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I'm looking to amp up the HP on my 99 Blazer.
I'm debating headers, TB spacer, or a air intake.
I've got a Ravin Z51 Muffler inplace now. I plan to cut the pipe
and either get turn downs or se about a side sweeping exhaust.
What's going to be the best option for more horsepower, headers, a tb spacer,
or a air intake?

Replace your rocker arms first. this is the most cost effective and actuall performance gain you can do to your Blazer. the direct replacement takes maybe an hour. But it is like giving your Blazer a larger camshaft. It allows the engine to Breath and exhale better. After this mod , Then worry about intakes and exhausts. Use any roller tip 1.6 rocker that also fits the 350 Chevy engine, Maybe $120.00 . Just remove the valve covers, then remove the rockers, install the new rockers just make sure that you buy metric rocker balls, if your origanal rocker balls are not in bad shape just reuse them. Tighten down the retaining nuts till it stops then torque to the required, I'm not sure but I think it is 22lbs . Put the covers back on and you are done. Then enjoy the new feel of your engine!

Headers alone will do nothing for performance. Performance increase using a throttle body spacer at best is negligible. A "cold air intake system" will hurt fuel mileage and performance, here's why: For fuel to burn efficiently in an engine, there are three things that must be done to the fuel. First it needs to be atomized; this is done by the injector spraying the fuel. Next it needs to be vaporized. This is done by the heat in the intake manifold. Finally it needs to be compressed, and then it's ready for ignition. Installing a "cold air intake system" is counterproductive for two reasons: One, it's more difficult for the fuel to mix into cold air because it is denser than warm air. That's why a choke or cold enrichment system is necessary until the intake manifold heats up. And two, the air/fuel mixture is going to be heated and vaporized anyway... save your money, you'll need it for fuel!

Replace your rocker arms first. this is the most cost effective and actuall performance gain you can do to your Blazer. the direct replacement takes maybe an hour. But it is like giving your Blazer a larger camshaft. It allows the engine to Breath and exhale better. After this mod , Then worry about intakes and exhausts. Use any roller tip 1.6 rocker that also fits the 350 Chevy engine, Maybe $120.00 . Just remove the valve covers, then remove the rockers, install the new rockers just make sure that you buy metric rocker balls, if your origanal rocker balls are not in bad shape just reuse them. Tighten down the retaining nuts till it stops then torque to the required, I'm not sure but I think it is 22lbs . Put the covers back on and you are done. Then enjoy the new feel of your engine!


Will doing this wear somthing else out, like valve springs or anything like that. How much can you expect to gain from doing this. im sure ur not gonna gain like 10 hp, but if its a safe way to gain a little id give it a shot.

Headers alone will do nothing for performance. Performance increase using a throttle body spacer at best is negligible. A "cold air intake system" will hurt fuel mileage and performance, here's why: For fuel to burn efficiently in an engine, there are three things that must be done to the fuel. First it needs to be atomized; this is done by the injector spraying the fuel. Next it needs to be vaporized. This is done by the heat in the intake manifold. Finally it needs to be compressed, and then it's ready for ignition. Installing a "cold air intake system" is counterproductive for two reasons: One, it's more difficult for the fuel to mix into cold air because it is denser than warm air. That's why a choke or cold enrichment system is necessary until the intake manifold heats up. And two, the air/fuel mixture is going to be heated and vaporized anyway... save your money, you'll need it for fuel!

Isn't it the job of a turbo or supercharger to super cool the air before it hits the combustion chamber? I know it's supposed to shove more air in but I always thought it was cooling it as well.

Your factory rockers come out of a big bin at the engine assembly facility. Trust me they are not weighed measured or matched when they are put in.


They may be way off from the start. Most of them not opening the valves as fully as they should.

Just think of the aftermarket sets from the big aftermarket companies that have steller reputations. Their sets are balenced and the measurements are dead on. Just swapping out the factory rockers with a set of the same specs from the Aftermarkets will give you a better running engine!!

Now the key is to reduce friction. With the factory stamped sets the tips of the rockers rub on the top of the valve stems, (friction) What happens when you rub things? (heat) .

