SoGT Performance??? Help!

[SonomaGTlover]

OK Guys...
After a pathetic showing at KC Raceway during NATS I need to learn about chips. I never expected to be anywhere close to the SyTy's even stock, but come on... 17.1?? Heck, my 5 cylinder 4X4 Canyon ran a 17.4! Surely I should have been deep in the 16's if not a 15.9. I know I am an outsider with a SoGT and you all don't mess with the CPI engines much but there is more experience with the 4.3 here than all the S forums put together. Also the S truck forums are more interested in just getting upgraded to the 4.3 and bagging it.

I found a $199 chip that I can replace for better performance but I don't think it's my best choice. Eventually my engine will be far from stock... possibly turbo... and I don't want to have to change chips everytime I upgrade. Sorry to be dumb in this field, but this is my first taste of "Electronic Performance" and I won't learn until I ask questions. Give me an 096 cam, headers and dual line holley and I'll get it down the track, but .bin this and unplug that and I am a bit lost. Program a satelite card... no problem, a performance chip?? Uhhh???

Anyway, what is the hot chip right now and will it work for me? Thanks a million to all that can help! Hope to see you all at NATS '05.

 

[Jimmy]

On my 94 L35 Sonoma I had Edelbrock headers,a high flow cat and Edelbrock cat back dual exhaust.I got a Hypertech "thermomaster " chip,160 thermostat,K&N "fuel injection performance kit" and 4.11 rear chunk.The truck would do 0-60's in the low 7's/high 6's and was a blast to drive.

 

[TYRODD]

I have a little experience with the 4.3 CMFI from my '93 Blazer, I got that somebeech runnen damn good with only a few bolt ons. Lets see, I had the K&N, Underdrive pulleys, Hypertech chip (barely noticable) , and crap, I know I had others, but cant think of 'em right now. I also think that truck was freaken factory monster, every one who rode in it was always like "damn this thing runs!!" I dont know what kind of times it would run, but I know it was damn better than 17s, even at 5300ft here. :-? I dunno why your times are that high?

 

[Raist103]

pm jwaller i am sure he can burn you a chip for a fair price and with any car/truck computer controled you must update the chip each time or you will never see the right gains from the items you add.

 

[93ty475]

do a forged motor buildup and install a centrifugal blower in the truck...easy 13's for sure...now that would be a blast...i think those cpi engines look cool under the hood... one with a blower would look and run gooder

 

[442typhoondude]

CPI's are junk but do have some untapped potential. First, you did a cam swap. Have you touched the heads? In most motors, many people don't realize that there is usually a good 100 ponies in the cam and heads with just a mild change. If you changed the cam, you should invest in some new valves. If you keep piling on the power, you may just burn up an exhaust valve. A mild porting job would send your numbers up pretty high. I reccomend a custom burnt chip also seeing as most of the chips out there aren't that great or cause unacceptable stress to the factory cast pistons. Get some headers also. The CPI intake manifolds are very very restricted. Not to mention the plenum walls are horrid for sufficient air flow. 300 horse could be easily managed. As for the times, you should be going that fast stock. The canyon is factory rated with better numbers than any CPI. The CPI system is horrible and is the reason for the 454 SS being such a dog. I always wondered what a SyTy upper and lower intake manifold swap would do for a basic Jimmy. I don't know what else to say about them seeing as I hate them. :-? Good luck though.

 

[SonomaGTlover]

Hey guys...THANKS for the info. there seems to be a few things I can use.
I think my times were reflective of an injector issue and old cat/conv.

My purpose is to maintain the stock apearance under the hood so I'll have
to keep the CPI unfortunately. I'll have a bigger project involving turbo
and 2WD on my other SoGT. I've decided that I wouldnt' get it done in
time for '05 NATS anyway so I'll just bring the Aspen GT again... this time
with upgrades. Who knows, maybe the teal will be there too... depends on
my schedule.

I already have plans for headers, ignition and some sort of chip.
I like the idea of a cam upgrade so I guess I'll make that phase
two and change the chip once I get the cam in and heads redone.

Anyone want to add anything?
Thanks again guys!

 

[HotRodV6]

The CPI system is horrible and is the reason for the 454 SS being such a dog.

Well the CPI has its problem but the 454SS was a dog becaue it was TBI not CPI there is a diffferance.

Right after i bought my GT and drove it home 2200 miles i had it dynoed and it put 158/208 with 58K original miles and ran a best of 10.47@66 in the 1/8. only ran it once and had a shitty 60' due to bald tires and no traction.

