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QwkTrip 11sec Club
Joined: 17 Feb 2004 Posts: 3942 Location: Peoria, IL
1989 Pontiac Firebird
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Posted: Mon Jan 16, 2017 10:27 pm Post subject: |
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izcain wrote: | What mods were you looking into? Just curious... |
I started out looking at better heads and ported intake. Also a little smaller cam but with different LSA and more lift. That all came up to about $5K (without recovering any money from selling my old stuff). So then I thought I'd try the angle where I sell my long block and trade out for an LS3 416 long block and just bolt my stuff to it. A bare bones LS3 416 long block with Trick Flow heads was $12K. Poo on that, I want to retire some day.
Seems that taking my n/a engine to the next level is very expensive. Pretty obvious why turbos are getting so popular. Problem is the stroke in my engine is too long to handle a power adder. And I'm not buying a different short block, not this year anyway.
I think my engine can work quite a bit better if I just pay a little more attention to the details. I'm going to pop the heads off again, measure out what I really have, and make some adjustments to quench, compression, and cam timing. It should boost the entire torque curve and make my car noticeably quicker.
On a side note, there have been thousands of layoffs at my company over the last few months and it isn't over yet. Lots of empty desks around me. Very unpredictable without much of a pattern as to who is let go. I have never felt so vulnerable so you're not going to see me spend much money this year. If I do lose my job then I'll be coming home to the Northwest for sure. |
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izcain 9sec Club
Joined: 09 Sep 2006 Posts: 1306 Location: Port Angeles WA
1983 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28
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Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2017 8:43 am Post subject: |
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There is some pretty good people over on the bullet that specialize in cam setup. I had one of them design my cam on their cam motion software. Maybe a call to one of them might net you something a lot better for minimal investment.
If you wanted I could put you in contact with the guy that took care of my heads. He could prob port them for not a ton also unless they are already done.
Just some ideas if you were looking at just building on what you have and making more for not a bankroll killing investment.
Ive been there before on the job stuff! That's one of the reasons I came back to the family business and made a go of it. I found myself working crazy hours and killing myself for no gain of myself. It only benefited the people I worked for. I figured if I was going to work all the time at least I could do it for myself.
Hope it all works out for you. _________________
1983 Z28 383 + 201ci more = New Heart for this season!
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QwkTrip 11sec Club
Joined: 17 Feb 2004 Posts: 3942 Location: Peoria, IL
1989 Pontiac Firebird
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Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2017 9:48 pm Post subject: |
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My heads are already ported. The next step up is aftermarket.
I think I'll keep using my cam for now. Just need to advance it a bit. |
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QwkTrip 11sec Club
Joined: 17 Feb 2004 Posts: 3942 Location: Peoria, IL
1989 Pontiac Firebird
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Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2017 5:08 pm Post subject: |
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Hey, Izcain. Do you have the pinout for the dash gauge pod for an '89 Firebird? Should be 2 connectors behind the dash (Grey and Brown if I remember right).
Got my Speedhut gauges. |
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izcain 9sec Club
Joined: 09 Sep 2006 Posts: 1306 Location: Port Angeles WA
1983 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28
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Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2017 6:33 pm Post subject: |
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Sure man give me a minute and I will post up! _________________
1983 Z28 383 + 201ci more = New Heart for this season!
9.17 @ 148 |
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izcain 9sec Club
Joined: 09 Sep 2006 Posts: 1306 Location: Port Angeles WA
1983 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28
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Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2017 6:38 pm Post subject: |
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Close?
What motor did you start with again? _________________
1983 Z28 383 + 201ci more = New Heart for this season!
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izcain 9sec Club
Joined: 09 Sep 2006 Posts: 1306 Location: Port Angeles WA
1983 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28
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Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2017 6:39 pm Post subject: |
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Or this? _________________
1983 Z28 383 + 201ci more = New Heart for this season!
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izcain 9sec Club
Joined: 09 Sep 2006 Posts: 1306 Location: Port Angeles WA
1983 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28
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Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2017 6:57 pm Post subject: |
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One more _________________
1983 Z28 383 + 201ci more = New Heart for this season!
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QwkTrip 11sec Club
Joined: 17 Feb 2004 Posts: 3942 Location: Peoria, IL
1989 Pontiac Firebird
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izcain 9sec Club
Joined: 09 Sep 2006 Posts: 1306 Location: Port Angeles WA
1983 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28
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Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2017 10:27 pm Post subject: |
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Hmm looking all over and don't see anything like that listed. I have a Haynes manual in the garage I will look at that and see. _________________
1983 Z28 383 + 201ci more = New Heart for this season!
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QwkTrip 11sec Club
Joined: 17 Feb 2004 Posts: 3942 Location: Peoria, IL
1989 Pontiac Firebird
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Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2017 9:24 pm Post subject: |
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Those diagrams helped. Thanks! I used them, along with some info I found at TGO, and I was able to put together a pinout for the dash pod.
