New owner questions...
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 18
Likes: 0
New owner questions...
Hello, just purchased a 2002 vette and am looking to get a few performance upgrades. Nothing fancy, probably a new air intake and cat back system. But I'm also interested in tuning.
So I guess my total newbie question is what is tuning an engine and what benefits would it have. Also would I tune before or after the upgrades. Mainly looking for more power and quickness, not so much top end speed. My car has 75000 miles and the engine seems strong esp after 3500-4000 rpms.
Thanks in advance, love the info from this place.
So I guess my total newbie question is what is tuning an engine and what benefits would it have. Also would I tune before or after the upgrades. Mainly looking for more power and quickness, not so much top end speed. My car has 75000 miles and the engine seems strong esp after 3500-4000 rpms.
Thanks in advance, love the info from this place.
Intermediate
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 47
Likes: 0
From: DFW Texas
A quick search or just random reading in the Tech/Tuning section should give you a ton of good info to go from. I'm not trying to be a dick, it's just that by researching what your after you'll get a better understanding of not only the car you now own but also what works and doesn't work.
Racer
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 352
Likes: 1
From: Long Grove Illinois
This forum has massive amounts of info that you can search. Even the air intakes here can get a little tricky. The Vararam is a ram air type of system. Other types modify the front radiator shroud. Be careful though...modaholicism all start with cold air intakes and cat back exhausts. It never ends believe me!!!! Pick your power goal/ needs/ expectations now and stick to em. In the long run I believe headers, catback, cai, tune would probably keep you satisfied for awhile. Welcome to the darkside.
Chris
Chris
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 18
Likes: 0
Thanks. I've read quite a bit and have narrowed down my choices. Nothing crazy, just catback and cai. I'm pretty settled on the vararam or hurricane (probably vararam) for the intake as long as either is ok for basic driving. Haven't narrowed down the exhaust yet as I'm looking to hear a couple in person.
But engine tuning is what I'm most confused about. I'm really just trying to get to around 400hp on the ls1 with a automatic. Just want the vette to be a little quicker and sound a little meaner but nothing too extreme. So I'm not sure what tuninig my engine would consist of and what benefits I would get out of it.
But engine tuning is what I'm most confused about. I'm really just trying to get to around 400hp on the ls1 with a automatic. Just want the vette to be a little quicker and sound a little meaner but nothing too extreme. So I'm not sure what tuninig my engine would consist of and what benefits I would get out of it.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,724
Likes: 2
From: Holland Landing Ontario
I have the Vararam intake plus the Z06 Ti's and an X pipe on mine. I have never had it tuned, but the difference in performance is quite noticable. If you want to tune it, have that done after the mods. You won't see 400 hp without additional mods however. LT headers may get you close, but it will be interesting to hear what others say.
Racer
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 352
Likes: 1
From: Long Grove Illinois
Tuning will adjust fuel/spark and raise the rpm limited all based on the fuel maps. I'm not a tuner so I can't answer specifics. Cat backs and cai will not require a tune. Headers to maximize Their potential will require tuning but I think you don't absolutely have to get it tuned. I'm at 600whp on a twin turbo setup so I can't tell you exactly how to get to 400. I went straight to FI after driving the car with a vararam and corsa catback for a couple years. The vararam is a little difficult to get set just right and the plastic seems somewhat cheap. However it pulls like a SOB all the way to 180. I'd search this forum for LG long tube and tune. Pretty sure guys were getting 380-390whp with just headers. Even adding a simple gm hotcam would see good gains. But I warn you my friend when the bug bites there's no stopping it
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 18
Likes: 0
Thanks for the advice. I can definately see myself getting into the mod thing. I come from the guitar-head world so everytime I get something new it generally needs to be set up correctly and tweaked. So I thought a car tuning might be a fair comparison. At least for my purposes in getting from 0-60 a little faster.
So I'll probably start with the intake and go from there. Then maybe take the car to a shop and see if there's anything in genreal that the engine needs. I think its fine but it does have 75000 miles on it. Not sure I'd want to mess with headers but cai, x-pipe, and exhaust seem to be pretty simple for a shop to do and might get me up to around 375hp.
So I'll probably start with the intake and go from there. Then maybe take the car to a shop and see if there's anything in genreal that the engine needs. I think its fine but it does have 75000 miles on it. Not sure I'd want to mess with headers but cai, x-pipe, and exhaust seem to be pretty simple for a shop to do and might get me up to around 375hp.
