Which bolt-ons to get?

40th GT · Jun 1, 2009

So I'm just wondering if the following mods on a PI GT help it edge out the s197 GT, given that both cars have a 5-spd and the s197 is stock.
O/R Prochamber and MAC catback
70mm plenum/TB and K&N
P51 intake and tune

And will the P51 retain driveability for a daily driver?

007 · Jun 1, 2009

40th GT said:
So I'm just wondering if the following mods on a PI GT help it edge out the s197 GT, given that both cars have a 5-spd and the s197 is stock.
O/R Prochamber and MAC catback
70mm plenum/TB and K&N
P51 intake and tune

And will the P51 retain driveability for a daily driver?

Nah thats not the way to go. Forget the P51 right no.

For "bolt on" performance the single biggest gains are from gears and a tuner (Xcal3 is a good choice). Gears make a HUGE difference and the tuners are as good as any bolt on. IMO they are always the first mods to do.

I gained more from the densecharger tube and open K&N than I did from the intake plenum and 75mm TB. I didnt notice any improvement from the plenum and TB.

If you want to make power with exhaust mods, the best way to go is long tube headers and a shorty midpipe. Any catback works, and none of them will add any power. The power will come from the headers and mid pipe. MAC is cheap **** in my opinion. I personally recommend Magnaflow catbacks.

On a 5 speed a good shifter is money well spent for first mods too.

Will you beet the S197. Depends on the drivers. He'll still have more power, but the gears will really help.

40th GT · Jun 1, 2009

I appreciate your input.
I would get gears but what's stopping me is that I commute 60 miles daily on the freeway and I'd hate to see a decrease in gas mileage.
Should I just get a 75 shot and call it a day? Would it be too much to ask if I wanted 260-270whp and still get 23+ highway mpg?

007 · Jun 1, 2009

40th GT said:
I appreciate your input.
I would get gears but what's stopping me is that I commute 60 miles daily on the freeway and I'd hate to see a decrease in gas mileage.
Should I just get a 75 shot and call it a day? Would it be too much to ask if I wanted 260-270whp and still get 23+ highway mpg?

Nah.. you are just wrong about gears. Your fuel economy wont suffer at all. I get 25mpg on the highway through an auto tranny!

Nitrous isnt for me at all. PLus it isnt legal on the street.

Trust me when I say "dont fear the gear" its a massively effective mod for these cars. Get 3.73s if you think youll ever get a blower. I have 4.10s in mine.

Try a few searches. Anyone who has gears is thrilled with them. Much more effective than any other bolt on, and the tuner you get with it gives you a nice bump in hp through timing adjustment. Be ready to buy new tires though. The stock gatorbacks couldnt handle the 4.10s at all!

40th GT · Jun 1, 2009

I plan to stay NA so I'll buy the 4.10s if/when I decide to get gears.
I watched Spreadman's videos with the 4.10s which were very helpful. Again, the only thing stopping me was gas mileage, but your car seems to be getting fine mileage so I'll take your word for it.
I'm reluctant on the headers though because the SVTP guys are saying LTs leak, and that shorties won't net much gains.

squeak93 · Jun 2, 2009

Gears, O/R midpipe (keep stock manifolds for a bolt on car), any cat back (or just have mufflers welded in to save cash), shifter, tuner and pulleys. Don't look back. If you really want to get a bit more serious, an upper plenum/tb combo with a nice cold air.

Do that and you'll be hangning with bolt on 3v's and may even suprise a few ls1 cars...

Get some sticky tires and say bye bye to them all.

streethorse · Jun 2, 2009

Theres just no way that gears wont affect your highway milage.
Higher RPM= fewer MPG. You would have to simply drive slower to match
the MPG of stock 327 gears.

robnj27 · Jun 2, 2009

will gears and cold airs interfear with esp

007 · Jun 2, 2009

streethorse said:
Theres just no way that gears wont affect your highway milage.
Higher RPM= fewer MPG. You would have to simply drive slower to match
the MPG of stock 327 gears.

The change in mpg is pretty negligible. Do a search. There are many threads about gears and mileage. Lots of guys with heavily modded cars on here with gears are getting mid twenties for highway mpg. Hell... get pulleys to make up any loss.

Dont bother with shorty headers. I have experience there. My BBK tuned lengths made a small difference, but you get much more with long tubes. Havent heard leaking issues. I dont know why they would leak any more than shorties

For those of you driving with 3.27s, you really have to drive a car with more gear. Its by far the best thing I have done to my car. Dont fear the gear folks!

40th GT · Jun 3, 2009

robnj27 said:
will gears and cold airs interfear with esp

You mean the EEC?
No, a cold air shouldn't harm anything.
And the only thing the gears will affect is the speedometer - it'll say you're going faster than you really are which will give a false reading on the odometer as well.

40th GT · Jun 3, 2009

squeak93 said:
Gears, O/R midpipe (keep stock manifolds for a bolt on car), any cat back (or just have mufflers welded in to save cash), shifter, tuner and pulleys. Don't look back. If you really want to get a bit more serious, an upper plenum/tb combo with a nice cold air.

Do that and you'll be hangning with bolt on 3v's and may even suprise a few ls1 cars...

Get some sticky tires and say bye bye to them all.

Will the pulleys affect the A/C at all? It gets pretty hot down here in Georgia.

007 · Jun 3, 2009

40th GT said:
Will the pulleys affect the A/C at all? It gets pretty hot down here in Georgia.

No. The only thing youll notice is the power steering is slightly less effective at Idle. I.e. when you are just barely moving in a parking lot.

cw5billwade · Jun 3, 2009

40th GT said:
I appreciate your input.
I would get gears but what's stopping me is that I commute 60 miles daily on the freeway and I'd hate to see a decrease in gas mileage.
Should I just get a 75 shot and call it a day? Would it be too much to ask if I wanted 260-270whp and still get 23+ highway mpg?

With all my mods I was getting 24MPG Hwy and 20 City before 4.10s and now average 21 MPG both. I actually got 22 on last road trip. So I would say go for it.

Which bolt-ons to get?

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