Lids and Low End Torque?
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 62
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Lids and Low End Torque? I went to an autocross event yesterday and was talking to a guy with a 99' SS. He told me that the best $100 he's spent on a car was on a lid. He also said that the car used to buck at 60mph in 6th gear but now it will drive just fine at 45mph in 6th! My immediate response was that he must have at least a 4.10 gear installed but I was wrong, he's running stock gears.
Anyhow, I've got an all stock 00' TA M6 and the engine feels like it's really lugging at anything under 55mph in 6th. So I rarely ever use 6th, only on the highway really.
So if this is true then I'm sold on buying a lid as well. Who makes the best one? The guy yesterday had an MTI one, I know the SLP ones seem pretty popular and I've also seen that clear one before. Also is it worth running a lid with the stock paper air filter or should I upgrade to a cotton one like a K&N?
Anyhow, I've got an all stock 00' TA M6 and the engine feels like it's really lugging at anything under 55mph in 6th. So I rarely ever use 6th, only on the highway really.
So if this is true then I'm sold on buying a lid as well. Who makes the best one? The guy yesterday had an MTI one, I know the SLP ones seem pretty popular and I've also seen that clear one before. Also is it worth running a lid with the stock paper air filter or should I upgrade to a cotton one like a K&N?
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Apr 2010
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Why are you in 6th at 55mph? My mods are in my signature, and if I was in 6th at 55mph the car wouldn't have any life to it. 5th is probably better at that speed depending on what differential gears you have (I have 3.42).
Concerning which lid, I have an MTI lid, but the SLP ones are just as good.
I also have a K&N filter. I'd personally use that or Airaid. Some people will disagree, but you can't go wrong with it.
Concerning which lid, I have an MTI lid, but the SLP ones are just as good.
I also have a K&N filter. I'd personally use that or Airaid. Some people will disagree, but you can't go wrong with it.
When the only mod I had was a lid on my M6, I could drive fine at 45 in 6th. No, it didn't have any life to it, but that's just one down-shift away.
Back to the point of the post, a lid is definitely a solid performance upgrade that you can hear and feel a difference in without requiring a retune or any other real supporting mods. You'll see when you pull off the stock baffles how much air flow would be affected.
Most of them are pretty equivalent. Unless you're looking for a specific look (carbon fiber, painted, etc) I'd just look in the classifieds and pick one up used for as cheap as you can get it.
Back to the point of the post, a lid is definitely a solid performance upgrade that you can hear and feel a difference in without requiring a retune or any other real supporting mods. You'll see when you pull off the stock baffles how much air flow would be affected.
Most of them are pretty equivalent. Unless you're looking for a specific look (carbon fiber, painted, etc) I'd just look in the classifieds and pick one up used for as cheap as you can get it.
First thing I did to my car was an SLP lid and I have to say I didn't really notice ****. Granted its an a4 so maybe that has something to do with it. It is a good supporting mod and does clean up the looks quite a bit though. If you decide to use a K&N just make sure you don't over oil it as it could eventually gunk things up.
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I used to shift to 6th at 65. no lower than that..
And I've had the SLP lid and I loved it. Nice a clean, fitment was great. I've got the FTP 98 lid now and I'm not really fond of it. Feels cheap. And there was an article in GMHTP a long time ago showing that the lid was one of the best gains, next to the TB bypass. (Man, it's a pita to search for anything on their site now.)
And I've had the SLP lid and I loved it. Nice a clean, fitment was great. I've got the FTP 98 lid now and I'm not really fond of it. Feels cheap. And there was an article in GMHTP a long time ago showing that the lid was one of the best gains, next to the TB bypass. (Man, it's a pita to search for anything on their site now.)
A stock car shouldn't buck at 55 mph in 6th gear. Thats where my old car spent the majority of its life. Then when I built the transmission I had to replace the output shaft as the splines were halfway gone after only 80k miles. The builder told me that high load and low rpm (55 mph in 6th combined with hills) will cause that wear. I still use 6th at 55, but only if its a long stretch of flat road
Lids have nothing for low end torque, they're airflow only.
But where your IAT sits, can have a significant effect on timing
which (if bad) is the easiest way to get bucking. And every lid is
different, for that.
But where your IAT sits, can have a significant effect on timing
which (if bad) is the easiest way to get bucking. And every lid is
different, for that.
i went from the stock WS6 ram air setup to the the FTP 98mm lid and GM 85mm MAF, i noticed a difference, but i thought the lid was kinda cheap too. didnt really fit right, and on my stock WS6 lower box, it had fitment issues under the stock WS6 hood. so i went with a non-ramair box and no rubbing or contact issues. i dont use 6th gear till after 65, sometimes 70, cause i have a cam.