Im 16 and my first car i just bought was a V8 5.7L 1995 Firebird Formula. Im guessing the engine type is called "LS1" . I live in vegas, and around here its about your car. I have K&N, Flowmaster, Headers. What else should i put on my car to make it faster?

 

What year is your ride? Thats the key... 1993 to 1997 is LT1 and 1998+ is LS1...

Thats the first thing we need to found out in order to point you in the right direction.

 

Sorry about that it is a 1995..so its a LT1...I can handle the speed, just need to get my car up their. "AUTO"

 

Hmm, Well starting with the basics is good, and it appears you are on your way. (headers, K&N and a catback 'flowmaster') Those mods should plant you solid in the 13s. Just have to look into gears, a stall/shift kit, and you should be looking at low 13s/maybe high 12s (with great traction...Drag radials) Thats if your an Automatic?

 

Yes im an auto. One problem i have been having is take off, tires really spin out, I have decent Tires on their, im going to get new ones, but before i do is their anything i can do besides but new tires to help prevent spinning them out to bad? ALSO i have a transmission performance button. Race with that on or off? and what does that button actually do? and thanks for the help

 

The Firebird guys can speak more than me, but I believe that is the performance shift button. It shifts firmer with it on, and softer/smoother with it off. (Camaros are in performance mode all the time). I would get some sticky tires if you have serious wheel spin issues...

 

every person i talk to says stay away from shift kits...all they do is increase pressure and strain your tranny...stall is the way to go...but i think thats a lil ways away for you maybe?

 

somewhat, but i will get the money. How about any low cost things i could do to get some hp out of my bird. Im getting a jet chip put in soon.

 

id actually stay away from the chip depending on what your plans are...hmm depending on your headers you could get rid the catalytic converter and do the whole off road y pipe gig...but i dont if you wanna stay emmisions legal and all....

honestly man, you either need to know where you wanna go with this and then it would be alot easier from there...or sit down and spit ideas at somebody so they can tell you what will work, what wont work, why it will work, why it wont work, and the options you limit or create for yourself by doing or not doing something...lol sounds confusing...but youll get sucked up into this whole f-body thing quick and youll be answering some of our questions in no time !

 

i dont think they make chips for that year, just 93's. pretty much the only option that you would have with that is a power programmer which does nothing, or a tuning program for your computer, but before you do that id do some other mods. Tires and gears are definatly the way to go, i think youll be pleased.

 

Gears should be your next mod along with some good tires. Most A4s go with 3.73s.

 

My governer kicks in a 120...i was told a jet chip would take that off..that why i was going to get it. It will also add 20HP.

 

lmao @ add 20 hp


first thing i learned...each car reacts different, and when something says it adds 20 hp you cant really judge it by adding the advertised gain to the hp you have now....and now that i think about it i think hes right, doesnt he have to get his pcm reprogrammed?

 

with the change from MFI to SFI in 94 they sodered (sp?) all the chips in the computer, so they cant be changed out like before. The only option you would have is a hypertech power programmer, it would take care of the limiter, adjust the fan switch and change shift points. Even though it says to add power, it doesnt. Ive heard of people actually losing power from them. Any supposed chip for a 95 lt1 is bogus, and the power programmer isnt worth $330, but im sure people here have some they wanna sell cheap, and theres always ebay.

 

Yep, but a cable from AKMCables and get LT1Edit or Tunercat. Hypertech is not worth the money.

 

So what would be the best way to get the gov. off? How much would it cost to get reprogrammed?

 

slow down cowboy. theres no reason to remove a 120mph governor from your car. your 16 and being very foolish if you want to go that fast. i dont care how wide open the desert is your not capable of driving that speed nor is your car capable of handling that speed.

get wider and stickier tires for launching, goodyear eagle GS D3s are very good all around tires, i have them and love them, but they arent cheap. however nittos are even better for launching. rims can be had for very little brand new even 17x11s for the rear.

gears will be a nice addition to your car. a shift kit will prolong the life of your tranny if its in good working order. when your tranny shifts smoothly things are wearing more to make this happen. when it pops into the next gear there is less wear, but the tranny has to be good to begin with or else itll kill it sooner. get a tranny cooler as well and maybe a small stall converter. nothing hardcore just a simple 24-2600 with a 2.0 STR will do fine. but id wait on the converter.

get an air intake if you dont have one, not just the filter. some people like electric water pumps. i dont nor do i like the idea of running a fan switch(well at least not the way most people do it).

and the best thing you can do is learn to drive your car. your going to mess up so dont let people bother you about not being to launch. pratice and youll get it. and leave the damn governor in place.

 

Snow Dog has a point about the speed limiter. Your tires are not Z rated (thats the only way to get a non governed car) so they are not able to withstand those speeds. Its crazy going that fast...trust me. I would definately wait before getting that removed. You make mistakes at everything in life when you first start out. EVERYONE makes mistakes... its not worth the risk.

 

They do make a Chip. I have it. It's not really a chip, it's a Jet State 2 Power Control Module and it plugs directly into your ECU. Maybe 6-7hp increase, but it does give it an electronic shift kit and adjust the torque curve as well. It WILL NOT remove your speed limiter i still have mine. I do have Z rated tires and a posi rear and my tires rarely spin. Get some good Z rated tires and your traction will increase greatly. BTW im 17 and i also have an auto 1995 Firebird Formula. Welcome to the board.

 

Yea, you have a nice car, dont kill it. The fastest ive gotten my car up to was 135 and that was just briefly when i first got the car (however, i was 19 when i got the car), other than that i rarely get it past 100. Theres really no need to go that fast if your just ganna be driving it on the street. Untill your car traps close to 120, dont worry about the limiter.


Also, correct me if im wrong, but that chip your talking about.... whats the point of it? I seriously doubt it even gives you 6 hp, and the autos already have a performance mode that will bark 2nd.