knaffie

My buggy has a 2002 LS1, bone stock except except a tune from Jim's Performance. Built TH350, unknown converter, Atlas tcase, 5.38 gears, 40" tires, bla bla bla. I'm not a racer, just a recreational wheeler, but I do enjoy hauling ***. I run everything from high speed dunes / desert to super slow rock crawling.

I would like to turn it up this winter, and want to get an idea of what all I need. I want to plan for EVERYTHING - no surprises later. I'm not really out for a specific power goal, more like I'm willing to do this stuff and whatever I get is what I get.

I'm planning on heads, cam, ported throttle body, and probably an intake. Anything else I'm missing that I should be considering?

If I keep my OEM manifolds, are they going to really choke the engine off? Would porting them do any good, or am I polishing a turd? If they are really restrictive, how much better would short tube headers be than the stock manifolds? Space is really tight in this tube frame. Long tubes would be tough to fit and I don't really want to pay for somebody to hand-build headers for me.

My fuel pump is a Bosch 044. Everything is 3/8 push-lock lines. It uses a Corvette style filter / regulator, then a stock Corvette fuel filter. Will the fuel pump and everything else supply enough fuel?

Will I need to buy larger injectors?

My exhaust is all 2.5" true duals with glasspack-style Magnaflow mufflers that marge into a single outlet . Is 2.5" plenty large enough, or will I need to step up to 3"+?

I have a custom aluminum radiator with a single 16" spal fan. The one time I had it in the sand this summer, it was 110+ degrees and the engine got hot pretty easily when I really beat on it. Are these upgrades going to make the engine run hotter, which will necessitate an upgrade of the cooling system as well?

Anything else I'm forgetting?

Thank for any help.

Here's a quick video of my buggy:

bww3588

iTrader: (49)

The stock manifolds will choke it. Shorty's will not gain enough to justify the cost. (You will never notice it). I suggest a set of ls3 manifolds from a vette, they tuck tighter than f body manifolds and flow better. With the manifolds, the 2.5 exhaust system will be plenty.

Make sure you factor in valve springs to match the cam, hardened pushrods that are the correct length, oil pump, timing chain, gaskets and a rocker arm trunion upgrade.

knaffie

Thanks for the info!

Why do I need to change the oil pump and timing chain?

Wouldn't the valve springs and rocker arm trunions be part of the heads?

conan

iTrader: (5)

What kind of budget are you on for the heads/cam/intake ?

The reason for the oil pump and timing chain is because your already in there and its goo insurance. The ls2 timing chain will fit your ls1 gears and the links are a lot thicker on the ls2 chain vs the ls1 and cost about $60. The oil pump is worth the upgrade when you start to make more power, spin the engine higher ect...

Valve springs you can pick with your vender when you buy the heads and you will use the oem rockers with most aftermarket heads, trick flow I think requires a different rocker arm.

Got any more pics of your buggy? Some of the engine bay, you might be able to fit some turbo headers in there that go up and out instead of down.

knaffie

I don't really have a budget. I don't need the best, but I don't want to buy junk either.

Sounds good on the oil pump, timing chain, and other stuff.

I'm not putting the exhaust up and out. I would pay for custom headers to be built and keep it exiting in the rear long before even considering that.

Orange Juice

iTrader: (3)

If you are going to heads and cam then I would suggest injectors, with the extra HP comes heat. Make sure you get the kit to pipe off the rear steam vents of the heads.