I think skza might have already touched on this here http://www.bonnevilleclub.com/forum/...32285296a15073 when he did his intake, but I've heard both ways, so now I need some advice..... :?:

First, I think my problem I was describing here http://www.bonnevilleclub.com/forum/...45b0c6732dbdb5 is most likely due to a vacuum leak, and the motor loosing vacuum under load. After talking to some fairly experienced 3800 guys, I think the problem lies in a slow leaking Upper / Lower Intake Gasket, so I'm going to pull them both off, clean the intake, and replace the gaskets like Lee did. :(

While I have the intake off, I was thinking about porting and polishing it, but a few people have said thats not possible to do on plastic intakes. On the other hand, a few people have said that the firebird guys with plastic intakes do it all the time. Anyways, does anyone know if it can be done, and what the typical cost is? I dont really want to spend a ton of money here. Its a '95 Bonneville with a L36 that has 135,000 miles on it... Why dump a bunch of money into it ya know? I do love my car however, and I wouldnt mind taking the time or spending some light cash to make things a little quicker.

I'm not sure if Lee did both the upper and lower gaskets, or just the upper one, but I'm going to do both. Is there anything else I could do while I'm down there?? Any tips or tricks you guys know of? Is this something I could do myself? :? Can it even be done???

Thanks as Always..

First off, if you're going to port & polish the lower intake you might as well match it to a ported & polished head too for better "FLOW". Porting & polishing the upper plastic intake, in my opinion is a waste of money. It'* near perfect match to the lower intake already alllows maximun airflow. Porting & polishing just the intake is wasting money because as soon as the air hits the head it slows back down again, ruining everything you have done upto that point!

how much does it normally cost to get heads ported and polished.. What about Intakes? Anyone ever had it done before?

Having the heads ported and polished w/ a 3 angle valve job, my machine shop charged my friend like 1000 for it all, including new springs, oversized valves for his Corvette. So probably around there, maybe more like 1500 since he got a deal. But yeah, you would have to port the heads, lower intake and the (port) upper all together to make a difference.

Porting and Polishing of and engine, or upper or lower intakes is a thing of the past, the new way to do this right is to get your intake EXTRUDE HONED, this is better that porting and polishing because it reaches places that a porter or polishing instrument cannot. What is done is this, your intake is hooked up to a system that forces this tooth paste like stuff through it at a high velocity and at a set pressure, this paste sort of eats away at the walls as it goes through therefore porting it and reaching everywhere, it also polishes at the same time.

Well, anyways, in the end its all relative, more air goes in the engine, it makes more power, however you do it is up to you.

No matter how you do it a very good head job will reap some serious hp change. Ok so once you do your heads then your intake from angry duck will make a huge difference. Then you add a few other goodies and wa la, real hp. I have found no major brand name support for stroking the 3.8 but I also found a guy who can help me do it so my spare engine is going in for surgery once I get my site up and running.

TY

Well, thanks for all the info, but I'm probably just going to leave it alone, and replace the gaskets if I really have to. I took a ride in a friends 2002 VW Jetta last night, on my way to do another freind a favor and pick up his '98 Sebring Convertible from the detailing shop. Anyways, to make a long story short, that Jetta was a 1.8T Turbo 5-Speed, and was pretty frekin quick, Would blast you right back into your seat, something my bonneville wont to to easily anymore. Then, when I went to pull out of the detailing place in my friends Sebring, I put my foot down like I normally would in my bonny, and layed a patch in front of the place. The difference in "pep" between the two is amazing, my car has nothing on it, I would get smoked.

Now there was a time a couple years ago when I remember my friend first getting his sebring, which was right around the time I first got my bonneville, and I remember it would've been no match. My bonneville would have tore that thing up. I dont know if its the mileage or what, but that no longer holds true at all. My car has 135,000 miles, he has roughly 80,000.

I guess after last night I'm just discouraged. I still love my car, but I'm not going to put any money into a non-supercharged plain L36 motor, because even the simplest of normal cars out there like sebrings, jettas, maximas, etc.. will most likely eat me for lunch. Oh well, I'll end up selling it within the next year anyways... Might even throw it up on e-bay, we'll see.

Thanks for the info.

LOL I know the feeling and I also know it’* your tranny. Our cars were never intended to go much further than the warrantee and to actually be a performance car more than a practical cruiser is asking a ton. The engine is great and can dish it out all day long, but the 4t60-e especially the low-end version is lame. I to see people get discouraged. I have a connection with a company who can get me swappable engines and wiring harnesses and computers Cheap. I bet it would be cheaper than buying a new car. Then you are running a 4t65-e HD with a SC 3.8 in your current car. It should cost somewhere around 1900-2000.00. Yes hector was and is right. I remember me piping off about that. LOL and with a pulley and a little finessing you will kick that fords A$$$$$$$$$$.

ahhhh that feels better.

TY

I doubt you would lose to a Sebring! My neighbor has one and we've raced before. They're rated at 200hp, but they're not that fast. Engine has no torque. I always end up beating it by a couple car lengths or so. It feels kinda fast off-the-line because of the way the tranny is setup and the throttle-tip in, but believe me its no match for a 3800