Looking for HP 94 K1500

BC in Phx · February 26, 2003

Looking for some good ideas to get my 94 , 350 cid, K1500 to have more horsepower. When she was new, it was only 190 hp and now towing a trailer, I need to get more HP at a reasonable cost and not screw-up emissions too bad. I need low to mid range torque and have been told that breathing is the biggest problem for this motor. Any and all ideas please.

TIA

Bill

Wingnut · February 26, 2003

How much do you want to spend?

bassdog · February 26, 2003

Bill, I have a 94 and have no problems towing my bass boat around. Thought the 94's had 200 HP and 300 Ft/lbs?

I have the drop-in K&N filter and a Flowmaster Delta series muffler for mods, pulls the boat like it isn't even there. Total package weight is around 2200 lbs....

What are you pulling?

Gearing would be my next upgrade if I were keeping it, 3:73's or 4:11's would help out a whole bunch. :thumb:

BC in Phx · February 27, 2003

How much do you want to spend?

I'm not too sure how this forum works .... so if I don't do it right ..bear w/me....I am told I need other heads or someway to make the engine breathe better and another cam....I'm towing @ 5000 pounds. Cheapest means to the end of about 250 hp +. I''ve got 3.73 's

bassdog · February 27, 2003

Cheapest means to the end of about 250 hp +. I''ve got 3.73 's

Check out this http://www.edelbrock.com/automotive/index.html

Look at the Multi point fuel injection.

Also consider Multi-Point EFI System with Performer heads #60859,

cam #3702, headers #6666 with stock cat and muffler

Their dyno claims 80 HP and 81 ft/lbs with the above mentioned. I don't know the cost, but I don't think it's cheap. For that money you are better off going to a new truck with the Vortec. Just my .02

bassdog · February 27, 2003

Ok, I did a little cost analysis at Summit Racing

Performer heads - $569.50

Cam - 125.95

Headers - 431.95

Multipoint fuel injection kit - 1009.95

All this plus installation for 80HP

I'm sure there are other possibilities, just not sure how to go about it.

varmint2506 · February 27, 2003

Looking for some good ideas to get my 94 , 350 cid, K1500 to have more horsepower.

There are many mod's that claim power gains. You will find that after you spend a ton of money, you still will not be happy with the power. I don't mean to be pessimistic but speaking from experience, the power vs. the money never seems to quite work out the way you expected.

BC in Phx · February 27, 2003

Thanks guys. I have the throttle body EFI & it's never given me problems and I don't want to go multiport 'cause of the expense of the intake, injectors and probably a new ECM. I welcome any more suggestions AND I am too poor to buy a new truck (Ha, ha).

varmint2506 · February 27, 2003

Go with one of those TBI phenolic spacers. I made my own out of a scrap piece of 1/2" phenolic That will make the TBI run nice and cold. A set of headers, free flowing exhaust, free flowing filter, and an adj. fuel pressure regulator (bump up the pressure to the TBI) will help some.

I have all the above plus may other mod's on my '89 with the TBI. I ran 15.8's in the 1/4 last year with over 250,000 miles of wear and tear. I think the older TBI's respond better to bolt on mod's than the newer EFI's. :thumb:

Wingnut · February 27, 2003

I made my own out of a scrap piece of 1/2" phenolic

OK, I'll bite...

What is "phenolic"?

varmint2506 · February 27, 2003

I made my own out of a scrap piece of 1/2" phenolic

OK, I'll bite...

What is "phenolic"?

Phenolic is a type of high heat resistant polymer (plastic). It has a very high heat resistance. The stuff is hard as heck also. It works great for stopping heat transfer. It is somewhat hard to cut and shape since it is so dense.

I stopped one day in the summer on the interstate after running for an hour or so. I touched the TBI and it was ice cold. Virtually no heat transfer from the aluminum intake. :thumb:

Phenolic Plastic

Wingnut · February 27, 2003

Cool. Interesting.

Thanks man.

Funny thing...I have been all up and down that street in Chula Vista, and never saw that place.

BC in Phx · February 28, 2003

Anybody know where to buy phenolic plastic in the Phoenix area?

WEFs99 · March 1, 2003

If towing is your main concern, I'd go 4.10's. It won't be cheap for two sets but it should be the most noticeable improvement for the money.

ByUBlue · March 3, 2003

OK...no offense to any of the guys who have posted on here, but I have one of these trucks and know first hand that you can get more horsepower without selling the farm to do it...

A few things about your air fuel system...the biggest problem with a stock TBI is air flow...quite simply...it's really bad! But you can change that...for free! Go to Turbo City's website at http://www.turbocity.com/TBIPowerMain.htm and look at thier "modified" throttle bodies for your truck... what you will see is that they have removed the "ridges" from around the throttle bores and opened up the top of the air inlets with a dremel tool! I did this in less than an hour and it makes a HUGE difference!

Secondly your fuel pressure regulator can be made adjustable, or you can spend $70 and buy one at the address above. Your call, but this is not that complicated either. These two mods and an injector tower spacer, along with removing the "spacer ring" from your TBI and installing a breather filter on your valve cover will allowe your truck to get more air and fuel and horsepower!

Also, the TBI spacers are great, as are the Edelbrock intake manifolds-they flow about 20% better than stock. (I got my manifold on eBay for $125!

Next to this, you can install a pair of emissions-legal shorty headers...I opted for the painted headers...they cost just over $110 after shipping! They were cheap enough that if I decided I wanted ceramic, I could take them off, sell them on eBay for $75, and buy a better set.

On top of all this, if you are still not happy (but I think you will be) you can put a DIY port job on your factory heads. (Yes, your sources were right about the heads in these trucks, they are VERY restrictive.) If you do it right it will yield 20-30 HP! If you screw up, there is a guy on E#bay that sells a great set of low-cost heads for these trucks (under $400). They are modified 305 heads with larger intake and exaust valves than you have now, they also have high performance springs, a multi-angle valve job, and slightly smaller combustion chambers that will boost your compression to about 10:1. These will be good for 25+ out of the box...put a decent port job on them and you could be pushing 45+ horses!

I know this is a lot of info in one post, and I may have gone through it all fast, but if you need more info or have more questions, just ask. I am posting an address that will walk you through modifying your throttle body...and fuel pressure regulator. Remember, if you don't want to try it, you can buy these, but I didn't think they were worth the cash... Here's that address... http://350.streetracing.org/tbi.htm

Oh, on another note, if you install a spacer (I would recommend at least an inch-I got an inch and a half! ) make sure you loosen the fuel line bracket on the back driver side of your block to enable the fuel lines to reach. Good luck!

Oh, the place mentioned in an above post will sell you a piece of phenolic resin as thick as you need...if you are "adventurous" like me and like doing stuff like that, you can easily make your own. I can tell you how to do that too.