1990 Ss454
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Teching In
Joined: Jan 2006
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From: michigan
1990 Ss454 hello long time no post or read... but i have a question for you bbc gurus on here. i just picked up a 1990 ss454, personally my dream truck. i know a little about sbc but never ventured into the bbc arena, i know the truck makes massive torque and i hear that due to horrible emissions standards the 90 is really corked. i was wonder what kind of work, heads, cam ignition, intake i can bolt to this bad boy to get a little more pep out of her. thanks look forward to the info.
Try www.454ss.com read and search, don't ask too many basic questions, those guys have been there a long time and get cranky when someone asks an old question.
I had a 90 454ss a few years back. Great truck that my wife daily drove. It would pass everything but the gas station. It always got 9-10 mpg no matter how it was drove. The stock motor doesn't make much hp for a 454. The stock heads and intake are extremely restrictive. I put an Edelbrock intake and cam on and it really woke that 454 up.
Cuz I AM a BADMOFO
Joined: Apr 2003
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From: Mission to Uranus
Why don't you come check us out @ www.performancetrucks.net, or click the tab at the very top of the page for a direct link. There are a ton of cool trucks and a bunch of info.
The motor in your truck is a very mild compression 454, that although it has the C.I.D, lacks a good valvetrain and cyclinder headers to make any decent power. I'd go with a cam "kit", heads, and exhaust as a solid start. It ain't cheap, but when is it ever
The motor in your truck is a very mild compression 454, that although it has the C.I.D, lacks a good valvetrain and cyclinder headers to make any decent power. I'd go with a cam "kit", heads, and exhaust as a solid start. It ain't cheap, but when is it ever
Staging Lane
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 57
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From: omaha ne
i've got one, the do pass everything but a gas station as said before. the heads are junk "peanut ports" get a set of 781's or 990 casting heads the edelbrock cam and intake kit. stock they have 7.9 to 1 compression. good luck and have fun
454ss.com has much more info then pt.net could ever had. Mostly, its me and James B. that makes comments about OBS trucks over there.
Nice find! The usual mods to start out with for those trucks are hooker headers, dual 2.5" or 3" exhaust. Edlebrock cam, head, intake manifold package. Some choose to upgrade to the MPFI Edelbrock system. Good luck with the mods!
Nice find! The usual mods to start out with for those trucks are hooker headers, dual 2.5" or 3" exhaust. Edlebrock cam, head, intake manifold package. Some choose to upgrade to the MPFI Edelbrock system. Good luck with the mods!
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Teching In
Joined: Jan 2006
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From: michigan
yeah thanks guys shes pretty cherry... my vin ends in 00082.... i have one of the first 100 ss454 ever built! but yeah she scoots pretty well and yes 9 to 10 is what im getting even when i idle around every where thanks for the advice. i plan on picking one of the complete kits and spending a weekend and a few days to get her rip roaring. by far one of Chevy's sexiest trucks ever i don't think i will ever sell this truck.
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Teching In
Joined: Jan 2006
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From: michigan
yeah i was thinking that last night when i was browing the net for engine top end kits for the ss. i think a mild single turbo set up would be really unique. with such a low comp and the location of the tbi intake i would not be that hard. does any one know of any suppliers of bbc turbo headers or weld ment kits.
Originally Posted by char
yeah i was thinking that last night when i was browing the net for engine top end kits for the ss. i think a mild single turbo set up would be really unique. with such a low comp and the location of the tbi intake i would not be that hard. does any one know of any suppliers of bbc turbo headers or weld ment kits.
But you wont know what to do with the power it will make. Even with small heads i bet you would scare yourself.
Spend good money on the turbo setup... good ignition.. new CSU carb... new intake... and i bet you could jsut make that truck absolutly roar. You ay come to find you need to do valve springs and cam possibly. Will also have to do a regulater on the fuel lines.
if you really are interested i could tell you exactly what to do...
Staging Lane
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 57
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From: omaha ne
the pistons are junk hyperu*crap*tic so they wont last long. and the tbi is maxed out so a carb or a aftermarked fuel injection is needed, if you go that far you might as well do heads because like i said before they dont flow. i've got a 489 stroker brodix bbo heads edelbrock cam and intake with a vortech supercharger. should be back together by the end of summer, its been along 4 year project with many other projects along the way
Thread Starter
Teching In
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From: michigan
yeah, oh man, i know about projects... my 1989 is sitting boxed and half caged thanks to a move i could not keep working on here. i don't want to throw like 4000 psi of boost and blast the crap out of the drive train or like blown 454ss said the pistons. i want a clean 450 horse which i feel is possible with a mild turbo. besides i got a car thats look into the 10s if i ever get back on it we know how projects go...
and dragframe, man it would be awesome if you could show me some suppliers of turbo parts for big blocks man i know its going to be a costly effort... i sold my box halved and tubbed stang with money to burn.
and dragframe, man it would be awesome if you could show me some suppliers of turbo parts for big blocks man i know its going to be a costly effort... i sold my box halved and tubbed stang with money to burn.
Yeah man you really do not need heads. Guy on turbo mustangs was making 600rwhp on stock smog heads with 1.72 intake valves (had good springs and what not). So i doubt heads will be a problem here.
Just use the existing fuel pump and use a regulater to bring fuel pressure down to a carberaters level (get really cool boost referanced return regulaters for $145). Put a intake and blow through carb on it (demon has them for high $500s... but a nice CSU would be best).
Run a full msd igniion with 6AL box and Blaster Coil and nice distributer...
As for turbo "kit" will probly end up being custom. But it really is not that hard. I could show you pictures of the custom kit on my car so you could get an idea what is ahead of you. A faily large turbo would be needed but I bet i know of the perfect turbo that is cheap.
let me know if you want more details
almost forgot... turbo cam, valve springs, retainers, and locks would be wise... i suppose retainers could be reused. But just replace everythign that looks like it needs to be replaced.
Just use the existing fuel pump and use a regulater to bring fuel pressure down to a carberaters level (get really cool boost referanced return regulaters for $145). Put a intake and blow through carb on it (demon has them for high $500s... but a nice CSU would be best).
Run a full msd igniion with 6AL box and Blaster Coil and nice distributer...
As for turbo "kit" will probly end up being custom. But it really is not that hard. I could show you pictures of the custom kit on my car so you could get an idea what is ahead of you. A faily large turbo would be needed but I bet i know of the perfect turbo that is cheap.
let me know if you want more details
almost forgot... turbo cam, valve springs, retainers, and locks would be wise... i suppose retainers could be reused. But just replace everythign that looks like it needs to be replaced.
Staging Lane
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 57
Likes: 0
From: omaha ne
the heads are by far the worst heads that gm ever made, as i said before get some 781's or 990's. a peanut port head that is fully ported and polished doesnt flow as much as a stock 781 or 990 casting does
