2.8L HP Upgrades?

[88Jimmy]

Looking at a few HP upgrades for my Jimmy to liven this sluggish little motor up. Although I'm not trying to make 200HP out of it or dump alot of money into it. I just want to make it better because it's a strong running motor with reasonably low miles so a motor swap (for now) is out of the question... (If I do a swap it'll be a trooper 3.1 or camaro 3.4).

I know an e-fan conversion, delete the smog pump, do the 4.3 TBI swap/intake bore, and a set of headers with a new cat-back exhaust will all help waken the truck up and make it less lazy.

My biggest question is there camshafts, roller rockers with 1.5 or 1.6 ratios, different performance chips, head swaps, or ignition upgrades available to my motor?

I've done some research and I've pretty much came up empty handed except for some superchargers made by edelbrock and fageol but they are way out of my price range.

[geoffinbc]

Sadly edelbrock does not make a supercharger.

You can do a cam swap and almost every major cam company makes a selection of cams. I am a fan of the Comp Cams K kits for the motor because you get everything you need in one box for a great price. They also sell 1.6:1 Roller tip Magnum rockers for cheap and they even come in a kit with pushrods if you want them.

Unless your getting a chip custom burnt don't waste your money.

A head swap is possible but it is not a bolt on. You will need to change to Aluminum FWD heads but it requires a new intake, fuel injection system and exhaust system to make it all work. So it sounds like that is out of your scope of modifications.

[Superdave]

technically it is a bolt-on.. but not an easy one.. lol

[88Jimmy]

Sorry, I meant to say B&M Supercharger.

I've looked around and no one actually shows cams/rockers for the 2.8 motors, at least not through summit or jegs. Am I over looking something?

Who burns chips for the 2.8 trucks? I know www.tbichips.com can do them and he seems to be pretty close by. Would it be worth it to have a chip made for it?

Would the 3.4 heads bolt up to my truck or would that not work?

[bszopi]

3.4 iron heads are identical to what you currently have. As far as cams, try looking for either 3.1 or 3.4 engines, as they are all the same. Something should come up.

[88Jimmy]

Thanks! I'll start looking at them. What would you say is a rough estimate on price on the cams? How much lift should I be looking at? What RPM range? Idle to 4000 or so?

[Kennard_Mudder]

http://www.compperformancegroupstores.com/store/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=CC&Category_Code=CHEV466Cam173

theres a link to the cams that compcams makes for the 2.8l, i personally have the bottom cam and some mornings it sounds like an old tractor, nice lope, good top end power...

im actually workin with the same type of motor, only mine's in a jeep, i know edelbrock makes an intake for the 2.8 too...

[88Jimmy]

I wonder how the towing cam would do? I don't pull anything but it would be nice to have some mid-range power.

[Kennard_Mudder]

couldnt tell you for sure. i can only have one cam in at a time and its a lil too labor intensive to change em for "testing" lol

[88Jimmy]

Ha, that's true... I'm wanting something with some good bottom-end and still have a nice lope at idle... Nothing too drastic though since it's my daily driver and I want it to get the best gas mileage possible...

Is it possible to make the gas mileage go up as performance increases with the 2.8's?

[bszopi]

Either the 252 or the 264 would be good for you. If you want mid-range power, then the 252 would probably be the better choice.

[88Jimmy]

Has anyone had any experience with the 2.8L OBX headers they sell on eBay? I'm looking at a set for my truck to replace the stock manifolds/y-pipe...

[Kennard_Mudder]

nevermind, edelbrock doesnt have the correct ones for yours on sale.

[geoffinbc]

http://members.shaw.ca/betterthanyoutoo/camshaft_guide.htm

Thats all the cams you have available to you. I still stand by COMP cams K kits though. K16-233-4 would give you the 260H Cam, lifters, matching springs, retainers, locks, stem seals, timing set and the required lube.

[BillS]

You really might want to swap out the 2.8 for a 3.4 - the longer stroke really makes a difference (same stroke as the 3.1, but if you do it, may as well go for the bigger bore too).