Finally decided on a mod route...
I would skip the stage 2 because the tune is crap, but the power increase is nice yes. If you want to gain a little more zip then you are going to have to save a bit. Because you are not safe to run a 2.8 and 60lbers with no cooling mods. Plain and simple you need AT LEAST a heat exchanger man.
Cooling mods will allow you to use the power that you have. If you drop to a 2.8inch pulley you will have more power yes, but you will have much more heat, and you will end up losing power.
My car is also my daily driver, and I have driven her cross country. Iowa to cali, back to iowa to chicago and back many times. I love this car to death but the best things I have ever done to it have been the cooling mods. Keeping the car safe, is keeping the car cool.
I recommend the following for what you are wanting. 60lbers, 2.8inch pulley, a tune, and a heat exchanger. I also recommend meth, but if you can't afford it, then save up, and then get it.
Cooling mods will allow you to use the power that you have. If you drop to a 2.8inch pulley you will have more power yes, but you will have much more heat, and you will end up losing power.
My car is also my daily driver, and I have driven her cross country. Iowa to cali, back to iowa to chicago and back many times. I love this car to death but the best things I have ever done to it have been the cooling mods. Keeping the car safe, is keeping the car cool.
I recommend the following for what you are wanting. 60lbers, 2.8inch pulley, a tune, and a heat exchanger. I also recommend meth, but if you can't afford it, then save up, and then get it.
I will add the h/e and dual pass later on as I save up more money.
I'm going with a 2.85 and 60's. I will probably ghetto it up for a while and put water wetter in my coolant for now. After I save up some dough i'll invest in a quality HE and dual pass.
exactly. The 2.8 and 60lbers is in no way UNSAFE. Its just that you are going to heat soak so fast that you are going to end up losing power. As long as you plan on getting cooling mods SOME TIME you will be fine.
meth > dual pass.
meth > dual pass.
Last edited by Zach06CobaltSC; Jul 12, 2008 at 11:13 PM. Reason: Automerged Doublepost
Nawww, just noticing that as time goes on more info is coming out about his vehicle's state of tune during the test.
But as I stated before (and still state), in my test against the SS/T my car is Stage 2 + 0.
No other supporting mods whatsoever.
I just got a killer deal on a set of injectors. However, they are 42's and not 60's.
But for the price I really cannot bitch about that here. Guess i'll be going with a 3" pulley and a street tune. I'll probably add a H/E and dual pass next month. Should be a nice little setup for a DD, and won't have to worry about heat soak as much as I would with a 2.8 and no cooling.
It's not tuned. I never changed AFR's or anything other than RPM limit. It's still the same tune as stock, just with a 7000RPM rev limit. That 220whp # was made at 6800RPM and was still climbing. What RPM was your 227whp made?
It's not tuned. I never changed AFR's or anything other than RPM limit. It's still the same tune as stock, just with a 7000RPM rev limit. That 220whp # was made at 6800RPM and was still climbing. What RPM was your 227whp made?
Last edited by chris88z24; Jul 13, 2008 at 11:35 AM. Reason: Automerged Doublepost
^dont do this^
a 2.9" on 42s will damn near max them out if not over run them, and unless you have a heat exchanger, you will gain nothing due to the extra heat created.
3.0" is the smallest you want with 42s and no cooling mods.
a 2.9" on 42s will damn near max them out if not over run them, and unless you have a heat exchanger, you will gain nothing due to the extra heat created.
3.0" is the smallest you want with 42s and no cooling mods.
I love people who suddenly "remember" a mod of theirs sometime after the fact.
Anyways, I was making 225whp at 6800rpm to your 220whp at the same rpm. Even at a lower 6500rpm, your making 212whp to my 220whp.
It's just that I like being totally up front with people about my mods is all.
Funny how I caught your "higher rev limit" post, don't 'ya think?
"Other than RPM limit" Are you sure that's all?
I love people who suddenly "remember" a mod of theirs sometime after the fact.
Anyways, I was making 225whp at 6800rpm to your 220whp at the same rpm. Even at a lower 6500rpm, your making 212whp to my 220whp.
It's just that I like being totally up front with people about my mods is all.
Wish other people were too.
Funny how I caught your "higher rev limit" post, don't 'ya think?
I love people who suddenly "remember" a mod of theirs sometime after the fact.
Anyways, I was making 225whp at 6800rpm to your 220whp at the same rpm. Even at a lower 6500rpm, your making 212whp to my 220whp.
It's just that I like being totally up front with people about my mods is all.
Funny how I caught your "higher rev limit" post, don't 'ya think?
Don't get upset.
I don't get upset by someone who makes LESS hp than me chris. 
Looks like it's stinging you a bit though!
Heh, after all the $$ you've spent on i/e/7000rpm flash, and now your looking to buy injectors ...
Don't you think you could have just saved and got Stage 2 in the first place, and then still have had everything factory warranteed?
Looks to me like maybe someone jumped the gun ...
Looks like it's stinging you a bit though!
Heh, after all the $$ you've spent on i/e/7000rpm flash, and now your looking to buy injectors ...
Don't you think you could have just saved and got Stage 2 in the first place, and then still have had everything factory warranteed?
