(I'm posting this here since I'm not actually working on the car at this time and it's all just stuff I'm thinking about doing, but haven't made the actual start on the project.)


Here in the next month or so I expect my KWIKLIFT to be delivered. Once it's here I'm gonna start a little work on the Vette. I'm prolly gonna put in some new heavier U-jionts as the old ones are OEM. Also, I blasted an inner Ujoint on my '68, and believe me, it "tweren't" pretty. So it's mostly for the peace of mind that I'm looking to swap to more stout Ujoints.

Also, and more importantly, when I put it into storage last fall, it was overheating on the way there, and I smelled antfreeze when I parked it. So I guess I'm gonna pick up a fan relay and bring it home for the manifold gasket job.

I can't find the post I made last year, but I was having trouble with stalling after letting up on the throttle, sometimes in traffic, causing me to lose vacuum to the power brakes. So I'm thinking if it has a watery vacuum leak, this MAY have something to do with it. Hopefullly a new set of gaskets will go a good ways toward fixing this.

But now, I'm also looking at having a little more fun. Since i'm gonna have the SR off for gaskets anyway, maybe I might go crazy and do a little self porting on the heads, and get a good valve job while I'm at it. And while it's apart, I'm looking at MAYBE doing a cam swap.
The biggest thing I want to do is use something that'll run with the stock chip.

That's right, I said the stock chip. I just seems to me that the stock chip can handle more than the stock setup. I might need to go back to long tube runners and sell the SR, but I think it'll do it. Besides, from what i've read and been able to pickup, I'm just too far into the classification of "Compu-Dope" to have anything but years of frustration when it comes to messing with the chip. I've been reading up on some publications that have run the stock chip with some cams that go beyond the GM "Hotcam", and they seem to run well.
Of course, I'd rather stay with the SR since thats the intake I have on there now, but I might be convinced to go back to either the ASM runners, or the Edelbrock or SLP setups.

Besides calling me crazy, what do you guys think? Should I try the ZZ4 cam, the Hotcam, or maybe another selection from Comp?

I don't think that the hotcam would be a bad choice for what you are saying. You will have to change your springs in the heads.

Of course, a chip will help you optimize any mods you do, but that's your choice. I think you are right that the chip is forgiving, and the MAF is said to accept small changes more easily.

Also, if you are considering swapping the SR for SLPs let me know.

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Thanks for bringing up the springs. I'm figuring injectors as well. I would probably just get the whole hotcam kit, unless it'd be better to source things otherwise. A couple years ago I had some pm's and then a phone conversation with mrc24x over on the other forum. He'd set up a racer using his stock chip. (He's since gone to an aftermarket chip to get as much as he can out of the setup.) He drove the car in traffic and said it did well on all fronts. It should be noted though that he was using Accel cast runners and TPIS ported 113 heads.

While writing this it came to me that I'm not so set on a setup that's the baddest thing around as much as I want something that's a somewhat proven setup. So if you guys know of a cam, intake, ported 113 head setup that works really well with a specific chip, I'd certainly be willing to give that a good hard look as well.

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How well do the SLP's stack up in the comparison of runners out there? How well can they be ported and opened up for extra air?

I think you would like Joe's (flyboy) setup on his 91. I'm going from memory here, but he installed a hot cam, self ported 113s with bigger manley vavles, ported SLPs, a 2400ish stall, headers, and a few other supporting mods. He also had a dyno tune and runs high 12s...very impressive.

With the hotcam, you need to cut down the dowel pin a bit. I would probably get aftermarket springs instead of the LT4s that max out at .525 (the hotcam's lift). Probably install roller rockers. You might consider new lifters and even cam bearings depending on the age of everything. As with any mod, you have to evaluate the age and strength/wear of the motor you are starting with. I apologize I can't remember your other mods other than the superram. The superram is an excellent and proven intake, though.

As far as the SLPs, they have a lot of meat for porting. I ported the inlet and outlet of mine slightly to clean up the castings. Other members like Greggpenn went into porting overload and mega hogged them out. I think they are a good product with a little help.

My car's only just turned 28,000 miles, so I think my cam bearings are ok. Here's the rest of my mods according to my CF sig...

Red/Red '88 'Vette, Glass top only, 4+3, Bose, Z51 w/ ZR-1 Rims. SR base/plenum, TPIS afpr, Air box, wires and pulleys, no screens, Flowmaster cat-back. Tri-Y Headers thru hi-flow cat, always MOBIL1.

