your favorite head/cam/intake setup on a shortblock 302ci??
- Thread starter turboboostturboboost
- Start date
one of the best deals for the $$$ is the Trick Flow kits,
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/TFS-K514-350-370?part=TFS-K514-350-370&autoview=sku
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/TFS-K514-350-370?part=TFS-K514-350-370&autoview=sku
easy, just get a gm block 
Just kidding, like they said.. if you're trying to build a good powered HCI setup, go custom. Every part has to work together and flow right or else you're gonna have a restriction and limit your power. It is more expensive, but you have a car that will drive and act the way you want. Custom setups can be personalized to your own liking, from giving you stock drivability to max effort 5k+ powerband.
Just kidding, like they said.. if you're trying to build a good powered HCI setup, go custom. Every part has to work together and flow right or else you're gonna have a restriction and limit your power. It is more expensive, but you have a car that will drive and act the way you want. Custom setups can be personalized to your own liking, from giving you stock drivability to max effort 5k+ powerband.
Just like what these guys have been saying, its up to you how you want it to run. I would definitely go with a custom cam, from what I've heard from some people, you can't go wrong with them. You tell them what you're looking to do with it and they grind one out for you. They cost a bit more, but well worth it. Trickflow makes some nice pieces, their TW and FAC heads are good. You should go to corral.net, and read about what some guys are running over there and what combos they have. They know quite a bit.
Id just go with one of the top end kits. When I first had h/c/i done to my car I ended up paying more than one of the kits and probably didnt even make as much power as I should have. The kits are a nice setup for a stock shortblock 302.
The only reason I didnt buy a kit was that there was already an Edelbrock Performer on the motor (on new set up too). I thought Id save money by not buying an intake but all the little shit thats included with the kit that I had to buy separately (rockers, gaskets, etc) added up. I went with AFR165 heads and a custom ground Comp cam designed by Ed Curtis.
Really the car never ran right with that mismatched setup. I wasnt happy with the cam at all. Complete waste of money on a custom ground cam. A basic bolt on 302 didnt need it.
This time around I also pieced together a set up because I was on a budget and I reused the intake and Harland Sharp roller rockers but picked up a set of used World Windsor Sr. heads and got an off the shelf Comp cam as recommended by Comp over the phone.
Now the car runs great and pulls harder than it ever did before. Sure a few extra cubic inches helps but so does not falling on its face like it seemed to do with the old cam.
To me custom ground cams are a waste of money.
BTW my car is not professionally tuned and it still runs damn good.
The only reason I didnt buy a kit was that there was already an Edelbrock Performer on the motor (on new set up too). I thought Id save money by not buying an intake but all the little shit thats included with the kit that I had to buy separately (rockers, gaskets, etc) added up. I went with AFR165 heads and a custom ground Comp cam designed by Ed Curtis.
Really the car never ran right with that mismatched setup. I wasnt happy with the cam at all. Complete waste of money on a custom ground cam. A basic bolt on 302 didnt need it.
This time around I also pieced together a set up because I was on a budget and I reused the intake and Harland Sharp roller rockers but picked up a set of used World Windsor Sr. heads and got an off the shelf Comp cam as recommended by Comp over the phone.
Now the car runs great and pulls harder than it ever did before. Sure a few extra cubic inches helps but so does not falling on its face like it seemed to do with the old cam.
To me custom ground cams are a waste of money.
BTW my car is not professionally tuned and it still runs damn good.
I would recommend getting your car on a dyno to check the A/F as my cousin's h/c/i car with 24lbers and matching MAF was extremely lean and required alot of work to the MAF transfer function. He got an AEM wideband and I tuned the car for him, I still want to get it closer but it runs alot better now. Sometimes the calibrated MAF work fine, other times they are way off. Had that same problem with my 93 LX when it had the AFM PMS, the Pro M meter was off and never could get the car 100%.
I'm happy with the combo I have. It suits me fine for a weekend street car. I don't drive it that much, but could easily be an everyday car. I never took it down the track yet, but the guy who had it before me ran a 13.40. without a good tune. I've done some more stuff to it and lightened it up more. I know it will run quicker. 