College budget LT1 engine rebuilt

**eleve2003** · 11-09-2005, 08:29 PM

Hey im new to this.. im a college student at UCR... my car die like two weeks ago and now its in a shop in san bernandino.. i thiink that the timing chain broke but since my car has 152,XXX miles on it and had been giving me some trooble.. im rebuilding the engine... i dont come from a rich fam... i work to pay my rent and all my expenses... i have some money to rebuilt the engine and want to do some upgrades... what would u guys recommend... im thinking of the lt4 cam kit and lt4 chain since i want to add a lil of nos in the future.. ( like after grad. cant affort another engine so soon),,, ahh and want some upgrades that are worth the $$$ .. the engine rebuilt its 1800 with 4 yr or 75,000 miles... so thats good.. ill need those miles since its my daily driver... please reply... i want the best package for my car... im not expecting 400HP right now its pretty much stock... so any suggestions its greatly appreciated... thank u guys..

**5.0THIS** · 11-10-2005, 01:09 AM

If you do a cam, ported heads will always help.... In order for even the cam to do you alot of good, you'll need to have the basic bolt ons, such as cold air intake, headers, and full exhaust. You'll also need PCM dyno tuning with the cam as well.

**eleve2003** · 11-10-2005, 10:20 AM

Yeah i wanted to do some head work ... the guy told me he would port and polish the heads for 275 dollars.. which i think its really good... but then i made some research and saw that the stock flow of the heads its pretty good... so their may not be a need to port the heads... adn i might do that later once im a grad... if i decide to do the hot cams kit... would i have to dyno tune... or would a a hypertehc programing do? i would love to have headers on but they will have to hold for at least another three months.. i wanted to have a solid base for when the other bolt-ons came in...

**eleve2003** · 11-10-2005, 10:33 AM

Forgot to mention that i do have a exaust system... i have three in tubing from the Y to the flowmaster ... also the mechanic told me that the cats had been gutted as dor emission i dont worry since where i live you only have to smog ur car once every time u sell the car.. and mine its a keeper.. any ideas?? i have about 1000 to drop besides the rebuild... so i want the best base for the build up... remmember.. i dont want need 400Hp and its my daily driver... thank you...

**5.0THIS** · 11-10-2005, 10:46 PM

First off, the stock heads dont flow all that well. So yes, there is a need to do that. Secondly, yes you need to tune the car. Hypertech is junk, dont ever buy one. And putting in a cam with stock manifolds and y-pipe is a waste of time. The stock manifolds and y pipe are the most restrictive parts of the factory exhaust setup, and flowmaster is perhaps the worst flowing catback out of all the aftermarket catbacks[.

**eleve2003** · 11-10-2005, 11:59 PM

i said that since i read in another thread that,, they flow pretty good... and that a decent por should run like 700 o so dollars... and that if i do the port they migh ruin them.. in case i wanted to send them to another guy to make further work... man.. its seem like ur tellimg me that even the smallest thing i do its wrong... the flowmaster system was already install when i got the car... as well as the cats gutted out.. i would had never though of that.. i know that flowmaster suck since they have those baffels.. but its definitely it sounds mean...... OK so i guess ur telling me that i should definite port them.. and add the cams... and tune it... would this set up.. be ok with out the headers for like three months or so..? and would i run OK if it dont tune it right away or is it a must with the lt4 cam ki... i like it since it has he RR and springs included.. for like 500... what would you recommend me to do with those 1000 dollars... [port it and buy basic bolt ons...? and then pay again to add the cam kit? and tune it?? if u were me wha would u do???

LS1ROC · 11-11-2005, 01:18 PM

You know if you cant have afford a shit load now.....then atleast build the bottom end for strength on this rebuild .........then later you may not have to jerk the engine to do the upgrades. You will end up with a damn good engine with a built up bottom end.

**5.0THIS** · 11-11-2005, 04:03 PM

You could run it with ported heads and a cam without headers or tuning, it just wont run worth a shit, and wont make nearly the power that it's capable of. To put it in perspective.. I have bolt ons, not even all of them, and I make 309rwhp, stock rockers and throttle body, and through a cat. With a hotcam kit and no tuning or headers you likely wouldnt make as much power as me, maybe even with ported heads as well. Those stock manifolds will kill the flow of your better heads and cam. I guess for now, dont port the heads and just put a hotcam kit in it, and save for some basic tuning.. even mail-order tuning from someone like PCMforless would be better than nothing.And then next thing would be headers

**eleve2003** · 11-11-2005, 11:31 PM

hey thax i think im going to do some of the basic bolt ons.. am adding CAI from SLP.. the elbow from trick flow.. the tb.. 52... dont think i need 58.. and the hot cams... ill see if i do the port after reading that they migh damage the heads on another thread im now thinking about it.... im going to do the headers and tuning in two or three months...i think this would be a good set up..