Now with roller tips you greatly reduce heat and friction freeing up HP!! Also by increasing the opening of the valves more air and fuel can be intruduced into the cylinder. Wear is negligable!!! Our spring pressures are so far off it is laughable!

This is the best and first mod you should ever consider for our engines!!

1.6 Roller tip rockers! Fast and sets you up for so much more in the future!!

I'm sorry but superchargers compress air creating heat. My supercharger housing gets so hot after a drive that it will burn your hand if you touch it!! We try everything we can to cool the air after it leaves the supercharger. Hot air is less dense than cool air for the same volumn. Less oxygen means less HP! a very bad word.

Isn't it the job of a turbo or supercharger to super cool the air before it hits the combustion chamber? I know it's supposed to shove more air in but I always thought it was cooling it as well.

A supercharger and a turbocharger do the same thing and that is to create a positive pressure in the intake manifold and "force feed" more air and fuel into the intake manifold. By moving more air, it does tend to cool it however; the mixture must still be vaporized before it can be efficiently burned. A supercharger is actively driven by a belt. A turbocharger is passively driven by exhaust flow. Each system has its advantages and disadvantages. Bottom line is that both systems create a seamless, on demand, increase in horsepower.

http://www.jegs.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryDisplay?storeId=10001&catalogId=10002&catalogIdentifier=Jegs_Direct&categoryId=13701&parentCategoryId=10233

these guys???

Your factory rockers come out of a big bin at the engine assembly facility. Trust me they are not weighed measured or matched when they are put in.


They may be way off from the start. Most of them not opening the valves as fully as they should.

Just think of the aftermarket sets from the big aftermarket companies that have steller reputations. Their sets are balenced and the measurements are dead on. Just swapping out the factory rockers with a set of the same specs from the Aftermarkets will give you a better running engine!!

Now the key is to reduce friction. With the factory stamped sets the tips of the rockers rub on the top of the valve stems, (friction) What happens when you rub things? (heat) .

Now with roller tips you greatly reduce heat and friction freeing up HP!! Also by increasing the opening of the valves more air and fuel can be intruduced into the cylinder. Wear is negligable!!! Our spring pressures are so far off it is laughable!

This is the best and first mod you should ever consider for our engines!!

1.6 Roller tip rockers! Fast and sets you up for so much more in the future!!

I'm sorry but superchargers compress air creating heat. My supercharger housing gets so hot after a drive that it will burn your hand if you touch it!! We try everything we can to cool the air after it leaves the supercharger. Hot air is less dense than cool air for the same volumn. Less oxygen means less HP! a very bad word.


They are matched to that batch, about 3300 rocker arms at a time, granted they are in no way comparable to the rockers that are out there but even manufacturers of OEM parts have close tolerances to follow along with quality issues.



As far as the guy saying headers WILL NOT add any performance to an engine alone, Where did you get this? A set of tuned headers will gain alot more HP then a set of mass produced long tubes. Most of these parts that will do this are just out of the unsponsored working man weekend warriors reach.

Now, the original question........Swap in a V8 if you want power, if you have a 1st gen early 90's "Z" block slap on a turbo.




Now this talk about rockers...................Will 1.5/1.6 combo's work well on the street with a V6 as it does on a mild small block?

Vortec heads are actually very good. Take a look at most of the aftermarket designs . Most of them use the vortec kidney design of the chamber.

A lot of people are swapping there heads for Iron vortec heads. The worst part of vortec heads are the exhaust ports. Just adding higher lift rockers will give you a better purge. But you can get a lot bigger gains just by doing a mild port job to the exhaust side. That with the 1.6 roller tips will give you a very nice gain.

Go with 1.6 across the board, If you get a aftermarket cam then think of splitting the rocker ratio (it all depends on the camshaft lift) and the type of engine that you are building.

Try other carriers of parts. like Summit and other suppliers. You can get them much cheaper, even try Ebay.

ok so i was wondering do i get self aliging or not and i assume that i need them for 3/8 studs