Before I ask my questions, let me tell you what I am wanting to do. But first, I'm a new-bootay with engine mods, so all the help would be good. I researched to no end and I've decided the conversion may be what I'm wanting for a legal daily driver. I know what I want to do is nothing too major in some peoples opinion but I want more power. I just got done practicing doing head work, cam removal and installation on my old dodge diplomat so I'm confident to get this started.
I'm ready to do my camaro mods and I'm seeking advice of the best way to gain performance without wasting alot of money. Basically what I want is more HP and Torque. Thank you in advance for helping me out.

My A4 96 Z runs awesome with no breakdowns and is going to be a smog legal modified daily driver. Right now it's on ramps, ready for mods.

I finally got some cash saved up and I want to get:
LT4 conversion kit: intake, heads with springs, cam, 1.6 rockers

I am also planning on:
52mm tb
30lb? accel injectors
slp cai (already have)
pcm tuning
b&m shift kit (already have)
160 stat (aready have)
lt4 km (already have)
msd coil (already have)
msd ignition 6AL
mac underpullies (already have)
02 simms & mac headers (already have),
offroad pipe, but still keeping stock for quick bolt on inspections

After all these MODS
I plan on getting 3.73's somewhere down the road

--------
So my questions is:

1) LT4 cam, springs & 1.6 rr} with NO LT4 heads, keeping stock heads and do porting?

OR...

2) get the LT4 intake & LT4 heads?

ALSO....

3) what size fuel injectors?

4) will mac headers hurt performance with these mods? (everyone says LT's but I want to pass visual, yes I know, I know)

5) With Mac headers, will off-road pipe and cutout hurt valves from no back pressure?

6) Will i pass smog/sniffer with everything I have listed?

7) With conversion, what issues will I run into with other components? Will I need converter for A4 & what size? Girdle for Rearend? Tranny & Oil pump upgrade? I know I will need a tune...

Well, those are my questions...Thanks much guys!...

 

The conversion kit would be perfect if it only included the hot cam kit and not just the cam...

 

woops, forgot to say that the cam in the kit is a "hot cam". That's the reason why I wanted to get the entire package.

On the description It says "GM performance "hot cam" with 1.6:1 ratio bow tie roller rockers.

 

For cost issues, go with option 1 over option 2, you will get more power and will cost you less.
3) not sure
4) Any headers over stock can only help performance, Mac mid-length headers I have heard are pretty decent, as are Arizona Speed and Marine mids.
5) A cutout and offroad pipe with headers wont even come close to hurting your valves, thats what most with LT are running.
6) With the LT4 Hotcam and a good tune, and everything else you have listed you should pass emissions.
7) A converter will help some with the cam, but will cut back some mileage a bit (but so will a cam and gears. )

 

You won't lose much mileage with the stall unless you do a lot of non-highway driving...too many people worry about gas mileage loss with a stall and gears, but it's truly minimal...the real mileage robber will be the cam, not the stall or gears...

 

The factory LT4 came with 28# injectors, so the 30# are going to be fine. I've tried them when I had the LT4 topend on the stock shortblock and hotcam and they worked fine.

 

Ok, sounds good. So with #30 injectors should be cool. I wasn't sure if that was too much. I'm pretty foggy on fuel delivery.
Now how does the fuel pressure regulator come into play? should I leave the stock one on or get an adjustable? I don't want to get one unless it's effecient to get the full benifit of the 30lbs. My buddy told me I should probably just to leave the stock in until everything is installed and then decide later.

Anyhow, my main concerns right now is my tranny because I have no idea how it's going to react with this conversion. I was told to get a girdle kit and get a tranny cooler. I have a B&M shift kit but was told to go with TransGo instead. If I do that..I'm hoping that my rearend will be alright since my Brand Spankin new Yokohomas grab really darn good and I broke a tranny mount when I first got them..woops. I don't plan to race the car but I plan on having fun with it. I think I should be fine with stock converter until I decide I should upgrade. I hate this tranny and it suks at WOT. Anyhow...I guess we'll see what happends.

