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more power out of a 350


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Posted

ok guys, my grandpa is gonna give me his truck. it is a 1989 GMC sierra 1500 with the first gen 350 (5.7L). i dont know exactly what has been done on the exhaust, but i do know that it has been dualed out. I do know that he had the engine rebuilt, and hasnt put more than 15,000 miles on it. I plan on getting a K&N filter, and a Jet chips six pack. Im a student and on a budget. I would really love some advice on getting the most outta this engine. Ive heard a lot about switching the rear end gears. In the future i plan on getting a new set of headers and hopefully a hot cam. Am I going in the right direction with this truck? Advice will be surley appreciated!

 

-Matt

Posted
ok guys, my grandpa is gonna give me his truck. it is a 1989 GMC sierra 1500 with the first gen 350 (5.7L). i dont know exactly what has been done on the exhaust, but i do know that it has been dualed out. I do know that he had the engine rebuilt, and hasnt put more than 15,000 miles on it. I plan on getting a K&N filter, and a Jet chips six pack. Im a student and on a budget. I would really love some advice on getting the most outta this engine. Ive heard a lot about switching the rear end gears. In the future i plan on getting a new set of headers and hopefully a hot cam. Am I going in the right direction with this truck? Advice will be surley appreciated!

 

-Matt

 

 

 

 

 

If you are on a budget, save you money and do not waste it on chips and a K&N (which is more a state of mind than anything). THat generation engine suffers for 3 things. A restive intake, and small TBI unit and a very mild cam. CHange these in that order and you will see a big return on your investment. The other way you are just basically wasteing your money.

Posted

As was stated above, but a set of long tube headers will greatly improve both your hp and torque. Pacesetter headers can be had for around $250. Dont go for the shortys, get the lt's.

Posted
As was stated above, but a set of long tube headers will greatly improve both your hp and torque. Pacesetter headers can be had for around $250.  Dont go for the shortys, get the lt's.

 

 

 

 

 

It will help midrange some but you are not going to see and big changes unless the restrictions in the induction system listed above are removed. If you want the best street header on there, get you some Thorley Tri Y's

Posted

True...intake, headers and cam will help but, a cam will change you gas mileage.

Put an adjustable fuel regulator on it after a few goodies and bump it up to 14 PSI and that engine will wake up.

Take the restritive air box off also :confused:

Posted
True...intake, headers and cam will help but, a cam will change you gas mileage.

Put an adjustable fuel regulator on it after a few goodies and bump it up to 14 PSI and that engine will wake up.

Take the restritive air box off also :confused:

 

 

 

 

 

It depends on the cam as sometime is can improve MPG for the work load engine operates in if the cam is correctly matched. Adding more fuel will do nothing without more flow via better intake and cam and it will hurt MPG too. Unlike diesels, added more fuel does little to help a gas engines output as it also changes the burn time too. The "trick" here to get a large fresh charge in cyclinder and the proper fuel mixture and octane with the correct timing so that peak pressure occurs at the optimum time on piston position relative to crank so that max imum power is extracted and the cam also plays a very big role here.

Posted

ok so i found an edelbrock intake manifold. its part # 2104. i dont have a torqe wrench so im gonna have to get it put on. will it work with my stock TBI till i have enough o get a holley # 502-6?

 

thanks for your help,

 

-Matt

Posted
You could probably buy a torque wrench for less money than most people would charge you to install a manifold.

 

 

 

 

 

A lot less if there is a Harbor Freight or the like around.

  • 3 weeks later...
Posted

I'm not sure about were you live but up here in Ontario Canada there is a large number of parts suppliers that actually rent specialty tools like torque wrenches, steering wheel pullers etc. Maybe ask around. If you do go and buy a torque wrench get the best one you can afford. The low dollar ones are garbage.

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