What upgrades??
Racer
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 374
Likes: 4
From: Longmont CO
Always always always do the exhaust system first, THEN do the (cold) air intake. I don't know what system is best for the LS2 you have, but checking around should be easy enough to find comparisons for HP increase and cost, bang for the buck, etc. I'm sure there are some older members with some experience, but a Google search for "LS2 exhaust upgrade" should get you started in the meantime. Good luck! 
Best regards,
...z
PS: Factor in the cost of a good dyno tune, AFTER you've driven the car for a couple of weeks & done at least a dozen on/off of the engine, so the computer can self-adjust to the new system(s). You'll need to do that after each change/addition to the exhaust/intake, too.
Best regards,
...z
PS: Factor in the cost of a good dyno tune, AFTER you've driven the car for a couple of weeks & done at least a dozen on/off of the engine, so the computer can self-adjust to the new system(s). You'll need to do that after each change/addition to the exhaust/intake, too.
Last edited by ZeekDuff; Feb 26, 2011 at 04:04 PM. Reason: addition
Life Time NCM #2196
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 82,592
Likes: 1,710
From: Converse TX
Do all the bolt on's and see how you like that with a new tune, headers $1500, catback $1000 and intake $250 these are approx costs, you can spend more or less depending on what setup you want. You will also need to factor in the cost of install and a new tune
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 2,314
Likes: 4
From: Cape May, NJ; Guntersville, AL; Orange Beach, AL
Always always always do the exhaust system first, THEN do the (cold) air intake. I don't know what system is best for the LS2 you have, but checking around should be easy enough to find comparisons for HP increase and cost, bang for the buck, etc. I'm sure there are some older members with some experience, but a Google search for "LS2 exhaust upgrade" should get you started in the meantime. Good luck!
Best regards,
...z
PS: Factor in the cost of a good dyno tune, AFTER you've driven the car for a couple of weeks & done at least a dozen on/off of the engine, so the computer can self-adjust to the new system(s). You'll need to do that after each change/addition to the exhaust/intake, too.
Best regards,
...z
PS: Factor in the cost of a good dyno tune, AFTER you've driven the car for a couple of weeks & done at least a dozen on/off of the engine, so the computer can self-adjust to the new system(s). You'll need to do that after each change/addition to the exhaust/intake, too.
Go Canes!
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 5,975
Likes: 329
From: Boca Raton FL
St. Jude Donor '11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17-'18-'19-'20-'21
LG Headers, high-flow cats, B&B Fusions, K&N intake, tune, should pick up 35+ HP (and awesome sound to boot), 3,500 (Probably closer to 4)
FAST intake 102, Ported TB should pick up 25+ HP 1000
Yank 3200 Torque Converter and 3:15 gears, no HP, but great SOTP = 3,000
Having 400+ RWHP, a low 11's car and one awesome looking & sounding machine.... Priceless.
FAST intake 102, Ported TB should pick up 25+ HP 1000
Yank 3200 Torque Converter and 3:15 gears, no HP, but great SOTP = 3,000
Having 400+ RWHP, a low 11's car and one awesome looking & sounding machine.... Priceless.
Former Vendor
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 11,792
Likes: 255
From: Ossining New York
St. Jude Donor '07-'08-'09-'10-'12-'13-'14
You have only 2 choices here....
The 3.42 A6 ATTACK PACKAGE.... or the E-FORCE SUPERCHARGER!
(or the PRO TORQUE CONVERTER
)I guess 3.... Any single mod (or combination of the 3) will make you VERY HAPPY!
Call any time!
Chuck CoW
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Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 4,537
Likes: 1,403
From: Bethesda MD
For power, add headers, CAI, 160 t-stat and retune. If you can swing the ported intake at the same time, I'd do it too. 30 - 50 HP in that combo and similar gains in torque.
For qucikness off the line, a 3000 stall torque converter and better tires will get the job done better than engine mods.
For qucikness off the line, a 3000 stall torque converter and better tires will get the job done better than engine mods.
Former Vendor
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 11,792
Likes: 255
From: Ossining New York
St. Jude Donor '07-'08-'09-'10-'12-'13-'14
I completely disagree....
I completely disagree....
Headers and a 3.42 diff ultimately cost about the same.
The 3.42 diff will give you about 5 times the "bang fort he buck" than headers.
It's a VERY easy decision when you can drive each side by side.
