Modding Order Questions?
11-23-2007, 03:55 PM
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Modding Order Questions? Hey guys, here's my deal. I have a 99 Trans Am M6 with 105k miles. The previous owner had put on a lid, granatelli MAF, TB bypass, short shifter, and Spec Stage 3 clutch along with and 01-02 master/slave upgrade. Also, included in the sale were a set of brand new 4.10 rear end gears.
Right now the car is in Arizona where I go to school. The car will then be driven from Arizona to Minnesota for the summer then back to Arizona again for the next school year. I plan on doing a full exhaust setup and installing the gears in the car within the next while, however, I dont know if I should wait until after I make the long road trip from AZ to MN to do so. I'm mostly concerned about the gears in this case. I know that the rears in these cars arent that great and mine has over 100k miles on it, not to mention I may lose some highway MPG with the gears, but I also know that they will really wake the car up and since I already have them, I would just have to pay for installation.
Should I wait to install the gears until I get back to MN or even AZ next year? Will my rear be able to take it (I don't really track the car and I usually race from a roll)? Should I spend the money on full exhaust first, then worry about gears, or will the gears make more of a difference and I should put them in now because I already have them? I hope I'm making sense.
Now onto the exhaust questions. I notice a lot of people running pacesetter headers, and I also notice that they're really cheap. Is they're any benefit to spending more on headers besides the coating? I will probably just get a middle grade coating because the car will spend most of it's time in AZ where it never sees weather at all and is garaged. Also, I plan on getting a Hooker catback soon too, will that fit all up nicely with the aftermarket stuff? Basically I'm wondering if I should get the catback first, wait a bit, then install the headers and ORY or should I install the full exhaust all at once?
I think thats pretty much it, let me know if you need clarification on what I'm asking. Thanks in advance!
Right now the car is in Arizona where I go to school. The car will then be driven from Arizona to Minnesota for the summer then back to Arizona again for the next school year. I plan on doing a full exhaust setup and installing the gears in the car within the next while, however, I dont know if I should wait until after I make the long road trip from AZ to MN to do so. I'm mostly concerned about the gears in this case. I know that the rears in these cars arent that great and mine has over 100k miles on it, not to mention I may lose some highway MPG with the gears, but I also know that they will really wake the car up and since I already have them, I would just have to pay for installation.
Should I wait to install the gears until I get back to MN or even AZ next year? Will my rear be able to take it (I don't really track the car and I usually race from a roll)? Should I spend the money on full exhaust first, then worry about gears, or will the gears make more of a difference and I should put them in now because I already have them? I hope I'm making sense.
Now onto the exhaust questions. I notice a lot of people running pacesetter headers, and I also notice that they're really cheap. Is they're any benefit to spending more on headers besides the coating? I will probably just get a middle grade coating because the car will spend most of it's time in AZ where it never sees weather at all and is garaged. Also, I plan on getting a Hooker catback soon too, will that fit all up nicely with the aftermarket stuff? Basically I'm wondering if I should get the catback first, wait a bit, then install the headers and ORY or should I install the full exhaust all at once?
I think thats pretty much it, let me know if you need clarification on what I'm asking. Thanks in advance!
11-23-2007, 04:12 PM
#2
It really depends on you funds. With the gears in a m6 you wont see much of a drop in mpg. You dont Need to do the headers at the same time as catback but you'll def. notice a difference in power w/ the headers.
Like I said it really depends on your funds.
BTW get rid of the MAF and put a stock one back in its place and you'll probably pick up some power as well as get some mpg back. The aftermarket mafs unless calibarted properly will cause a loss of power and mpg.
After you do headers Get a tune. Also, If you decide to keep maf GET A TUNE!
As far as what to do first the best mod I did on my m6 was the 4.10s it actually makes 6th a useable gear.
Doug
Like I said it really depends on your funds.
BTW get rid of the MAF and put a stock one back in its place and you'll probably pick up some power as well as get some mpg back. The aftermarket mafs unless calibarted properly will cause a loss of power and mpg.
After you do headers Get a tune. Also, If you decide to keep maf GET A TUNE!
As far as what to do first the best mod I did on my m6 was the 4.10s it actually makes 6th a useable gear.
Doug
11-23-2007, 04:46 PM
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Will the stock MAF just plug right back in? My buddy told me it will take a couple hundred miles for the computer to relearn when i put the stock one back in. The previous owner said he felt a little power boost when he put the aftermarket one in, so I don't know.
Also, will my rear end be able to handle the extra strain of the 4.10's with the mileage? If it helps i have pretty much brand new 275\40\17 BFG tires.
