HVTB a good next step in mods?
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From: Cheyenne WY

On my '96 Olds 88 LS, I've taken off the MAF screen with good results and gutted the air box of it'* resonator with good results, and tomorrow I'm putting in a 180 Tstat.
Would the HVTB be a good next step?
I know some would say put rockers in, but it I'm going to mess with the valvetrain, I'm going to put a Comp GT cam in for the same money, (Got friends in the right places to do it
).
Money'* an issue and the HVTB is half the cost of the cam and parts, and 1/1000th of the time and effort to install. But I don't want to do it if there won't be enough benefit because of a stock valve train.
Give me your wisdom, oh wise ones.
Would the HVTB be a good next step?
I know some would say put rockers in, but it I'm going to mess with the valvetrain, I'm going to put a Comp GT cam in for the same money, (Got friends in the right places to do it
Money'* an issue and the HVTB is half the cost of the cam and parts, and 1/1000th of the time and effort to install. But I don't want to do it if there won't be enough benefit because of a stock valve train.
Give me your wisdom, oh wise ones.
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From: Cheyenne WY

I don't know if we have the same air box, but since we have the same year H body and engine, I would think it'* the same. Try removing the entire box that the air filter is in, that is, the 2 pieces that screw together to hold the air filter in place. When you get it out, and open it up, like you're replacing the air filter, see if the side that is downstream of the filter has a big plastic insert with only a little cone that lets the air through. Mine was tacked in with plastic welds in about 9 or 10 places. I took my drill and a 1/4" bit or so, and CAREFULLY drilled the welds in the plastic out. Be careful, or you'll drill through the side of the air box. Once you loosen up all the 'welds', the insert will fall out.
Does that make sense? Once you get the air box out and apart, you'll figure it out. I first tried a utility knife to cut through the welds, but they were too tough. The drill bit made short work of them.
When my insert was in, the air filter only got dirty where the little cone was that let the air through. The rest of the filter stayed clean. I believe the insert is there to quiet the sound of the intake on acceleration, but it'* got to be restrictive.
It was a fun mod, and between that and the MAF screen, the engine became a little more peppy, and it seems like the MPG increased.
Does that make sense? Once you get the air box out and apart, you'll figure it out. I first tried a utility knife to cut through the welds, but they were too tough. The drill bit made short work of them.
When my insert was in, the air filter only got dirty where the little cone was that let the air through. The rest of the filter stayed clean. I believe the insert is there to quiet the sound of the intake on acceleration, but it'* got to be restrictive.
It was a fun mod, and between that and the MAF screen, the engine became a little more peppy, and it seems like the MPG increased.
I would at least suggest a simple cheap clean up of the ports and lower intake manifold for a little better flow, you can do it at home and you can reuse the stock parts if you are very careful. Doing a cam when your heads cannot flow much more if pointless. The point of the cam is to get more lift and duration to allow more space and time for the air/fuel mixture to entire the cylinder. If you just increase the duration and lift without actually opening up the doorway bigger, how do you expect more to flow. If you were going Forced Induction whatever, you can cram it in there, but you are N/A, tuning is much much different. At least do a mild port work on your heads. You could buy extra set or buy some cheap junk heads at a junkyard and practice first before you do your own. It would cost you no more than $40 dollars for a pair of heads from your local yard.
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From: Cheyenne WY

Would you port and polish both the intake and exhaust ports or what? I though for good low rpm power you don't want to make the intake to smooth.
Aside from all that, my original question was would it be worth it or not to put a HVTB on the way my engine is right now?
Aside from all that, my original question was would it be worth it or not to put a HVTB on the way my engine is right now?
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From: Cheyenne WY

I still have my original question of would it be worth it or not to put a HVTB on the way my engine is right now, with stock cam and rockers and such?
After thinking about it a little more, in all the posts I've read about guys putting in higher ratio rockers and hotter cams, I haven't heard about any of them doing any porting of their heads. Are they not doing it or what?
After thinking about it a little more, in all the posts I've read about guys putting in higher ratio rockers and hotter cams, I haven't heard about any of them doing any porting of their heads. Are they not doing it or what?
You would feel a difference with the HVTB on your stock engine. But you would get more power in combination with higher ratio rockers. Most people don't port their heads becaue they don't know, there'* alot of power in there. Just people don't know the right order to do modifications.