Problem with the forum is that too many guys that never drove each mod separately (like I have done 1000 times over) will offer an opinion
Sure headers are a nice mod, but for the dollar spent, the diff WILL WIN every time.
The 2 can not be compared.
Ultimately, the E-Force is the BEST choice But, not comparable by price to the other 2.
Chuck CoW
Headers and a 3.42 diff ultimately cost about the same.
The 3.42 diff will give you about 5 times the "bang fort he buck" than headers.
It's a VERY easy decision when you can drive each side by side.
Problem with the forum is that too many guys that never drove each mod separately (like I have done 1000 times over
) will offer an opinionSure headers are a nice mod, but for the dollar spent, the diff WILL WIN every time.
The 2 can not be compared.
Ultimately, the E-Force is the BEST choice But, not comparable by price to the other 2.
Chuck CoW
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 4,537
Likes: 1,403
From: Bethesda MD
Originally Posted by larryfl1
I want to increase the power but not ready to supercharge
Former Vendor
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 11,792
Likes: 255
From: Ossining New York
St. Jude Donor '07-'08-'09-'10-'12-'13-'14
Again....
NEXT, remove the headers and re-tune... Install the 3.42 rear end... and RE-TEST DRIVE THE CAR.
I'll bet that anyone who drives both mods back to back will absolutely
agree with me.
Headers will give you a few more HP but the REAR END will absolutely make the car more fun to drive.
We LOVE HEADERS @ CoW... But for this customer, the 3.42s are the best choice.
What my customers like about me is, I don't push parts on them that benefit ME...
I have the following that I have because I do my best to tell them what's best for THEM based on what they tell me.
Chuck CoW
Racer
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 374
Likes: 4
From: Longmont CO
Again... Take the identical C6 A6.... Install headers and re-tune and test drive the car....
NEXT, remove the headers and re-tune... Install the 3.42 rear end... and RE-TEST DRIVE THE CAR.
I'll bet that anyone who drives both mods back to back will absolutely
agree with me.
Headers will give you a few more HP but the REAR END will absolutely make the car more fun to drive.
We LOVE HEADERS @ CoW... But for this customer, the 3.42s are the best choice.
Chuck CoW
NEXT, remove the headers and re-tune... Install the 3.42 rear end... and RE-TEST DRIVE THE CAR.
I'll bet that anyone who drives both mods back to back will absolutely
agree with me.
Headers will give you a few more HP but the REAR END will absolutely make the car more fun to drive.
We LOVE HEADERS @ CoW... But for this customer, the 3.42s are the best choice.
Chuck CoW
In this case, I agree with Chuck. Normally, I'd say the exhaust system is first and seeing the majority of experience on this car, Headers is where to start before Cats and/or CatBack systems. Some cars DO have serious exhaust "problems," the Jan issue of Vette mag shows the fact that the ZR1 mufflers neck down the 3" pipe to 2 1/2" at the muffler inlets, a major GM "mistake," no doubt to save a few $ by using the same NPP on all cars. But, if that's not the case with this car (& maybe even if it is), the performance increase will jump more substantially with a higher rear end ratio, GM notorious for gearing too tall, ostensibly to increase mileage on the highway, not the best acceleration. Pretty simple decision...
Best regards,
...z
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 4,537
Likes: 1,403
From: Bethesda MD
The 2006 and up A6 cars are not significantly undergeared. Even on cars running the stock converter, gears are not returning the .3+ gains that were obtainable from swapping to 3.73s in C5s and 2005 C6's with the A4. Headers are typically good for about .2 and 2 mph and you'll have a hard time finding evidence that a gear swap on an A6 beats that. Gears feel killer, but neither ET nor trap speed support your position that gains exceed headers on the A6.
Former Vendor
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 11,792
Likes: 255
From: Ossining New York
St. Jude Donor '07-'08-'09-'10-'12-'13-'14
Smart MAN!
In this case, I agree with Chuck. Normally, I'd say the exhaust system is first and seeing the majority of experience on this car, Headers is where to start before Cats and/or CatBack systems. Some cars DO have serious exhaust "problems," the Jan issue of Vette mag shows the fact that the ZR1 mufflers neck down the 3" pipe to 2 1/2" at the muffler inlets, a major GM "mistake," no doubt to save a few $ by using the same NPP on all cars. But, if that's not the case with this car (& maybe even if it is), the performance increase will jump more substantially with a higher rear end ratio, GM notorious for gearing too tall, ostensibly to increase mileage on the highway, not the best acceleration. Pretty simple decision...
