3800power

Any of you guys know a good online dealer of L98 performance parts? Im considering a 1989 corvette and i know they arent the best engine in stock form. From what i hear they dont breath well. Is that correct? Anyway thanks for the replies ahead of time!

RedIrocZ-28

Well... the L98 is not some archaic motor that you have to search high and low for parts. Most of the larger companies like Summit and Jegs carry thousands of performance parts for them. The L98 is just your average Small Block Chevy motor nothing special. Parts are relatively cheap. Pistons are $400 or so for example. What do you need exactly? Stick around here, you'll learn a lot.

3800power

Well i didnt mean for my comment to come off that way. As i said in another post in the kills forum... ive been a reader for a long while and have learned alot already. My goal is to build a decently fast cruiser with my father. When i say decently fast i mean high 12's or low 13's. What are some good heads...cams...headers for these engines?

1989gta

i'm using air flow research heads with a tpis mini ram and zz-x cam it should 11's with a 100 shot but when i put those heads on the stock block it made all the differance. If i were to do it again i would go higher compression. like 11:1 rather than the 10.4:1 that i'm running.

YOu should be able to run 12's with heads and cam and some tuning and stickys. granted your using 350 cc or bigger

3800power

Can you have a mild cam and still get alot of power? Ive heard good things about afr heads...is a cam a requirement when you have aftermarket heads? Does anyone have and links so i can read up on your l98? Thanks again guys.

RedIrocZ-28

Lets just say that the cam in a stock L98 would be better used elsewhere than in the motor. They were designed for making torque, LOTS of it, but the TPI intake and crappy headflow coupled with the camshafts characteristics made the fun die at 4800 RPM. The best combo is a set of aftermarket aluminum heads, a higher lift camshaft with a bit more duration, a 2400 stall or higher (unless of course you have a manual), and either a heavily ported/siamesed TPI or MiniRam/StealthRam intake. Those 3 things with the obligatory headers and 3" cat back blah blah blah should get you to low 13's if not much faster.

Links? Not any that I have...Just stick here and ask questions. But please don't fall into the "Which XXXXX is better, the XXXX or the XXXX" You want to learn more about internal combustion engine theory rather than just getting somthing to put on your car because other people did it.

1989gta

if you want a good cam at a great price cam motions can help you out my brother got a great deal on his. I personally paid way too much for my tpis cam. though it works great with my n20

3800power

I agree with you RedIrocZ-28. In the end i will do what i think is best for the car i have. I usually ask why someone went with what they did so i can comapre it to others answers. That along with the research i wil do will determine what i change on the engine. Does anyone have a site that might explain the different aspects and numbers of cylinder heads? Camshafts? They dont have to be l98 specific....

3800power

Are long tube headers better for the L98? Oh and by the way: I am aiming towards 380 to 400 horses outta the motor or enough to get me to 12's

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1998 Pontiac Bonneville!!!!
3800v6
mods:
aftermarket stereo
k&n filter

no times...(who needs times when you know your already fast...jk)

3800power

anyone.......???

LilJayV10

Long tubes on a L98 is going to be the same as any engine. Shorty headers are easier to run, and you dont have to make a custom exhaust like with long tubes(unless you run the $800+ muffles system. I am running hooker super comp long tubes 1 3/4. I am also in the process of running true duals. Depending on who you ask depends on what answer you get on if its worth it or not. If you are running some crazy setup IMO long tubes are a good idea. I have seen alot of fast cars run 1 3/4 or 1 5/8 shorty's and a 3in manderal bent catback. It makes me wonder how much better true duals would work. A single 3 inch will flow about the same if not a little more than dual 2 1/4. there is a math equation to determine the flow rate of exhaust, what i mean is, saying a single 4 inch pipe will flow the same as dual 2 inch, it doesnt work like that. If you go with the custom dual exhaust you will have to find a shop to do it for you, and depending on where you live good luck, most shops wont do it because of emmisons. And then there is the ground clearance issue. Just depends on what you want.
SLP makes 1 3/4 headers shorty headers, but I have talked to a bunch of people and they say the y pipe's are junk. SLP's are way over priced IMO, but thats just me. I also have talked to a bunch of people that like them. MAC makes pretty good exhaust, but after the dealings my friend has had with them on getting headers for his 93, I WILL NEVER DEAL WITH MAC!! There customer service is so bad its pathetic, his headers have been on backorder for 6 months. THATS BS!!! Edelbrock and Headmen make 1 5/8 headers and matching y pipe for a decent price the later being less expensive.
Typically long tubes are worth more power, but is the cost and pain worth it? Thats up to you. Headman long tubes are about 130 bucks I think, and hooker SC/LT are 400, I got mine used for 150(i got lucky)
RedIroc is right. TPI engines die about 5000. They are tourqe engines...thats it. The long tube runner design coupled with the port size does not yeild high rpms. The holley stealth intake is out, but havent talked to anyone thats using it, there is the mini ram and super ram, but they are wayyy expensive. Going the LT1 intake option is fairly cheap, and flows alot of air(and it looks cool too)
You can use TPI, but will need good runners like AS&M, siamise them or extrude honed, then heavily port your lower and even then 5500-5800 maybe. If you go with a larger cam, you will have to get a custom chip burned and AFPR
Mike Crews on the 3rdgen.org board has a TPI 383 that runs mid 12's on motor, but he has alot of stuff done to it, and has spent alot of time tuning. He makes 400+ft lbs at the rear wheels, and close to 400hp.
TPI does not breath.
Hope some of this helps, I know I just spouted out a bunch of stuff. If I am wrong on any of it, someone please let me know, I dont want to tell someone something that isnt true. Thanks.


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Wide Open Till You See God...Then Brake!!
If You Are Upside Down And On Fire, Its To Fast.

Yellowknifer

With good tuning, suspension and all the mods Red IrocZ said you should easily be in the 12's if not 11's. Depends on your cylinder head choice of course. Do not buy a Miniram. LT1 intakes are cheaper and are basically the exact same design. Same with the stealthram. You can take those stock heads and intake with some good tires on your vette into the 12's though with tuning and a little porting (not even that heavy... you really need good suspension to take advantage of all that low end torque though).