BTW.. what would be the worst thing that the port might do to the heads/ engine in a worst case scenario?? overheading?? or no benefit at all? they say they can do it.. but.. i dont know.. i rather pay the extra.. in the future.. and not have to pay for another set of heads..,

As for the bottom end... ill add the forged pistons.. which i think are stock set-up... dont really see a need for forged rods and crank since im not going for 500Hp .. 350 would be my Goal to hit NA.. 450 with nos.. but that be later..

Im happy with what this LT1 does , better said did

to brand New G35's.. RX 8 and i like how its still keeps up and ahead of hook-up WRX's from the roll.. this car is fun and sometimes scary to see what it does... as for the stangs.. thos 5.0 cant hang.. even a 92 cobra has been spank by this.. stock camaro..

but it will come alive..

Tomorow ill see my baby in pieces.. and see that will be my budget for upgrades.. might need some extra parts just to get it running guys know how it is... thank you all for the help.. btw.. do u guys know any good tunning shop near riverside?? and what would be the price i should expect for a dyno tune???

**5.0THIS** · 11-11-2005, 11:40 PM

Save your money on the throttle body and trick flow elbow. It will be MUCH better spent somewhere else. Save it for headers and tuning... trust me... A well tuned stock LT1 with bolt ons (including headers/exhaust) and a LT4 Hotcam kit will put between 320-340rwhp on average to the ground, depending on A4 or M6... Either way that is over 350hp at the flywheel.

**eleve2003** · 11-12-2005, 01:04 AM

hey ok.. thanx for your suggestion... ill do the tuning.. for sure.. dont think im not.. the exhaust too.. i have my eyes on some jet hot.. already.. they look nice.. they will also clean out the engine bay.. but even then... do u guys know if shorties are on any good.. and or.. if they are any headers that will keep all emission attachments.. and still give pretty good performance when compare to long tube... i wouldnt want to get pull over and check my hood... and have to take them out beacuse a cop just wanted to get me... i would want to give them reason for a ticket..

BTW i have an A4 rebuilt like a year ago..

**5.0THIS** · 11-12-2005, 01:38 PM

I have AS&Ms. They will perform just as well as longtubes, and have all emission fittings.

**eleve2003** · 11-13-2005, 01:14 AM

hey.. u know i never heard of those headers... but now that i did a search i read some good things about them... where could i get them??? i would like to see how they are...

**5.0THIS** · 11-13-2005, 01:02 PM

Not sure what retailers sell them. They arent cheap but they are nice.

**Zboner** · 11-13-2005, 01:05 PM

Question???

there is a 96 LT1 camaro that has a hugh cam and has a compression of like 13.1 at the shop thats doing my car, how can you up your compression? sorry to steel the thread but just wanted to know

**5.0THIS** · 11-13-2005, 01:06 PM

domed pistons

**Zboner** · 11-13-2005, 03:11 PM

does it make that big a difference?? cause it was loud as hell man

**eleve2003** · 11-13-2005, 10:49 PM

Umm so where can i at least look at them.. or how did u got them?? i seen some threats... talking about them.. but dont really know how they are... i know that in three months.. ill be able to do the headers.. and tuning.. so it as long as they are not 900 its good..

**5.0THIS** · 11-14-2005, 01:17 AM

well, I typed AS&M into google and it gave me their site.... http://www.azspeed-marine.com/ they list the headers at 750$.. most long tubes are cheaper but not emissions legal. If you can find a set used (which is how I got mine) then get them. Otherwise get some long tubes I guess.

**eleve2003** · 11-14-2005, 06:40 PM

Thanx man... u the boom really help me alot.. ill look them up on ebay... since yeah they are up there.. but its a good deal since they are coated... do u know if they have any clearance problems..?? well at least now ill have an idea... but hey would u recommend shorties...or not really?? how about the mids..???