Cheap/Fast/Reliable
You can only have two of the three at any one time! Choose wisely!!!
Want it Cheap/Fast? You give up Reliable...
Want it Reliable/Fast? It isn't cheap...
Want it Reliable/Cheap? It won't be fast...
NO way around it, those are the laws of modding engines, period!
Add to it these engines have been around a very long time, everything has been done, which could, to make power, there are NO Unicorns to find! Heed the advise given, you want to drop pulleys with no supporting mods, you "WILL" break something. Power is addictive! Those who do little things, graduate to bigger and better. The problem is thinking they can get away with something, then Boom!...
Read the Safely Modding the 3800 thread, then read it again, then do some searching and make a plan, even if it's just dropping a few pulleys sizes. Then read it all once more before jumping in the pool!
For example, want to drop to a 3.4 that give a few pounds of boost bump? Plan on headers, rockers, valve springs, lim gaskets, plugs, etc., and a tune! Sureeeeee, you might not need the tune with those mods, but you won't then be extracting the most HP out of them. Add it all up... $200 headers, $250 rockers (used), $70 gaskets, $200 V.Springs/Seals/tool, $12-30 Plugs, Modular Pulley $150, Tool rental $40, $30 belt, $70 fluids... So about a cool Grand without a Tune!
You ready?
: )