$500 in pocket, what should I buy? Already have lid, by-passed TB coolant line, removed screen from MAF, have smooth bellow, 3.73 gears and flowmaster.

 

In my opinion I would sell the flowmaster and use that money along with the 500 to buy headers and true duals.

 

Hotcam kit, water pump gaskets (depending on your year model), new valve locks, some rtv sealant, cheap valvespring compressor, thread locker, and a few other odds and ends.

 

You don't give any information on your setup? Personally I don't like the hotcam without headers but that is just me.

If it is a T56 and you don't want headers I'd go with the LPE GT3 or the Thunder cheater cam. With 918 springs. The Stealth II I have is a nice cam too but it likes to breath I think.

If its a T56 and you want headers I'd go with a set of Pacesetter and a TSP Y-pipe catted or uncatted. If you have the flowmaster cat back I'd get a Dynomax ultra flow muffler 3 in dual 2.5 out and have it installed about 130 total. If you have just the muffler I'd look for a cheap used cat back such as Hooker or Magnaflow. I got my BARELY used Mag for 225.

If you have an auto well then I'd save a little more and buy a converter, depending on what you want to do with it you will have to choose a stall. But 3:73 gears and converter would make a HUGE difference in an Auto car. I like the Vigilante but I hate the 4L60E so I haven't bought a converter in awhile there maybe better choices now.

Again without knowledge of your car and what your goals are for the car its hard to say. Hell 500 bucks will get you a line lock and Drag radials that would probably net you the best increase in times!!! If drag racing is your thing?????

Bobby

 

What year is your car? What transmission? Is there anything that might go or wear out and need replacing soon? Are you mostly concerned with straight line acceleration?

$500 won't go too far. If it's an auto your next mod should be a torque converter, but you will need double the money for the swap. If you do have an A4 try and save till you can do that.

You might be able to swing selling the flowmaster to fund pacesetters and duals. Probably couldn't do it for $500, but close. I would go this route if it's a manual, but that's just me. If you don't want duals just get headers and a Y-pipe, plus a cutout.

 

Sorry, it is a 98 A4 with automatic tranny. My goals are very modest. Would like to it sound better and would like to get around 350 rwhp. I just sold a 90 GT that I sank a fortune into and it was so radical my wife wouldn't ride in it (that was a plus), I don't want to get that extreme with the Z-car. Just beef it up a little and add 50 or so rwhp.

 

n2o..

 

go with exhaust, it isnt as performance minded as a converter, but then you can enjoy the sound more too! save the converter for next! You also might think about SFC's in the near future, especially if you go with the torque converter!

 

https://ls1tech.com/forums/lsx-parts-sale/338540-fs-lpe-gt2-3-cam.html

There you go 225 shipped for the GT2-3 (sorry for the typo)

225 cam
140 918 springs
50 Gaskets
approx 40 for LS2 timing chain (correct me if I'm wrong)
50 for fluids
110 for oil pump

There you go 550 and you will probably reach your goals. Later add a TCI or Fruedie or whatever torque converter... whatever the rage in inexpensive ones are at something like 3200 stall and some pacesetters with Cats and you'd have one mean machine your grandma could drive!

IF you can afford it the Kooks headers and the Vigilante\Yank converters are well worth the money...

 

Actually SFC are a great mod I guess I was just thinking HP there are alot of "supporting mods" that would be nice to get to and SFC would be at the top of my list..actually I would do

SFC 160
install 85
Bilstiens 320
alignment 70

Thats 635 but it would make your car much more enjoyable...

 

yeah, on the auto, I think i would do the SFC's before converter, specially if you have TTops!

 

You could gimmie gimmie!!
Nah J/K, I would spend that money on a hand held programer, that way you get the most out of what you have already on there.

 

I know this is a stupid ?, but what will the converter do for the Z?

 

In simpliest terms it will get you in your powerband instead of having to roll to get going. Think of it in terms of a manual.

Your stock converter is like starting a manual letting the clutch out at 1700rpm, its going to take awhile for the car to get into its power band so even at WOT it will go then you hit 3k or so and it will REALLY start going.

Now with a 3200 stall converter it would be similar to dumping the clutch at 3200 (which will result in tire smoke ) So in the auto car the converter will slip until it gets to approx 3200 then engage and take off. There is also torque multiplication as well so it gets more grunt to the wheels don't really know how to explain that.

Now the downside is if you want to take off slow the converter will slip, not really a big deal to most people, its not like you don't go anywhere but it does become more on and off so you don't want to get a 4200 stall in the average street vehicle.

I like the vigillante and if you find the stall to be too much or to little vigillante will change it for free once which is pretty cool.

Torque converters are fun at 30mph too you mash the pedal and the tach jumps to 3200 and all hell breaks loose

Hope that helps not real technical but if you don't know what it is that seems like a good summary to me, anyone feel free to elaborate!

 

Pretty much what he said. Torque multiplication depends on the STR (stall torque ratio) of the stall you get. For example if you have an STR of 2.5 and your torque that you have is 345 , you take the 2.5 multiply by 345 and you get 862.5. Which is what it feels like when the car leaves off the line hard, which is why tires are a must!!

Since the converter slips more, it will generate more heat which in time will kill your transmission so you must get a cooler for it as well. There are plenty of topics on this in the automatic section.

 

I think that is a good plan above. I would skip the LS2 timing chain and oil pump (unless you have a lot of miles on your car). You may be able to shave off a few extra bucks and fit in a March (or similar) underdrive pulley and a few more horses.

 

Normally I would agree with you but I'm this being a 98 and I assume its in the 80k mile plus club. If it was 2001 with less than 50k on it I'd agree with you. I didn't change either in my Z06 or my WS6. But if I do a cam in the 98 vert I will change both...

 

get long tubes and ory, or get a stall. you can find slightly used yanks and vigs for 500

 

FWIW: IMO a cam should NOT be your next mod.

 

The 98 I just got rid of only had 39k on the clock. But some do have more than others. I didn't change either.