Microtech82

Hi guys. Had my 2001 Z28 A4 for about four months now and am now ready to start buying things to boost its power. The only things done so far are intake lid and there is a cutout on the exhaust.
What I would really like to do is swap the heads and cam in the next couple of weeks. Looking for good midrange power/torque without sacrificing too much drivability since this is a DD. I also don't want a setup that is so nasty that I need to replace the rear end until later. I was looking at cam sets and they only come with springs. Surely more parts are needed than just springs, right? So I'm interested in what you all think are good choices of heads/cam along with a list of engine components needed for the swap to work with little danger to internals under hard driving. This car is my form of transport so I'd like to avoid bending rods and stuff. My driving style is very conservative except for when someone pulls up wanting to race but that only happens once in a while, so drivability is a large factor. I've done my fair share of tinkering on cars but those were always repairs...not upgrades so I don't understand a lot of what things like spec numbers on cams really mean in real world driving, so maybe you guys can give me an idea of what you're using and how your car feels under normal driving and hard pulls?

I'm just an average Joe with his first muscle car who is looking forward to experiencing the excitement of building up his own car. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

omarrakeen

iTrader: (2)

you might first consider supporting mods before jumping to a head/cam swap. long tubes and full exhaust would give you nice gains prior to the cam. as for the cam selection, you are pretty much limited on choices since its an A4, you WILL only get "stall converter before the cam" because it will drive like shi*t. unless you go with LS6 cam or something similar whitch isnt worth the cost if you ask me. but anyway parts needed are cam, springs, rods are a must. oil pump timing chain are recommended but just go with it since your there. good luck.

lemons12

iTrader: (71)

Parts highly recommended-must have before a cam.
Long tubes.. These range from 250-950$. Depends on what your budget is and what finish you want. Pacesetters fit awesome if not the best and are cost friendly. Then you move to the other end Kook/ARH which are costly but come with the name/quality. I highly recommend a nice merge (y pipe) setup. Something like a Flowmaster merge. If not, a pacesetter will do the job. A cutout is always a good choice, manual -35$ or electric -120+$. You can either always run with the cutout, I don't like it, or get whatever muffler you want (magnaflow/borla/corsa/etc etc). OR... You can go TSP true duals with your choice of mufflers/bullets (this will be loud).

You already have an ls6 intake so you are fine there.. I recommend getting your TB ported and an aftermarket lid... Plenty of sponsors offer TB porting, you can get a brand new SLP lid for 90+shipping.

Converter... DO NOT go cheap on the converter... It will make or break your entire setup, period. It is more important to making a solid setup more so than the cam heads intake etc selection.
I personally wouldn't go smaller than 3600. The difference between that and a 3200 or so small you will never notice it. The WOT difference however is substantial. I personally love 4000 converters, perfect medium IMO.
I highly recommend PTC.... Some other great companies are Yank/Circle D/precision industries/FTI/etc..
Don't forget a trans cooler!!!

After you get that stuff lined up... Then you are ready for a cam swap.
It sounds like to me you would be pretty happy with a 228R from Texas Speed.
You will need-
Cam
springs
push rods
timing chain
oil pump
misc gaskets/bolts/fluids/etc..
I would get it on a 112 LSA and PAC 1518 springs
http://texas-speed.com/p-1157-texas-...ve-spring.aspx
That has your push rods/springs/cam covered.. You still need timing chain and oil pump.
Ls2 timing chain and ls6 oil pump will have you covered here.
Here is a nice gasket/bolt kit
http://texas-speed.com/p-169-basic-c...asket-kit.aspx

Next step would be heads... I think after reviewing those prices however you will consider holding off a bit. Besides... You would be going from mid 13s@105 to mid 11s@117 in one big leap.
Don't forget you also have to work suspension in there (Lower control arms/front shocks/panhard bar/torque arm/etc) as well as a sticky tire and a tune.

Microtech82

Thanks for the replies! So I need the converter installed before the rest? I never had a performance converter...don't they just let the tranny slip until you reach a higher rpm? How does this affect the drivability? Will it make the car lurch into first every time I try to accelerate from a stoplight? Or will I still have the option of nice soft acceleration from a stop?