BTW matt, can you email pics of your SLP's?

overheating? Any bets the rad is cracked? Check for leaks when you go out next.

I love my Dewitt aluminum units. Kicks ASS!

You may have a secondary vacuum leak on the intake. Or the hose to booster is faulty, or, my fave, the check valve on the booster is crap.

Hot cam? There are better cams, but it would work. And work quiet well.

oh, OEM ujoints are Spicers... they don't get much better.

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Yeah, what he said. I just checked mine because I have the drivetrain out and they're tight as a drum. The car has well over 100k miles. And some of those were fairly "spirited" miles...

I'm not saying yours don't need it, it's worth checking. But don't replace them just to replace them if they're still good.

Sorry, I forgot about the overheating part. If you were overheating and smelled coolant, I'm guessing it's either a cracked radiator along the plastic side tanks (same as where mine split) or water pump weep hole. Check under the hood for signs of leaks and sniff around. You don't need a fan relay if your fans are kicking on.

I have some pics of my SLP porting and install on the forum and on my photobucket, I'll put up pics later.

Matthew

I am using a Hotcam in my 383 it willn't run on the stock chip I read it will run on a 350.

It will run but it will throw a running lean code on the O2 sender.

I am also using American made 3 Core Champion Raditator much cheeper than the Dewitt not knocking the Dewitt but this just a cheeper way to go...

I wish I had a SR LOL.

Thanks for the info on the u-joints. I'll give them a good look.

I hadn't considered the radiator. That's a pretty good call on that. I was only going on previous experience along with the fact that I didn't hear the fans running as I backed it into position for storage, and that's when I smelled the antifreeze. Combined with the overheating on the way there, I guess I just assumed it was the intake. Remember the saying,"There's two kinds of TPI bases. The ones that leak, and the ones that are going to leak."

Bob -

Pictures of my intake - also includes pictures of Gregg's megaported SLPs:

http://www.corvetteguruforum.com/modu ... e=&topic_id=11252&forum=1

Pictures of my "mini" porting on the SLPs:

http://www.corvetteguruforum.com/modu ... id=120088#forumpost120088

Pictures of the SLPs installed on motor:

http://www.corvetteguruforum.com/modu ... id=127016#forumpost127016

Hope this helps.

Matthew

BTW, I'll try to put up a pic of the SR. It's stock and unported, just painted. I've also got two tops for it. The Accel cast, and a custom made billet that's in the pic

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You've got a super clean motor there, Bob! How soon does the lift get here?

Matthew

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Thanks for the compmliment! If I understand the timetable, the lift should ship around the 1st of March. Then whatever it takes to get here from Ok.

Bob,

Why would you want to take off the SR? Seems like going backwards to me.

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It's not yet a firm decision to get away from the SR. If I get into a build, it's not gonna be a superbad setup. That's why I'm gonna port my 113's instead of getting new heads. That's also another reason I don't wanna get into a bunch of tuning issues.

I can't say it's for sure, but I think my SR's big ol' plenum may be why I'm having stall out problems when I let off the gas. The way I look at it is this; when I let off the pedal, the TB closes, but I've still got that big plenum full of air to run thru the engine, but since the throttle blades are shut, it's not gonna send near enough gas to compensate for all the air in the plenum. The engine is much more able to create a vacuum in stock sized plenums, or those closer to stock, than those that are the size of my SR.
Believe me, you don't know exitement like suddenly finding yourself on an exit ramp and the power brakes don't work because your engine stalled when you let off the gas.

The superram is very common meaning tuners like pcm4less can burn you a good chip -- probably on the first try.

They're way easier to install than the custom mounts you made for your headers. Drop the ps underdash vanity panel, take out two screws, and the ecm is out. Plug in the chip (using pictures on Moates website and you're good-to-go.)

If you don't want to do that, I'll go out on a limb and say a longtube setup will always be the best option for the stock chip. And, the stock chip can compensate for a lot.

The stock chip has a PE (WOT) enrichment curve designed for longtube intakes. By that, I mean they (purposely) lean out fuel above 4000rpms. That's not the best for a superram.

I'm not sure your off-throttle problem is due to the superram/stock ECM combo. Maybe you have a slight vacuum leak. Or maybe the TPS/IAC adjustments are off. More likely that's the problem.

FWIW, the most "radical" setup I've seen run on a stock chip was in an 88.

Matt (mrc24x on the CF) ran:
TPIS Headers
TPIS BigMouth intake (with large tubes)
TPIS Ported 113 heads (comparable to AFR 180s)
hotcam
AFPR kicked up to 50psi.

