Okay, time to combine some efforts here in attempt to seperate the MOD's that work (increase HP and lower your 1/4 times) and the MOD's that don't! I've exhaustingly searched throughout the forums for MOD's to help my 2000 C5 A4, but there are so many contradicting opinions ! Surely, the cars are pretty much the same, but the driver's and driving conditions differ. Example: "It's not worth it to put an intake on a stock motor because the engine is tuned by GM to only suck in so much air..." In order for one to benefit from any MOD, or a series of MOD's, the car must be retuned !

It seems the only MOD i found that does work is Dr. Gases or Bassani's X-Pipe!

http://www.drgas.com/store/product.p...2&cat=1&page=1

Basically my car can pull 13.20's best, what i'm trying to do is get into the 12's all day long without a dynotune (but i'll eventually get one) and without gears and drag radials. So, what mods do work in conjunction with each other to gain about 4 ~ 5 tenths off in quarter, if any ?
Please back up your claims with times and or dynos, not by SOTP feel !

 

Example ! : Breathless Performance claims up to 40 HP on there LS1 Engine Performance Package #1. Up to ? Why is that ? I would like to know the minimum that can be expected. Is this a bolt-on and you got the HP, or do you need a dynotune (for 500 or 600 bux) in conjunction with the package to get the HP! Basically it's all a complete intake upgrade...

Stage 1- Up To 400HP

Vortex Ram Air Induction Box

Vortex Power Duct with silicone couple

(97-00 includes Upgraded MAF Housing and MAT sensor)

Item 300-050 (97-00) $670.00

http://www.breathlessperformance.com...0-050stage.asp


now this would be great, if, it works ! I would buy, install and be done with it, and my car would be around 4/10ths faster !

 

no way you will hit 400 with that.

Also companies who claim a certain HP gain for a product, they forget to mention that it is WITH a dyno tune.

 

That's what i would think ! Another example: Vararam. Stock motor, no tune, no other mods, 3/10th's off in the quarter ! Is this ???

 

I strongly suggest a dyno tune. I just had one & I can tell a HUGE difference. My #'s b-4 & after dyno tune.

b-4;
299.3 RWHP @ 5300 rpm & 315.4 RWTQ @ 4500 rpm

after:
336.3 RWHP @ 5300 rpm & 361.3 RWTQ @ 4400 rpm

The BEST $375 I ever spent......

Now that I have the engine performing at its best, I can look for performance mods that will enhance what I have.

 

What year vette ? A4 or M6 ? 336 from a stock motor or did you already have some bolt-ons ? Awesome numbers !

 

you got 37rwhp and and 46twtq from only a tune? somethings wrong with that. just because you have high dyno numbers doesnt mean the engine is performing at its best either.

 

I bought my '99 A4 with 3.15 gears this June; it's a Friday nite club racer at Bandimere Speedway in Denver. IMO, the only thing that really matters is measurable results, in terms of ET and speed. FYI, a stock C5 A4 is usually in the high 14s at this altitude. That's been true for me (remember this is at 5500 ft. of altitude, figure an extra second ET for that over sea level) I baselined the car in total stock form; then proceeded to do some mods and document improvements. A Corsa cat back was good for 0; the Blackwing with fog lights vented was good for 2 tenths; a set of LG Street headers with hi flo cats and X pipe and dyno tune took it down another 4 tenths. Ported Dart Heads and custom grind cam, 37lb. injectors, ported TB, along with a torque converter are going into it now. We expect that to take off a full second. The short answer is, you can depend on anything that moves more air thru the motor to burn more fuel, make more power. Gears will drop ETs, but can make a nice driver less so, depending on how radical they are.
PS: speed is 4 mph from the baseline, so HP is definitely up.

 

I have a 99 A-4 & stock except pacecar cat backs & a twin cone intake. I also have 3.42 gears. The numbers surprised both the tuner & me. If there is a 22% loss with an A-4, I should have 400+ at the crank. Now besides the #'s the funny thing is the 3.42 gears. GM didn't even offer 3.42 gears as a option fr an A-4 in 99. I am the 2nd owner & I know that the 1st owner took the car to the dealer for every oil change, battery problem ect. I really don't think SHE had gears added. Go figure?

 

2001 m6
before: 309.4 RWHP / 333.5 torque

MODS:
Blackwing intake / smooth bellows
new spake plugs
SLP Sport tuner
Corsa Cat back

332.3 rwhp / 345.8 torque

 

The tuner ran the car again after seeing the #'s & the same 3's came up again. I agree with you. The air/fuel mix was constant 12.5-12.8 between 3400-5900 rpm. If that isn't near perfect, please tell me what is?

 

Good Post ! Blackwing did that eh ? Hmmm.. that would put me around the 13 mark ! I'm def. going to get an X Pipe because it pulses the exhaust through more efficiently without hurting the exhaust gas velocity. I heard real good things about the X Pipe for our cars.

 

Except for the gears, you have an intake & exhaust mod + tune = those figures ... correct ?

 

Yes. Like I said, the tuner ran the car twice just to make sure.......

 

Isn't it supposed to be 14.7/1?

 

One atmosphere is 14.7 to 1

Well there is a stoichemetric ratio that is perfect, then you want to run leaner to produce more power... this of course is with premium or better gasoline and advanced timing...


So even if you're pushing more fuel and air, the ratio will always be the same... just the quantity changes which in affect ups your compression because you have more charge (or denser) in the cylinder thus giving you a more powerful explosion. That's why you def. need a tune because when she start's breathing better front & back, you can burn more fuel & air producing more exhaust, which keeps your exhaust velocity up to create that scavenging affect in the cylinder. Reducing back pressure can hurt if you don't get a tune because you slow down the exhaust gas velocity thus not scavenging the cylinder gases...
There's a fine line here ... sometimes the car will improve without a tune, but from my experience, (well, except turbos.. turbos love a ver nonrestrictive exhaust, you always get plenty of exhaust when you raise the boost), you must do a retune. My Z28 LS1 ran 3/10ths worse with a catback, i put back the stock, and it ran fine again.
It was an A4 also... Most of these products are for one thing... MAKE MONEY ! But most do require a retune. I'm just not that familar with vettes and want to know what is what when it comes to MODS.

 

Never track tested my Vararam, but on both my C5 and my C5Z it is a very noticable SOTP difference, and this is compared with a stinger-style CAI not a stock filter.

My input:

Don't have data on the individual mods, but

(this is no vararam on either car; both had stinger-style intakes)

LG streets + high flow cats + Ti exhaust + LS6 intake + 160* thermo made my '97 M6 C5 exactly as fast as my stock 01 C5Z from a roll. Don't have times or dynos, but I do have experience from lining them side by side a private track and an '01Z is in the 12's stock.

 

Sounds like you were pushing 400 FWHP then eh ? LG Streets are def. a good MOD for HP ! Shorties don't do sh*t from what I heard. I wonder about the 160 thermo though. It takes longer for the car to warmup, so in a cooler climate, it probably isn't a good idea. Arizona or Florida should work !

p.s. .. that's some talent driving both cars at the same time

 

What about a throttle body ? So far, I'm thinking about doing the Blackwing with a TPIS ported stock TB! Or, Z06 LID with the TB... Then go with an X pipe and catback. Finally get a tune when it's all together. Should be good for 3 or 4 tenths !

 

SLP Sport Tuner ? How did you manage that ?