Lemons: this cam you suggest. It was one of the sets I had been eyeing lately. How tame is it? Is it going to be so lopey that the car is about to stall or a mild idle?

The prerequisites you both listed, like headers, would I feel a distinct gain in pull before the cam swap or are they just needed to unleash the full potential of the cam? I'm selling my other car and will probably be willing to part with about $2500 from the deal and dump it into the Camaro. Can all this be done with that much or am I gonna have to just focus on intake/exhaust/stall for now?

lemons12

iTrader: (71)

You have to have a converter, period. It is THE BEST mod for an auto car, period.
Here are a couple vids of my car with my PTC 4000 and 373s.
http://s250.photobucket.com/albums/g...afilter=videos
http://s250.photobucket.com/albums/g...afilter=videos
http://s250.photobucket.com/albums/g...afilter=videos
Also, search on youtube for some videos.
My old 4400 VIG with 410s WOT
http://s250.photobucket.com/albums/g...afilter=videos

There will be no "lurching/jerking" it will more feel "loose"... Smooth. The acceleration will be even "softer" than stock. WOT will be much more violent however since it "flashes" to XXXX Rpms, where you make your power.

No. That cam is an awesome all around cam. For a car that serves as a DD but ill also see some track time or some street races, it is perfect. It has proven itself over and over in many setups.
I run a 226/228 .588 114 currently. My last cam was an Ms4 239/242 .650 111. The Ms4 car had better manners than the 226 car when I got it because it was tuned better. How good a camd car drives is ALL in the tune.
It will have a very noticeable lope and draw attention but not like its about to stall (the drag car sound/idle).

Yes, you will get a nice gain from headers/exhaust, with stock cam or a 228R. I forgot to mention earlier.. If you are buying new, I also recommend 1 7/8" headers. Texas-Speed has a very nice 1 7/8 header that is very budget friendly. Couple that with the Flowmaster Merge/4" Ipipe and cutout and you will have a very free flowing exhaust with little to no rasp at all. It is the best Y setup you can have.

2,500 will get you a good little way depending on what parts you opt for and if you do any work yourself. Obviously if you opt for 1200$ ARH exhaust instead of painted pacesetters, it will effect your budget. As well as having to get someone to do all of your work. I would attempt the majority yourself.. Exhaust is easy.. Cam swap takes some tools but isn't difficult by any means, converter is same. Just have to be motivated and pay attention.
Rough guide
Cam/supporting mods- 800
misc- 150
headers- 500
flowmaster merge/i pipe/cutout/welding rest of pipes- 200 if you want a muffler besides stock add anywhere from 100-400 or dump it and subtract price of cutout and run a bullet or 1 chamber - both cheap and sound amazing, just very loud for a DD
port TB- 50-100
tune- 100-400 depending on what you opt for (mail order up to a dyno tune)
converter- 450-900 depending on what you opt for trans cooler add 50$ it is a MUST!!!!
sticky tires- 300 (put them on an extra set of stock rims for the drag strip otherwise your new power is wasted spinning

Of course buying a couple suspension components would be a good idea but not a must right away, should follow very very soon. Subframe connectors/lower control arms/front shocks would be on my list. followed by a TQ arm and panhard bar.

Microtech82

@Lemon Thank you so much; you provided me with pretty much all the info I need. Yeah There is a shop on our AF base that has car lifts we can use so my father and I are planning to do everything ourselves so that should save mucho denero. I plan on doing everything myself except for the tune.
One last question: how strong is the rear end and how will it handle these loads? If I go down your list and put everything in (without new cylinder heads) will the rear handle it? I'm used to the stock launches where I have to p&ssy foot it or else the tires just spin. I would assume the car will undergo some pretty violent launches with the stall and stickies...
Once again many thanks. I've tried doing research on this stuff over the last couple of months but there is just so many options I was just kind of overwhelmed. I'm very excited now that you gave me such a good picture of what is needed.

