CheeseNR7

iTrader: (1)

Need some opinions..


My car is a 81 trans am that I am swaping a lq9 with th400 into. My questions is to either throw a carb or keep the efi? Im not asking for the traditional carb or efi debate. I understand efi is a better system and will yield better mpg and driveability. My trans am is currently set up with a carb aeromotive fuel system. I currently have a lq9 on the engine stand with a ls1 intake on it and aeromotive fuel rails. I have not yet bought a harness or computer for it yet. I have not bought any of the fuel system parts to change it over either but I do have a a1000 pump. According to what i have been able to gather from car craft and hot rod magazines is that a stock lq9 with a ls1 intake on it, lt headers and a good tune will make 400 hp at the flywheel. The same stock lq9 with the victor jr and a holley will make 430 at the flywheel. A pretty significant gain. I currently still have a holley 850 dp from my last motor and would only have to buy a victor jr and msd timing controler to make this all work.

I will be swaping a cam in 231/237 .598/.595 at .050 112 lsa which i think the victor jr will show even more gains over the ls1 intake

Now this is a budget so I agree a nice fast intake throttle body with a good tune is optimal for driveability and power but not looking to spend that much.

Seeing how this is not my daily driver, just a car to take out on sunny days, do i spend the money I have on the computer harness fuel system and a good tune or do I spend a little less, throw my 850dp carb on it, dial a tune in which i can get pretty close my self with a wideband i have and call it a day. Making about 30-40 more hp and a much simpler install.

Looking for opinions. Thanks for any help.

mark21742

I personally prefer the GM efi and would stay with it if I had the choice....but if you do go carb with this motor I'd go tighter on the lsa more around a 108-110

Sales@Tick

iTrader: (3)

If you're comfortable with the carb set-up and the EFI is not in the cards as far as budget goes stick with it.

Although the cam isn't optimal it will work for now.

IllusionalTA

iTrader: (9)

Def put a single plane on it.. You'll run pretty good on stock hardware with that cam.. EFI isn't for everyone , and people have great results with carb Ls motors..

CheeseNR7

iTrader: (1)

The cam I got was part of a deal that went south when I was trading a car trailer. I am no cam expert but i think to go out and spend $450 on another cam might not yield me that much more power. Am I wrong? I agree the efi is nice, i had a 02 TA when i was younger and it ran really well. I guess for the situation I am in, seeing how i have most of the carb parts already, if I were to spend the money on fast intake and throttle boddy, everything i needed for efi and the tunning I could pretty much have a nice carb setup with l92 heads with a custome ground cam designed for those heads and make alot more power dollar for dollar. Not that swapin out the heads is somthing I am planing on doing soon, just a comparison. I think I pretty much have my mind made up just wanted to get some feed back. Im just lookin to have a fun car, not a record breaker.

IllusionalTA

iTrader: (9)

Hey go for yours buddy, I've got 800 in my junk.. Doin more with less is awesome!

Sales@Tick

iTrader: (3)

You might gain 5-10rwhp peak with a different cam, under the curve might change more, but it won't be what some consider a lot.

One guy called the other day and when I told him he could gain 10-20rwhp with a cam swap, it wasn't quite worth it to him he said for the labor and cost of the parts. I could of sugar coated it and made it seem like he could gain an astronomical amount, but he wouldn't have.

That said some feel that is plenty worth it so they do it and don't think twice about it.

mark21742

Ok yeah since you have it I'd go ahead and run it...I thought you didn't have a cam yet and I agree with you on not spending the money on another one close to the same specs

CheeseNR7

iTrader: (1)

am i correct saying that a holley 850 dp on top of the edelbrock victor jr or even performer rpm (i know theres plenty of debate in the carb forum for that topic that has been going on for a very long time in the hotrod world haha ) will out perform a stock ls1 intake with stock throttle body with stock 28 pound injectors? Talking about power output not driving characteristics.

IllusionalTA

iTrader: (9)

I can't say yay or nay , but haven't seen a ill performing single plane car, but Ls intake on the other hand, well u know

mark21742

That's why I went with the Edelbrock proflo xt

CheeseNR7

iTrader: (1)

well after going back and forth about 100 times i decided to go with fuel injection. Everything im reading about tuning the efi is a little overwhelimg but i ordered up the book from Masport speed shop which came pretty recomended on this site. Just waiting for it to come in the mail. I hope it will give me a better idea about what I am doing. I also bought from one of the mempers on this site a computer and psi harness. I think it will be worth it in the long run. Thanks for the imput.