Most Cost Effective LS1 Performance Mods
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 43,084
Likes: 33
From: Raleigh / Rolesville NC
Just get a custom tune and don't waste your money on a Mail Order or Hand Held.I have installed a few LG Streets and IMHO its the best header for the money. Fit and Finish are great. You should include the X pipe for a 100% bolt on install. If you do the off road pipe you'll need to have the rear O2s tuned out.
Budget is always considered. If budget were truely no problem then a LS2 or LS3 402-416 dry sump create motor, darton sleeves, forged internals by a great builder. ~ 500-550 hp at $12-$14,000. Plus an additional $10K for other upgrades.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,798
Likes: 8
From: It's true money can't buy happiness, but it is more comfortable crying in a Corvette than on a bicyc
St. Jude Donor '13
CAI, Long Tubes, X pipe, no cats or hi flow cats, and a tune. Save your money on the cat back. Won't gain much if anything. The factory exhaust isn't restrictive.
These mods will also compliment any future mods you do in the future. Like a FAST 90/92 intake, larger throttle body, heads, cam.
Speed costs money, how fast do you want to go?
These mods will also compliment any future mods you do in the future. Like a FAST 90/92 intake, larger throttle body, heads, cam.
Speed costs money, how fast do you want to go?
Lepus-temperamentalus
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 5,827
Likes: 5
From: Roswell Ga
No you do not have to pull the motor for header install.They just covered header and Hi-flow cats install in the September issue of Corvette Fever (just delivered in the mail a couple of weeks ago). Seems headers run around $1500 + or - a couple hundred (from what I read here on the forum) Don't know much about them and tuners as mine is pretty much stock(I do follow a lot of this stuff here though) I'm sure there will be a lot more jump in soon!!
I agree. Be advised however, that with any sort of high-flow exhaust AND headers, car will be VERY loud. If that's not what you're looking for, keep your eyes out for a Z06 TI exhaust. Combined with headers it sounds good but won't rattle windows six blocks away.
Team Owner
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 21,473
Likes: 356
From: Palmdale, Ca----- 2009 Cyber Gray 4LT A6 F55 452 RWHP 422 RWTQ- RIP 1998 C5 734 RWHP & 585 RWTQ-----
CAI, Long Tubes, X pipe, no cats or hi flow cats, and a tune. Save your money on the cat back. Won't gain much if anything. The factory exhaust isn't restrictive.
These mods will also compliment any future mods you do in the future. Like a FAST 90/92 intake, larger throttle body, heads, cam.
Speed costs money, how fast do you want to go?
These mods will also compliment any future mods you do in the future. Like a FAST 90/92 intake, larger throttle body, heads, cam.
Speed costs money, how fast do you want to go?
What part of this factory exhaust muffler do you say is "NOT" Restrictive? :
1. the part that goes from 2 1/2" to 2 1/4" pinched pipe or
2. where it hits a WALL and then goes into a chamber
3. keep looking and you'll see more
The factory exhaust is restrictive and you will gain extra HP and TQ from a change
Thanks,Matt
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,798
Likes: 8
From: It's true money can't buy happiness, but it is more comfortable crying in a Corvette than on a bicyc
St. Jude Donor '13
"The factory exhaust isn't restrictive" - OMG are you kidding
What part of this factory exhaust muffler do you say is "NOT" Restrictive? :
1. the part that goes from 2 1/2" to 2 1/4" pinched pipe or
2. where it hits a WALL and then goes into a chamber
3. keep looking and you'll see more
The factory exhaust is restrictive and you will gain extra HP and TQ from a change
Thanks,Matt
What part of this factory exhaust muffler do you say is "NOT" Restrictive? :
1. the part that goes from 2 1/2" to 2 1/4" pinched pipe or
2. where it hits a WALL and then goes into a chamber
3. keep looking and you'll see more
The factory exhaust is restrictive and you will gain extra HP and TQ from a change
Thanks,Matt
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 9,526
Likes: 12
From: Los Angeles California
^^^ I agree... Axle back does absolutely nothing without FI or internal mods. On the dyno you may see 1HP if you're lucky, but the butt-dyno won't see a change at all.
Heads/Cam the LG big 3 only saw 10hp. So the axle back is a waste of money without big mods.
Heads/Cam the LG big 3 only saw 10hp. So the axle back is a waste of money without big mods.
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 1,773
Likes: 66
From: SoCal
I had bolt-ons and had the car dynoed before and after cat-back exhaust change. Gained nothing from the cat-back. Didn't feel anything different. Just sounded MUCH better. Now on my ZR-1 that car needed the cat-back. I could feel the difference in that car. Cat-back was restrictive in the ZR-1.
So no need to change it unless you want better sound. All that was mentioned above will get you to 400hp crank as you want. Not a bad idea to change to the LS-6 intake if you have a 1997-2000 LS-1. But if I were you, I would spend another couple hundred and get a dyno tune if possible. If that's not possible, then maybe for $499.00 buy Hptuners or another tuning software and tune it yourself. With those minimal mods the tune wouldn't be that hard to do yourself. Just do some reading and learn how to use it. Great for future mods. Saves $$$$ if you are going to mod in the future. These tuning costs add up.
