parts list for a 500 hp tpi need help!! cant choose

[irocpimp]

ok so i also am putting a 400 small block into my camaro this is what i have so far

i have a set of 202/194 camel back heads
400 block
stock 400 cam
stock 400 pistons
stock 400 crank
stock lifters, rods, everything


things i dont know what to do about....

the computer first off...how the hell do i get this thing the amount of fuel i need


the tpi set up... if i port the tpi and run like a 58 mm with slp runners
and the edelbrock intake made for the old style big port heads with that be enough mods to get the flow i need??? injector size??? cam?? i kinda wanna stay away from the zz4 cams and all that i really like comp cams products...anyone with this type of setup or someone who has built a bad a** 400

another thing with pistons i am looking at some pistons from a company called mahle i think and they are very light weight forged aluminum but the skirt is very short should i worry about the piston cocking in the cylinder and wrecking my bore???

and does anyone know how reliable a 434 stroker kit is??? any big problems with them throwing rods or cranks??

[five7kid]

What year is the TPI? If it's '85-'89, it's MAF and there's not much hope.

If it's '90-'92, then the first thing you do is put the base, runners, injectors, plenum, TB, and fuel rails on eBay or craigslist. Then you find another $2500 or so and get a Miniram, Super Ram, or Stealth Ram, injectors, fuel rails, PROM tuning equipment, TB.

After that it's just the typical hot rod building stuff - call Comp Cams, call Mahle, call World Castings (Motown shortblock - no sense wasting time and expensive internal components on a factory 400 block), call AFR (no sense wasting time and money on your father's hot rod heads that'll never get you there), etc.

[SOMSS]

Do youself a favor, get a crate engine and be done with it.

[Turbo-Zone.com]

You'll spend WAY more money on that small block and a TPI setup than is necessary to reach your goal...and then you might be dissappointed.

Save your money and either buy a crate motor from American Speed or others listed in your performance mags...or get a LQ4, LQ9 or LS1 motor. Much easier to get closer to your goal of 500 crank HP.

[irocpimp]

the tpi setup is the MAP out of the 1990 l98

i dont want a crate motor they are a cheap setup...you get what you pay for...not to make anyone mad i just really believe building your own motor is the way to go. i have helped build 700 hp late model motors at my uncles shop for the last 5 years ,and there are alot of things you can do to a motor to get horsepower that a crate motor will never come with unless you go with a merlin or something high end

i dont want an ls1 because everyone does the ls1 swap... someone needs to do something different...plus its the motor in my brothers ss...gotta be faster than him lol

the reason i am running the cast iron heads is that they get heat in the motor quicker for drag racing...true they take longer to cool down... but i know what i am doing with building the motor i am just wondering if anyone has ever put out big numbers with the tpi setup i like the looks of it and would like to keep it somewhat looking the same...even if i have to build bigger runners...or plenums i have the stuff to do it... i just dont know much about the memcal computers and how to burn new chips...

if i dont build the 400 ill just go all out and buy a viper v10 hooked to the viper t56 that would be a killer setup in a camaro maybe build that to walk my brothers ss and the new zo6

i am also going for rwhp not from the crank

[five7kid]

I've been involved with 3rd gens for almost 8 years. In that time, I have not talked to nor heard of a TPI going over 400 HP NA. If you want to spray, you can get there, but it's still very expensive, and about the only thing you'll have from the factory hardware are the electronics. Miniram is probably the highest HP potential system out there (it looks a lot like an LT1 intake - I've heard stories on why that is). I have seen one of those on a highly modified 400 that probably made 500 at the crank NA.

Memcal (PROM) tuning will have to become your best bud. With the speed density (MAP) setup, every change affects the parameters. With high HP setups, you're basically on your own unless you know somebody locally that can do it for you. Doing it through mailorder is a recipe for disappointment - and perhaps disaster.

About that 400 Miniram setup I mentioned ('89 Vette, track-only setup - carbon fiber front clip, back-halved, etc. - very high-dollar) - it was a 413 or something in that neighborhood, he broke a cylinder wall when he was running in the low 11's. He then got it built with a Motown shortblock - they screwed up the order and sent him a 400 instead of the longer stroke he wanted. He got that into the 10's with the Miniram, pretty much maxed that out that out and switched to a carb (same engine) and got into the low 10's.

I would never give my blessing to a high HP factory block 400 build. The stroker kit isn't the problem, the factory block is - especially if it's a 4-bolt main. .030"-over is pushing it, and you'll probably lose it long before a Mowtown block even started breathing hard. This list - "400 block, stock 400 cam, stock 400 pistons, stock 400 crank, stock lifters, rods, everything" needs a dose of reality, because there isn't a piece there that is suitable for 500 flywheel HP, let along RWHP.

If you want iron heads, get something aftermarket. With somebody who really knew what they were doing with port work they might be able to get 500 HP out of camel backs, but the expense would be much higher than a set of aftermarkets that would do it out of the box.

[Turbo-Zone.com]

Good write up 5-7 kid. I was going to type the same thing, but with a nickname like "irocpimp" I didn't think he was going to listen. :lol:

[Fenster]

This is a VERY extreme example of the first situation I have ever seen of 400 rwhp out of a Traditional TPI based setup. Note it is not a bolt up setup. There are a lot of "tricks" pulled out of the entire engine assembly to get these numbers. FULLY ported base/runners etc, along with all of the lightening of the bottom end etc.

http://www.thirdgen.org/techboard/southern-california-area/410843-dyno-results-new-motor.html

http://www.thirdgen.org/techboard/tpi/410837-400-rwhp-tpi-dyno.html

[Fenster]

Now that I have posted that... I will say there is better time/money spent than trying to get a TPI to 400 rwhp

[irocpimp]

lol yes i know i need to change all of the stuff inside the motor thats just what i have right now...do you think i should just go all out and go with an aluminum block? i would kind of like to do a twin turbo setup too but i donno if i will be able to fit it all under the hood without cutting into the body and what not... you think a mini ram would work well with the t56? and twin turbos?

[irocpimp]

lol little story on the nickname back in the day i took my camaro to prom in a purple crushed velvet pimp suit that had white zebra print collars ,shiney glod shoes the whole works...girlfriend was pissed i didnt tell her i was wearing it till i picked her up...and in my senior year book they used that picture and called me the iroc pimp

[Turbo-Zone.com]

I can fit 2 turbos into any camaro...except a Matchbox. :)

[irocpimp]

how clean could you make it look?? you got any pics on your site?

[Turbo-Zone.com]

The design and function are the 2 most important aspects of our kits. If it's not clean looking, easy to install and easy to work on, then it's not a good turbo kit.

I have to update the web site, too busy to work on it. I can e-mail some pics tomorrow if you PM me your address.

[five7kid]

lol yes i know i need to change all of the stuff inside the motor thats just what i have right now...do you think i should just go all out and go with an aluminum block? i would kind of like to do a twin turbo setup too but i donno if i will be able to fit it all under the hood without cutting into the body and what not... you think a mini ram would work well with the t56? and twin turbos?
When you go pressurized, some of the rules change. Talk to the turbo experts about that. I would think a Miniram, turbo, and T56 would play well together.

I'm not sure I'd spring for an aluminum block, but without a doubt when you go turbo on a 400 you should consider all factory parts inadequate.