New to the Site. recently bought a 1996 camaro SS, 6 speed, 373 richmond rear end. Im looking in the near future to start doing some work to it when i get some extra cash, hoping for a few ideas where to start, i guess id like to start where i always do, cheapest mods for best performance until i can get into something more serious, any advise would be appreciated.

 

Headers aren't cheap but a good place to start. Or send away to have a perfomance tune (mail order) done. Good for 10-15 HP on many cars.

 

As most people will tell you a cold air intake and a good exhaust, a good set of headers then move into the valvetrain. a good set of 1.6 roller rockers then on to a cam etc etc.

 

how do you guys feel about a msd ignition? i am not familiar, but came with the car uninstalled?

 

MSD is fine, its not going to give you any power gains (if it does it will be VERY minimal) at your level. However it does not hurt to have it.

Basic first mods are almost always this.
Cold air intake, most people recommend K&N, SLP, Lingenfelter(sp?), moroso. They all make the same hp gains basically.

Full exhaust, Most people recommend some sort of coated header so they do not rust and look terrible after one week. Big sellers for camaros are Pacesetters, and the more costly headers Kooks which are pricey.

Mufflers/cat back exhausts
Magnaflow
Hooker aerochamber
SLP loudmouth(s)
You will also need a Y-pipe, I know next to nothing about these since I have dual exhaust.

After all that is done, you may think about getting the computer tuned.

 

i could be wrong about this, i have been doing some research, had thought with the ss, there wasnt much you could do with the intake vs the z28 means its positioned differently as well as read it was highly not recommended to use a K&N because it tends to leak. i know absolutely nothing about msd ignition, a few people said it would make a nice difference and i could adjust my limiter from 5000 to 5800 safely? i know if i could rev out higher it would def help, im use to the ls engines, i had an 05 gto, seemed to have more of a snap to it as the lt1 seems more torkey. im looking for as much info as possible, come spring i would like to put some nice numbers up at the track

 

What components are included in the "MSD ignition" package you received with the car? MSD makes many different ignition components.

Your rev limiter is already set at 5,800rpm in the stock programming for the 6-speed. Are you saying it won't exceed 5,000rpm for some reason?

Many people question the value of the SS air intake system, because of exposure to engine heat, and the tortuous path from the inlet of the scoop to the throttle body. One option is to simply remove the complete SS intake and subsitute a cold air intake kit from a non-SS car. Installed properly, a K&N filter should not "leak".

What do you consider "nice numbers"? That will determine what kind of mods you need.

 

I take it to 5, anything past is dotted to red line, if i go past 5, u can feel it cut out or doesnt seem to be good for the car, thats why i was thinking putting the msd ignition on and taken it to 5800 would be a huge difference, im not sure where i stand as of now, but i would like to be in mid to low 12s by summer, i know it will take alot i just want somewhere to start. my buddy has a comp cam for me, but i would rather wait on that until i can afford heads and rockers.

 

Make sure you know what the cam specs are, nothing is worse then someone who has no idea what is in their engine.

 

The "dotted" section warns you that you are approaching redline. It does not mean you can't operate in that range, and it does not mean it will hurt your engine. Many of us took our totally stock engines to 5,800rpm, and many more have upped the rev limiter into the 6,000's as they modified the engine to breath better at that RPM level. There's probably not a lot to be gained by shifting at 5,800rpm with a stock engine, but by shifting at 5,000rpm you are leaving a lot on the table.

First thing you need to do is find out what's causing it to fall in its face at 5,000rpm. It shouldn't feel that way. Start with the basics. Insure you have a good set of plug and wires. Make sure the coil and the IC module are healthy. Inspect the Optispark harness connectors for corrosion. Have the injectors cleaned. Make sure all your fluids and filters are fresh. An SS with 3.73 gears should pull strong way past 5,000rpm. Your engine doesn't sound healthy.

One more time.... what MSD component are you asking about? Multiple-sparkk box, coil, distributor, all of the above??????????????

 

Here's what I would do (in any order):
1. Change the oil and drive it for 3000 miles, if it doesn't use any oil (or maybe 1/2 quart), then I'd say your engine is in pretty good shape.
2. Check for intake manifold leaks. If you see oil around the perimeter of the manifold, especially in front or back where it is sealed with silicone, then you have a leak. This can affect performance significantly.
3. Change all the fluids. I like Mobil 1 ATF for the transmission, some type of synthetic gear oil for the rear, and Penzoil 5 or 10W30 for the engine. I would also bleed the brake system.
4. Put in a new AC Delco fuel filter and K&N air filter.
5. Put in NGK Iridium spark plugs and AC Delco spark plug wires, and possibly change the Optispark. Maybe you already have the Optispark distributor, is that what your MSD piece is? The wires in particular are a major PITA, so maybe just check them unless they have more than 100-150K on it, then I would just change them.
6. After all the basics are covered to bring it up to factory performance, I would start with exhaust. First a good cat-back or duals, then headers, then a cam that fits what goals you have. If I had your car, I would get the GMMG exhaust, even though it's approaching $1000 in price, and leave all other modifications for later. From what I've heard the GMMG rules.

 

i am having a misfire, not bad, but when i get up high, you can feel a miss, i know im leaving alot out shifting at 5000, as of now i just have the msd box, and waiting to buy a coil to hook it up, i would like to set it at 6000 as long as it wont hurt the car, also i have a flowmaster exhaust on now and recently changed the plugs to boush, and fresh oil change, and air filter, nothing fancy just a stp. eventually when i get the money i would like to build it up good, in the meantime just trying to get the most for my money. also could anyone recommend a good wholesale site to buy parts?

 

Solve the misfire problem. Misfires make the engine run very rich, due to the bad feedback from the O2 sensors when they measure the unconsumed air from the misfire.

You do not need an MSD coil to run the MSD box. It will work fine with the stock coil. But adding the box to solve the misfire problem is a "band-aid" to cover up the real problem. Sort out the miss BEFORE you do anything else. Which Bosch plugs did you use? The multiple electrode plugs ar no good. Stick with NGK, Autolite, Rapidfire.

To find reliable sources for aftermarket parts, look at the list of Supporting Vendors in the link at the top of every page. For GM parts, use Shoebox's reference:

http://shbox.com/1/4th_gen_tech2.html#Dal_and_Jason

 

whats good peps but i got some questions, i wanna make my Z@* lt1 run better where should i start i herd start the opti spark many of time so is that a good start?

 

No. Replacing the Optispark distributor is only required if the old one has failed. That's not a way to increase performance. But it is a possibility if your engine is running poorly.

What specifically is wrong with the way it runs now?