Thread: How much hp?

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The first engine in my hot rod project will be a stock CSB from a '92 Caprice. This engine is rated to 190hp in the Caprice.

However, I will do "the usual changes" to make it breathe better and to minimize the loss of power:

-Full length headers, 2,5" dual exhaust w/crossover pipe, flowmaster (or similar) mufflers.
-Remove the PS and AC. (The car is a 34 Roadster)
-6 speed manual T56 transmission.
-Use electric cooling fan instead of the belt driven one.
-Air gap intake with 625 cfm Demon carb + Pertronix HEI distributor.
-LARGE high flow K&N airfilter in combination with some sort of cowl induction system.

Will these changes actually make a noticeable power increase?
If we stick to horsepower, how much (approximately) do you think it will increase?

What'll bee the next step for such an engine? Any advices?
Vortec heads and a different cam?
In that case, how much hp do we talk about then?

I am assuming this is a 350, right? And are you doing a complete rebuild on this engine? It is hard to estimate how much hp gain you will get--maybe 5 or so with the electric fan, the Air-Gap and Demon in good tune could be around 20. Vortec heads would add more but headers and a free flowing exhaust could add up to 15 per cent more. Combined with a good street cam like a CompCams Magnum 270 or an XE268, you could have around 350 hp when it is all said and done. Why do you want to use a Demon carb? Personally, I think they are over-rated, and you really have to know what you are doing to tune them.

yeah just like the last post it is hard to determine the gains, and pinpointing where the power is coming from is hard, buy running headers and dual exhaust, you are supplementing the exhaust flow making it exhale better and more efficient, and same with your intake swap more air in, and a better mixture. to really feel a punch you need to put in a better camshaft. the heads matched to a decent cam and a decent intake is where you will feel the power. there are many options to run, if you choose to change a cam keep it fairly resonable in lift, not sure what heads you run but if they are iron and not vortecs stay under .480" lift that way the stock springs can be used. you are on the right track and if a tight budget is in play hyd. cams are cheap, so it will be easy on the pocket book.....good luck and hope this helps

Thank you very much for the answers.
It is a 350 1992 model from a Caprice.
81000miles on it so I will not do any rebuild yet.

The heads are marked with 14102193. Don't know if they are something to get more hp's from. It will probably be cheaper just to switch them to a pair of Vortec heads, when it's time for such modifications.

Actually it is a police engine, but that doesn meen anything for the hp's as I've been told.

I've not bought any Demon carb yet, and have not decided 100%.
Just want something that works well not only the forst month of use.

And then the next question:
I want to use the short type waterpump because if limited space.

With the narrow belt instead of the serpentine belt, the waterpump will go inte the opposite direction than it did initially.
Is it correct that the water still flows on the same direction as earlier, because the narrow belt waterpumps are a kind of mirror like the serpentin belt pumps?

Don't mind the fan. I've found a double electric fan on the local junk yard to put on the rear side of the radiator, so that problem is out of the way.

im not sure about the waterpump direction with the serpintine belt, thats a late style sbc. the main reason i have not run any vortec heads is the amount of work that is needed to run them, i.e.: matching intake, weak springs. changing springs is easy but, if you are on a budget, the cost of the vortecs, manifold, valvesprings, can be more than haveing someone port out a set of older heads. Im probobly going to tick people off by saying that but from where I live stock vortecs run at about 400 canadian a pair. then the matching intake.......etc. good money that could be spent on porting a set of heads and swapping out the cam. Just my opinion. I have been porting my own heads for over 20 years, so its a cheap way for me to gain the flow. back to the serpintine system, i am really unsure of its direction to the flow but from the configuration of the water pump, i should spin in the same direction, unless gm changed something. I am not familiar with early 90's sbc. I have only used pre 85 small blocks. and the heads i have kickin around my house are the same 85 and earlier, hope this helps........

Actually I took part in another thread here on the forum. I got answers who confirmed the information I've got earlier, but wasn't sure was correct:

1. All CSB earlier then the LS1 have the same direction on the cooling water.
2. Serpentine belt systems have waterpumps who runs in the opposite direction because the pumps are located on the outside of the belt. BUT those water pumps nevertheless pump the cooling water in the same direction as the older pumps, because they are a kind of mirror-like.
3. The only thing to remember then is the cooling fan, which of course must be changed.

But thank you for the information on the heads anyway.
I haven't decided any change of heads or cams yet. That will be a next step after the hot rod have been on the road for a while.