Engine Help?

Question

Alright what should be the first thing i should replace on my engine to give it more power? I want to accelerate faster and I want more horsepower and torque. I have a factory 350 V8 in a 1986 GMC 1500.

Answer 1

Headers

Answer 2

Install high performance aftermarket cylinder heads, intake manifold, camshaft, and headers. Do that first, and there will be no question about the performance increase. It will be huge. If you have an automatic transmisssion you should also install a torque converter with a higher stall RPM. Other easier little upgrades like air intakes, larger throttle bodies/ carbs, cat back systems... etc...etc should come last. Not only because that is the order you have to put it together, but also because those little things won't make much difference without the main parts anway. They compliment them.

Holley and Edelbrock both sell kits that come with: Cam, manifold, and heads. They are tested and engineered as a set, and can produce incredible results when used as reccommended. Use the manufacturers website or hotline to find out what kit works best for your stock 350. Don't always trust the guy at the local parts store, he may just try to push what he has on the shelf. I put a holley systemax kit on a 350 once that was advertised to put out 400hp... WOW! fastest '67 Camaro I ever drove!

Answer 3

The Mechanical advance springs in the distributor this will give you the most Horsepower vs money spent ratio for what you intend to accomplish...

later after other modifications like high flow cats in the exhaust and making it dual etc.

larger camshaft then modifying the intake and fuel system etc.

you recurve the advance curve inside the distributor to match what the pieces you have added to the truck shows it likes and taylor this modification custom to that...

BTW Spring kit is only about $12-15 and will net you at least between 15 and 25 horsepower from the get go...

it allows you to have full advance sooner not at 4500 RPM its closer to idle where you can use it...

Walt

Answer 4

There are a lot of options here, mainly depending on the money youre willing to spend. Upgraded dual exaust is a basic way to get good sound and free up horsepower, and it will be necessary to get the most out of any other parts you put on. New heads, Edelbrock's are good, are a great source of fairly unexpensive power. Research cams, there are a lot of options with them and they make a huge difference. Pistons are a big step and moderatley expensive but make a big difference as well. Bolt on parts such as super charges are good for 350's.

Answer 5

First make sure the normal stuff is good. Air filter, plugs, etc.

Then I have had pretty good success with changing the exhaust to a big dual system. It also increases your gas milage.

Answer 6

Cold Air Intake then a good flowing muffler, like a flowmaster.

Answer 7

High rise intake and performance carb and headers, for a start, high lift,long duration cam shaft...

Answer 8

i own a shop,and if it were me id do a good set of headers with Flo masters on it,that increases it about 20 horse power right there alone,good luck.

Answer 9

exhaust,the whole thing , the carb , air filter , hotter spark plug's so you can run a larger main jet in the carb I've herd i haven't done it m y self


all you dudes reading this tell me what you think about that last one

Answer 10

Something easy to do quickly would be to put in a K&N air filter. More power and better gas economy.