Tire suggestions/Mod discussions

Yes I agree. Some great reading material and I have already started the blue print. Budget is definitely blown for this year but I will definitely do some research and take all opinions.

Like Roger said would be nice to win some money.

Brakes yes that is true.will look at those as well.

I would.like to do cams first but will see how it all goes. A new cold air.......

Charlie, at the risk of sounding like a broken record, I analyze the last line of yours above.

If you are considering doing cams before a CAI I would counsel against that.
You should do together or the CAI first, but not cams first.

Reason is a K&N of your vintage is really not in the game anymore as far as moving a large volume of air.
It is barely able to improve upon your stock engine so it will restrict your cam’s performance should you do cams first.

I was diplomatic previously but I fear sometimes the message gets missed.

Am doing this from experience to save all readers of this forum some time, headaches and money.

I want to be respectful
The readers decision at all times.
I just don’t want to be misunderstood or misinterpreted.

Like Trevor said, the order of the steps is also important.

Cheers and good progress with your project.
Looking forward yo updates along the way.
 
Charlie, at the risk of sounding like a broken record, I analyze the last line of yours above.

If you are considering doing cams before a CAI I would counsel against that.
You should do together or the CAI first, but not cams first.

Reason is a K&N of your vintage is really not in the game anymore as far as moving a large volume of air.
It is barely able to improve upon your stock engine so it will restrict your cam’s performance should you do cams first.

I was diplomatic previously but I fear sometimes the message gets missed.

Am doing this from experience to save all readers of this forum some time, headaches and money.

I want to be respectful
The readers decision at all times.
I just don’t want to be misunderstood or misinterpreted.

Like Trevor said, the order of the steps is also important.

Cheers and good progress with your project.
Looking forward yo updates along the way.
Marc,
No I understood your point completely and did not at all take it in the wrong way. I would do cams and JLT Cold Air at the Same time if I could. If not I would do JLT CAI first and then the cams. Definitely JLT CAI would be done at the same time or before. Because I would gain better results with my tune even if I cannot swing the longtubes right away.

I know if I was looking for Cold air it would not be K&N now. Lol. It came on the car and never really looked into it until you brought it up I guess.

I agree with you It is all about saving the readers of the forum the expense of doing the wrong mods or not at the right time.

I am learning lots and will definitely learn some more I am positive.

Thanks for the well wishes Marc.
 
Yeah brakes are tricky. Do I go Cobra?? Need to research what most are doing I guess.

Power control arms? Not sure have ever heard of those. They go by another name?

Also as I have a vert and still enjoy the Sunday drives and being able to talk to my Co pilot I wonder how the long tubes will affect the noise. Any of you ever regret it? I know with every change there are sacrifices. Lol

Re-read my post.
It’s power. Period.
Then the next sentence starts with Control arms...

You are right to be suspicious.
There is mo such thing as “power control arms”.

As for long tubes go, yes they increase the level of noise.
My nickname for them is actually “trumpets”.
I would encourage you to speak with Aaron on that specifically.
He has a vert and did long tubes.
He could give you the before and after verdict.

If you want sound and a bit more power, you could do just cams (and don’t forget CAI) and keep your shorty headers.
There is no hard rule. You decide.
Just know that you are leaving some power on the table, but your car will be more passenger friendly for sure.

I had actually done that on my 05 and there was still a power improvement.
For that you can ask Max for feedback.
He did cams and charge motion delete plates only last summer.
He noticed more power and smoothness but car still quiet.

It is ip to you to decide how far you want to go.
Remember what I said yesterday, exhaust can be done at anytime and separate from other mods.
 
Haha sorry Marc my mistake. It is true what they say....a period or not can change everything. Lol

Glad to hear you did notice a hood difference even thoigh you didn't do long tubes on your current ride. Like you said if want to take a chance and not do them it can be done at later time.

I did speak to Max which actually brought up the question I asked about the sound. He is also on the fence and does not want ro cross the line.

One thing I cannot forget is I do not want to lose drive ability for the sake of a few extra HP in the end. I want a bit more ummff but still want it to be our first pick on a Sunday afternoon drive.

Taking everyone's input and suggestions I am sure will help me get there. At the end of the day I love my car and would not mind keeping it for a few years linger.
 
A lot of this discussion is ringing true to my experience...... I decided to get a set of Kooks long tubes on my '06, they were a beautiful piece, got up-sold by the shop to include ceramic coating, looked amazing, but holy hell the whole job was expensive. No cams, just CAI and headers with a tune.

Downside, I went to pick it up and the car was at another shop getting a front end alignment done, apparently they dropped the front suspension to be able to get the long tubes installed.

Double downside, talk about increasing the level of noise....I regretted the mod as soon as I started it and drove away. I was not a fan of the sound, funny that my exact description was "trumpeting". Not what you want to hear after spending several thousand dollars with no real going back.

The GT350 is at least as loud, if not louder, but there's a sound I have no issue with.

Do your research before committing, exhaust sound can be so subjective.....
 
A lot of this discussion is ringing true to my experience...... I decided to get a set of Kooks long tubes on my '06, they were a beautiful piece, got up-sold by the shop to include ceramic coating, looked amazing, but holy hell the whole job was expensive. No cams, just CAI and headers with a tune.

