Any new corvette parts i can throw on my c4 to get better horsepower and performance

Looks like you already have the exhaust bit covered if that's your Vette in the avatar.

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New to the market or new to your car?
what mods do you have at present?

not knowing what you have allready, i will give you the plan of attack i use when i first get a car. 1) the exhaust tract if your car is basicly stk full length headers and bullet cats,then a good exhaust .beware of going too big on the exhaust. 21/2 in i a good size unless you are making over 450rwhp. 2) the intake tract as i am a zr1 owner i will differ to the guys here that have lt1s. 3) cam and cylinder heads. if you follow this you can do it as money allows and get the best benifits from the money you spend .there is a lot of knowledge on this forum and the guys here will give you a great idea on what to buy each step of the way so you dont end up spending money twice on redoing something that didnt work for you . the key is to be really honest about what you want to end up with .

Yea thats my vette in the avatar im not a fan of the exhaust coming out under the doors what kind of heads and valves will fit ls3's?

ive had the car for 3 months

You have to step back and answer the two most important questions:

1) What end result do you want to achieve (and how will the car be used)?

2) How much are you willing to spend?

Matthew

PS - that side effects exhaust you have is a discontinued and some would argue desirable aftermarket mod. I've seen the full package (metal exhaust and fiberglass) go for over $500 used. That would go a good way towards your mod budget.

PPS - you have an LT1, not an LS3, unless you are asking an unrelated question.

i want something to take up to the drag strip and not get embarassed

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Unfortunately that's not a real answer to my question. There is a huge difference between a 13 second...12 second...11 second...10 second car, etc.

Your best bet is to drive this car for 6 months and fix any regular maintenance issues that come up. Learn how to drive it, how it feels, and what you think it lacks. Then make a detailed list of what you really want based on how you drive it, what your intentions are (street car, drag, autocross, etc), what your expectations are, what your budget is, how much mechanical work you can do yourself, and other limiting factors in your life. Then you can seriously consider modding your car. Otherwise you will waste a LOT of money with no real satisfaction and end up starting all over once you figure out what you really want.

Matthew

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How does a LS3 enter the conversation about your car?
Speaking of which , you haven't stated what engine you have at present?

You have to consider if you want to get all you can out of your stock engine which can happen with a few mods like exhaust and other mods as mentioned above. Or go the whole built to the nuts bucks up option. Or sell you car and go get an LS3 car and put your time and money in it.

It's an LT1...

Now, this begs the next question... actually, a lot of questions:

1. How many miles on the car?

2. Automatic or manual?

3. Other than the exhaust, what have you done?

4. Why reference the LS3? I know it can make a pot load of power, yes, but dropping on into a later C4 is just annoyingly problematic, especially if you want to keep the ABS and ASR system happy!

5. Goal?

6. Budget?

Judging from your comments, I get the feeling you are just getting going in the performance car arena. I mean, valves are the least of ones concern when going down this road. You just get the best brand/quality that will do the job. Head selection will answer the valve question, really, due to size issues.

Take a moment and pour out some thoughts... one liners really don't help us much.

Its and lt1 with 82k on it I have nothing into it as of now.
I have 3k to play with
Its a 6 speed with a fresh clutch

$3k. Now we have something!

The engine is fine for a while, so I would do a heads/cam package.

AFR makes some of the nicest heads out there, toss in a cam and some roller rockers, valve springs and head bolts. With headers and bullit cats. I don't know if your budget will absorb a cat back, but, you do have the cash back from selling the side pipes. I agree with Matthew, they are worth $$$.

I would think a head/cam/tune/headers would be worth over 100hp.

I think $3k will just barely do a H&C with the AFR heads going for around $1800 - $2000 that leaves only $1K for:

These are only out of my ass guestimates and not real prices, but close enough for Government work!

