Best Bang For The Buck On Mods

[FAMLYKAR]

My 87 turbo Ltd has a total rebuild of motor and turbo 15K ago:

109 block, .020 over, 200/200 cam, 340 Walbro hotwired, AFPR, 50# injectors, (With 93 octane, 13 psi boost, 45psi FP, I get progressive KR at 1/2 throttle or WOT, have to back off, but it goes away with toluene...so I do need a new chip) Scanmaster, K&N filters, boost gauge, peg leg, 6 points left on WI drivers license.

All spring cleaning and "free mods" done, but CAT NOT Gutted.

List of possible mods:

1. I bought a 3" THDP with dump (couldn't pass for $200 locally)
2. Max Effort or Trans plus?
3. Extender chip vs custom chip from another Guru?
4. 3 1/2" Maf
5. No MAF set up possible?
6. Wide band O2 (DIY-WB O2 kit)
7. SMC alchy kit or Propane kit?

What is logical order? Want to get into 11's and will buy slicks, posi, and suspension mods separately from this list.

Thanx,

Todd
CONCEALED WEPN

 

[blackbuick87]

What turbo? Converter?
If the stock turbo that should be your first upgrade.
Alky wont make you faster at the track but you will be much faster on the street.
A MAFless ME would be nice but you need all the right parts to make you faster.
I would look into an intercooler upgrade

 

[UNGN]

After you get a chip that doesn't knock at 13 psi, swap in the terry houston and dump vs. your cat and current downpipe. This change will net you the biggest bang for the buck. A stock or bad exhaust with a cat Plus a stock elbow/downpipe to a THDP and dump can result in 4-5 mph increase in trap speed. One of the biggest increases with a 1 part swap.

 

[FAMLYKAR]

Good point on track performance vs street performance with alchohol......Race gas is gooooood.

More info:

I have stock intercooler, turbo, and torque convertor, 3.42 rear.

Any thoughts on Mafless ME set up right vs
Trans plus/extender and 3 1/2" maf set up?

Cost
Performance
Ease of use
Future upgradeability

Todd
CONCEALED WEPN

 

[blackbuick87]

Since you already have a T-plus and MAF, you should just get a $125 Extender.
The ME is nice but you are looking at $4-500 vs. $125.

The Extender will take you to the point where a FAST systems is needed.

 

[Lee_Burough]

FAMILYKAR

I still miss that car Todd

Looks like you've been busy making it faster....Painted it yet?

There was a thread a while back on a similar subject (only TTA specific) that will help out. You'll like what they say about the stock MAF and the THDP. Its at:

http://www.turbobuick.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=402789#post402789

My plan is powerplate, manual boost controller, Ta-49, 50's, T+ and extender. I may need new valve springs too, you already have new ones. Haven't decided about the fan switches and lockup switch. I need to pass emissions, both through the tail pipe and a visual.

My best to you

ADDED after reading Burce's blurb about MAF sensors below....I'll choose an Lt-1 MAF and do the 3.5 MAF innards down the road if I need to. Thanks Bruce

 

[bruce]

Originally posted by FAMLYKAR

List of possible mods:
1. I bought a 3" THDP with dump (couldn't pass for $200 locally)
2. Max Effort or Trans plus?
3. Extender chip vs custom chip from another Guru?
4. 3 1/2" Maf
5. No MAF set up possible?
6. Wide band O2 (DIY-WB O2 kit)
7. SMC alchy kit or Propane kit?

assuming this is for off road use the dumping the cat is first.

For any car to run it's best means being able to tune it. A DIY WB is the best money you can spend in that direction.

The ecm, and stock MAFs have their problems. A Translator takes care of those issues.

The best tuning you can do is getting into chip burning and learning what makes your car happy. It takes a while to learn but is really worth it IMO.

Using a blow thru MAF, I posted at the GNTtype site on how to do it, makes the 3" MAF a killer deal. And once your into doing you own chips I have another Chip article there, with the info in that article you can then use the 3.5 sensor in the 3 housing if you feel the need.

 

[Two Lane]

Regarding MAFs---->bruce

http://www.slponline.com/view_product.asp?PARTNUMBER=23062&SHOWIMAGE=On&SHOWEMAIL=Off

(Above is listed only as an 85mm (ID) MAF.)
_____________________________________________

The LS-6/Z0-6 MAF is a 3.75".

There's an even larger 4" GM MAF that I've read about...
can't remember at the moment tho'...think it was for a 6.0 truck, & was modified by some aftermarket shop for HP usage on the LS-1 cars.

Any HP to be gained by our TRs from any thing beyond the 3.5?

TIA!!

 

[GN SBS]

No emissions inspection in Madison so dump the cat!!

Where were you when I was in Madison (last 3 years before the summer)-- I never saw any other GNs except for an older asian guy.

Good luck tearing up east wash!!!

Scott

 

[bruce]

Re: Regarding MAFs---->bruce

Originally posted by Two Lane


Any HP to be gained by our TRs from any thing beyond the 3.5?

ANYThing.
That you can do to reduce the restriction on the intake side of the turbo will gain you HP. It might be microscopic, but it is there. This is with the normal disclaimer that the timing and fuel is adjusted for best performance.

BUT,
Knowing that the turbo is a lousy pump as far as it's ability to draw air, why not do the blow thru Translator, Thing?. It makes moot all the size matters on the MAF issue. Once you move the MAF to the discharge side of the turbo, life gets easier and cheaper.

In the blow thru configuration I see no HP difference in the various sensors, when the fuel and timing are optimised. I personally have the 3.5 sensor in a 3 housing and for my combo it just seems to FEEL better in around town driving.

In every data log I've looked at, every MAF has been pegged before 4K RPM. Once you peg the MAF your running on the PE ve RPM part of the chip, so it just really doesn't matter, as far as resolution, which MAF you run, again if properly tuned.

Not to harp on things TOO much but folks are spending a ton of money on parts to compensate for the lack of tuning.

With the Translators and MAFless MEs. all the inherit ecm problems are gone now, and with either you can get serious about some tuning. If you do you own chips, and get a Translator, then you can unleash the beast.

 

[Two Lane]

Much Appreciated!

Thanks again & always, bruce, for your time & help given to our questions.

 

[FAMLYKAR]

Best bang thread

This thread really helped. Great info from all.

I agree with Two Lane about the excellent technical expertise of members like Bruce. I really appreciate getting to learn from true scientific methods and documentation.

I really appreciate your contribution also Two Lane. When you give the web sites so I can link right up it is a tremendous help. Thanks.

And Lee. Thanks for selling me the Turbo Ltd. But if you would like to trade for your TTA even up I will be happy to help you out.