Driveability mods?
Thread Starter
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Joined: May 2010
Posts: 2
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From: Springtown, Texas
Driveability mods? Just bought a bone stock(for now) 98' firebird LS1 and wanna add mods that will increase power and driveability. I was thinking Hooker shortys, xpipe, hooker aerochamber (or Max Flo?), MSD coils, MAF, and an SLP flo-pac. Any advice is appreciated as long as it stays in the Emissions Legal daily driver category. Im new to LS1's and want quality advice. Also who makes a decent, easy to use tuner and whats the best resource to learn more about ECM tuning?
quality advice? PSSH. wont get that here!
but really, dont buy the coils, the maf, or the "flow pack". it looks like you just look at a summit catalog. fail.
dont waste your money on that crap, really. you live in texas. throw some long tubes on it, a catted y 3" pipe, and a 3" cat back(whatever muffler you want). that'll be fine for now. do that and a lid and you'll be happy. maybe an ls6 intake too.
but really, dont buy the coils, the maf, or the "flow pack". it looks like you just look at a summit catalog. fail.
dont waste your money on that crap, really. you live in texas. throw some long tubes on it, a catted y 3" pipe, and a 3" cat back(whatever muffler you want). that'll be fine for now. do that and a lid and you'll be happy. maybe an ls6 intake too.
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
From: Springtown, Texas
Ok not really what im looking for so let me explain where im going with this. Im doing bolt on for now until i get out of the academy and then ill build it bigger once i have the time and a more substantial budget. An intake is not in the cards for now. Besides why go 3" exhaust when your not pulling the air in? A 2.5" is enough for my application and i personally like the X pipe better for sound and performance. I figured a CAI would add a small amount of hp over a lid since ive seen on several threads that there pretty much useless. The MSD coils where purely for the engine i plan on building later and thought they might add a little extra while giving me the option for an MSD box in the later engine. All in all im just looking for mild bolt ons until i go Wild later. Not really wanting to break the bank, but i dont wanna have to rebuy crap again when i build something bigger, but after some research i have decided that LT's are the way to go. Feel free to correct me if im wrong in any way. Im no expert and have plenty to learn about these engines. Im just trying to use common sense and experience from other builds ive done.
Last edited by TxDrifter; May 27, 2010 at 03:27 AM.
like i said, the slp stuff is junk, as is the msd stuff. the stock coils work great in 1000+hp applications, so no, you really dont need to waste 400 bucks on coils.
get a fast toys lid if you want something to grow into, and speed inc sells a great ram air setup.
you dont need 2.5" true duals, and you're gonna spend 800+ bucks on having a set up made... or you can spend 200 bucks on a 3" single texas speed catback.
get a fast toys lid if you want something to grow into, and speed inc sells a great ram air setup.
you dont need 2.5" true duals, and you're gonna spend 800+ bucks on having a set up made... or you can spend 200 bucks on a 3" single texas speed catback.
Ok not really what im looking for so let me explain where im going with this. Im doing bolt on for now until i get out of the academy and then ill build it bigger once i have the time and a more substantial budget. An intake is not in the cards for now. Besides why go 3" exhaust when your not pulling the air in? A 2.5" is enough for my application and i personally like the X pipe better for sound and performance. I figured a CAI would add a small amount of hp over a lid since ive seen on several threads that there pretty much useless. The MSD coils where purely for the engine i plan on building later and thought they might add a little extra while giving me the option for an MSD box in the later engine. All in all im just looking for mild bolt ons until i go Wild later. Not really wanting to break the bank, but i dont wanna have to rebuy crap again when i build something bigger, but after some research i have decided that LT's are the way to go. Feel free to correct me if im wrong in any way. Im no expert and have plenty to learn about these engines. Im just trying to use common sense and experience from other builds ive done.
2.5 "might" be enough for a stock car, by why waste the money now and more later? Go ahead and do a 3" system so you have room to go. Since Pacesetter headers have gotten so cheap, it almost makes shorties a waste of money.
MSD coils are JUNK for these engines. Do not waste your money on them. The stock LS1 coils are good past 800rwhp.
There is no such thing is a real "cold air intake" for these cars. The lid setup is the absolute best way to go. Any of the open filter elements for these cars are going to suck in all the dry heat under the hood and cause power loss. Get yourself an $80 SLP lid be and done with it.
Most aftermarket MAF's are junk, and most "upgraded" MAFs don't give you ANY power at all unless they're recalibrated via tuning software. People have the wrong idea about MAF's. They are simply a meter that tells your engine how much air is coming into the intake. Your stock MAF is good to 500rwhp before it starts maxing out.
My recommendations for you based on your goals, and after 12 yrs of building these engines would be:
-Pacesetter coated longtubes
-TSP catted Ypipe designed for the pacesetters (if you want emissions legal)
-Hooker catback system (cheapest and best flowing)
-ASP Under drive pulley
-SLP (or whatever) lid of your choosing
-Ported Throttle body
-Free mods; TB bypass, free ram air
-PCM tuning by a reputable tuner
With that list of mods, you'll pick up about 40-50RWHP and not affect one ounce of driveability.
Good luck.
