Jun 6, 2018
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111
VetteCoins
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1985 Corvette
Hello, Hello,

I haven't been in touch too much but thinking about all you guys up in Canada watching the winter thaw. Although I am not a fan or doing minor upgrades for a few extra horsepower, I recently purchased a throttle body coolant bypass kit. This eliminates heat from the throttle body and creates a larger explosion giving 10 hp or so. I also bought a FOIL, a winged device that forces more air into the throttle body. This goes inside the throttle body. After studying the situation with the originality of my engine bay, I opted to use my old adage, "If it works, don't fix it"... I didn't bother installing either. After showing this car to my Godson Mathew, who is a Border Patrol Officer in Texas, I was very proud at his enthusiasm with this sleek Black Vette. There is something that every Corvette has, FUN!
There was a breaking up during excelleration on my way home. It felt like a mix up of fuel or a spark plug misfiring. At this point I was thankful I did not perform the two extra-curricular activities, because I would be kicking myself for doing the upgrade thinking I screwed something up.

I decided to order new sparkplugs thinking this might be the problem. Come to find out, thanks to YOUTUBING, I realized that I may have installed the wrong plugs 3 years ago, when I first got the car. The early C4s, which mine is, have cast iron cylinder heads and require a much shorter spark plug than the later C4s with aluminum heads. Although this car always runs great, even with the wrong plugs, I thought the proper plugs would be nice. I ordered Denso TT Iridium. You might know, my next test drive, around Quaker Farms Road, the car ran as smooth as silk. Without doing anything, it fixed itself. I LOVE when this happens!

While I had the hood up inspecting a few things, I noticed the air intake, which has two thumb screws was not very secure. One of the thumb screws does not tighten correctly leaving the giant air dam a little off center. Also on You Tube, I saw a C4 owner who modified the front of this air dam creating a larger space for the cold air to enter. I was wondering if this might be worth doing? Originally it has plastic teeth or a grid-type of closure right at the mouth where the air enters. Although on You Tube, it did not specify how this is done, but it looks like once the air intake is off the car and on a workbench, one can use a hacksaw blade and cut the toothed area away. This would let a lot more cold air in, but GM must have had a reason for designing this as the did. Has anyone tried to modify this? If so, was the extra work worth it? With my luck, I'll cut the gridded area away and wind up sucking an acorn into the system...LOL...
 
Hello Sharky
No an acorn in the intake might not work out. I'm from your school of thought, if it works, don't fix it. I have also seen the mods you are reviewing and I always think, its fast enough as it is and for the money am I really going to feel an extra 10 HP? I just maintain it well and it basically works and puts that silly grin on my face. That's why they are great...the silly grin.
 
hey there sharkface. from my perspective as a c4 nut, the only reason that making marginal teenie bumps in hp (all three mods you mentionwill not amount to the 10hp in my experience, maybe 5) makes sense is for competitive situations where an extra tenth is needed. you could have a custom chip make do adjust timing and it would do more than cutting up/modding what sounds like a very well kept and cared for c4.

Just my thoughts but ofcourse i support whichever way you go as it is after all your car!! Excellent about the border patrol man liking the car. perhaps he will have own one day!
 
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