Meet the Tuner's Car!
What kind of car does the one offering these tips and tuning service have? See the mods and necessary tuning done for an example of what you can do!
My Camaro Z28
This tuning tips and service website ultimately came to be because of owning my own LT1 equipped car since the year 2000: a six-speed 1995 Chevy Camaro Z28. Over the years, I've come to appreciate its power, handling, and reliability. It even gets good gas mileage on the highway!
This page is to show you how my tips on this website come directly from personal experience, and just to showcase another LT1 car for those considering buying one used.
From the Factory
- Sebring Silver Exterior
- Black Roof and Side Mirrors
- Charcoal/Light Gray Two-Tone Cloth Interior
- T-Tops
- Borg Warner T-56 Six-Speed Manual Transmission
- 3.42:1 Differential Gear Ratio
- Air Conditioning
Oil Cooler(Deleted for header install)- 140 Amp Alternator
- Cruise Control
- Keyless Entry
- Power Windows
- Power Locks
- Power Driver's Seat
The Mods
Below is a detailed list of mods done to the car, including any relevant part numbers.
Engine
Internal
- Forged 383ci
- 4.030" Overbore
- Eagle Forged 3.75" Crank
- Eagle Forged H-Beam 6" Rods
- JE SRP Forged Pistons - Single Valve Relief
- Canton Road Racing Oil Pan (6 qt)
- Standard Volume/High Pressure Oil Pump
- Lunati Camshaft: 243/251 duration (@ 0.050"), 110 LSA, 0.597"/0.603" valve lift
- Comp-Cam Pro Racing Lifters
- Comp-Cam Pro Magnum 1.6RR @ 1/6 turn past zero lash
External
- Lloyd Elliott LE2 Ported LT1 Heads
- Lloyd Elliott Ported LT1 Intake
- Professional Products 58mm Throttle Body - custom idle air bleed hole drilled through
- 4" Custom CAI to 3.5" K&N Air Filter
- 1LE Rubber Intake Elbow (no air silencer)
- ASP Integrated 24% Underdrive Pulley & Dampener (ASP-945100)
- Hypertech 160°F PowerStat (HYP-1008)
- CSI Electric Water Pump
- Cloyes True Double-Roller Timing Chain Kit (CLO-9-3145)
- EGR Block-off Plates
Fuel
- 42# Lucas/Delphi 01D030B Injectors
- QFS 340 LPH Fuel Pump
- Racetronix Fuel Pump Hotwire Kit
- Accel Adjustable FPR (45 psi fuel pressure)
- Experimenting between using 93 octane or 100% E85 fuel
Electrical/Ignition
- Optoma Red top Battery
- GM LT4 Knock Module (16214681)
- NGK TR6 spark plugs (gapped at ~0.035-0.040")
- Accel 300+ Race 8.8mm spark plug wires
- Accel SuperCoil (ACC-140011)
- Delphi Opti-Spark
Exhaust
- LaMonte Performance Parts (LPP) 321 Stainless Long-Tube Stepped Headers (1 3/4" -> 1 7/8")
- LaMonte Performance Parts (LPP) 321 Stainless 3" Y-Pipe
- Flowtech 3" Exhaust Cutout (53031)
- DMH Performance Electric Cutout Controller
- Allows opening and closing of the exhaust cutout from inside the cockpit
- Fully adjustable between the "open" and "closed" positions
Clutch/Transmission
- Pro 5.0 Shifter (82-T56) w/ shortened stick
- McLeod Street Twin Clutch Setup
- Dual-Mass Aluminum Flywheel
- Custom Twin Discs
- Custom Pressure Plate
- Custom Throw-out Bearing
- Custom Aluminum Master Cylinder (139001)
- GM Roller Pilot Bearing (14061685)
- Valvoline Synthetic DOT 3 & 4 Brake (Clutch) Fluid
- Redline ATF
- GM 3" Aluminum LS1 Driveshaft (12564004)
- Energy Suspension Polyurethane Transmission Mount (Black, 3-1108)
