Need Some Opinions (Top Swap vs Ported Manifolds)

[Sidewinder]

Been awhile since I posted, probably because my project is on hold until school is done. Anyway...

I've been helping somebody over on the MyMonte forum decide what he wants to do with his 3100 and what direction he should take. It has got to the point where I need your opinion on what he should do and which would really make the most sense. Here is the background:

He has $500 to spend and wants to spend it on a couple modifications for his 3100. The issue here is I don't know how much of the budget he will have left (after cost of parts and other small items such as gaskets, fluid, etc) to spend on tuning afterwards. So really I think he has two options.

1) Complete, unmodified 3400 swap with heads, upper and lower intakes and throttle body and exhaust manifolds. I personally think given it may not be tuned that this will be the best option and he will have all the parts he needs later on to build it further once he gets the money.

2) Keep the 3100 heads and exhaust manifolds and get ported upper and lower intake manifolds with stock 3400 throttle body. Ported manifolds are always great but I think given that he may not be able to get them tuned that he will just be wasting the potential.

On both of these options I think for sure he needs to build a FWI as well to go with it.

So what are your suggestions, opinions on this?

[Superdave]

Save the $500 and keep adding to it.. once he gets to about $1K-$1500 drop in a whole 3500, tune it and enjoy a serious HP gain.

$500 would probably buy a wet nitrous kit, a 50-75 shot would kick that 3100 in the pants a little.

[IsaacHayes]

Porting small port 3100 manifolds is a waste of time and money when you can bolt on 3400/late 3100 big port manifolds un ported and they spank the small port stuff. You can't port out a 3100 small port to equal a large port one.

Porting will require less of a tune than a 3400, unless you really do some crazy stuff to the heads or something. Swapping in a 3400 would be a pretty good upgrade, 2nd would be different intake manifolds. They both will run ok un-tuned but of course get more out of it with a tuen.

[Sidewinder]

Save the $500 and keep adding to it.. once he gets to about $1K-$1500 drop in a whole 3500, tune it and enjoy a serious HP gain.

$500 would probably buy a wet nitrous kit, a 50-75 shot would kick that 3100 in the pants a little.

I suggested saving his money but I'm not sure if he wants to do that. As for nitrous i will have to fire him your way because I don't know much about it.

Porting small port 3100 manifolds is a waste of time and money when you can bolt on 3400/late 3100 big port manifolds un ported and they spank the small port stuff. You can't port out a 3100 small port to equal a large port one.

Porting will require less of a tune than a 3400, unless you really do some crazy stuff to the heads or something. Swapping in a 3400 would be a pretty good upgrade, 2nd would be different intake manifolds. They both will run ok un-tuned but of course get more out of it with a tuen.

Sorry should have been clear, the ported manifolds will be the large port ones. I already told him to get 2000+ manifolds and not go any lower than that year and make sure they are large port by comparison. I'm just wondering is swapping the entire 3400 top end more worthwhile or getting the ported 3400 manifolds?

I also suggested a full 3400 but I believe he ruled that out as well.

[IsaacHayes]

Swapping heads adds cost of gaskets and possibly checking to see if the heads are flat. That cost adds up and if the motor is high mileage, it's probably more economical to swap the whole 3400. That is why I didn't do a headswap on mine.

[Sidewinder]

Yeah I suggested that, but I think he has decided he wants to to the top swap anyway. Thanks for the help