Well I've had the car for almost 4 years now and it's finally paid off. I just graduated and got a pretty good paying job so that means it's time to start modding the balt.

I'm sure you've all seen the TVS group buy Josh has going on right now and am strongly considering it however I've got a bit of a dilemma. The car's pretty much stock right now and I'm limited to about $2500 give or take a little bit. I've got a lot of e85 in my area so that is an option for the project as well. I want the TVS because that leaves a lot of room for improvements (plus the price might be extremely good on it here shortly).

Is it worth/safe getting the TVS (with 80's, plugs and the shorter belt) and only being able to add one supporting mod to the project at this time? Or would it be a better option runnig the 2.8" pulley with full intake, exhaust and cooling mods? I've also got a spare head I could get ported/polished depending on the $$ at the end of the project. I just don't want to build the M62 to only find that I'm still not pleased with the power then being forced to buy the TVS when I could have just started with that route. What's everyones input on this?

 

id say do the TVS, 80s and catless dp+ airbox mod(free) with a good E85 tune youll be sitting in the 330-340whp range.

from there little by little get the rest supporting mods like clutch, 3" intake, hx, header, catback etc

 

I am a believer of buying the most expensive thing first because it's easier to buy all the little supporting mods down the road one at a time

 

I've already got the GMPP clutch in it. From what I've read that should be fine. From everything I've been reading everyone was saying that the TVS flowed way too much for it to be safe for the stock-ish exhaust so I was a bit worried. I just moved to OH so I'm unsure what their emissions requirements are however I'm sure a high-flow-catted DP would be just as acceptable right?

 

yea a 3" catted dp will be just fine. and the cat back you can do later down the road. but i do agree you should start with the most expensive first and you will have much more fun and enjoy the car more

 

I figured as much. I know the M62 created a ton of heat when the pulley was dropped and extra cooling is a necessity, however this doesn't sound like the case for the TVS. It sounds like it flows pretty cool.

 

So. Got a random question. Since I plan on only doing a Downpipe right now for this, would the ZZP 3" bolt up to the stock header/exhaust, or would I have to drop to something smaller? Also do you guys have any recommendations on brand?

 

The ZZP 3" downpipe will bolt up to the stock header, but you'll need to order it with a 2.5" flange on the cat-back end. For the LSJ, I would stick with ZZP as much as possible.

 

I plan on going to a full 3" exhaust within the year. I know someone on here is selling a 2.5" for pretty cheap here. Just so I don't buy new two times in a row would it be worth just going 2.5 the entire way and then upgrading again when I do the exhaust?

 

Well, what exhaust are you planning on purchasing new? The header depends on the downpipe you purchase. Let's start there.

Which header do you want in the end with the TVS?

EDIT:
I've never used a long tube header on a four cylinder, but from experience the long tube header is better for low end power. It's the most expensive of course. That would be my recommendation.

 

In the end I'd like to run either the ZZP or OTTP long tube with the 3" ZZP catback. For right now I'm just trying to open up the DP as it is the most restrictive thing in the system. I'd love to shell out and get it all at once, just don't have that kind of cash.
I'm still up in the air about the final header/dp combo, however I know for sure, the end result is going to have the 3" ZZP catback.

 

Alright then. I would buy that cheap downpipe you're talking about for now. That's the bigger obstruction in the stock exhaust system. You have the right idea with the exhaust. Remember, the bigger diameter exhaust you go with, the more torque you'll lose. Of course you can offset that with a smaller pulley on the TVS once you switch to a 3" exhaust.

Good deal! What's next?

 

if you want to stay m62 and you got e around I would build a 11to1 short block and run a custom set of cams with a ported head and springs or do it with a tvs

 

Another good option!

A ported head and cams are recommended with the TVS for sure. Let the sucker breath and rev up to it's peak efficiency range! You'll be giving all of these turbo cars grief for sure then!

 

As for this year the plan is
Ordering TVS, downpipe and HPtuners and running an e85 tune.
By the end of the year I plan on having a full exhaust and intake taken care of as well as some more cooling mods.
After that ported/polished head.
Finally I'd be down to building the motor.
mrbelvedere I don't really want to stay with the m62. It's my dd so I don't have the time or energy to pull the motor and do some serious work on it. Between all the cooling mods needed and the fact that the 2.8 already spins that thing fast enough I'd much rather go TVS. It seems like there is a lot more room to grow there which is why I'm going that route. I know that I'll get to a point on the m62 where I can't do any more and then switch to the TVS anyway.

Would it be worth porting the head before I do the exhaust as I've got a spare one laying around? I don't know if the stock exhaust would flow enough to make that worth while.

 

I would do the head and exhaust as for cooling mods putting a bigger and better H.E. in and option b are the best but unless your racing with curves the others aren't needed

 

Is the TVS really that much more efficient than the m62 or is it just due to the increase in size?

 

I'd talk to LSJION about doing a head for you. He's fairly loc to us and has probably the best pricing out there. A lot of people can vouch for his head

 

I talked to him as soon as I got the head and seemed very fair for pricing. It will be a while before I get around to doing it. The head is still back in Morgantown and it'll be a while before I get to go back and pull it. I've seen some threads with his work, it looks really good.

 

the size and the rotor pack the m62 has 60deg twist tvs has 160deg

 

So I just got the downpipe and WB on this weekend. The downpipe is really good, and sounds/performs very well. Josh just made me an offer I couldn't refuse on a long tube header, so I'll be upgrading that very soon, so it wont be on my car long. I do have a question however. What are your guys Widebands like? Mine fluctuates rapidly between 13-15. It's not mounted in a pod yet, so its hard to read it and drive however I figured the stock tune would keep the afr close to stoich. Could the sensor be seated poorly or a bad electrical connection?

 

It will probably do that. What kind of tune are you on? Stock? Canned? Custom? If custom, who did it?

Fluctuating between 13.0 and 15.0 isn't really that bad

Oops. Just read you're on stock tune. Yeah that's not bad at all for a stock tune. Nothing to worry about. Obviously you want it as close to stoich as possible, but that's fairly reasonable.

 

Thanks man. This is my first boosted car so I just wanted to make sure. Whenever I see people take pics its always on 14.7 so I was confused. Until I realized mine zero's at that when it first powers up. I figured that it would be much better than that.

 

Nah you should be good.

 

the reason it fluctuates is the o2 sensor is adding and removing fuel