackroxi]

Lt1 intake

With the Lt1 intake, does this work on a stock engine or would you have to do the cams and heads? Also does this intake system have that good of performance enhancement? Any idea how much?

 

[fast.asleep]

With the Lt1 intake, does this work on a stock engine or would you have to do the cams and heads? Also does this intake system have that good of performance enhancement? Any idea how much?

It will work on a stock engine. It'll just work much better with cam, heads, 3.73 rear... :happy place:

It's crummy but real hp cost lots of money.

 

[Edmond]

Edmond

I just looked at the site you suggested TPIS and they claim to be the orig Throttle body airfoil makers and they also claim added performance.

Didn't this Air foil device come up as a waste of money and didn't show any improvement?

Alan

It's a coin toss about the air foil. I would guess if you had a fully built motor, it could get you a few horsepower. But on anything stock or even close to stock, I don't see it making much of a difference.

I'm saying that because the aftermarket performance TB's have the air foils built in them. Must be that way for a reason.

 

[Vettefan87]

Yeah I think for right now I will just go ahead and order the headers, and maybe put roller rockers on it, and see what kind of gains I get.