92CamaroRS

Where should I start to get some more power out of this car? 5spd Working on already posi-rear 3.73 gears. Already have done the open air/K&N Accel coil/plugs/wires. 2/3/4 in dynomax exhaust. Underdrive pulleys. What is the next thing to do without having to put heads and a cam into it. Or if i have to cam it and heads what should i look for and price ranges? Any info that could point me in the right direction what be helpful. I would like to step forward rather than go backward. I have read a lot of the previous posts about his subject, but havent quite figured out where the best place for me to start is

92CamaroRS

Another question. How about gutting the cat. Is it worth while. I dont want to be stairing at a check engine light either. Mine came on the moment i started the car after the open air element, because i forget to plug the air sensor back into it. So i know it works. I dont have to worry about the emissions part of inspection either.

transxtreme

Having the exact same car, you pretty much maxed the power you are going to get from that motor with bolts on only. Only thing i recommend is a high perf rebuild or a motor swap. Gutting your cat will work well for a few hp and will not make your SES light come on. I say just get a test pipe and bolt it in, in place of your cat.

PyRo9862

You can pull the smog pump, thats good for another maybie 5hp. Do you have headers? If you don't that will get you some more power. You can do the ultimate TBI stuff, thats good for a little more. Do a complete tuneup, cap, rotor, plugs, wires, fuel filter, air filter, oil, tranny fluid, rear-end fluid, and I know i'm forgetting things.
A nice set of tires might help you off the line a little, you could work on your suspention, shocks/struts, springs, controll arms, steering stuff, all that fun stuff if any of it is starting to wear. Maybie a T56 swap.
After that you have to learn how to tune and burn chips. Then you can go with heads, cam, intake manifold. Although you wuold probably be better off getting a l05 and doing some work on it while its out of the car, then just dropping in and tuning a 300hp or so motor.

trackbird

If you remove the cat, you will get a check engine light between 50 and 60 mph (if you cruise there long enough for it to do an EGR check). The EGR opens with vacuum and closes with back pressure, and there is not enough back pressure to close it. It only runs the test above 50 mph and once you are over 65 or so, there is enough exhaust volume to close the EGR (so, on a long trip, at low speed the light may come on, then later when you are going faster it may retest and go back out, mine did this all the time).

However, I eventually installed a stock cam from a TPI 350 (208/214 .415/.431) and that made enough exhaust volume that it never set a light again. The stock cam is a 180/196 with a .3-something lift...real small). THe car idled fine and ran great with that cam.

Black6SpdTA

I'd cam it. Like trackbird said, the duration is 180/196 and lift around 3.9X I *think*. I'd try an LT1 cam. You'll see a good improvement over the stock peanut cam. They also are real cheap. I've seen them go for as little as $30.

Or you do like me and build a 375hp 350 to put in

trackbird

Also, the TBI heads have 1/2 the intake port blocked off (the factories crude attempt to induce swirl). The heads can't be ported, and they really don't flow much at all. A set of world products 305 heads (or similar) will do wonders. Just remember, the TBI system won't support huge power gains without tuning/fuel pressure changes. So, you may be limited to head/cam/intake upgrades (but stay "small" on the cam, like the LT1 or L98 cam).

Have fun!

PyRo9862

Do all the small stuff, and before you mess with anything else motorwise you will have to learn how to tune. Do heads and a cam without tuning, and your going to actually slow the car down if it runs at all.