Injuneer

For tuning, this is a good source:

Moe Bailey
MoeHorsepower Tuning
San Antonio, TX
254-644-2656

I sent a very demanding buddy of mine to him for a mail order tune on a 1997 30th SS convertible with basic mods -cam, rear, etc., and he couldn't believe the improvement over the tune from an unknown source that was in the car when he bought it. He thought his only problem was the shift points being set to high, but when he installed the PCM, it not only shifted great, but it had way more power. He hangs out on ltxtech.com, and tunes for several of the top dogs at the LTx Shootout.

doritoboy100

So how exactly would it work? I send him the chip or something?
Again, I'm super new to everything about cars.
I was a nuclear mechanic that made a 1,092 foot long, 90,000 ton displacement aircraft carrier move lol. I understand certain physics and components of cars, but the electrical system is above me, and a lot of other specific stuff is still above me as well.
I know tuning used to be about the carburetor, but now it's done through the car's computer.

Chimera96

Typically the tuner has a form you fill out listing all the mods, or not, you have. Tire size, rear gear, cam, injector size, etc. Certainly email or phone contact to fill in any gaps & ?'s

You mail him your PCM and he "flashes" it with a new tune based on your build. Some tuners offer a loaner PCM where they send one to you and you return yours as a core

If doing your build in stages....you can get a tune for what you have now and then revisions as you add mods...that can get expensive if you do this several times

Some even email you a file you install if you have the correct cable and software.

Call Moe, he will fill you in

doritoboy100

I certainly plan to, thank you very much for a good contact. Do you know the rough cost? I am not going to be able to do anything too costly until I can get started at this new job, whenever that may be. Right now I am trying to replace my optispark, wires and plugs, water pump and gaskets because its misfiring, and I need to rebuild my transmission as there is something up with it. And might as well do a shift kit while I have the transmission apart, so I'm looking at at least $1500 just to make it run right, minus a torque converter which will probably run me another $700.

I have another question about the LT1 engine, is there any performance boost to be had with the engine without FI or Stroking it? As in can I have anything done to the heads/intake, long tube headers, anything internal, and obviously the tuning, to make it have more power? And if so, what is a max power I'm looking at? I know they were said to be about 275HP stock, 25 years ago. So would doing anything like this add anything substantial? Or would stroking it be my best bet?
Thank you all again. Sorry for asking so many questions, I just want to know things lol. And I'm simultaneously reading other posts and reading the Gilles manual and the Haynes engine performance manual.
So I'm trying lol. I just feel asking specific questions on a page with people who have done these specific things will help me better understand and cut to the chase.

Injuneer

The last year LT1 computer that had a removable chip was 1993. 1994 and up have a programmable chip that's soldered in. You have to flash-tune the PCM. As noted above, you ship the PCM. Some tuners will email you the tuning file, and the software required to download the tune from a PC, You buy a cable to connect from the PC to the DLC connector under the was, and download the program into the PCM. Personally, I would recommend just sending the PCM.

doritoboy100

Thanks! Yea I read up on PCMs and flash tuning them in the Haynes engine performance manual, doesnt explain much but shows some images of where they are located and what they look like and what all they control. I'm really crappy at understanding the electrical side of things for some reason. I prefer basic engineering and mechanical operations lol

Chimera96

OP

while cubic inches will make more power...the real power is in the heads & cam. Combined with a 383 bottom end a good H/C package will make for one strong motor....but you will need all the "supporting mods" to allow the new motor to perform optimally. These include tuning PCM, larger injectors & TB, lower rear gears, Torque Converter, Beefed up automatic tranny, larger in tank fuel pump (255 walbro) headers and or CAT back larger exhaust.

If your current motor is still in good shape you can do a H/C package with a tune and it will have significantly more HP than a stock motor. However adding a new cam and heads in a old motor with original cam and rod bearings now dealing with higher RPM use....things can go down hill quickly. If your motor has 100k mi on it....I would rebuild the bottom end before adding H/C. You may, after machine shop goes through motor, get away with a re-hone on cyl walls, new rings. Have crank polished and rods re-sized for ARP fasteners and new cam, rod and crank bearings. This assumes your motor cyl walls check out good and just a hone/re-ring will bring it back. Ifcyl walls need to be bored .030 over than you would need new pistons but could still use your stock crank & rods. This would be a 355 motor

Injuneer

For more accurate and detailed descriptions of the various vehicle, engine and control components/systems, download a free copy of the factory service manual for the 1994 model year. More info, and more accurate than Haynes or Chiltons.

http://www.mediafire.com/?40mfgeoe4ctti


Might want t go back and read through the first few responses to your questions, including - "WHAT IS YOUR BUDGET" (post #4) and "HP GOALS" (post #5). These are closely related. Yes, you can build a 750 HP naturally aspirated LT1 using NASCAR SB2.2 heads, etc., but if you don't have $15,000 - $20,000 for the engine, no point in trying.

