I am debating on what exactly to do with the car.
I want something that is going to be reliable and have good road manners.It must also look good because I do a lot of car shows.
I know I am going to need a clutch and rear end but how ould you spend $5-6k on the motor?
Super charger? I have been looking into the Pro charger system. I don't really care for the look of the Vortech. Too much plumbing, it looks cluttered to me.
I had thought about an Incon twin turbo but haven't looked into it, I think I read somewhere on here that they were going out of business anyway.
Or go wih a head and cam kit and use the new Holley intake manifold (have it polished for the car show thing), long tubes and industion stuff.
I am just concerned with tuning issues of doing the heads and cam.

 

You could do a Heads/cam package with LS6 intake and maybe a few other things. Or you could get that Pro charger with a blower cam and it will produce awsome power.
Jimmy <img src="graemlins/camaro.gif" border="0" alt="[Chevrolet]" />

 

I would personally build a big bore and stroke motor. If you have any money left over then get some good heads. But whatever you do you will need a good clutch and rearend.

 

I'd recommend taking your car somewhere and having a nice head/cam package installed. Most of the good speed shops (MTI, ARE, etc...) will tune your car with LS1 edit after the install.. It should have great road manners.

I'm sure with 5 grand you could get some nice numbers.. I'd say somewhere around 430 RWHP.

I wouldn't recommend a supercharger or turbos with stock internals. You'll be driving on borrowed time!

 

I have bee leaning towards the head and cam package but haven't decided for sure.
If I do the heads and cam and have it installed at a good shop and they do all the dyno tuning and tuning with LS1 edit it will pretty much set for good, right? I don't want to have something that I am constantly having to tweek myself.
I am willing to take the car just about anywhere to get the best quality work for the least amount of cash. Where would you guys recomend?
Anyone have any information about Stropes Speed Shop in Washington PA?

 

I would give Mike Kleman a call. He is the owner of Rapid Motorsports:

www.rapidmotorsports.com

I used him for my heads/cam install and I had had no problems at all. He is an authorized ARE dealer/installer. The quality of work was top notch. I drove three hours for Mike to do the install and it was well worth it.

You have mail.

 

Look into the single turbo from LS1 Motorsports, they are a sponsor here. I think they are going to be available in April with 5 psi and 9 psi kits. Their kit is complete with injectors, exhaust manifolds, and everything else that is needed.

 

I don't think a single turbo system would be the best thing for him to purchase. He wanted something that he would not have to tune or mess with. The single turbo would be:

1. Unproven
2. less reliable than heads/cam package
3. put more stress on the engine

 

i like turbo's/the ATI, but for consistency's sake....and saftey/tuning, id go down to MTI. they can have you set up with heads/cam/intake/tuning...for about 5500.

 

I would go ARE Stage 2 LS1 heads with 11:1 compression, ls6 intake, ported T-body, and a XE-R based 226/226 114LSA cam with .585 lift and LS1 Edit tuning <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="gr_grin.gif" />
That with MAC headers, ASP pullies, ARE oil pump, offroad 3 inch Ypipe with cutout and good catback would make awesome power and be dead reliable <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="gr_grin.gif" />
Cheers,
Chris

 

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by Chris ARE 360:
<strong>I would go ARE Stage 2 LS1 heads with 11:1 compression, ls6 intake, ported T-body, and a XE-R based 226/226 114LSA cam with .585 lift and LS1 Edit tuning <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="gr_grin.gif" />
That with MAC headers, ASP pullies, ARE oil pump, offroad 3 inch Ypipe with cutout and good catback would make awesome power and be dead reliable <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="gr_grin.gif" />
Cheers,
Chris</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Pretty good except I like either the Hammer or Hammer2 cam and Not Mac headers. I'd look into FLP, SLP, or the new LG Motorsports headers.(LG's sound very interesting.)

You already will have a LS6 intake on your 2002 SS. And BTW, its not a Z28 SS, just an SS. '96 was last year they called it a Z28/SS.

If I only didn't have to take the family to Disney World in June I'd be doing the same thing. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Sad]" src="gr_sad.gif" />

Rick

 

Theres alot of stuff you can accomplish with $6000. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="gr_images/icons/wink.gif" />

If you know anyone with mechanical experience it would be very benefitial for everything, that way you can do your own work, and not worry about paying $$$$$ for hours of labor.

There are several steps to take first off. If you want to mess with the motor, then you can purchase a set of long-tube headers and Y-pipe for $1200 at the most. Then buy yourself a lid, and new MAF or port your own. Ive seen new lids and MAF's for as little as $350 for both. Then if you wanted to go internal, pull your heads off the car and take them to a machine shop in town, and have them do a full port job on them (prices vary from $250-$800 here in Vegas). Buy yourself a new cam, and a new valvetrain to go along with the heads (cams $250-$500, valvetrain $500 average). New gaskets for everything will probaly be around $200 for everything listed above.