Now I need to develop a game plan how I'm going to wire in these gauges. |
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QwkTrip 11sec Club
Joined: 17 Feb 2004 Posts: 3942 Location: Peoria, IL
1989 Pontiac Firebird
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Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2017 9:49 pm Post subject: |
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Do you have a diagram of the light switch for 1989 Firebird? And the fog lamp switch?
I need to find a light source that isn't affected by the rheostat. I'm thinking parking lamps because it is inconsequential if I lose those lights if there was a problem. Or better yet fog lamps because I don't even have those but I think the wiring is sitting behind the dash. |
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izcain 9sec Club
Joined: 09 Sep 2006 Posts: 1306 Location: Port Angeles WA
1983 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28
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Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2017 9:57 pm Post subject: |
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Sure thing man give me a sec! _________________
1983 Z28 383 + 201ci more = New Heart for this season!
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izcain 9sec Club
Joined: 09 Sep 2006 Posts: 1306 Location: Port Angeles WA
1983 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28
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Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2017 10:01 pm Post subject: |
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Here ya go. _________________
1983 Z28 383 + 201ci more = New Heart for this season!
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izcain 9sec Club
Joined: 09 Sep 2006 Posts: 1306 Location: Port Angeles WA
1983 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28
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Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2017 10:01 pm Post subject: |
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Part 2 _________________
1983 Z28 383 + 201ci more = New Heart for this season!
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QwkTrip 11sec Club
Joined: 17 Feb 2004 Posts: 3942 Location: Peoria, IL
1989 Pontiac Firebird
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Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2017 10:28 pm Post subject: |
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Man, you're awesome! Thanks!!!
I am almost bouncing off the ceiling right now because I stumbled across the mother load and got hold of a full scan copy of an original service manual. I don't know who spent a year scanning all 1825 pages but I would give them a hug if they were here right now. So you'll be happy to know that I'm pretty much self service now on these diagrams... |
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izcain 9sec Club
Joined: 09 Sep 2006 Posts: 1306 Location: Port Angeles WA
1983 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28
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Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2017 11:26 pm Post subject: |
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Haha it's all good. I don't mind helping a crewby!
I have alldatapro for my auto shop so I pretty much can access anything needed.
Good to hear on the service manual! _________________
1983 Z28 383 + 201ci more = New Heart for this season!
9.17 @ 148 |
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QwkTrip 11sec Club
Joined: 17 Feb 2004 Posts: 3942 Location: Peoria, IL
1989 Pontiac Firebird
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Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2017 11:26 pm Post subject: |
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With my handy dandy new-to-me service manual I was able to figure this out in no time. I'm dangerous now!
Yep, it seems my idea might work. The fog light switch does indeed have a light switch power source for the fog light relay and it does not go through the dimmer. Hoping the pre-wired plug is sitting behind my dash already so I can tap into that wire for the lighting +12V for my gauges. |
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QwkTrip 11sec Club
Joined: 17 Feb 2004 Posts: 3942 Location: Peoria, IL
1989 Pontiac Firebird
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Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2017 8:24 pm Post subject: |
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Pulled the cover off the dash, found the connector, and tested the pin. Worked like I thought it would.
Now I just need to figure out what I am doing with parking brake light and the alternator excitation wire that I ran through the SES light. |
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QwkTrip 11sec Club
Joined: 17 Feb 2004 Posts: 3942 Location: Peoria, IL
1989 Pontiac Firebird
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Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2017 8:37 pm Post subject: |
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I found info for '88 Firebird gauge pod. Doesn't quite match my '89 wiring though. Does anybody know what is C1 pin 4 and 6? Mine is loaded with pins so the wiring goes somewhere (those are pictures of my dash that I took a while ago). Haven't yet taken the gauge pod out to inspect the trace on the board, just hoping to figure this out before I start disassembling things.
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