You really need to focus on what you are going to use the car for, as well. Is this:

- a quick daily driver, for occasional stop-light drags?

- a dedicated drag strip performer, seldom driven on the street?

- an Auto-X/road race application?

Each one of those has different requirements with regard to the chassis, suspension, engine, and drivetrain. It will help you home in on what you want, so we can give you more specific advice..

doritoboy100

I have answered these questions in this thread, I would like to stay under $10k, but I understand that will be hard for the full car, may be doable for the engine alone. And my HP goals are at least 400 RWHP, but obviously more is always better. And my usage would be not necessarily a daily driver, as the job I am trying to get is at a nuclear enrichment facility near my hometown, so a 40 minute commute there and then again home, so I plan to a buy a new model Kia with really high gas mileage and very low monthly payments To go to and from work, and so I will drive this primarily every weekend, but I would like it to be drag strip eligible, as well as a stop light mustang beater.
My latest questions are to try and see if I can condense my spending, use the stock engine instead of purchasing a new one, and still meet my HP goals. I like the idea of stroking the engine, and if I'm not completely mistaken, if I bore the cylinder out 0.030 over, and convert it into a 355, and have the heads and intake sent off with the block, and get a better cam, along with a better torque converter and my transmission rebuild, and obviously the injectors maybe fuel pump and gas tank, and the PCM. But would I later be able to replace the crank shaft and I guess piston rods to stroke it to the 380? Basically take it in 2 steps? But have it drivable and still an increased HP than stock until I can fully stroke it.

Rhansen

400 rwhp w/o a power adder would be easier to achieve with more cubes (stroker). A 350 ci will need more rpm to see the same hp.
YES, and the heads are more important than the camshaft.
Be easier to put together a stroker short block on the stand first IMHO
Stroking the motor will increase static compression so you will want to keep this in mind when having head work done (chamber volume), especially if you plan on running pump gas.

You might be interested in this thread (low buck stroker build)
https://speedtalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=42988

LT4orbust

.

You really need to focus on what you are going to use the car for, as well. Is this:

- a quick daily driver, for occasional stop-light drags?

- a dedicated drag strip performer, seldom driven on the street?

- an Auto-X/road race application?

Each one of those has different requirements with regard to the chassis, suspension, engine, and drivetrain. It will help you home in on what you want, so we can give you more specific advice.

.[/really consider what he said above , i built a 383 all forged , cost a little over 6 grand with everything to let in breath right , should be approx 500 hp, according to similar builds. 280 xfi cam 58 mm throttle body, 12 to 1 compression ish 30 lb injectors, trick flow 21 degree heads 180 cc ported a little, headers 1 5/8" maybe 1 3/4" forgot.....getting old i guess. but i love it , sounds race even with the bigger quieter mufflers....it rumbles , instant tire smoke and breaks tires loose at 45 mph at least, i went through too many 4l60e transmissions and rebuilds so i switched to a 4l80e(a junkyard 4l80e is still holding up,$100) and aftermarket trans controller...no problems with it now controller was $200 additional from ebay(the older gm 4l80e controller) all i really need is better brakes to make it complete for "my needs". and i think thats what he's saying.....

now..... this is just a little info on what makes me happy with my car , i think building a 150 mph car that handles like it's on rails might be a bit much for somebody that's used to speeding along at 30 knots in a boat ! lol ..........jk i know it's an aircraft carrier,]

doritoboy100

That sounds perfect for what I want to do! I want it to go when I hit the pedal, and it already sounds perfect with straight pipe no cat, but I want to have this increased performance for a weekend car / able to drag it.
I am probably going to end up sending the block off and the heads, replace the cam and stroke it, get long tube headers, upgrade the transmission and rear axle, get 18 inch wheels, around 8 inch front and 10 inch back minimum, and send off the PCM for tuning and see what injectors and fuel pump I'll need. 500 hp at the flywheel is good enough for me, more will always be better though. Thank you for sharing, this helps me a lot.
And my ship topped out at i believe 70 knots, 40mph, pretty fast for a giant steel island carrying up to 98 jets/heli and ships company of 2000 people, and air wing of 3500 people. Just imagine the torque on those 10 foot wide bull gears turning those shafts!

Injuneer

This guy can build a 4L60E capable of reliably handling 1,000+ HP. Prices for a 500 HP build are very reasonable, given the quality parts he uses. No need for a shift kit.... that can all be taken care of in the PCM programming.

https://cahallperformancetrans.com/4...ds-%26-pricing

Chimera96

...ah 70 knots....that is 80.5 MPH..... unless you were on some secret carrier, More like around 30 knots. Carriers can't do 70 knots and if they could they would out run their support group

doritoboy100

I had my math wrong, it topped at around 35knots, over 40 mph as I said before. And I know this as I literally controlled the throttle control which gave the speed output.