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Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2008 10:46 pm Post subject: New guy needs your opinion
New here and it looks like this is a great forum.
My El Camino currently has a 350 engine and 350 tranny. Both are supposed to have around 45,000 to 50,000 miles. At this time everything is stock except for dual exhaust. The carb is a quadrajet.
I am looking to increase the power but I am undecided as to which to do first, exhaust or carb and manifold. At this point I think that I will probably use Hedman full length headers with duals all the way back and a couple of high performance cats and the modified cross member.
I am considering the Edelbrock performer carb and manifold but don't know if I should go the air gap manifold or not. Any suggestions on this?
I have a MSD streetfire HEI distributor (not yet installed) and the 6al box (not installed). Can someone please tell me how these items work on the street and do I need to keep the computer plugged in or can I unplug it?
I think that my heads are not the High Performance ones but they are OK for now.
Any suggestions on a camshaft? I would like to have a little rump! rump! but still driveable on the street.
It is also my intention to keep the A/C inplace for the Hot summer here in Idaho.
Thanks a lot for any responses to my questions.
Bigchev. _________________ 1982 El Camino, Escalade Pearl White, Interior Red with Oldsmobile power seats, American Racing Wheels 18" rear and 16" front. 300 Hp 350 engine.
Necoa #: 11902
Location: 25(All Other)
Joined: Jun 11, 2008
Posts: 92
Year: 1978
Model: El Camino
Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2008 2:17 am Post subject:
Install the msd 6al but its not digital-get the one made by summit with higher output, & it will not change your horse power out put more than two horse power inless you have turbo ect, but it will idle better, and run cleaner. Do the carb and intake and cam kit, and then do the headers/mufflers.(some re-wiring will have to be done on your OBD1 computer)
Get the edel. air gap dual plane intake, get the holly street avenger double pumper-part # 0-80670 670 CFM Four Barrel Carburetor it's way better than edelbrocks carb its calibrated for max power, then buy a COMP Cams Magnum Hydraulic Roller Cam and Lifter Kits
Cam/ Lifters/ Valvetrain, Hydraulic Roller Tappet, Duration 304/ 304, Lift .600/ .600, Chevy, 305/ 350,(street/strip)-not race!, Kit price $857.39++
then the install will be alot of cash- or do it yourself, but the cam kit will make it a very diffrent engine, when you get a great kit like this you are turning your bland stock motor into a high performance machine. Your stock heads will have to go for some CNC ported polished and matched heads for best air flow, Then do your exaust if you have any money left.
For the money you will spend to get kinda close to 400 hp(if you do every thing I listed), your better off buying a pro. made crate engine with waranty/ then tweak the crate engine to your prefrence, its a better foundation to work with, in my opinion.
Welcome BigChev. Are you wanting this to be a weekend cruiser, or a daily driver?
Are you sure you have a 350?, I was under the impression an 82 only came with the 305 option for a V8 (maybe I'm wrong). If so, that may not be the original motor.
My car is a weekend toy. I installed a .462 lift Comp Cam from Summit with the RPM Performer intake and Performer (600 CFM) carb. This is a bit less money than the setup El Monstero is talking about, and will give you over 300 HP. It's a nice street setup that will also let you smoke the tires without any trouble.
When you start getting over ½" lift on the Cam you run into valve spring and rocker stud issues, the studs can get pulled out of the heads and the springs may not be heavy enough for the added lift. You might need to add screw-in type studs and heavier springs. Check out my Homepage link below and follow the Engine Work link.
Headers should give you another 10 ~ 15 HP with a good performance muffler.
As for the emissions equipment, that will depend on where you live. In Salem Oregon, we don't have emissions testing, so I stripped all the computer stuff out. But in Portland they do, so I wouldn't be able to register the car there unless I re-installed it. If you don't have emissions testing, you can remove the computer and eliminate the CAT's from the exhaust.
Remember, when you start adding HP you lose fuel economy.
Mine gets about 8 MPG, so I don't get to drive it as often as I would like. _________________
1981 Chevy El Camino
1991 Chevy S10
"The only thing collecting dust in my garage... is my broom"
Necoa #: 2321
Location: 15(AZ,NM)
Joined: Jan 30, 2004
Posts: 1168
Year: 1974
Model: El Camino
Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2008 7:38 pm Post subject:
Quote:
Remember, when you start adding HP you lose fuel economy.
Not necessarily. It depends on how you make the power. Stick a twin turbo on a domestic V8 and you're actually going to make an extra MPG or two.
Anything you can do to help your engine breathe is going to help fuel mileage. Most mid 70's and 80's cars were tuned for emissions and not
cafe standards.
The glory days of the musclecar era were all about big displacement and massive carburetors. There wasn't anywhere near the engine management control that you have with newer vehicles. So you made more power but had to dump more fuel a lot of which was wasted as it went out the tailpipe. Newer fuel system technologies and more efficient combustion chambers allow those same levels of power without wasting so much fuel.
Look at the Z06 that sold at Barret Jackson last year. THat thing made 606HP and could still pull off 15 to 18MPG. Not great in the days of 4+ dollar a gallon gas but go back 40 years and you'd be talking in the neighborhood of 5MPG if you were lucky.
_________________ 74 El Camino Classic - project car #1
96 Camaro - RIP, Traded 10-16-2007
2008 Mustang GT, It ain't a Chevy but at least it's American!
EC74 wrote :The glory days of the musclecar era were all about big displacement and massive carburetors. There wasn't anywhere near the engine management control that you have with newer vehicles. So you made more power but had to dump more fuel a lot of which was wasted as it went out the tailpipe. Newer fuel system technologies and more efficient combustion chambers allow those same levels of power without wasting so much fuel.
And he is TOTALLY correct. Today's advanced EEC's get the most bang for the buck and efficiency/driveability far better than ever before. As an example there are chips today that enhance and improve even 80's systems (Buick GN's for one) Luckily for me I am not in an emisions testing state so all I need is three wires and one vaccuum hose. Of course, If money was no object I would most def have a state of the art EEC drivetrain with on-board laptop etc for "weekend touring" tweeks. _________________ Chillin in Lauderdale
Thanks to everyone for the responses. I appreciate your input and will let you all know what I end up doing.
Yes, my El Camino has a 350 from a '78 Vette. Unfortunately one of the heads needed to be replaced and the previous owner replaced them with the standard heads. The engine is supposed to have a 300HP cam in it but who knows. I probably won't know what I have until it comes apart.
Thanks again for your input.
Bigchev _________________ 1982 El Camino, Escalade Pearl White, Interior Red with Oldsmobile power seats, American Racing Wheels 18" rear and 16" front. 300 Hp 350 engine.
Installed Edelbrock Air Gap Performer manifold, Edelbrock AVS carb, MSD Distributor and MSD 6AL box. El Camino runs great and is a definate improvement over stock set up.
Headers and exhaust are next, sounds good now but I think a complete new exhaust system will sound better...
Thanks to everyone for your suggestions..... _________________ 1982 El Camino, Escalade Pearl White, Interior Red with Oldsmobile power seats, American Racing Wheels 18" rear and 16" front. 300 Hp 350 engine.
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