Cam -- $175-$300
lifters -- $200
Pushrods -- $200
Rocker -- $300
Guide -- $50
Headers & Cats -- $500-$1,000
New WP $250 - optional
New Opti $500 - optional
Injectors -- optional
Port match the intake - because it won't match AFRs out of the box.
Gasket Kit
Misc. Crap like sealants etc....
any tools that are needed and not currently owned.

I know I'm missing stuff... ask me how I know this?

Its a start.... I'm not saying it can't be done but its tough to stay in that margin. Typically things need to be replaced and if your doing a H&C swap its recomended to change things like opti-spark and H2o pump. Also, your engine does not really have high miles yet, but if you build the top end up without considering the mileage and condition of the bottom end it could be problematic later down the road. Ask me how I know that too?

Welcome to the Guru and good luck. I'm looking forward to seeing more of your car. BTW, there are a lot of guys that would love to own those side pipes.

Thinking some more. Exotic Muscle Headers, Random Tech Cats, back into a Corsa Exhaust system would be an awesome addition to your car and it would burn up that $3000. But you could sell those side pipes so easy its not funny and they would bring you about enough to pay for the headers.

I think I paid just over a grand for EM headers, extensions, X-pipe, and a pair of RT Cats.

Cat back exhaust systems vary depending on mfg., but most people agree that the Corsa is the best system for a drone free cockpit. I have Magnaflows which sound pretty aggresive, but they have a bit of a drone around 1800 RPM.

I doubt you can use headers with your existing side pipes because of the way they are routed to fit the factory manifolds and cats. I'm not 100% sure about that though. I have only inspected a couple of those systems and that has been a long time ago.

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http://elliottsportworks.com/home/?page_id=51
http://elliottsportworks.com/home/?page_id=53

Llyods comments from way back
http://www.camaroz28.com/forums/showp ... hp?p=2108105&postcount=15

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Yup... I went the LE2 route last time and had Lloyd port match the intake too. It still cost $2,000 after shipping etc.

I'm not saying anything bad about Lloyds work, but with less than 5k miles on the heads they now need some work. One cracked valve, some misaligned and worn guides. Plus my engine builder felt that the intake runners were too smooth for his liking and that the port matching needed a bit more work. However, these were not LE3 heads, so maybe that is the difference in port matching... not sure. I think if I had it to do all over again, I'd do some other brand head. Not even sure I'd do AFR. Who knows... Dart... Brodix... AFR... who knows?

Maybe just leave the damn thing stock and enjoy it for what it is.

Nitrous.

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There really is great wisdom in this statement but there is only one way to figure that out.

And you need to budget that $300 to keep in your pocket for the tow truck driver to get you from the strip to your house.

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Or tow it to the street and call your motor club providing it's towable.

As long as

1. The LT1 is in good running conditon.

and

2. You can drive.

You should be able to go to the drag strip and not have to hang your head.

When my 92 was dead stock I could run 13.50@107 in 90* weather on Summitomo radials. My best with the car dead stock was 13.30@109 on a negative DA day.

BTW a Corsa cat back was worth absolutley nothing over the stock LT1 exhaust... The car dyno'd within 2HP. I don't know anything about your side exhaust but the Corsa may be a bit better.

Drag radials and a 150 shot made it a low 11 second car until the stock clutch gave up... In your case, I don't think I'd recommend you put NO2 on a 88K mile motor.

As for mods - $3000 will do heads and cam but you're stuck with the 88K mile stock short block.... Which is not going to last very long. I've got 2 friends who kicked rods out of their LTX's (one 93 LT1 and one 96 LT4) after doing a heads and cam swap and a number of other people on the web have had the same thing happen.

My suggestion is you spend that $$$ to get it in top running condition and buy a set of drag radials to go to the track. If low 13's don't do it for you save up and build the motor right.

FYI it's gonna cost alot more than 3K to build a good engine.
Will

Will - I didn't realize the failure rate of LT1s after a head/cam job was so high... but come to think of it, the same thing happened to Mr Mojo after SLP slapped on their kit.

