I was discussing getting the AR mid length headers intalled with a local performance shop, and they recommended I also add in the AFE cold air intake and said that both can be combined together and will still run fine without a tune, just wanted a second opinion on here?

 

It will be leaving some power on the table for sure. Kinda like getting a 450 HP car and keeping a block of wood under the gas pedal

If you plan to mod, you should plan to tune. My .02

 

That's about the worse advice I have heard this far. Maybe just the AFE alone but not both. You are already out of your warranty......find a reputable tuner.

 

I saw how far off my car was with those mods before the tune and even after it was fine tuned on the Dyno.

Big mistake, the HFM needs to be calibrated with the new intake, my car was very lean on the first pull, so much so that they shut it down.

I wouldn't do it.

 

ya if you are going w headers get a tune, Mike makes a good point you are adding a lot more air the Engine needs to be properly cal for that, JMO

 

Out of warranty.....it depends.....GM can void the drive train warranty if they chose if they detect certain modifications including if the tune has been done.

Mid-length headers.... probably not unless its shown that somehow the headers cause the warranty claim. Example: If the motor grenades due cam shaft failure, it will be difficult to point to the headers as causing it.

However, if a wire to the starter touches the header and shorts out, they can claim whoever installed the headers did not route the wires correctly around the header and that won't be covered under warranty.

 

Tune>>>>Headers/Intake

 

Ok, thanks for the heads up. I totally forgot about the Mid-length Headers. Perhaps that is not one of the OP's concerns.

 

So headers will not void your warranty? I thought it would for some reason. I think thats my next mod with the Corsa or borla cat back. Come on bonus I need ya soon.LOL

 

You will love what a set of headers does for these cars! Check out the thread where we put up what lashway motorsports showed for power gains with our longtubes

 

I had a conversation with a vendor popular on this forum who told me a tune was not necessary with long tubes. He said their header test car was driven for 6 months with no tune.

Even more interesting, he said that the power gains from the tune above and beyond what the headers provide would be minimal.

 

The C7 Stingray stock air filter and stock CAI is same on the C7 Z06, so the stock CAI with stock filter will support 650 HP.

Is the tune is needed for an aftermarket CAI due to the re-location of the MAF sensor from the stock position?

 

If you change the bend before or after the MAF or the diameter of the tube it is in, even a little, you will have to recalibrate the MAF table so it reports the correct values. Simple as that. Every single intake available should be tuned. The only one I never had to tune is the truck Air Raid MIT, which is just a different tube from the stock box to the TB and the MAF is part of the stock air box rather than the tube so no change.

 

If you're going to spend the bucks for headers & a CAI why wouldn't you get a tune? In my experience a good tune does more than either the headers of CAI. Combined you're cooking!

 

Afe CAI - no tune, will provide increase. Afe CAI plus tune, will provide more. Afe will run without a tune. Will run better with a tune. Is it recommended as best approach, yes. It is an absolute must; no.

According to DiabloSports website and verified here a few times...with some variance between Afe or other intakes but close enough for this topic~

Diablo 93 tune no CAI - 20 hp, 30 tq increase.
Diable 93 tune with CAI - 20 hp, 17 tq increase.

Meaning that the CAI alone improves performance, the tune alone improves performance, and together they work well but it is not a sum of the parts equation - ricer math.

Midlength headers with high flow cats - no tune required, will get HP increase (15+hp), will not throw CEL. With tune you will get better performance / HP increase. Not as much as long tubes but still good bump. Tune recommended, yes. Absolute requirements for mid-lengths, no.

Afe and midlength- will both run without tune together, no CEL, someone did do a dyno review and showed it did NOT go outside of rich / lean mix parameters. Will you get the most out of the combo without a tune, no. Will it work, yes. Recommended to get a tune, yes.

Tune will give you the best overall results. A custom tune will give the most optimum results for your car.

A good tune will absolutely maximize any changes that you've made and can be the 'safest' thing for your car if done correctly to ensure air / fuel mix and other parameters.

Warranty - Afe does not "void your warranty" neither does midlength headers with high flow cats.

As pointed out, however, factory could argue that your change created the issue if its related and that could negate your warranty on that specific item.

Long tube headers will not run without throwing a CEL. You need a tune for long tube headers. Factory may void powertrain warranty if they find a tune on your car. Option of midlengths and CAI means that reasonably you could run without a tune and not create a situation where a CEL came on that you ignored or did a tune to remove.

Diablo can be added and removed without leaving a trace; has been argued over and over and over across every major car forum without ANY evidence to the contrary. Other tunes, aside from Diablo, may or may not leave a trace behind.

 

I think you'll be leaving some power on the table without the tune & with mid-length headers. What's your thinking on staying mid-lengths?

We offer a complete package of TSP long tubes, cat x pipe, afe intake & custom tuned diablo tuner for a very reasonable price. Actually it'll be less than what your looking at now even with the tune!! Not to mention if needed all these components could be removed so you can return it to bone stock if you decide to sell it

Here's headers & cold air. Then all you need is our diablo programmer or you can send your ecm in and save even more $$$$$$!!