Thanks
Also, will my rear end be able to handle the extra strain of the 4.10's with the mileage? If it helps i have pretty much brand new 275\40\17 BFG tires.
Thanks
11-23-2007, 04:57 PM
#4
These rears aren't as weak as people say they just dont like the abuse of drag racing on sticky tires.
I've been using mine (425rwhp) with a m6 with m/t drs for a while now with no issues. If you dont do 4k drops on stickys you'll probably live for a while. 4.10s dont cause more stress on the rear,actually less unless you really beat on it.
Put the 4.10s in and enjoy!
As far as the maf it will probably take a few cycles to relearn but unless the granatelli was tuned its definitely hurting your performance. Do a search on aftermarket mafs and you'll get similar opinions and yes the stock will plug right back in.
Hope this helps.
Doug
I've been using mine (425rwhp) with a m6 with m/t drs for a while now with no issues. If you dont do 4k drops on stickys you'll probably live for a while. 4.10s dont cause more stress on the rear,actually less unless you really beat on it.
Put the 4.10s in and enjoy!
As far as the maf it will probably take a few cycles to relearn but unless the granatelli was tuned its definitely hurting your performance. Do a search on aftermarket mafs and you'll get similar opinions and yes the stock will plug right back in.
Hope this helps.
Doug
11-23-2007, 05:22 PM
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4.10's with a 6spd won't make you lose even a half of mpg on the highway. 6th is so tall it doesn't even matter.
EDIT : What color is your T/A. Did you try to race a saturn on mcclintock last week?
EDIT : What color is your T/A. Did you try to race a saturn on mcclintock last week?
11-23-2007, 07:25 PM
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11-23-2007, 07:48 PM
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My rear had 156k on it and 400RWHP going through it. Given its an auto, but still, for daily driving its about the same. You could go ahead and put the gears in. As far as the exhaust, personally I would do it all at once, do it one, do it right. Pacesetters are great headers, I had them on the blue car, and I have them again for the white car, they are cheap, you can get a set of coated Pacesetter longtubes and an off road y pipe for around $500.00.
However like everyone else has mentioned; ditch the aftermarket MAF, they are just trouble. You would be surprised how many people think they feel more power with mods that actually take away power (i.e, aftermarket MAF's, 80 series Flowmaster etc.). Put the stocker back in and you will be fine.
However like everyone else has mentioned; ditch the aftermarket MAF, they are just trouble. You would be surprised how many people think they feel more power with mods that actually take away power (i.e, aftermarket MAF's, 80 series Flowmaster etc.). Put the stocker back in and you will be fine.
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11-23-2007, 08:07 PM
#8
It really depends on you funds. With the gears in a m6 you wont see much of a drop in mpg. You dont Need to do the headers at the same time as catback but you'll def. notice a difference in power w/ the headers.
Like I said it really depends on your funds.
BTW get rid of the MAF and put a stock one back in its place and you'll probably pick up some power as well as get some mpg back. The aftermarket mafs unless calibarted properly will cause a loss of power and mpg.
After you do headers Get a tune. Also, If you decide to keep maf GET A TUNE!
As far as what to do first the best mod I did on my m6 was the 4.10s it actually makes 6th a useable gear.
Doug
Like I said it really depends on your funds.
BTW get rid of the MAF and put a stock one back in its place and you'll probably pick up some power as well as get some mpg back. The aftermarket mafs unless calibarted properly will cause a loss of power and mpg.
After you do headers Get a tune. Also, If you decide to keep maf GET A TUNE!
As far as what to do first the best mod I did on my m6 was the 4.10s it actually makes 6th a useable gear.
Doug
11-23-2007, 09:25 PM
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Thanks for all the help guys, I think I may get those gears installed after christmas and I'm definitely gonna put the stock MAF back in soon. As far as full exhaust goes, I realy want to do it but dont know if I can afford it right now. If I really want louder exhaust, can I get a catback now and get full exhaust when I get back in the summer? Or is it worth it just to hold off on everything and do the full exhaust all at once. Basically I'm wondering how much of a difference it will make to get the catback now and the Headers and ORY this summer. Any info?
Thanks for all the help!
11-23-2007, 10:48 PM
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11-24-2007, 10:18 PM
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Thanks for the help. What kind of coating should I get on the headers if the car is mostly going to see AZ weather (literally no rain at all, plus car is garaged)? I figure that it's good to get them coated but I don't think I need to go stainless. What do you guys think?
11-25-2007, 01:04 AM
#16
There is really only one type of coating the ceramic besides SS ones. You DEFINITLY wanna get them coated to help keep temperatures down but it isnt really necessary to get stainless unless you have alot of extra $$$$ floating around