If theres any feedback on the tranny situation, that would be great. Everything else I'm pretty confident of going with. I heard these 10 bolts dont hold well but then again I'm not racing. I will be kinda hard on the car after I break the engine in after install..so thats why I have these concerns..

Thanks again....

 

I have the conversion and alot of money in the set up.
There are other alternatives that will produce legal HP for cheaper.

If you want reliable, why not just stay bolt on, then there are no worries. It has taken me about a year to get the bugs worked out so I do not feel scared to crank the car. I still have little bugs that need working on but for the most part the car is finally a joy to drive.

My vote for going H/C work now would be AI heads and one of his cams or on off the shelf XE grind. I would really do a TC first, no cam of any size will appreciate the stock stall.

Good luck!!

 

Can you send me a link of where I can check out the heads that you are talking about. I'm undecided if I should go edelbrock performer heads or just go with the LT4 heads. The heads is kinda havin me trippin because it's expensive. I'm on the verge of just keeping the stock heads and do porting to match the LT4 or something. I'm just not sure who to go through and how much it will cost. I saw that TByrne has a set of LT4 heads and a core refund of $1000.00. I'm going to have to call and see what their talking about. In the meantime..I want to check out AI heads that you mentioned.

Thanks..

 

I got 58mm tb, lt4 hot cam, lt4intake mani, lt4 stage II (gtp ported) heads, offroad y pipe, longtubes (FLP), cut out, 30 lb injectors, 3.73s ect boltons...u don't want an underdrive pulley...i lost pwr when i put mine on.

You say you want hp and tq...if you want tq your gonna wanna get a different cam, heads and intake are great...unless you have an auto, but even then the lt4 hotcam seems to be a high hp, low tq cam. I've been doing a lot of research lately and plan to keep my car very streetable and found the xe 224/230 to be a much better cam that would produce much better tq and a little more hp.....good luck any questions feel free to email and/or pm. now researching a 383/396 instead of cam...decided to go for cubes early....

 

MAC headers are technically not legal in CA.

Neither are FLP's.

 

youll need a converter with that conversion. the TC will not like the added power neither will the trans. definetly add a tranny cooler and some sort of shift kit.

the LT4 conversion is good but pricey. if you want to do things cheaply work with what youve got. youll make good power by just swapping cams and porting your LT1 heads. Trey

 

I heard that if you have an LT1 without a vented opti you need to switch to that before making an LT4 conversion...anyone know this for sure?

 

The heads he is talking about are from http://www.advancedinduction.com I have heard nothing but good things about them. Another set of heads to consider would be Lloyd Elliott , I think his name on here is NightTrain 66 or something like that, there are a lot of people that are happy with his head porting.

As far as the LT4 conversion goes I have it. It is very streetable, it makes good power but it definitely isn't the most cost efficient way to make power. You might should look into on of the XE grinds instead. Regardless of which way you choose to go I would get a good stall converter.

Chevycobb, I have the nonvented opti with the conversion so it doesn't have to be changed.

 

The link to the heads are above in someone else's post.

TQ can be made with an A4, I have 420+ RWTQ when I hit the gas according to the dyno, this is with a TH350/3600 set up.

I would first get a TC and cooler. Vig 2800 or YankST3500. You will be impressed.

After that, I bought my LT4 heads complete for like $1200ish, i had about $200 in port matching and other work done to them. THen a valve spring broke, sent them off and got them back after nearly $1000 with new larger valves, Ti Ret, Comp 977 Springs, bowl work, etc, so I have over $2200 in this set of LT4 heads and do not flow any where near the AI econo port...

Edelbrock Heads are unproven at this point but I do like thier headers and they carry the Carb number Cali wants.

I can not complain about the HOT cam though, it has done more than what was expected at this point. The other night I ran 91MPH with it in the 1/8th. It will go faster!! Also pulled a best 1/8th of 7.67 and I am shooting for 7.5s with the H/C like they are on the car now.

You do not need the LT4 intake or heads unless you just really want that. But looking back, I have made some unwise choices...