[ARCStig]

I have a '93 Roadmaster Sedan it's completely factory, but I am interested in sprucing it up a bit, I use this car daily. And I've just started to feel it could use a little more power, especially after 270,500 miles It probably doesn't make all 150 HP anymore, I do give it a tune-up every year I don't like to let my plugs, and wires, and filters get old. So I always keep those fresh and change them almost every summer with Delco replacements. But I'd love to be able to give it some upgrades. Not anything major that will require me to disassemble the engine or anything like that, But I'd like to at least try to get most of my 150 HP back, and preferably get something more around 200 at least. I just bought a '97 Park Avenue ULTRA this summer, and even though that needs a lot of work, my Roadmaster feels like driving around in a house. I had a though of possibly popping on a Supercharger from a 3800 series II like my Park Avenue has, but I'm sure that probably won't fit. But I'd love a baby supercharger if there is one on the market. I've done a few searches on the internet but have not found anything that was not insanely expensive.

 

[punkroqgearhead88]

Like the old saying goes, speed costs money, how fast do you want to go?

With that many miles on your engine, it can be a ticking time bomb! Especially if you start to add power! I learned the hard way with an engine with literally, just about 100,000 LESS miles than yours. And I'm religious on maintenance.

If I were you, I would look into re-gearing your rear end. (I personally wouldn't go overs 3.73 unless you have a T-56) A nice converter (9.5 w/lock up).

Free flowing mufflers and ditch your resonators. Do not increase the pipe size! I have deleted the resonators in the past and didn't notice much if any increase in noise. Shorty headers on a bone stock engine aren't worth it IMO besides a little weight reduction.

I would also look into reducing parasitic losses, like replacing your clutch fan(unless you do a lot of towing) with an efan/s, underdrive pulley, aluminum driveshaft (it helps!),lighter wheels, weight reduction, just some of the things that come to mind that well help "free up" power you already have and also help increase mpg while actually helping the engine last longer..

 

[96 Black]

WARNING: Cross Forum Thread

There's scads of things possible for that old TBI motor. First random search netted this;

http://buickforums.com/forums/threads/23353-1993-5-7L-350-swtiching-from-TBI-to-Carb

And '93 is a fine year, but the more popular years are tri-9s ('94-'95-'96) with the LT-1.

If were me I'd be searching and googling what it takes to swap in a junkyard LT-1. There's gonna be changeover details; wiring harness and/or PCM, tranny app, dash compatibility?, hosing for the reverse cool?...

There's surely guys here who have done it 20 times. That route beats too many bolt-ons that will just help blow up your old motor.

 

[ARCStig]

Well i'm not looking to make a race car, just looking for a bit more power, I don't need a lot of speed, the fastest this car will probably ever go is 80 and that's only if I find myself in Texas where that is the speed limit on the interstate. I'm also not looking to add on a lot of stuff unless I can get it cheap, and I can bolt it on quickly. I love plug and play stuff so that's what i'm trying to find as much as possible. As for wheels, I just got a set of factory Aluminum rims, so that gets rid of my steel rims with "Deluxe locking wheel covers" I appreciate all of your suggestions!

 

[ARCStig]

I found this - http://www.summitracing.com/parts/aid-200-540/applications/engine-type/v8 online today, and I'd like to ask first, if this will fit I had to pick a '93 Chevrolet K1500 since they didn't even have a Caprice as an option for a 350 V8. And second, I've read about them a little bit, and some people say they make a nice improvement, others say its completely useless. So I wanted to ask you guys on here what you think about this particular piece of hardware? Thanks.

 

[ARCStig]

I also just found this - http://www.jegs.com/i/JEGS-Performance-Products/555/14500/10002/-1, and this - http://www.jegs.com/i/MSD-Ignition/121/8366/10002/-1?parentProductId= Would appreciate some thoughts on this also. Thanks!

 

[kiefer9699]

On those old Buicks, you can get decent improvements with efficient bolt ONs. I would not buy the TB space as I have heard more bad then good, and never really seen real dyno #s. Take out the intake resonator that is typically in the air ducting, and drop in a KN Filter. Instead of the MSD billet Dizzy, which is nice but pricey, go to Oreilly Auto Parts and purchase the MSD Street Fire Dizzy which is about $150, Street Fire 8mm wires, and cheap NGK plugs for your car. Those mods alone should help you feel a great difference and better efficiency of the engine. Also as recommended above about just swapping out mufflers, even you just buy cheap Summit Turbo mufflers, which have been know to flow pretty good for the price. You can do all of the improvements that I recommended along with mufflers for less then $500, which to me would be well worth it and might pay for itself in gas mileage. Just my opinion but, but I have always found that older cars with high mileage seem to respond well to the basics just because of their age, and improvements in new technology. Good luck

 

[ARCStig]

I appreciate your opinions, anybody else want to weigh in?

 

[JetJoe]

Why is this in the FI section? There is a sticky in the Engine Performance section titled "Go Fast Basics" http://www.impalassforum.com/vBulletin/showthread.php?t=228114 that you should check out.

 

[Scuba Steve]

I also just found this - http://www.jegs.com/i/JEGS-Performance-Products/555/14500/10002/-1, and this - http://www.jegs.com/i/MSD-Ignition/121/8366/10002/-1?parentProductId= Would appreciate some thoughts on this also. Thanks!

That throttle body is for an LT1 ('94 through '96)