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Verdad Gallardo
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 43,084
Likes: 33
From: Raleigh / Rolesville NC
Something else to think about. STOCK engines that have never been opened up will last longer.
any engine that is opened up, for heads, cam or what ever, will need to be opened up in the not to near future to be refreshed. That is a fact of engine life.
when one starts looking at $6,000 or more in engine mods, well LS6 and LS2 create motors can be had for that amount. Or an LS3 create with GM HOT cam for not much more. 480 hp 475tq
http://www.gmperformanceparts.com/En...1224&engCat=ls
any engine that is opened up, for heads, cam or what ever, will need to be opened up in the not to near future to be refreshed. That is a fact of engine life.
when one starts looking at $6,000 or more in engine mods, well LS6 and LS2 create motors can be had for that amount. Or an LS3 create with GM HOT cam for not much more. 480 hp 475tq
http://www.gmperformanceparts.com/En...1224&engCat=ls
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 9,526
Likes: 12
From: Los Angeles California
I personally don't know anything about tuning. I understand what they're doing, but wouldn't know what I was doing if I saw it. I know some seriously talented guys that tune LSx motors so well, it boggles your mind. They eat, drink and sleep LSx tunes. As far as I'm concerned, as long as these guys are alive, I'll never tune my car myself! 
As for what Au N Egl said, I have to agree. GM's build of the motor is pretty much perfect. If you can avoid going INTO the motor, do it. The second you open it up, random weirdness starts happening. Without pulling apart and LS1 or LS6, you can make 500 to the ground pretty safely (assuming you have a good tune). I know the internals are usually good for 550RWHP if you have a spot on tune. I've heard of people going WAY over that, but I'm not going to push my LS6. 490-500 to the ground is all I need.
As for what Au N Egl said, I have to agree. GM's build of the motor is pretty much perfect. If you can avoid going INTO the motor, do it. The second you open it up, random weirdness starts happening. Without pulling apart and LS1 or LS6, you can make 500 to the ground pretty safely (assuming you have a good tune). I know the internals are usually good for 550RWHP if you have a spot on tune. I've heard of people going WAY over that, but I'm not going to push my LS6. 490-500 to the ground is all I need.
Race Director
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 11,992
Likes: 1,331
From: Middletown, DE
I have seen some tests which LOOKED legit where the cat-back helped the C5, but I've seen others where it did not. FWIW, the C6 benefits 6HP with the optional free-flowing exhaust http://www.vetteweb.com/features/vem...tte/index.html so I bet a good exhaust does that, and no more, for the C5 as well.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 10,179
Likes: 2,306
From: Wesley Chapel, FL Las Vegas, NV
I personally don't know anything about tuning. I understand what they're doing, but wouldn't know what I was doing if I saw it. I know some seriously talented guys that tune LSx motors so well, it boggles your mind. They eat, drink and sleep LSx tunes. As far as I'm concerned, as long as these guys are alive, I'll never tune my car myself!
As for what Au N Egl said, I have to agree. GM's build of the motor is pretty much perfect. If you can avoid going INTO the motor, do it. The second you open it up, random weirdness starts happening. Without pulling apart and LS1 or LS6, you can make 500 to the ground pretty safely (assuming you have a good tune). I know the internals are usually good for 550RWHP if you have a spot on tune. I've heard of people going WAY over that, but I'm not going to push my LS6. 490-500 to the ground is all I need.
As for what Au N Egl said, I have to agree. GM's build of the motor is pretty much perfect. If you can avoid going INTO the motor, do it. The second you open it up, random weirdness starts happening. Without pulling apart and LS1 or LS6, you can make 500 to the ground pretty safely (assuming you have a good tune). I know the internals are usually good for 550RWHP if you have a spot on tune. I've heard of people going WAY over that, but I'm not going to push my LS6. 490-500 to the ground is all I need.
Opening the motor will mean you are going to have problems. That's ridiculous. Why would that happen?
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 979
Likes: 1
From: Jacksonville Florida
So, I'll get in on this... What is the largest cam I could install with stock heads? And what kind of hp would I get out of that? Currently CAI, headers, Borla stingers and a tune. Is it even worth doing a cam without doing heads?
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 10,179
Likes: 2,306
From: Wesley Chapel, FL Las Vegas, NV
And yes you can do a cam without heads
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,783
Likes: 15
From: Hurricane Alley
As for what Au N Egl said, I have to agree. GM's build of the motor is pretty much perfect. If you can avoid going INTO the motor, do it. The second you open it up, random weirdness starts happening. Without pulling apart and LS1 or LS6, you can make 500 to the ground pretty safely (assuming you have a good tune). I know the internals are usually good for 550RWHP if you have a spot on tune. I've heard of people going WAY over that, but I'm not going to push my LS6. 490-500 to the ground is all I need.
Havent had any problems with mine and Ive done a head/cam swap. How exactly do you expect to get 500+rwhp with out opening up the engine?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 9,526
Likes: 12
From: Los Angeles California
And the weird things that happen... Basically, as explained in other threads, GM built those motors perfectly. They could practically go forever if they were never opened. I have no idea why that is, but it's been my experience as well as many others.
But once you pull the intake manifold or heads off... It just seems something weird happens that really shouldn't have happened... Perhaps a gasket blows or something... I dunno. I'm not saying specific things happen, I'm saying weird random things happen.
I know there's plenty of people that haven't had a single issue with their modded motors. I'm not saying they will either, but if you're as supersticious as me, you'd put money on it happening. LOL
Pro
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 663
Likes: 0
From: Show me lower taxes Missouri
If I was going to do it all over again and I have spent A LOT of money modding this junk my order would be as follows (if I kept the LS1 stock bottom end):
1. CAI
2. Tune
3. New gears in rear end (3:73's if auto, 3:90's if manual)
4. Cat back's
5. L/T headers
6. Cam
7. Heads
8. Intake and throttle body work
Do all this and you will run in the mid 11's.
And I forgot the cheapest mod of all - HOOD SEAL (200 hp for $10)
1. CAI
2. Tune
3. New gears in rear end (3:73's if auto, 3:90's if manual)
4. Cat back's
5. L/T headers
6. Cam
7. Heads
8. Intake and throttle body work
Do all this and you will run in the mid 11's.
And I forgot the cheapest mod of all - HOOD SEAL (200 hp for $10)