Engine Upgrades.

[K5 Silverado]

Hey everyone, I want to do some upgrades to my motor. Its a 350 TBI stock motor. I was thinking about a motorvation computer chip the stage 2. I dont have my cat on any more and I have a 3" flopro {similair to a Flow master} muffler with 21/2 tail pipe. I was thinking about pushing my motor 30 over later on but dont know how this will effect my computer? Can I bore it over 30 and still use the stock computer for the TBI. I also wanted to put a bigger cam in it to. What is the most lift that I could go with stock springs in the heads? Thanks any input on chips would help to, what are the chararistics of them. My brother inlaw had one and it made his truck have a irraddric idle.

 

[dyeager535]

Don't even begin to waste your time on one of those aftermarket chips. You will NOT make noticeable power with one of these. GM optimized them as best they could, the aftermarket companies add timing and tell you to run premium and cold t-stats to try and prevent the detonation increasing timing causes.

If you are serious, Brian over at TBIchips.com is the one you need to talk to, or learn to do it yourself. ANY engine modifications you make are best served with a custom chip, regardless of what you have heard or may hear. Yes, the setups can "compensate" a bit, but think about it...proactive or reactive, which is better? Retarding timing or trying to add fuel instead of actually having it right in the first place?

Lots of simplification there, but the fact of the matter is, it's NOT a simple matter. Even an exhaust change can likely be served better by a custom chip. I'm not talking 20HP here from just one chip change, but if you got 1 extra horsepower for every mod, that is something that you will notice every time you drive it.

If you really want to see what happens when you make engine modifications and think your engine is running fine, read these:

http://coloradok5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=163920&highlight=dyno

http://coloradok5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=91532&highlight=383+piston+broke

Obviously, no company or person can make a one size fits all chip, even for a semi-stock setup.

 

[Thunder]

Your stock chip will handle most minor mods to an engine including a .030 over bore as long as you dont drasticly increase air flow with different heads and big cam.
As said the one chip fits all aftermarket chips dont really work that good and are a waste of money IMHO. you can get the same results by bumping up the timing a few degrees and increasing the fuel pressure.
As far as the cam keep it a small computer friendly cam. Your stock TBI heads wont flow enough to support a high performance cam.
A Melling MTC1 cam will work fine with the stock chip, intake, heads,. It is a great inexpensive cam for a TBI truck. Will build great torque and give good gas MPG too. Be sure to get a spring and lifter kit. The stock springs are very weak and will start to float around 4500 with a larger than stock cam.
Altho this cam will run fine on the stock chip. Getting a custom chip for that cam and your mods is the best way to get the most out your engine.
You might also want to check out this site:http://marine-performance-parts.com/gmtbiperformance.aspx
You might check out their TBI tuning pages also.

 

[NEK5]

Your stock chip will handle most minor mods to an engine including a .030 over bore as long as you dont drasticly increase air flow with different heads and big cam.
As said the one chip fits all aftermarket chips dont really work that good and are a waste of money IMHO. you can get the same results by bumping up the timing a few degrees and increasing the fuel pressure.
As far as the cam keep it a small computer friendly cam. Your stock TBI heads wont flow enough to support a high performance cam.
A Melling MTC1 cam will work fine with the stock chip, intake, heads,. It is a great inexpensive cam for a TBI truck. Will build great torque and give good gas MPG too. Be sure to get a spring and lifter kit. The stock springs are very weak and will start to float around 4500 with a larger than stock cam.
Altho this cam will run fine on the stock chip. Getting a custom chip for that cam and your mods is the best way to get the most out your engine.
You might also want to check out this site:http://marine-performance-parts.com/gmtbiperformance.aspx
You might check out their TBI tuning pages also.

Any recomendations for a spring/lifter kit? Where can I find that Melling cam?

TIA

 

[3/4 Ton Blazer]

I have been looking into this as well. I am swapping out the TBI intake set-up for a TPI, and am going to an aftermarket programmable engine management. TBI is a very restrictive.

 

[dyeager535]

TBI is a very restrictive.

Howso? At least with TBI you have a *stock* throttle body and injectors that handle a big block, (or built small block) while the 305 intended TPI chokes a 350.

 

[NEK5]

A Melling MTC1 cam will work fine with the stock chip, intake, heads,. It is a great inexpensive cam for a TBI truck. Will build great torque and give good gas MPG too. Be sure to get a spring and lifter kit. The stock springs are very weak and will start to float around 4500 with a larger than stock cam.
Altho this cam will run fine on the stock chip. Getting a custom chip for that cam and your mods is the best way to get the most out your engine.
You might also want to check out this site:http://marine-performance-parts.com/gmtbiperformance.aspx
You might check out their TBI tuning pages also.

Again can anyone attest to this?