1989 Camaro needs more performance

[Zalastri]

Well, I'm fifteen to start, and I am inhereting a 1989 IROC Camaro next year. It's about 135 horsepower which seems comparatively low. I know next to nothing about cars, but plan to read up so I can do whatever I need to do to soup it up myself. Does anyone have some cheaper suggestions to improve it's performance? I love the look but I dont want to be bested by my friends in their moms ford tarus. Thanks for your time.

[Moe Man]

so why would you get the v6 camaro get the v8 to start with

[FiveFreshFish]

For 1989, the IROC Camaro is rated at 230 HP with the TPI 350 engine.

I think that's sufficient HP for your first car.

[Zalastri]

Alright Thanks anyway for the fast response.

[Wildcat]

Originally posted by FiveFreshFish
For 1989, the IROC Camaro is rated at 230 HP with the TPI 350 engine.

I think that's sufficient HP for your first car.

the 350's came in auto so if it was my car id do the T5 transmission swap first, then consider a locking rear diff and aluminum driveshaft and youll be tearing it up

...and in 89 it was 240bhp (but since your car probly has a fair amount of km, it might only be around ~210ish or less at the wheels, still plenty enough for a 15 yr old).

[FiveFreshFish]

^^^ I thought the 240 HP was in 1990?

[africano]

Originally posted by Wildcat


the 350's came in auto so if it was my car id do the T5 transmission swap first, then consider a locking rear diff and aluminum driveshaft and youll be tearing it up

...and in 89 it was 240bhp (but since your car probly has a fair amount of km, it might only be around ~210ish or less at the wheels, still plenty enough for a 15 yr old).

Why T-5? Go with a T-56 unit, 6 gears way more fun.

check out http://www.sdpc2000.com , they have some great stuff for your car like:

http://www.sdpc2000.com/htm/vortec_tpi.html

that with the vortec head= 300 hp
add some rockers and a cam= 360 hp



says so at the bottom of the page............

[Wildcat]

Originally posted by FiveFreshFish
^^^ I thought the 240 HP was in 1990?

in 89 and 90 they both had 240bhp, in 91 and 92 it was 245bhp, but in 87 and 88 it was only 225bhp. they pretty much steadily increased as the cars got newer.

[dieselpower91]

I would say work with the car from the back forward. if the engine runs good then leave it for now. find out what gears it has and if it has a Posi which if its an IROC it will most likely have a posi.

Change gears to a 3.73 or 4.10 if you dont already have 3.73s

That will make a big difference. then maybe get a shift kit if the transmission is in good shape.

then after thats all done then you will have the drivetrain to back up a stronger motor.

[Zalastri]

All your suggestions are read.. if not understood, surely appreciated. The engine doesnt run very well, It's stalled out a couple times lately, which is why we have it sitting in the driveway

[africano]

zelastri, check out these parts too.

Edelbrock makes a sweet pair of headers for your car (exhaust manifold) www.edelbrock.com

As for exhaust go with the American Thunder series 3" system from Flowmaster www.flowmastermufflers.com

If you have some green later on and the engine is in better shape. www.procharger.com



, almost bought one of these a few years ago. Good luck.

[BuknBronco]

Shift kit, filter, rollerized cam kit, chip, headers exhaust, rear end gears, performance wires and coil, all of these are good power add ons without doing any major rebuilding. If your lucky, your IROC has the 5.7 but most came with the 5.0

[Zalastri]

Couldnt find much about the 1989 on the forums, I'm guessing it's not a very widley "wow"ed about car. I still love it.

[AllGoNoShow]

Hella I just about had my hands on a 89 Camaro, beauty, but anwyyas, if the engine doesnt run well, get the car, get some money, go buy yourself a 350 and rebuild it, maybe overbore it, new carb for sure, do a full out rebuild while the old enigne is sitting in the car still, then when u got the time, or over winter or something, throw the 350 in and take the old one out, rebuild that if you want and sell it and make some of your money back, also throw a new rear end in if you dont got a 3.73 or 4.10 like someoen else mentioned, upgrade the brakes too if you do the engine swap

[whatthe]

Put in LS1 motor, better gears, reverse manifolds pipe in a few t3/t4s for quick spool good power through, big intercooler, frame re-inforcements, larger injectors and pump or twin pump, LS1edit or hptuners or something like it.

Once you've got the above done and tuned, 7-9psi on stock LS1 motor is starting to be fun (500-600whp). Heavy car, needs big power... 135 isn't going to cut it.

Then again, being 15, you may want to start small... save big dreams for later once you have a little more time behind the wheel.

[T5_X]

Originally posted by africano


Why T-5? Go with a T-56 unit, 6 gears way more fun.

check out http://www.sdpc2000.com , they have some great stuff for your car like:

http://www.sdpc2000.com/htm/vortec_tpi.html

that with the vortec head= 300 hp
add some rockers and a cam= 360 hp



says so at the bottom of the page............

Not to mention the T5 tranny is weak, and the best ones for the SBC will only handle a stock TPI 350 with no power upgrades.

[Zalastri]

Uhm, are you guys sure it's 240hp? All the websites I look at say like 170

[barmanjay]

Zalastri,... does it have 6 cyls or 8 cyls

[Zalastri]

Honestly I dont know how to tell. Is there some sort of mark the 8 cylinder model would have on the outside that I could check? It's late.. dunno about popping it and looking.

But today I got the key and turned it on when the parents werent home.. Revved it up .. sounds like a monster 8-)

[Zalastri]

Ugh. Carfax.com says it's a V6 (Entered the VIN )

It's a lame car isnt it :[