Best regards,
...z
Chuck CoW
Racer
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 436
Likes: 0
From: Roselle IL
I'd vote headers.
This is coming from someone who did headers first, then stall, then gears, then cam.
The OP said he wanted power and headers give PROVEN power.
This is coming from someone who did headers first, then stall, then gears, then cam.
The OP said he wanted power and headers give PROVEN power.
Last edited by epic; Mar 1, 2011 at 03:04 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 3,097
Likes: 5
From: Brentwood World's first A6 in the 9's (including N/A, blower, turbo and nitrous cars) 9.950@139.267 CA
The 2006 and up A6 cars are not significantly undergeared. Even on cars running the stock converter, gears are not returning the .3+ gains that were obtainable from swapping to 3.73s in C5s and 2005 C6's with the A4. Headers are typically good for about .2 and 2 mph and you'll have a hard time finding evidence that a gear swap on an A6 beats that. Gears feel killer, but neither ET nor trap speed support your position that gains exceed headers on the A6.
While going from 2.56s to 3.42s may make the car feel totally different it has a surprisingly small impact on your ET.
2 years ago after blowing up my 3.42 differential I went back to 2.56s and then a few weeks after that (upon realizing a Z06 differential bolts up very nicely to an A6 trans) back to 3.42s again. Even with my modified LS7 the timeslip differences equated to just barely over a tenth of a second. Part of that small difference is attributed to the A6 gearing and the other part is due to the need to shift one more time in the 1/4 mile with 3.42s.
If anybody needs further proof I can post up scans from HP Tuners showing the two different runs made in comparable conditions - one with 2.56 gears and one with 3.42s.
Former Vendor
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 11,792
Likes: 255
From: Ossining New York
St. Jude Donor '07-'08-'09-'10-'12-'13-'14
Let's not forget here.....
Yep, that's pretty much the case.
While going from 2.56s to 3.42s may make the car feel totally different it has a surprisingly small impact on your ET.
2 years ago after blowing up my 3.42 differential I went back to 2.56s and then a few weeks after that (upon realizing a Z06 differential bolts up very nicely to an A6 trans) back to 3.42s again. Even with my modified LS7 the timeslip differences equated to just barely over a tenth of a second. Part of that small difference is attributed to the A6 gearing and the other part is due to the need to shift one more time in the 1/4 mile with 3.42s.
If anybody needs further proof I can post up scans from HP Tuners showing the two different runs made in comparable conditions - one with 2.56 gears and one with 3.42s.
While going from 2.56s to 3.42s may make the car feel totally different it has a surprisingly small impact on your ET.
2 years ago after blowing up my 3.42 differential I went back to 2.56s and then a few weeks after that (upon realizing a Z06 differential bolts up very nicely to an A6 trans) back to 3.42s again. Even with my modified LS7 the timeslip differences equated to just barely over a tenth of a second. Part of that small difference is attributed to the A6 gearing and the other part is due to the need to shift one more time in the 1/4 mile with 3.42s.
If anybody needs further proof I can post up scans from HP Tuners showing the two different runs made in comparable conditions - one with 2.56 gears and one with 3.42s.
There are two different distinct camps on this one.
The TRACK guys (who are a small minority of the overall Corvette community) and the STREET guys.
Speak to SPINMONSTER on this forum. He's someone who is VERY credible and will likely agree with me.
The vast majority of the Corvette market could care less about track times and dyno numbers.
As hard a concept as this might be to swallow for the "track guys", YES most people don't care about dyno numbers and track times.
When spending my customers money on mods that will make their cars MORE enjoyable (yes, ENJOYABLE being the key word here) for
them to drive (especially 0-60 stuff) the gears cost about the same as the headers and the gears will always make the car much more
exciting to drive than the headers.
Again, we love headers, but you have to know what you're wanting....
Headers just DO NOT give you that torquey, exciting feeling that you get when you install gears in a vehicle.
If anybody needs further proof I can post up scans from HP Tuners showing the two different runs made in comparable conditions - one with 2.56 gears and one with 3.42s.
Chuck CoW
Last edited by Chuck CoW; Mar 2, 2011 at 11:35 AM.