I want to do some upgrades for as cheap as i can...just to get a some more power...not dragracin or anything...just trying to have fun on the streets...

my truck has just over 200k

any ideas on cheap mods that will do the job?

thanks in advance

 

That big ugly square box that lets air into the throttle body, take it off and replace it with a piece of round pipe. I used some drainage pipe I had. Inside that box the hose goes down to like a 1 1/2".

Replace the cat or run a piece of straight pipe. The cat on those trucks goes in 3" narrows down inside the cat to like 2" maybe 1 3/4" and then comes out 3 ". I added a high flow cat and WOW what a difference. For $79 it was worth it.

K&N air filter.

 

Buy a timing light and try about 6* more timing. Those old 350s are timed pretty conservatively for towing and hot summers. More timing advance will give quicker throtle response which will feel like more torque. If it starts to ping or wont rev to top rpm take your foot out of it and move the timing back. I found it's the only mod you actually feel until you're talking cam, heads, etc (expensive stuff).

 

Put you a RV cam in there for a lil more toque and a good exhaust system,and since you got overdrive you could put some 3.42's or 3.73 gears for a lil more pep

 

The best mods I have put on my 350 TBI(when it was a 350 with TBI) were:
1) Open K&N filter assembly-$80
2) Headers(doesn't matter shorty or longtubes....anything helps a lot)-$300
3) High flow cat and free flowing exhaust-$310( I went with an Edelbrock unit and it was $265 plus $45 for the high flow cat)
4) Jacob's ignition system with ultra coil....helped a ton on throttle response and mpg-$Can't remember....seems like $400.
5) With that many miles on your engine, it coming down to a freshen up period....new valve springs, piston rings, etc-A cheap rebuild can be had for less than $1500.
6) Gears...from my 3.08 to 3.73s were night and day differences-$500
7) Electric fans, felt more torque off the line and it reved a little quicker-$300.


Hope this helps.

 

alright thanks for the ideas guys...i was considering the edlebrock exhuast witht the high flow cat...keep'em comin

thanks

 

roller cam swap. they can be done cheap. look for a complete lt1 swap.

 

i believe anything 85 and up has the roller cam in it.........

 

Nope....everything from 96-up does. 87-95 TBI engines came with a flat tappet piece eventhough the block was made for a roller.

He would need to convert if he wanted too but I would do a rebuild at the same time.

 

Hmmm i just read on the chevy hi performance magazine site that all mid 80's and up engines that were fuel injected had roller cams from the factory......check this link out got some cool info in it too! That weird tho they would make the blocks like that

http://www.chevyhiperformance.com/th...chevy_history/