Add horsepower

[71440]

I watch engine dyno comparisons on engine add ons and mods and a performance aluminum intake did around 15- 20 hp if I remember correctly. Headers, depending on the size did a bit better. If you are looking to gain hp, look at where you may be loosing hp also. There are some good YouTube videos that show actual dyno tests on bolt-on hp gains and videos on what changes/modifications can do to gain hp.

Here are a few to get you started...

Looks like a great show. I will be checking this out.

 

[Nevada dan]

Ya headers,high rise and a bigger air cleaner, I hear the round ones only let 600 cfm through

 

[91r/t]

TTI makes the best headers that fit you will find, but they are still tight naturally.

 

[YY1]

RE: engine masters vids-

Are there people that run 3 quarts too much oil in their performance engines?

Nice to know chevy guys have the same issue with vortec intake bolt angles that we do with magnums.
(and they might have it worse, as the vid infers there are three patterns)

I wonder if Magnum heads and a speedmaster air gap would ad 130 HP to a stock reman LA engine without changing the cam.
(Of course, we'll never know what the 5500 RPM HP was with the stock parts on their build.....)


I'm not crazy about their edits on those. Some of the findings are edited out, as well as some of the changes.

I'd have liked to hear what the profiles were on their flat tappet to hydraulic roller upgrade.
I'd like to assume the found they closest profile possible, but you know what they say.....

They didn't say what the gain was on 5/16 to 3/8 fuel line. Was that even the same engine?

They didn't say what the setup was on the carb size vid other than 383 and obvious AL heads.
Cam and compression would have been nice to know.

 

[Ron H]

Anyone do a cold air intake setup? Worth it?

 

[Nevada dan]

Anyone do a cold air intake setup? Worth it?

Isn,t that a air grabber hood, the intake is already air gap, or are we talking chevy ?

 

[Ron H]

Isn,t that a air grabber hood, the intake is already air gap, or are we talking chevy ?

Similar to a ram air setup, routing hose(s) to enclosed air cleaner with air from front or side of the bay...unheated engine bay air. There are aftermarket kits for this or DIY tricks. Have read this can garner a few horses and lower end torque...suppose it could since ram air is well ram air...lol

 

[Nevada dan]

I did read somewhere that the six pack hood was good for 10 more horse at the end of the quarter

 

[Slap Stick]

All the aftermarket "cold air intakes" replace the CAI that is supplied by the factory.

And, no, just Magnum heads and Speedmaster intake won't add 130 HP.
The LA engines already had roller lifters and cam (not tappets-if they tap you have a real problem) it took the heads, larger throttle body, and EFI to get 80 HP.

 

[Nevada dan]

I have a 71 satellite with a 440 and have heard that by adding a new intake manifold is a easy way to add some horsepower. Can someone tell me the best ones now days to accomplish this. Thanks all

Where did small blocks come into the thread ?

 

[ricks_RR]

same car when I bought the car

and after restoring it

 

[Outlawd]

TTI makes the best headers that fit you will find, but they are still tight naturally.

I would say Doug's Headers are just as good if not better. Perfect fit and plenty of room for the starter, steering box, and no spark plug boot issues, even with 2" pipes. By far the best headers I've put on a b-body with a 440 motor.

 

[91r/t]

I would say Doug's Headers are just as good if not better. Perfect fit and plenty of room for the starter, steering box, and no spark plug boot issues, even with 2" pipes. By far the best headers I've put on a b-body with a 440 motor.

Yea my biggest areas of complaint are the power steering pump/box area with the number 1 and 3 plugs is insanely tight and the starter clearance is very very small with the TTI 2" tubes. First set of headers I have dealt with and everyone says TTI so that is all I have to go by. Doug's sounds good too by what you are saying

 

[slepr1]

Bottom line with buying headers, don't cheap out or you'll regret it. Removing and replacing is a real pain. I have a couple different brands from past purchases that I thought would fit and would last. My latest are the tti's. Fit perfect and look well built. I've heard good things of Dougs headers as well so I may try those on my cuda when the time comes.

 

[Budnicks]

Performance 101

for street use a dual-plane aluminum 4bbl intake
the Edelbrock RPM is a great manifold if you have the hood clearance
a drop base air-cleaner will help

a hotter ignition (&/or cdi box) & low ohm resistance plug wires
a hotter coil also to help burn fuel
(even a Chrysler electronic conversion, if you don't have electronic already)

a better fuel pump & a quality high flow 10-micron filter
after the pump & before the carb

a better bigger carb
(I'm partial to Holleys & QFT's)
will flow way better
(1 of the mods needed to have more flow & flow = HP)
to take advantage of them
you may have to do some re-jetting & tinkering to get it perfect
a 750-850cfm is usually plenty,
vacuum secondary if an automatic, streeter,
double pumper of a manual
a good high-flow air-cleaner element (I like K&N)
all of that easily good for about 25-40+ hp
depending on manifold choices if done correctly
wrong/restrictive air-cleaner can hamper it too

a decent set of headers, a set of 1-7/8" is plenty for a mostly streetcar
(TTI or Dougs are both good) probably good for 20+ hp

a good set of mufflers, properly sized exhaust tubes/head-pipes
(I like Flowmasters, some don't)
that can actually flow what the engine is producing
after the other mods, not a huge gain but over
a stock restrictive exhaust it is a great addition
could be 20+ hp easily

the engine is just an air-pump
what goes in must come out
the less restrictions the better

if you want to get into the engine
a camshaft change is another good mod, depending on cam
add a dbl roller chain & gear set
(easily could gain 40-70hp, with all other changes & matched parts)

so would be a better set or much flowing of heads
like Edelbrock E-street RPM great bang for the buck,
quality parts a stock 906 MoPar cast iron head flows
like 220cfm
an Out of the box E-street/RPM flow like 290cfm at 0.600" valve lift
even if it's just a 0.500" valve lift it will outflow the stock heads
at like 0.750" valve-lift
(the stock heads would rarely ever go to 0.750" lift)
still will way outflow the cast iron heads
(there are exceptions to the rule, a fully professionally ported IRON set maybe)
it/cast iron also has a bigger combustion chamber
lowering compression
*or Maybe if you have the extra cash a set of Trick Flows
the cylinder-head is one of the biggest choke points
in a BB MoPar Wedge engine
(probably a near 70hp gain conservatively)

lots of ways to make more HP
if you're not looking for every last one,
it really is easy to gain another 50-70hp
with just bolt on stuff, sometimes even more

is all a Great Idea

a lil' steeper rear gears is a great performance addition too
get a heavy car moving quickly,
feels like it makes more power down low
because of gear/torque multiplication factors

if it has an Automatic trans a looser converter, more stall speed
(usually smaller diameter)
will give it far more of a performance feel too
pref. matched to the gears cam range of opperation is a plus

depends on how much more power