What kind of numbers would this setup produce at the track and dyno?

lemons12

iTrader: (71)

The 10 bolt behind the auto can take a lot of abuse. The M6, it hates stock power levels and street tires.
I cut 1.50-1.52 short times barely spinning, my race weight is up there to at 3500# which puts a little more stress on it.
There are plenty of stock 10 bolts in the 1.4X range behind autos.
However!! This doesn't mean that you won't go out the very first pass and blow it to itty bitty chunks.
Good news? You can get a used 342 (manual rear) that is a direct swap for anywhere from 100-250$.
If you want a built rear at that point you are looking at anywhere from 1,500 for a used basic rear all the way up to 5,000 for a new all the bells and whistles rear.

As far as dyno numbers... I make 370Rwhp, you see my times in sig. Dyno numbers mean JACK **** on an auto, period. They are strictly used for a tuning machine and nothing more. I have pissed a lot of "425 Rwhp" guys off.
With that said, on a normal dyno you should expect somewhere between 360-380Rwhp if you go the route I mentioned with the exhaust and the 228R. Add something like a 5.3 2.5 head from TSP and add 40Rwhp peak or so and some nice mid range.

For the track... I would have to know the expected DA you are running in. In normal DA, granted traction and around a 3500 race weight, I would expect anywhere from an 11.5-11.8@114-116mph with a low-high 1.5 60'. A whole lot of variables will come into play so its hard to get a spot on guess but that should be pretty close with the mods I listed.

Microtech82

Awesome just what I hoped to hear. Thanks!!

PGUFF

iTrader: (12)

lol, 4000 converter being a happy medium. That definitely depends if you have driven with a stall before and your tolerance

lemons12

iTrader: (71)

Without a doubt... Hence why I said it was my opinion. I personally enjoy the feeling of a larger converter. My next converter will most likely be a 4400 like my last one, still PTC.

For most, a 3600 would fit the bill perfectly for not being too small or too big. However, if you go with a 3600 why not go ahead and go with a 4000 for the added performance with little to no negative trade offs? I would say it is safe to say that more than 75% that get a 3600 wish they would have went 4000.
Same as cams, someone that gets a 224 will wish they went 228R, you go with prc stg 1s you will wish you went AFR 205s. Do it once, do it right.

Microtech82

The only problem I see right now is that there doesn't seem to be a place for cats between the LTs and the y pipe. Is there a work-around so that I can keep my emissions legal without having to swap out the exhaust every time I go for an inspection?

lemons12

iTrader: (71)

Do you have to pass the sniffer or just visual?

You can just hollow out a set of cats and have someone weld them in place if all you have to do is visual.

I'm not the one to talk to about that however since I have 0 emissions testing.

Microtech82

Visual and sniffer. They're pretty strict here in NM. They even hook a detector up to your gas cap to check for leaks. One of my old cars passed emissions with flying colors but they failed my whole emissions check simply because my gas cap o ring had some cracks in it. They're all a bunch of *****, I tell ya...

lemons12

iTrader: (71)

O wow.

You might possibly want to think about fi like a blower then.. Or maybe an easy to remove nitrous kit, which they all are.
Not sure if a cam will pass... Do they do decibel test for exhaust? You would have to have high flow cats I'm sure, and they are expensive.

Microtech82

Man I really don't want to go the route of FI if I don't have to. I've heard that those things put a lot of strain on the engine. Not to mention the price. Blowers are like 4 grand, aren't they?

garygnu

go to ls1howto.com for instructions.you can get after market CATS ,to go with lt headers .or use shorty headers that allow using the stock CATS.

Microtech82

Awesome. Thanks Gary.

lemons12

iTrader: (71)

Sorry, didn't see the bump.

A nice P1sc setup (basic procharger but capable of 550Rwhp) runs around 3000-4000$ with everything you need+ some.

However... I personally would go nitrous. 1000-1500$ for a bad *** all the bells and whistle setup. Hell you could even do a hidden kit so you wouldn't have to remove it when you do inspection.
That along with bolt ons would make 500+Rwhp. Very reliable, still drive like stock, makes tons of TQ, etc etc..

Zlow28

iTrader: (11)

+1 on the converter, and if youre gonna get a new timing chain, might as well get new sprockets too. They wear out together.

lsxc4vette

iTrader: (9)

I think a 4000 stall is way too high for a daily driver IMO.I would get a 3000-3200 rpm stall.3:73 gears would be nice.I would do heads and cam.Don't bother with exhaust right now unless your going for sound.If your car has the ls6 intake your good there.If not get it.