- Energy Suspension Polyurethane Torque Arm Bushing (Black, 3-1111)
- Energy Suspension Polyurethane Engine Mounts (ENS-3-1127Y, ENS-3-1116Y)
Interior
Gauges
- AutoMeter Wideband Gauge (ATM-3878)
- AutoMeter Electric Fuel Pressure Gauge (ATM-3363)
- AutoMeter Electric N2O Pressure Gauge (ATM-3374)
- AutoMeter Electric Oil Temperature Gauge (ATM-3347)
Audio
- HiFiMeDIY Sabre USB DAC Digital to Analog Audio Converter 96khz/24bit ES9023+TE7022 (Cell Phone as Head-Unit)
- Audio Control OVERDRIVE PLUS Line Driver
- Audison SRX4 4-channel amp
- Front: MB-Quart DSD-216
- Rear: Focal Utopia 6W woofers & TNK tweeters
- Xtant 102M mono amp
- Image Dynamics IDQ12 D4.V2 - Baffle Mounted (free air in hatch driver's cubby hole)
Sound Suppression
- Sound deadener (Brown Bread/Dynamat style) installed fully on floor basin, rear seat back, doors and B-pillars
- Sound dampener (closed-cell foam) installed on top of deadener
Fabric
- Custom Deluxe Black Carpet
- Custom Black Vinyl Headliner and Visors
Suspension/Body
Steering:
- 98-02 F-Body Steering Rack
- 98-02 F-Body Steering Shaft
- Custom Power Steering Fluid Cooler - mounted on lower airdam
- Redline Power Steering Fluid
Brakes:
- 98-02 LS1 Front Brakes
- Brake Performance '02 F-Body Premium Cross-Drilled & Slotted Brake Rotors (#CB-62055)
- Black Calipers
- Ceramic Brake Pads
- Earl's Stainless Steel Braided 5-Line Brake Kit (EAR-28A030)
- Valvoline Synthetic DOT 3 & 4 Brake Fluid (059)
Rear-End
- Polished & Clear-Coated MAC 7 5/8" 10-Bolt Aluminum Differential Cover
- Pre-loaded Bearings @ 10ft/lbs
- Grade 8 Bolts
- Red Line Synthetic 75W90 Differential Fluid (90-205)
- GM Synthetic Limited Slip Differential Additive (1052358)
- Slotcar Performance Adjustable Panhard Bar
- Billet aluminum
- Teflon-coated heim joints
- DMH Performance Rear Lower Control Arms
- Polished Aluminum
- Circles Cut (Weight Savings)
- Polyurethane Bushings
- Anti-Binding Brackets
- DMH Performance Rear LCA Relocation Brackets
- Kenny Brown Double Diamond Subframe Connectors (19204)
- Suspension Techniques 35mm Front & 25mm Rear Sway Bars (Gray)
- PST Graphite-Impregnated Polyurethane Bushings (Red)
- BMR Shock Tower Brace (Silver)
- Valvoline/Mobil-1 Synthetic Chassis Grease
Wheels/Tires
- Konig Monsoon 17x9.5 Aluminum Wheels
- 275/40/17 General GMAX AS-07 Radials (Performance All-Season); great traction, highly recommend!)
Nitrous Oxide
- Nitrous Express (NX) Shark Nozzle kit (100 or 150HP)
- NX Bottle Heater
- NX Remote Valve Opener
- NX Purge Kit
- Custom switch panel
Still being updated!
The Tune
You didn't think I'd talk about the car without giving you info on how I've tuned it, did you? :)
Since having a "bigger" cam installed, tuning has become even more important, and requires tweaking of more tables than is normally necessary for a stock car.
Basics
I removed my skip-shift (CAGS/CARS) by simply toggling the switch. I also disabled VATS (anti-theft), because my key doesn't always make contact with the ignition (old, etc.). Then EGR was disabled, because my aftermarket cam provides a natural exhaust reversion, and my EGR valve is old and sticks somewhat anyway.
Next, I had to tune for my 42# Delphi fuel injectors. They require longer offsets than the stock injectors.
