How much real hp

[ksjh1316]

Thanks for the help to find my engine numbers finally found it my info it was V0812TRJ that puts me at 175 hp Is that the total for the engine with factory exaust and th350 set or is that the long block only? What minor changes can I do to gain around 50 hp without breaking the bank?

[mnunn454]

Regarding your first question I believe about 71 or 72 they started measuring net horsepower (that's at the crank, but with all the accessories bolted on).

Regarding your second on where to start improving HP, that's a little like how do I get to Kansas City cheaply? Well that depends on where you're starting. Lots of things will pay off big dividends in performance. I generally use $10 per horsepower as a general rule.

At about $3 to $5/HP NO2 is perhaps the biggest gain for the dollar spent, but it's likely to cause problems elsewhere. Swapping to a numerically higher rear end pays off well too if you're straining against a highway friendly 3.08 ratio and want to get up and go between stoplights and don't care much about mileage. If it's an automatic, a higher stall torque converter can also yield a big boost in forward G's, but it too has similar MPG and driveability drawbacks.

Regarding the engine, if you want to stay with the 350, I'd suggest improved ignition (HEI or better) then camshaft and top end induction improvements, then eliminating exhaust restrictions and finally head improvements (compression ratio and airflow CFM numbers). To add 150 horses to your current mount, you could easily spend $1.5 to $2K.

All this assumes you want to keep the truck "numbers matching". If not, then drop about $3K and upgrade to a 375 HP performance 383 long block, or about 2/3 of that for a 300 to 325 HP GM Crate motor.

Hundreds of options available, but to provide more than generalities it would help to know more about your truck and your intentions.

Just food for thought. Send us some more details when you can.

[DieselEater]

I agree with mnunn454 about the top end mods.......The engine is an air pump. More air in = more fuel in = bigger explosion!

For the cheap upgrade, I'd go with a bigger cam, intake, and headers (exhaust). Keep the Q-Jet!!!!!!!.......$500.00

For the medium upgrade, add heads to the mix.........$1500.00

For the High upgrade, add more compression!!..........$3000.00

For the BEST upgrade, go with a Big Block!!!! No replacement for DISPLACEMENT!!..........$6000.00 all day long for around 500 HP.

A.......

[Longhorn Man]

if your engine is an old tired 1xx,xxx mile old motor, never been opened... or even worse, a total mystery motor, then your best bets are to start with something known. Either another (fresh or freshish) engine, or start with a rebuild on this one. you can include performance parts in the rebuild obviously, and the $$ investment would be much smaller than to go back in after a rebuild.

[Billla]

There's not a cheap 50HP laying around there as noted. By far the biggest bang for the buck is a cam swap + headers. A mild cam with the existing cast-iron intake and carb and a decent set of aftermarket headers will put you in the 50HP (flywheel) range with a nice bump in torque. An aftermarket manifold and carb is fine, but given the heads you're not likely to see a significant improvement. Ignition upgrades improve milage somewhat - but aren't going to add any horsepower. A good tune will definitely make a difference in general driveability, and some difference in power.

The stock cam (3896929) has an anemic .390 intake lift, but the heads will flow to about .450 or so. The max lift with stock springs is right around that same number - and you still MUST check valvetrain geometry.

The CompCams High Energy 260H is a good pick and about as far as I would go. The Xtreme 4x4 X4250H is another choice if you want more low-end "grunt" and don't typically turn very high 'R's

I always add the caveat that if this is a high-milage engine I've had bad luck in some cases making big changes like a cam swap. You start getting a heavy right foot, and things start breaking.

[ksjh1316]

Thanks for the input so far wjat i really am looking for is something that will have some bark when I mash it to the floor thats why I was a little dissapointed in the hp of the 350 I found. Maybe I am just over thinking this and afraid I wont see the difference when I switch to the 350/350 combo from the 292/4speed set up I currently have.

[DieselEater]

DO NOT.......FOR ANY REASON........EVER..........GET RID OF A MANUAL TRANNY WHEN SEARCHING FOR MORE POWER!!!!!!

An auto will be a let down in felt power.

[ksjh1316]

The reason I am switching trannys is several tranny builders in the area have told me that I am already pushing the granny 4 speed just as hard as a 350 and I wouldn't see any real gain in preformance.

[DieselEater]

I'm not sure what you mean?? But, I took a TH400 out of a 3/4 ton chev with a stock 350, put in a 4 speed and could actually feel a huge difference! If you reverse the scenario you will see how clutch slip in an auto will take away from the LOCKED UP feeling of gear on gear connection!

Don't do it man!! cause I'll rub it in later!

The only thing you'll gain is the kick down feature on hills...4 speeds are very far apart from 3rd to 4th, and 4th will feel weak if you don't have deep gears or lots of power.

[mnunn454]

Case in point, did anyone see the 383+.030 buildup in the Nov 07 Car Craft magazine?

$1,950 bought the builder 439 lbft of torque at 3900 RPMs and 383 HP @5300 RPMs. That engine should live a long time at those RPM levels.

And that kind of torque output (roughly 1 lbft of torque for each 9 pounds of vehicle) should move your 71 along fairly well.

Parts list shows approx $1K in parts and $1K in machine work.

That's about $5 per HP. Dirt Cheap from my point of view.

[Longhorn Man]

your 4 speed is a very strong unit, and should outlive any automatic, regardless of what amount of power you put to it. (stock for stock, or even a mildly built auto)

[bayer20]

I just build a 355/ 350 .030 over for a customer, we added vortec heads with 1.6e/2.02I valves summit blue roller rockers, mild CompCam 1800-2200rpm, dual plain intake 600cfm edelbrock carb, 1 5/8 longtube headers. 396HP 421ft.lbs. This motor was build for around $2200-2500.
BTW...Automatic trani is quicker than Manual and cheaper.

[bayer20]

Here is a pic from that project.

[stllookn]

Where did that printout come from?

[bayer20]

That is a software engine dyno. It is very accruate, +/-