Looks to me like maybe someone jumped the gun ...
I don't get upset by someone who makes LESS hp than me chris. 
Looks like it's stinging you a bit though!
Heh, after all the $$ you've spent on i/e/7000rpm flash, and now your looking to buy injectors ...
Don't you think you could have just saved and got Stage 2 in the first place, and then still have had everything factory warranteed?
Looks to me like maybe someone jumped the gun ...
Looks like it's stinging you a bit though!
Heh, after all the $$ you've spent on i/e/7000rpm flash, and now your looking to buy injectors ...
Don't you think you could have just saved and got Stage 2 in the first place, and then still have had everything factory warranteed?
Looks to me like maybe someone jumped the gun ...
MR Catback - 150
airbox mod filter - 40 dollars
tune - free (although i will be throwing him 100 bucks soon since we will be reflashing the car again after injectors/pulley)
I've always loved working on things. Especially when it comes to cars. What's the fun in paying someone else to mod your car for you? I'll take the risk at voiding my warranty to enjoy my vehicle the way I want to enjoy it. Plus, you learn a thing or two about the car as you go along
Jumped the gun? Nahhh.
Looks to me like someone spent less than 200 dollars on theirs mods
How much was that stage 2 kit again?!
ahahaha.
MR Catback - 150
airbox mod filter - 40 dollars
tune - free (although i will be throwing him 100 bucks soon since we will be reflashing the car again after injectors/pulley)
I've always loved working on things. Especially when it comes to cars. What's the fun in paying someone else to mod your car for you? I'll take the risk at voiding my warranty to enjoy my vehicle the way I want to enjoy it. Plus, you learn a thing or two about the car as you go along
Jumped the gun? Nahhh.
MR Catback - 150
airbox mod filter - 40 dollars
tune - free (although i will be throwing him 100 bucks soon since we will be reflashing the car again after injectors/pulley)
I've always loved working on things. Especially when it comes to cars. What's the fun in paying someone else to mod your car for you? I'll take the risk at voiding my warranty to enjoy my vehicle the way I want to enjoy it. Plus, you learn a thing or two about the car as you go along
Jumped the gun? Nahhh.

$290 vs. $550 (+ $400 Dealer Install to retain Factory Warranty)
But your still short 7whp (10hp at the crank) of Stage 2 power, and your still buying parts to get there.
Also, my Stage 2 is fully accepted/warranteed by the dealer. Can you say the same?
Regarding working on our cars, been there/done that. But these days there are too many dealers who are keen to void your warranty at the first sign of a non factory mod.
And I have neither the time nor the interest in taking a dealer to court to prove that they violated the Magnusson Act (should they have wrongly voided my warranty).
So, do I still think you jumped the gun? Yup ...
^Reason why I only use same dyno/same dyno shop for whp comparisons!
Last edited by firemanfrank; Jul 18, 2008 at 09:26 AM. Reason: Automerged Doublepost
$290 vs. $550 (+ $400 Dealer Install to retain Factory Warranty)
But your still short 7whp (10hp at the crank) of Stage 2 power, and your still buying parts to get there.
Also, my Stage 2 is fully accepted/warranteed by the dealer. Can you say the same?
Regarding working on our cars, been there/done that. But these days there are too many dealers who are keen to void your warranty at the first sign of a non factory mod.
And I have neither the time nor the interest in taking a dealer to court to prove that they violated the Magnusson Act (should they have wrongly voided my warranty).
So, do I still think you jumped the gun? Yup ...
^Reason why I only use same dyno/same dyno shop for whp comparisons!
You're just digging yourself into a hole. Stage 2 is nice if you want to keep your warranty, but when talking about power comparisons, there's no contest. You paid $950 for your stage 2 installed. Chris will pay a lot less then that with all his things bought, installed and tuned and he will make a lot more power then you (at least +10whp.)
I use the same dyno every time I dyno as well. Anyways, all the warranty talk is just bullshit anyways. You go in there and they don't feel like covering you under warranty, all they gotta do is claim abuse. Then your done. No matter if you have stage 2 or whatever.
get the 2.8 and 60's now, and save for the exchanger. you arent going to run into any huge heat issues in the mean time, so why sell yourself short until then?!?!
anything past the 2.8 and cooling mods become very important though.
anything past the 2.8 and cooling mods become very important though.
you are actually heat soaking going past the stage 2 3" pulley. It's already been proven. I wouldn't go past the stage 2 pulley without adding lots of cooling mods. I don't think just a h/e is enough.
Upgrade later. Although I do expect some decent gains with the injectors and pulley.Frank my plan wasn't to make stage 2 power with an intake and exhaust.
And like I said earlier, I love working on my car. I refuse to pay somebody to modify my car for me, even if it is a dealer. After what happened to my car over the winter, the only person I trust (especially when it comes to ripping the S/C off of the car) to work on my OWN car is MYSELF. Nobody else.
Nice.
Last edited by chris88z24; Jul 18, 2008 at 12:12 PM. Reason: Automerged Doublepost
Yeah then go stage 3 cooling, crate engine depot has a kit for all that.