Spark Timing
I redid my spark timing tables, increasing advance at idle, and graduating up the main tables until the new torque peak (around 4000-4500 according to Desktop Dyno), rather than the stock peak of 2800. Much more advance was needed in the lower-mid RPM/load sections, to accomodate the lower VE of the engine due to significant valve overlap. I upped the WOT timing advance as well, peaking it at around 4000 RPM. Lastly, I upped the closed TPS advance, especially at idle.
AFR
I am running open loop only, using my wideband to monitor and tune the fueling. This works best with bigger cams, since the factory narrow-band O2 sensors are too slow and ineffecient to control the fueling very well.
I leaned out the fuel mixture when in open loop, to increase MPG. I used VEmaster while in speed density mode to calibrate my VE tables. I also leaned out the AFR at WOT, also reorienting where it began getting richer/leaner; coming from richer than 13.0 until just before the torque peak at ~4500 RPM, leveling there until just before the power peak at ~6300 RPM, then getting richer again.
And I fine-tuned the transient fueling tables to get great throttle response and get rid of exhaust popping!
Still being updated!
Now Enjoy Yours!
I hope this has been a help to you! Be sure to visit my free tips page or see my inexpensive tuning service. Use the contact form to get in touch with me!
Tune Testimonials
1997 Firebird Trans Am
210-220-114LSA Cam
Hello Solomon,
Finally, after a long top end replacement and subsequent tweaking, dialing and tightening of bolts and components, I'm delighted to report that your tune was right on the money from the first turn of the key!
No check engine lights, no rough idle, in fact, I was able to start and complete my cam break-in session (30 minutes 2000-2500 RPM) on that very key stroke.
My engine really felt and sound as if it were truly rejuvenated. The power and pedal response from idle to highway speeds was even more gratifying. Power of which I knew the engine was capable, but having actually been subjected to it is indeed an awakening experience.
Overall gas mileage I'm not certain what it may be at this point because I enjoy so much keeping it between first and fourth gear! If I had to guess the HP rating of the engine at this point (solely based on comparing similar vehicle characteristic) it's between 360-380 HP.
The temps idling in traffic during these 95 plus degree weather on average is about 190 degrees, and about 175 degrees highway. Not once has it center line normally at or above 210 degrees on the gage. Again I feel confident that I can sit in Washington DC Beltway traffic with less to worry about.
I have to remind myself that she has over 228,000 miles on the bottom. Since August 1996 she has been pampered. Bottom line, I could not be more happier with this setup. You delivered EXACTLY what I was expecting and offered sound technical advice. You couldn't have made it any simpler.
This was my first engine rebuild and I owe part of that success to your company. Thank You for your product and being the professional you are. Now this retired naval veteran, 29 years of service is going to have some fun!
Gregory
Suffolk, VA
July, 2012
Tips Testimonials
First off, excellent job with the write-up! It has no doubt helped a great deal thus far... Thank you very much for your help!
John G.
Lenox, MI
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Remote Tuning Option
Do you need a good tune, but cannot afford the down-time of mailing your PCM to me? Do you not have any interest in long-term tuning where you would need to buy your own equipment and tuning software? I can loan you one of my tuning kits to allow me to fine-tune your PCM to match your individual setup, without you needing to send me your PCM. No more downtime, and a fully tuned vehicle! Check the link above for details and pricing!
Buy Tips as Printable PDF
You can now have the same tuning tips on my website in a handy, printable PDF format, for easy offline reference (over 20 full pages!).
After payment, the 20+ page printable PDF of these free online tips will be emailed to you.
Ordering a Tune
Simply signup as a customer and then order a PCM tune! If you still have any questions after reading this, then use the form to contact me!
DIY Tuning
If you decide you like the idea of tuning on your own, visit TunerCat and purchase the C.A.T.S. Tuner software to get started ($69.95). For working on your '94 or '95 LT1 PCM, you'll also need the $EE definition file ($19.95).
Then just get yourself an OBDI ALDL cable and compatible computer, and you're ready! Use my free "Tips" page or buy the PDF version for a small fee, and get started!