Made some mods, now what?

JustinCredible · 01-22-02, 05:52

First off I'm new to the forum so "hey". Secondly, I recently installed a KandN intake and a flowmaster 80 exhaust for my 97 firebird. I can tell a diffrence somewhat in power but what exactly should I be looking for with a flowmaster. Some people say it gives it 10% more HP, some says it just increases exceleration. Also, what is the most logical next step, I'm thinking about a chip or maybe when I get some cash a NOS.

Any thoughts or suggestions? BTW all modifications to be done are not aesthetic.

Thanks

Iowan_Juggalo · 01-22-02, 07:36

Unless you plan to drag or street race i would skip the nos. The chip will give you the speed for normal crusing. You should try and get a new exauxst system or a turbo. That is what i would do.

Lowejackson · 01-23-02, 12:41

You have now got the cheap power, after this things start to cost money. The clasical route is cylinder head work, high lift cams then think about a chip. After that it is engine block work (big money). Dont forget once you have more power it is time to look at the brakes and suspension.

It all comes down to what you want the car to do. Do you want to go racing on a track, street racing or have the power to overtake with ease. They all require different approaches to gaining power.

Steven
Alfa 164

JustinCredible · 01-23-02, 03:01

many good suggestions. Thanks.

Iowan_Juggalo: What did you mean when you said it gives the speed for "normal" cruising.

Lowejackson: Probably street racing. So what will cylinder head work do for you?

Justin

Iowan_Juggalo · 01-23-02, 05:38

i meant you know going to work ect. Or racing some punk at a red light

Redcar GUY · 01-23-02, 06:07

Quote:

Originally posted by JustinCredible
First off I'm new to the forum so "hey". Secondly, I recently installed a KandN intake and a flowmaster 80 exhaust for my 97 firebird. I can tell a diffrence somewhat in power but what exactly should I be looking for with a flowmaster. Some people say it gives it 10% more HP, some says it just increases exceleration. Also, what is the most logical next step, I'm thinking about a chip or maybe when I get some cash a NOS.

Any thoughts or suggestions? BTW all modifications to be done are not aesthetic.

Thanks

Was Just the muffler replaced? Or was it a cat back exhaust? And also you got the K&N that has the two pipes that head over the the driverside right? Sound like your on your way

What are your goals?
This is what I have so far on the SS
Red on Red, 5% tint, SLP ATM, BBK 52mm TB, power pulleys, Gran MAS, TB coolant bypass, Hotchkis STB, Zaino, SLP ATM, Pro 5.0 shifter, "Deconed" SLP 2ontheleft Exhaust, LT4 KM,Spohn LCA's and Pan hard bar

JustinCredible · 01-23-02, 07:12

Hmmmm... The k and n I got is just a filter that slides into the slot where the stock was . I know it is not quite as powerful but the salesman told me there difrence between this and the $200 one was pretty slight. I guess my main goal is to make my V-6 perform like a v-8, or at least as close as possible. Also what kind of shop installs a cylinder head, what would the price be like, and what HP gains could I expect? Thanks

Lowejackson · 01-24-02, 01:30

Cylinder head work, depending on the detail will probably give somewhere between 8-15 % more power, depending on the breathing nature and restrictions of the engine. At its most basic level it is really about getting the maximum amount of air into the combustion chamber and getting rid of it quickly and efficiently.

I do not know the car you refer to, but the principals are the same for any engine. I am sure there will be a large number of internets sites that can offer advice specifically for you car.

For street racing you want a similar power band to the engine in standard guise, just with more power. So stay away from fancy cams unless they are mild. A new chip seems heavily dependant on the engine tuning and the skill of the operator. Some swear by the simple replacement chips, others recommend getting a qualified turner to do the work for your engine. This is where the specific knowledge of your car and the information gleamed from web pages comes in handy.

The question they will all ask is how much do you want to spend, my recommendation is to stick to the mild stuff as a highly tuned engine is also a very temperamental one and is a lot cheaper.

Steven
Alfa 164