AZ406TPI

iTrader: (2)

I am slowly redoing my car and the interior is done minus window motors. next is going to be the engine department (suspension is done minus wheels/tires/brakes and paint will be last). I am trying to decide which route to go now that the F.I.R.S.T. Intake came out.

The engine is a 406 and currently has a VERY mild cam (was worried about emissions, I am not now), a TPIS big mouth intake/runner and they have been ported, and the heads are AFR195's. it has all forged internals. I plan on upgrading the heads to 210's come tax return time (more like early february, i dont wait till the last minute). the cam i am looking at is either the XFI 280 or XFI 292, leaning more towards the XFI 292. I have a HSR intake now and planned on going that route. I already know I more then likely will have to get material added to the intake for 210's if i went the HSR route. but now the FIRST intake is out, im debating if that would be a worth wild improvement over the ported big mouth i have currently on the engine. *side note incase it matters much, but I have nitrous now and plan on running it every now and again.

My overall goal for the car is the occational trip to the strip and prob mess around on a few auto cross tracks, but mostly just a fun, "sunday cruise" type of car, but with some power behind it. my 2 concerns are the XFI 292 being unstreetable. I am sure with a good tune it can be, but the only good tune place here in AZ went belly up and the nearest place is california. I am sure i can find someone to help burn me chips or have a company make me 1. My other concern is; HSR is ment for peak HP, FIRST is more mid range. what would be better for the 210/xfi 292 cam? since it IS a 400 block, i dont want to have to spin it to 6500 rpms just to hit peak power, but i dont want it to fall flat on its face past 4500 rpms (like stock/slightly mod'd TPI units). So what would be a better "match" for what i am looking to do?

Thanks for all your help.

*waiting for Tom and Will to chime in, and will saying he wants my intake thats on my car now. haha

Orr89RocZ

iTrader: (20)

Are you stuck on AFR 210's? Not a bad head and will work, but with that 292 cam wanting to pull into the mid 6000 rpm range, a slightly larger cross section may be needed. Either AFR 220's or perhaps visit some 210 Profiler heads that have been econoported by Speier Racing. Profiler have abit better velocity profile than AFR's. The may give up some power down low and in the midrange but it will be hardly noticeable but the should help on the top end. Roughly same price if not abit cheaper than AFR 210's.
Or his import core v2.50 220cc head for more of a budget. All great heads for 400+ " motors. You wont have a problem with low end.

Stealth ram will need some work to support all that. 1206 port work first, and open up the runners all the way thru. Just about any intake will need some help, but the HSR is the better choice to support the 292xfi cam. IF you got the new casting version it may be ported to 1206 without welding material... The bases after 2007 were suppose to have these modifications but i think alot of old castings are still out there.

280xfi will run extremely smooth on that car tho and be a better match rpm wise to 210 heads and FIRST TPI. I run a 233 deg cam with similar lift and 112lsa on my 401 turbo car and just regular driving its a tame cam. Only pulled to 5800 or so but I was running 195 heads.

The 280 I tuned on a 360 hsr motor and that thing loped pretty good but also was driveable so either of those cams will work ok on a 406. Tune will make or break it, so you will need to find a way to do this. Either start yourself or find someone who can.

292 will likely peak near 6200-6400 depending on what head you get. 220cc head flows abit more and has a larger cross section so it should support that cam to 6400 and you can shift by 6600.

If you dont want to go that high, the 280xfi will be good for mid 5000 rpm ranges. A custom grind you can dial in closer in between. XFI 236/242 is available. Its basically an XFI286.

HSR and FIRST both will do well with 210cc head and 280xfi cam. HSR will pull abit more peak rpm but likely not go too much more than 5800-5900 on peak shift by 6200-6300. FIRST with the 1.75" runners likely will peak 5200 and hold power to 5500+. FIRST with 2" runners which I hear are an option now, MAY go 5500+ rpm. So either way, both intakes can fit your goals, just depends on what you want.

Thats my 2 cents...

AZ406TPI

iTrader: (2)

First, thank you for your long, more informative, responce.

While I am looking for more HP/tq (and who isnt) im not going to break the bank or go through hopps trying to get an extra 20 hp while spending $1000 to do it. I like the higher duration of the 292, but the easier tunability of the 280. I didnt think of a custom grind that would combine them and act as a "286" per say. I wont say im stuck on AFR 210's, but to send me another way would take alot of convincing. BTW, IS there a cam out there with that 236/242 xfi from them, or is it pretty much going to be a custom grind?

My HSR is prob the pre 2007 base. Granted I can always sell the HSR, but it is/was alot "cheaper" way then sell it for maybe $200 and have to buy a $1000 intake. again. but a 2" runner diameter would be pretty damn sweet. That, and at the time, the FIRST intake wasnt even a thought yet and my really only optoin.

so right now it looks like my game plan may be changing to a XFI 236/242 grind with the AFR 210's on a FIRST intake. any clue on the HP/tq difference between a FIRST intake and HSR if i did the 210 heads and XFI 236/242 cam? Id rather have a more streetable car then something thats either off or WOT just cause it makes 20 more HP at 6600 rpms (when most of my driving will prob be in the 2500-3000 range.

Orr89RocZ

iTrader: (20)

Comp cams has the lobes, just call them and ask for it and they should give it to you for no change in price over the other shelf brands.

AFR 210's are great heads, dont get me wrong. They will do everything you are looking for and more.
The big runner FIRST TPI will be your best bet for your driving RPM range and goals. It should support power to 5500-5800 on a 406 with that cam. HSR will pick up power from 5500 on up to 6500 with that cam and 210 heads. Torque peak wont be as much but likely broader and more in the high range. Hp likely 20-25hp more if ported alittle. Same with a miniram intake. Shorter runner setups are gonna make more peak hp.

Look at this guys build. 421 sbc using miniram and 11.6 to 1 comp, with a similar 236/242 hyd roller from COMP. Using the XE high lift lobes. Pretty aggressive cam lobe, but very nice driving cam on his setup with his cubes. He loves the setup and its very snappy with response.
https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/alte...-421-dyno.html

His 195 heads supported 5900 rpm with that cam at peak. 210's may have held on to 6200rpm or so but a 415+ " motor needs a large head to pull more rpm above 6K rpm. Think 220-230cc, 2.100" valves.
First Intake will cap that rpm peak down alittle, likely 5400-5500 rpm and hold power abit beyond that before dropping off. 406 likely will beable to get into the mid upper 5K range for peak hp with a 236 cam. Its a good duration size for a streetable yet powerful 400" motor.

Hard to say for sure since I have no direct experience with FIRST TPI and havent seen alot of powerful motor builds using them yet. I've seen superram 400's run mid 11's with ZZx cam which is 239/239 deg, and they tend to peak in the mid 5000 rpm range. Very strong motors and superram doesnt flow near as much as a FIRST TPI.