Perhaps the exhaust is a good idea - and I never EVER recommend a cat back as a performance enhancer. I recommend it for the quieter cruising speeds.

Perhaps save the 3k and add another 4k to it for a full on engine build.

Just a thought... do you have a good engine builder in your area? You may want to meet with shop, or a couple other shops, to get an idea.

Also, there are some very good books on building high performance LT1s. Check our Link above regarding C4 Corvette publications.

Mine had quite a bit more mileage on it, but that's what I did too. Built a tight LE2 top end on an old loose bottom end resulted in failed bearings.

AAA is well worth the investment.

Been towed back from the track more than once.

of course now I have a car hauler

well the 3k is the least i can spend because the wife wont let me by a new c6 so id like to get close hp wise

$3k is the least or the most? Makes a really big difference in the plan.

Considering that the bottom end needs rebuilt, doing any power adders would be a bad idea.

I am going to defer to the experienced ones here and say do a full on engine.

If you want to do it right, take your time and do it RIGHT.

A few ideas (Please read carefully, there are questions in there!):

1. Get the LT1 short block from a Firebird/Camaro. They are 2 bolt mains and you can then get the block machined for a splayed 4 bolt arrangment. The other advantage with doing it this way, your car isn't off the road until the long block is DONE. To be honest, traditional 4 bolt mains are pretty stout, as are 2 bolt mains, really, but that is the ultimate for do it once/do it right thinking.

2. Do a 383. It will give you a ton of power. With the right heads and exhaust, you will easily get 450hp.

3. The head/exhaust suggestions from above are good. LE or AFR heads, headers, etc.

4. To do a 383, you will need a rotating mass. I personally recommend a forged, made in the USA setup. I don't like the structural integrety of the Chinese made cast setups. Yes, they cost a bundle, but again, do once/do right thinking applies.

5. I would let a local pro assemble it. If he has been around the block a few times, he will be able to do the job and do it right, quickly.

6. A dynotune. There are a number of mail order houses who can get you REAL close on the tune. Nothing above is all that outside the norm, so the computer will adjust for minor differences in build.

7. I would also replace the clutch, unless the new one is a high performance unit. If it is stock, how many miles are on it? Did they replace the fly wheel? If low and yes, the old clutch is worth money. I would suggest a RAM or Mcloed performance clutch. Much more grab for the $ than a stock clutch.

I am concerned about other power adders on the existing engine... N2O is a good quick option, but the cheap factory pistons will puke on the stuff. You can rebuild to a stock 350 and then do a blower, but that will cost more.

You are in Wilmington, NC. I am SURE there is a good, honest engine guy in your area. When the spring comes, go to some car clubs and car shows. Ask around who built what.

Consider this... whatever you paid for the C4, plus the engine, will still be a QUARTER the cost of a new C6, and half that of a good early used one. And will run with either.

If you want to run with a Z06, or a ZR1, add a blower to the 383. That should get you into the 550-600hp area.

Gang, thoughts?

There is a ton of good info in this thread!

Quote:get the aaa premier towing and you can get towed 200 miles once a year for free ask me how i know.

haha i will im prob gonna need it

Or send me $4000 and I'll send you a $12000 motor...a 383 LT1 freshly rebuilt that makes 400 hp to the tire That's more than a C6.

Between this and my big dollar '92 ECU I can buy a new race car...

Just spray it. I probably ran 200 bottles through my stock motor and never broke anything. I wouldn't hesitate to spray an 80K LT1.

Do you know what clutch the car has in it? A stock replacement VS an aftermarket unit makes a good bit of difference when it comes to what kind of abuse the rear end will take.

There is a local listing on craigslist here for a 96 corvette engine with heads 70k miles supposedly for 500.00 Listed feb 1

http://wilmington.craigslist.org/pts/2192268184.html

That's not a bad starting point. Since it already has 4 bolt mains, the entire splaying cost is gone.

Just line bore and be done!