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. Torque Converter if auto
7. Cam
8. Heads
9. 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)

 

And the cost of FI is at least twice, if not more, than the price of a head/cam swap. Granted you do get more power going FI.

I have over 25k miles on my motor after the head/cam swap and havent had any problems. Im not saying I never will but so far she has been running perfectly. I know a lot of other people with Vette and F-bodies that are moddified and the havent had any problems either.

 

Nice thread hijack!

TB30570: American Racing Headers, street tune, and CAI..done!

 

I see no mentioning of power bridges or ported throttle bodies. Are those gimmick mods?

Where are you guys finding Ls6 intakes for $300?

 

Power bridges = Gimmick

PP tbs Can help in the whole scheme of things. By themselves, not really.

OP asked for "Most Cost Effective LS1 Performance Mod'

to me that is a dyno tune

 

L6 intake for sale right now

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-p...converson.html

 

Thanks for all your suggestions! I'm going to respond to a bunch of posts in random order.

I only am looking for about 50 extra hp. Around 400hp at the crank. If I decide I want a lot more power I'd consider a LS6 engine swap or keep the LS1 block and buy heads and other components to make the LS1 into an LS6. Right now I'd like to do mods that would carry over to a possible LS6 swap in the future.

What is the part number for the LS6 intake? Is the intake a direct swap or are other parts required for the swap?

hood seal? Not sure what we are talking about.

I don't want to change my gears out because I do a lot of driving at 80 mph. I currently get 30 mpg at 80 mph.

Getting a custom tune is easier said than done where I live. I'm not going to drive 12 hours to get a custom tune. I think mail in tune is probably my only real option unless I buy a Hypertune/Jet/Superchips. I haven't heard very good things about Hypertune/Jet/Superchips.

I have no idea where I could buy 100 octane fuel. I was looking for 100 unleaded octane last week because I went to the drag track with my Redline, and couldn't find any. I ended up using 100LL that I bought from a guy at the airport who was filling his plane. My LS1 isn't high compression like my Redline is, so I don't know what that would do anyway.

I'm not interested in my exhaust getting super loud, so I don't know if I want to spend the money for a cat-back. I would consider the X-pipes and getting rid of the CAT's though. I installed a header, down pipe (no CAT) and over the axle pipes on my Redline and the exhaust got a little louder. I test drove a Redline with stock exhaust and a Magniflow muffler and that was way louder. If you don't have a CAT is it still called a cat-back?

6 speed manual transmission, it's a FHT

I'm still thinking LT-heads, CAI and a mail in tune. I think X-pipe makes sense too. I'd consider the intake, but need to understand the total cost of parts to install.

LG C5 Street Series Long Tube Headers $700
http://www.lgmotorsports.com/catalog...oducts_id=1429

X-Pipe (no Cats) $300
http://www.lgmotorsports.com/catalog...oducts_id=1429
http://www.westcoastcorvette.com/p-2...x-pipe-c5.aspx

LG C5 Cold Air Intake $200
http://www.lgmotorsports.com/catalog...oducts_id=1707

Mail Order Custom Tune, starting at $200
http://www.eastcoastsupercharging.co...ynotuning.html
http://www.pcmforless.com/index.php?...d=45&Itemid=40

$1400 total

Please let me know if there are more cost effective sources for this stuff.

 

FYI, the "LL" in avgas is a bit of a misnomer. It is low-lead as far as avgas is concerned, but even 100LL has far more lead in it than leaded auto fuel ever had! I wouldn't advise running the stuff in a car, especially if the car still has catalytic converters.

 

I think for what you say you want to accomplish this list fits the bill perfectly

I'm guessing that you may be a litte "light" on the total, though. It may end up closer to $1600-$1700 when it's all said and done. You might be able to save a few bucks by watching for used parts in the C5 Parts for Sale section.

With a good tune, and I'd recommend a dyno tune with a good tuner, you will get around 340-350 RWHP, which for a MN6 car, gets you to your 400 FWHP goal......

 

This will give you the 40 to 50 rwhp you are looking for. Further all of these bolt ons will be needed if you decide to go H/C later so its a good start.

Headers and Off-road X will make the exhaust louder. I would also do a ZO6 TI catback for $400. Install cost would be $0 if you do it with the headers.

Switch out to an L6 is a waste of. The diff between the L1 and L6 is Heads, Cam and Intake. So if you do a H/C and LS6 intake your better off for was less.

If you did decide to do a swap then do an LS2 or LS3

 

15X more lead I'm told. I don't have a CAT in the Redline. I only put two gallons in it, so probably not a big deal. I was using it off-road, so it was probably legal, but I'm not going to ask.

 

Aces exhaust & performance did my 99 c5, i had them install kooks long tubes, kooks off road mid pipe, and corsa pace car exhaust! took them a day and cost about $700 in labor, his name is troy and he’s a really good guy

 

I vote airflow tricks, too. Headers, exhaust, highflow cat, CAI.... that should get you close. tune should put you over 400. But, if you want to race, check your rules first. You don't want one mod to put you into a class where you can't compete.

 

Instead of bringing back a 7+ year old thread, how about starting a new one.

Besides, this really belongs in C5 Tech.

 

You could've sent a PM instead of reviving an 8+ year old thread