He made 320rwhp with 400ft/lbs of TQ. He checked the oil after every auto-x race and saw no evidence of problems running the stock tune. I also saw (and still have) a link to his car running. It looked and sounded fine.

So, I think it's possible to do bolt-ons w/o a tune. Matt did it. But, after doing my own tuning, I wouldn't do it for any other setup than longtubes. Again, it's the WOT fueling issue. I just think a MR/SR would go too lean.

Maybe not lean enough to kill the motor. But, lean enough to have disappointing top-end performance.

Thanks for the input Greg, there's some things to think about in there. Fwiw, I was all over the TPS and IAC last year, but I can always check them again.

I'm aware of mrc24x's car. I spoke with him on the phone a few years ago about his setup. That's one reason I've been considering going back to LTRs instead of the SR.

As for the vacuum leak, that's possible. It's been ten years since I put the SR base on, and with the minor heat situation I had on the way to storage last fall, that may just be the end of that gasket's seal. We'll have to see how things play out after I get it out of storage.

As for the WOT lean condition possibilities, I'm leaning toward a better set of stock replacement injectors. That coupled with the fact that the stock chip, by my understanding, tends to run rich at WOT for the stock engine along with the better injectors, should come relatively close to what I'm going to need.

if it were me when i am totally done with the motor i would look into getting a good dyno tune by a reputable tuner . you would be surprised at what a good dyno tune can do for your new motor . really good guys also tune part throttle air fuel and can somtimes increase your highway fuel mileage . corey henderson tuned my white 92 and increased the highway mileage a bunch 23 going out 1500 miles on I 10 and 27.3 coming back. as well as increasing the rwhp 27hp . all for 400. the best cash i ever spent

I'm afraid a dyno tune in Ohio is something that's nearly unheard of. As far as I know, the option doesn't exist anywhere within 200 miles of Dayton.It can be done if you have an LSx, but no one I know of does the L98 chip.

Bob - although a dyno tune is great, it is pricey and a mail order tune should suit you just fine, should you choose to go that route.

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Well, if I go with a mail order tune, I'd like to go with one that's a tried and true deal for the SR with ported 113's and a specific cam. In other words I'd like to get as much of a plug and play setup as I can. I know alot of guys like this or that setup, but I really just want to get a good running setup. That's why I'm willing to look at a set of SLP's or other LTR's again. I no longer feel like I need to have the baddest boy on the block or the coolest/latest deal on the web. If that was the case I'd go all out like Rick(88blackZ51) did. Now there's a heckuva build!

So if you guys know of a build like I'm thinking of, I'm all ears.

Bob-

They've done thousands of tunes....they should have no problems with a mildly modified motor.

If you want a tried and true, Super Ram, 113 heads and cam set up:

LPE 219 or the GM Hot Cam....

There are so many of those engines out there, the good tuners have tunes on file that are so close.....

Example:

Last year we built a 383 with the LPE 219 cam, AFR 195's and Super Ram for a very good friend of mine.

PCM4LESS did the mail order tune.

The car runs and drives perfect. No driveability problems at all and it put down good power considering we dyno'd it on a Land and Sea dyno and the car still had 130K mile stock main cat and Y pipe exhaust in place.... Car also gets 25mpg on the hwy.

PCM4LESS can hook your car right up with a tune.

Man, I was just like you back in the mid to late 1990's... I had a number of 5.0L Mustangs with pretty serious mods and never did any compuer work... They all ran decent but I never knew how much better they could run until I got one tuned by someone who knew what they were doing.....

An 89 coupe with a 347, World Windsor SR heads, GT40 intake, 24lb injectors and small custom ground Lazer hyd roller cam.... The car with the stock tune only put down 289RWHP, but ran decent (13.30's@109mph). After it was tuned it put down 340RWHP and ran low 12's@115mph.... That opened my eyes to what the stock cmputer would and would not account for.

I will NEVER modify a computerized car and rely on the stock tune again.

Will

Thanks for the encouragement guys. That's quite a recommendation Will. I will definately be taking what both of you have to say into account!

seems like the 219 maybe be a good combo bob.

would be nice if you can port out the 113's north of 240cfm as well.

Well it looks like I'm on my way with it. I just sent my money order off to Fatt Vatte on the other forum for a new and uninstalled hotcam. I just missed a set of rockers on the local Craigslist, maybe next time.

Any suggestions on a set of springs? I don't know for sure what size the L98 has, or what I'm gonna need. Also, am I gonna need new pushrods?