I may be picking up one soon, even faster if my RX8 sells. But where would I go to buy/install the stage kit. I'd rather save money and get a SS/SC and stage 3 it, that should put me around the SS/SC. but i read it disables the air conditioning and i will def need that here in texas. is there a way to legally do that? also would i need to install a stage 2 kit before hand? thanks and sorry for the newbie questions


or do you all think ill be fine for a daily with stage 2? if so would i need to get stage 1 done first

 

You need the GMS2 injectors, hub, and shorter belt to go to GMR Stage 3.

You can find all of the parts on this site used (usually) which will be a lot cheaper than buying the parts new.

GMR Stage 3 comes with the following:

- 76mm pulley
- PCM
- Dual Pass Endplate
- Nitrous jumper wires

You can have Vince at Trifeca flash the exact GMR Stage 3 tune to your stock PCM, but his flash enables the air conditioning. The one that comes from GM disables A/C (which you already know).

I've been GMR Stage 3 for many years now. Feel free to PM me with any questions about it.

 

I have the OTTP stage 2 which equal to the ZZP stage 3 and I never had any issues with my A/C.

 

He is asking about GMR Stage 3.

GMR Stage 3 as it comes from GM Racing disables the A/C (at least that's what I see him asking since he mentioned the A/C being disabled).

 

Yeah I was just throwing out there that there are other options besides the GM kits. Too bad you're in Houston I would sell you my car for less than what you would pay for from a dealer, clean as hell and just about 300whp with meth!!

 

Always good to mention options.

 

im new to all this, i've never owned anything with a turbo or sc lol the stock boost gauge is still a mystery to me. let alone the whole e85 tune and the trifecta tune, etc. i would want something as close to stock to learn the car better. i found out i can just buy a stage 2 kit that will include everything from the stage one kit. same with stage 3. fastest vehicle i've had is my rx8 unless you count motorcycles lol

if thats the case should i take it to a dealership and let them install it ? i need to know what im getting myself into here.

 

Stage kits are just different performance levels, you don't need to buy 1 to go to 2 and 3. You can but whatever kit you want and it will come with what you need each one getting you more power as it goes up. With that said there are other mods you will need to run certain amounts of boost safely. Check out zzperformance.com or ottperformance.com and compare the kits, I know ZZP tells you what parts they recommend with each stage kit. Any questions you have just search here or ask. I came from some knowledge of turbos and none of superchargers to building my car up to what it is on my own.

Here is a link to my build with the OTTP stage 2 kit and a bunch of other parts from ZZP. I have a dyno video in there and the last page has pictures of where it is now.
https://www.cobaltss.net/forums/2-0l...nstall-242186/

 

What you want is zzp stage 3 or ottp stage 2. You get to keep the ac and it is better all around for the price. Gmr stage 3 is not the route for You if you need ac

 

I don't remember why I picked OTTP's stage 2, I think the h/e was a little bigger. Everything else on my car, even the option b is from ZZP.

 

You can have ac with the gmr stage 3 kit if you have Vince at trifecta flash the tune. He unlocked the ac and his flash is the same tune as it comes from gm racing.

If I were the OP i would ditch the whole stage kit idea, and piece together his own kit with a custom tune. Each stage kit has their good & bad points. With a custom setup the OP can get what he is looking for & have room to expand. I can't believe I'm saying this, because I stand by the GMR Stage 3 kit as it makes great power on my car (due to my supercharger), but if I did it all over again, I would more than likely go with a custom setup.

 

That is not correct when it comes to the gm kits. You need the stage 2 injectors, hub, and shorter belt to run the gmr stage 3 kit.

 

I would have no idea what I'm doing, ill more then likely buy a stock ss/sc then do a little more research I just cannot get past the wheels on it lol

 

I never looked into the GM stage kits so that I didn't know. I am happy with what I have but then again it wouldn't be half of what it is without the help of Nick/BYT. He has done alot with the car as far as tuning. If you are looking to pay someone to install it though it will not be cheap.

 

Nick is a good guy!!

I'm glad you went with him for your tuning needs, because the OTTP canned tune is known for it's pig rich issues. In some cases it is richer than the GMS2 tune.

Good idea man....

You at least know to take your time and do research. You are on the right track.

 

I drove around for a week untuned just waiting for my appt with nick, was real hard driving it and not getting on it but it was worth the wait. Even better yet, when I move back to NY he is only about 90 minutes from where I will be vs the 4 hour drive I have now.

 

So if I.have this right I would want to get i/h/e, then a kit, then a tune?

 

If you are going to do it right I would go with header, downpipe, intake, heat exchanger, 60lb/hr injectors with harness, new pulley, option b, dual pass endplate, new spark plugs and a tune. Buy the parts and let them sit until you have the whole thing. Pulley size depends on how much boost you want to run/how much power you want. With the mentioned parts above I ran a 2.8" pulley, now with meth I have a 2.7.

Option b is a separate coolant tank for the s/c system, the dual pass endplate allows more coolant to flow into the intake manifold for cooling. If you really want to get the air temps down buy a phenolic spacer also. Its a plastic like piece that goes between the intake manifold and the head that stops heat transfer.

 

whats your mpg like after all this