I got the car back from the Tremec install a few days ago and only drove it home. First gear really felt bad **** :-d and the 5th gear was soo nice on the highway.
As far as the install went, everything looks great. The brackets they made for the crossmember came out nice and the shifter looks like it did before since they used my old handle :cool: I had to do some trimming on the bracket they made and on the center console so it shifted smoothly, but nothing serious. It would just put pressure on the console before I trimmed it up.
Yesterday, I spent sometime and finally installed the JCL inserts and was very east to install. I left them capped and they sound really good, but I think a little to quiet for my taste, but im gonna leave them as is for the summer. I am having one problem though and that is where the headers meet the side pipe on the driver's side will not seal completely. It will leak some condensation when first started and then leaks air out as well. I tightened the clamp down as far as I can and it still does it. What can I do to cure this?? Also, once you tighten those clamps down, how do you loosen them so the pipes will come off easily?
How much louder do you think it will be with them uncapped as well? I had the MAD chambered setup before so wont mind something as loud as that :troll They are still loud as they are now and would be suited well for most people, I just like my car to scream under WOT. But as far as the tone of the JCL's they are :thumbs:

As far as my impressions of driving the TKO, i took it out last night and today as my first real drives with the TKO and inserts. The first gear pulls soo hard with my 3.55 rear gears. Huge improvement over the 2.2 first gear in my m-21. Its gonna take a few more times out driving to get used to the gearing and figuring out how to race it, but I cant wait to get to E-town with it. ON the highway, I went from cruising at 3500 RPMs usually down to 2300 :thumbs: The shifter has also broken in really quick and if gets looser like others say it does over 500 miles will feel excelent. But even over the Hurst I had before, this thing is unbelievable.
Chris :thumbs:

 

Sounds great:cool: , I like the JCL's and plan to take the caps off this winter.

Perhaps someone will be going to Nashville-Bowling Green, or Carlise with caps off and if so chime in 'cause I would like to hear them.

BTW, the TKO, did you cut the cross-member?


[Modified by 74 vert, 5:55 PM 6/15/2003]

 

:cool: Chris. Looks like everything worked out for you.

 

74Vette,

If you uncap the pipes you will be 4db's louder pretty much across the board. You can also mount the caps on the back end of the pipes. If you fit them loosely and drill through the caps and the pipe, you can fit a long cotter pin to hold in place; or, easily remove the cap by simply reaching your hand up the back of the collector.

With the caps removed, you will have less leaking around the fron of the collector due to even less back pressure. Mine does this too. You see more evidence of this leakage if you have pipes in a color other than black.

Chuck

 

Sounds good chris,now get your butt down here and pick me up for a ride :thumbs:

 

There will be several Vette's at Carlisle this year, with and without "caps" to hear live. Tis the only way to see what YOUR sounds level tastes are. Anybody running the baffles that will be at Carlisle, let me know. I'll be close to the dyno like last year. JCL :yesnod: :yesnod:


[Modified by JCL, 8:35 PM 6/15/2003]

 

74Vert...they did cut the crossmember and then welded brackets on it to bolt up....should be easy to take in and out now.

Chuck Harmon....that is a really great idea about the cotter pin!! I think i might do that next time i pull them out!

Pat....definitely gotta get down there one of these days. :thumbs:

JCL.....great product!! ;)

 

:cool: :cool:

 

and lots of thanks to GSC3! :withstupid:

 

74Vette,

Actually, what I later did on mine was to put the end caps back in place; but I drilled some large holes on the side of the pipe equalling a greater area than the open pipe at the engine end. This reduces a good measure of noise by not being a direct line from engine to exit yet still keeps the back pressure the same as no caps. Jim suggested I do this to avoid any reverse flow that might take place with the caps on at the back, but open on the engine side. Jim really knows his stuff!

Chuck

 

:cheers: :cheers: :cheers:

I will probably be uncapping my JCL's when I take the engine out ;) .

 

Another update on "uncapped" baffles. Chuck harmon had the best to date with only a loss of 6 HP between open sidepipes and uncapped baffles. 483 RWHP without, to 477 RWHP with uncapped. (lower dB's by approx. 4)
Superior Automotive Engineering in Anaheim, California recently ran some test and topped Chucks. Joe Jill ran the testing.
278.6 glasspacks. 364.4 capped baffles. 514.7 open sidepipes. 519.4 with baffles "uncapped." Not a lot, but an absolute gain. I believe this was a pretty warmed over engine. If you need more info, give Joe Sr. or Joe Jr. a call. 714-503-1883
Later, JCL :yesnod: :cool: :yesnod:

 

congrats Chris. give me a ride :D

 

That has to be a very, very serious motor to pick up 155rwhp by just uncapping the JCL's. I can see the 86rwhp gain b/w the glasspacks and the JCLs... I never dyno'd mine with the stupid Hooker glasspacks, but I would be the difference was at least 75rwhp if not more.

I uncapped mine from the get-go, too... should help even more once I get all this new hardware installed. :)

Thanks for the info, Jim.