The best thing to do for the CPI is replace the regulator and fuel nut kit if it hasnt been done in the last 50K miles, and maybe the injector if its bad as well. underdrive pulleys are worth alot of power, a good cold air intake, do a full tune up with good wires and plugs, headers and a good free flowing cat and catback, the stock L35 heads can flow pretty well but an upgrade to vortecs and a new cam will wake it right up and should put the truck in the mid to low 14's pretty easy, maybe high 13's with some 4.10 gears and sticky tires. I just happen to have a set of vortec heads, and a modified CPI upper and lower i hade done for my truck but changed plans and am looking to get rid of the setup top pay for my other plans. basic bolt on are worth the money spent, but if your planning on swapping out the heads and cam, then i would get a chip burned at that time, becasue with an internally stock engine an aftermarket chip wont give you much if anything for the money. and of course a power adder like Nitrous is an easy way to get an extra 100 hp saftly on the stock engine, if you want to go that route.

 

[Syborg Twin Turbo]

You can also try e-mailing Jay F @ WRKHLC2@aol.com .. His Sonoma Gt went 12's with a modified cpi intake and heads.

 

[442typhoondude]

The CPI system is horrible and is the reason for the 454 SS being such a dog.

Well the CPI has its problem but the 454SS was a dog becaue it was TBI not CPI there is a diffferance.

Thank you for clearing that up for me. I thought the 454SS was CPI while the rest of the BBC's of that year were TBI. A difference between Central Port and Throttle Body, ya think. But thank you for clearing up my misinformation.
Also ditch the EGR! I pulled a few nice BB size pieces of carbon out of mine when I bought it. :-?

 

[HotRodV6]

yeah the egr is just going to casue problems down the road, atleast get a restricter plate for it like i did for mine, but now witht eh brodix aluminum heads i wont have any egr anyways.

 

[SonomaGTlover]

Right after i bought my GT and drove it home 2200 miles i had it dynoed and it put 158/208 with 58K original miles and ran a best of 10.47@66 in the 1/8. only ran it once and had a shitty 60' due to bald tires and no traction.

I just happen to have a set of vortec heads, and a modified CPI upper and lower i hade done for my truck but changed plans and am looking to get rid of the setup top pay for my other plans.

My 1/8 time was 10.94 @ 64 so I guess it's not that far off.

About your modified heads and intake... I am somewhat interested in them. Do you still have the set-up? It's still the stock looking CPI correct? PM me about a price and I'll let you know. Although it'll probably be closer to SEPT before I tear anything apart it'd be nice to have everything ready to go before I start. Having a third one, I could always go back to the stocker if needed. I'm ordering headers probably this weekend and will work out some sort of catback once they are on. I'd like to eliminate the cat altogether and go "true dual" exhaust. If I remember right, there aren't any sensors involved with the cat.

Thanks guys for the advice, I'll post some pics as I go.

 

[HotRodV6]

Right after i bought my GT and drove it home 2200 miles i had it dynoed and it put 158/208 with 58K original miles and ran a best of 10.47@66 in the 1/8. only ran it once and had a shitty 60' due to bald tires and no traction.

I just happen to have a set of vortec heads, and a modified CPI upper and lower i hade done for my truck but changed plans and am looking to get rid of the setup top pay for my other plans.

My 1/8 time was 10.94 @ 64 so I guess it's not that far off.

About your modified heads and intake... I am somewhat interested in them. Do you still have the set-up? It's still the stock looking CPI correct? PM me about a price and I'll let you know. Although it'll probably be closer to SEPT before I tear anything apart it'd be nice to have everything ready to go before I start. Having a third one, I could always go back to the stocker if needed. I'm ordering headers probably this weekend and will work out some sort of catback once they are on. I'd like to eliminate the cat altogether and go "true dual" exhaust. If I remember right, there aren't any sensors involved with the cat.

Thanks guys for the advice, I'll post some pics as I go.

Yes i do still have them and yews it is the stock CPI upper and lower intake, where the lower has been welded in the same fashion as the Sy/Ty lower to cover the top of the ports on the vortec heads. The heads still need a new valve job, could use some minor port matching and what not, and if you have the time a good port and polish job to achieve max flow numbers. what is you email and i have some pics i can send you.

EDIT: You have mail

 

[10secTy]

I had a 1993 sonoma with a L35. Best run was a 14.1 @95 mph

It had that following mods

1.6 rockers
ported heads
Edelbrock headers
home made air intake
Jet stage 2 chip
4.10 gears

I would also add a high stall TC to the mix and maybe a 50shot of nos.

Nolan