Don't do it the way I did:

(1) 13.779 @ 103.249
05/11/2005, 4500 miles
Replaced stock airbox w/ Z06 Airbox [$40]

(2) 13.397 @ 103.573
09/07/2005, 8500 miles
replaced Z06 Airbox w/ Blackwing [$220]

(3) 13.301 @ 106.120
09/18/2006, 15,000 miles
Added LG Pro Headers [$2500] & dyno tune #1 [$450]

(4) 12.827 @ 109.330
10/15/2007, 20,000 miles
replaced Blackwing w/ Callaway Honker [$410] & dyno tune #2 & thermostat [$670]

Gain: .952 seconds, 6.081mph
Total Cost: $4290

If that doesn't convince you gears are the best bang for the buck if you're looking to increase 1/4 mile times, I don't know what will. And yeah, I'll be going 3:42's next year.

Hindsight is 20/20...and a whole lot cheaper.

 

not to knock what you have done so far, you seem to be on the right track for additional over all power, responsiviness, and better engine effenciency - just curious where you found the gains in the RPM range - was it across the board or more down low or more up top

I totally agree with you gears definately will help with acceleration for 1320 fans and auto-x/road race guys cost per dollar for speed and performance

dont forget to run a good set of brake pads (just cause its faster doesnt mean your stopping any sooner)

 

Must have cooled off quite a bit from Sept to October. I know it does here.... Besides, why would you include the cost of changing intakes three times? You could just just do headers, intake and tune once for 2500 (damn you paid a ton) and get the same results you did.....

 

I don't want to speak for the OP, but everyone I ever knew who modded cars, definitely including myself, made some mistakes or changed their mind along the way and bought some parts that didn't work out. That's part of the cost of modding and it's unrealistic to exclude them from total real-world costs, imo. And you won't get LG Pros, a Honker, and a tune, installed, for $2500.

 

Yep, if'n I knew what I know now, I'd be $1K or so richer.

Yep, if I knew what I was doing back then; and I read this Forum endlessly on these topics, yet still screwed the pooch

$2500 for the LG Pros includes jet-hot coating, ARP header studs, Kool-Sox, new plugs, and misc tools I didn't have that I used this as an excuse to buy (torque wrenches [yes, plural...inch-lbs and foot lbs], another set of ramps, a couple of 8ft 4x4's for 'emergency backup in case newly purchased jackstands collapsed, gaskets, better clamps, misc other items, etc.)

I Included the cost for all the intakes cuz, well, I bought all 3; in hindsight a mistake but live and learn.

Live and learn...woulda by-passed first WOT only tune on DynoJet for 2nd tune on load-bearing Mustang dyno w/ on the road logging for part throttle/normal driving verification, would gone right to Honker and skipped Z06 airbox and Blackwing (even with cut-out foglight surrounds the Blackwing produced little to no gain.

Actually, re: the weather, the coolest runs were the first two. The most recent on 10/15/2007 was on a day where it was sunny and warm (yeap, strange for Ohio this time of year) with a DA of 1762.

I have no problem saying I made some mistakes, I'm relatively used to that.

The reason I went with the LG Pro's was their reputation for mid-range increase...and I did see that. From the data I got w/ the first tune we went from around 304rwhp to 329rwhp w/ headers, then to 346 rwhp after DynoJet WOT tune w/ some of the greatest increases coming in the midrange. Would I do that again...no, probably not. I think all major-brand headers produce about the same HP, with minor differences that probably can't be discerned from dyno measurement differences between and 2 runs. I'd probably go American Racing if I did it again just because I like their design of welded in cats/x-pipe, bolt-up joints at the collectors and only 2 slip-fit clamp joints as opposed to LG's 6. Slip-fit & clamp joints suck.

I guess what I've learned from all this is that most claims of increased HP (especially hi-flo air filters) are bunk and the perceived differences between brand X and brand Y are so negligible as to actually be non-factors.

 

I got LG Streets with cats and a tune installed for 1750 and went from 325 RWHP to 365 RWHP (I don't think the Pros are worth the price difference at all). The 325 RWHP included a Halltech intake and a tune already on the car. That price also did away with clamps and got the exhaust welded up (except at the axle back and collector).

Part of modding your car is 1) having a plan and 2) knowing how to do things (and I don't necessarily mean DIY).

On the juice I am putting down 500/530 at the wheels. Looking for 10s this Sunday.

 

I find it incredible that you shaved .4 sec. just by switching to a blackwing.

 

Generally, I attribute and ET gain to track conditions, driver (in)ability. For actual power increases I look to trap speed/MPH gains

 

And the headers gained you not even a tenth? I think you got those backwards.

 

Ouch!

Ive got 460 RWHP for 2300$ in parts, not payin for someone else to install things saves a ton of money

 

The trap speed is a far better indicator of HP gains, and it is nearly identical between the first two runs. That leads me to believe the Blackwing did virtually nothing for performance and the E.T. difference is from improved traction and lower 60 foot times.

The headers may have only gained a tenth in E.T, but look at how much the MPH changed. The headers certainly picked up HP even if the E.T. doesn't reflect it.

 

Tru Dat! Good point.

 

Not to be a spoil-sport, but if you go with budget parts and do the work yourself, you can get heads/cam/intake manifold/longtubes/cats/UD pulley and a dyno tune for about $4,500 and shave a good 1 second off your time... That's what my setup cost me, and with a milder cam, I'm pushing 410whp, and I think I should be able to hit low 12's with decent tires.

 

No worries; i kinda posted this whole thing to serve as a "How NOT to go about it kinda thing.

And, aside from the tuning, I did the installs in the garage. So my path is even *more* cost ineffective.

Would never attempt cam/heads/internal engine work, though. I know myself too well and know how that would turn out.

 

As i posted above, ive got 460 RWHP for 2300$ and running 11's is a trip to the track away

For that 2300 i Bought heads/cam/LS6 intake/LS7 Lifters/New oil pump/Stainless Longtubes/X-Pipe/All Gaskets, Fluids/Head bolts/New damper, all parts were new and bought from venders except the LS6 intake i bought used.

Install yourself to save big money, and i tuned it myself, but that would only be another 500 or so on top if you had to pay to have that done.

 

Damn, I went budget on almost everything ($1,100 heads, LG Street headers, etc). I take it you must have bought some used goodies?

 

Only thing i bought used was the LS6 Intake, everything else was bought new from TSP except the SSautochrome headers.

 

my info, : 2000 6speed hatch vette


stock run : 13.01
after k&n fipk (250 bux) : 12.906
after ebay longtube headers(400 bux)~(from ssautochrome), thunderbolt metal highflow cats(120 bux), xpipe (free with lt), borla stingers (400 bux used) and a tune from ECS : 12.421

dynoed 345 rwhp and 344 torque at ECS a week before my 12.4 run

hard for me to keep traction now to. gonna have to upgrade rims and tires possible now. (also long tubes, high flow cats, xpipe and stingers is very loud and mean. i love it)

~ nick

 

what was mph increase w/ each change?