If your have an M6 and you dont think your rearend will hold, then buy some custom alloy axels (Moser or Dutchman makes some good ones $200 for a pair) and buy an Eaton carrier ($450), and select your gear of choice (i would go with 4.10's just cause i love driving around with them $200).

With the looks and appearence, hit the car with some Zaino, slap on some clear corners, and maybe change the front grille to a billet, or the all black SLP grille.

Minimum, your looking at spending about $4000 for everything i mentioned above if you have some mechanical friends. Your also going to be making about 400hp.

With that $2000 left over, you can buy some suspension pieces (LCA's, subframes, strut-tower, and some tires for right around $1000).

Not too shabby for only having right around $5000 invested to a car. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="gr_grin.gif" />

 

Thanks for the ideas guys. I am pretty sure I am going to go with the heads and cam. What do you think of the Holley intake port matched to the heads? I think I want to get it just for the looks (have it polished) even if it doesn't add much power.
How much does an install usually cost with all the tuning and programming?
Should all other mods be done prior to the heads and cam so they can be considered when programming/tuning, stuff like Lid,MAF,TB,headers,Ypipe, exhaust,gears,etc?
I am leaving myself about $5k just for the motor work, the wheels, tires, and suspension are already taken care of or will be within the next few weeks.

 

You should have the mods done before programming. That way you won't need any future adjustments for gear changes, deleting rear o2's, etc.

Install cost will vary between shop. This is a rough estimate:

$875 Heads/Cam install
$200 Gaskets
$500 Programming
$250 Header install
So that is 1,825 for install of heads/cam/headers. Some shops are more expensive and some are cheaper.

Hope this helps.

 

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by H8 B N SLO:
<strong>Thanks for the ideas guys. I am pretty sure I am going to go with the heads and cam. What do you think of the Holley intake port matched to the heads? I think I want to get it just for the looks (have it polished) even if it doesn't add much power.
How much does an install usually cost with all the tuning and programming?
Should all other mods be done prior to the heads and cam so they can be considered when programming/tuning, stuff like Lid,MAF,TB,headers,Ypipe, exhaust,gears,etc?
I am leaving myself about $5k just for the motor work, the wheels, tires, and suspension are already taken care of or will be within the next few weeks.</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">If you have ordered or have a 2002, then the stock manifold works just as well as Holley's, its just not as shiny. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Razz]" src="gr_tounge.gif" />

As far as tuning goes, you could purchase a Maf-Translator and tune the car on a dyno yourself. MAF-T's go for about $180. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Cool]" src="gr_images/icons/cool.gif" />

 

If he purchased a MAF translator for tuning it would help but it would not solve all his problems. He would need to raise the rev limiter of the engine to 6600 or 6800rpm's, delete rear 02 sensors, etc. He could purchase a Hypertech programmer & rear 02 simms but then that would end up costing more than custom tuning.

180 Maf Translator
300 Hypertech
80 02 simms
that is 560 right there. Then your would need to pay for dyno time on top of all that and you car still may not run correctly.

Just my 2 cents!

 

The H2 cam is an XE-R grind except with 2 degrees less duration and on 112LSA. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="gr_grin.gif" />
Chris

 

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by Chris ARE 360:
<strong>The H2 cam is an XE-R grind except with 2 degrees less duration and on 112LSA. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="gr_grin.gif" />
Chris</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Yeah I know. H2(224/224 .581 112LSA) is slightly less aggressive than the 226/226 .588lift 114lsa and the 112 LSA would move the HP peak down in the RPM range a little. And both have the XE-R lobe grinds.

The Original Hammer(H1) is 222/222 .566 112LSA and wouldn't be as hard on the valve springs, and is definately a well proven cam. But it doesn't have the fast ramps of the XE-R grinds.

I would definately recommend checking out Raughammer's website. http://xs-fx.com/raughammer/

Myself I wouldn't even think about having a shop that isn't well experienced with LS1 heads do any type of porting to them. Waste of money IMO.

P.S. It would help if we knew where you lived so we could make shop recommendations for you also.

I'm by no means an "expert", just relaying what I've learned.

Rick

 

I live in Cortland, Ohio, North East part of the state. I am about 1.5-2 hours S.E. of Cleveland and about 30 minutes North of Youngstown.
I am going down to Stropes speed shop within the next few weeks to check them out. Rapid Motorsports was also recomended to me.
If you have any other shops you would recomend please let me know.
I know long tube headers are recomended but are they a must? Will I have ground clearance issues with them on a lowered car?

 

Don't go nuts with mods, and you can have a car that runs low 12's on drag radials.

IMO I'd look into midlength headers if you are going to put the car in the weeds.

Rapid Motorsports is very meticulous and clean.