Downside, I went to pick it up and the car was at another shop getting a front end alignment done, apparently they dropped the front suspension to be able to get the long tubes installed.

Double downside, talk about increasing the level of noise....I regretted the mod as soon as I started it and drove away. I was not a fan of the sound, funny that my exact description was "trumpeting". Not what you want to hear after spending several thousand dollars with no real going back.

The GT350 is at least as loud, if not louder, but there's a sound I have no issue with.

Do your research before committing, exhaust sound can be so subjective.....
Yeah I have heard similar comments. We need them to breath but the downside is we may not like the result of the louder exhaust. I guess it all comes down to preference and what we do with the car on a normal basis.
I know the car needs to breath.
 
I started with MBRP Race series catbacks with the resonator deleted. It sounded fine for exhaust note but restricted.

A big jump from stock and a good product at a lower investment. Canadian made, by the way....

Adding BBK LTs freed the flow. Flounder but a more comfortable note. Lots under throttle, but can almost sneak out of the neighborhood other than the cold start idle. Co-pilot actually thought is was a tamer sound with headers. No heat and no need for a sound tube!
 
I started with MBRP Race series catbacks with the resonator deleted. It sounded fine for exhaust note but restricted.

A big jump from stock and a good product at a lower investment. Canadian made, by the way....

Adding BBK LTs freed the flow. Flounder but a more comfortable note. Lots under throttle, but can almost sneak out of the neighborhood other than the cold start idle. Co-pilot actually thought is was a tamer sound with headers. No heat and no need for a sound tube!
I used to run mbrp cans on my snowmobiles. Was always a great product.

I am glad to get a co-pilots take on it as well.
 
Haha sorry Marc my mistake. It is true what they say....a period or not can change everything. Lol

Glad to hear you did notice a hood difference even thoigh you didn't do long tubes on your current ride. Like you said if want to take a chance and not do them it can be done at later time.

I did speak to Max which actually brought up the question I asked about the sound. He is also on the fence and does not want ro cross the line.

One thing I cannot forget is I do not want to lose drive ability for the sake of a few extra HP in the end. I want a bit more ummff but still want it to be our first pick on a Sunday afternoon drive.

Taking everyone's input and suggestions I am sure will help me get there. At the end of the day I love my car and would not mind keeping it for a few years linger.

It was on a previous car I did cams with no headers. A 2005.
Actually the one in the calendar from April.
But results a I described above.

From what you say above here, just get a good modern CAI, the cams and good tune.
Custom preferable, and you will be happy.
Does not have to be very aggressive cam.
Middle of the road, similar to hot rod cams for 3 valve cars.
Will maintain drivability and be user friendly, and allow retention of variable cam timing, if you have that on your car.

I’m not a 2 valve connaisseur but I would think this will get you at least 40 to 50 hp or a bit more.
Harder to quantify and not often talked about, will also give you better, more instant throttle response.
This will make it more fun to drive too.

You will still have very good drivability, meaning low end torque because of two things.
1- you will retain your stock intake manifold, which is designed for driveability, and
2- your current exhaust provides more back pressure than long tubes and this is a good thing to retain low end torque.

You will enjoy the old school rumble of the cams, the music that your car will make.
But the sound will not overwhelm you and take over, meaning the volume of the music will be reasonable.

To be perfectly honest, I stopped listening to the radio in my green car after I got the LT’s.
I had to turn the volume up so much to hear the music over the exhaust that it was not music anymore.
It was just

My wife will tolerate it for short runs.
Moncton would be about the limit, but she will not go on multiple day drives or longer distance road trips in it in the future.
She has made that clear.
She says it starts to give her a headache after a while.

It has lots of character but it is not for everyone.
I will not put LT’s on the 2015.
One car with that setup is enough.
 
I started with MBRP Race series catbacks with the resonator deleted. It sounded fine for exhaust note but restricted.

A big jump from stock and a good product at a lower investment. Canadian made, by the way....

Adding BBK LTs freed the flow. Flounder but a more comfortable note. Lots under throttle, but can almost sneak out of the neighborhood other than the cold start idle. Co-pilot actually thought is was a tamer sound with headers. No heat and no need for a sound tube!

sooo yours is LT, mid pipe (h or x??) then mbrp... ok. My question is: how’s the highway drive? From what i understand, unless pedal to the metal (and out of drone territory, of course) can still be civilized after a cold start? Like you would take it to montreal civilized? That’s a drive i have already done twice in mine, cammed and not lol.

i come from a little turbo four with 3´´ catted downpipe and 3´´ roush catback. Drove that to montreal and left it there lol ?. Tring to avoid a big exhaust F-up as i did the other time.... As Charlie said above, scared to go above the line, as i know exactly what it is to cross the damn line ??‍♂️ you know, when even you are tired of the long drive? ?
 
A bit of heat on the transmission tunnel but nothing to make car uncomfortable.
Mechanically, it’s a good thing because that is heat that is being taken away from the engine.
I would think convertible down helps dissipate that heat more than in a hard top.

Don’t even get hung up on heat.
Focus on sound level vs power/performance gains.
 
Max, and Charlie, for that matter.
What is a tolerable sound level for one may not be for another.
Very subjective.
You should ask to get in with someone that has LT’s and go for a drive to see for yourself.
I’d be glad to take you along next opportunity.
I’m sure Aaron would as well.
And what you are willing to put up with may not be for your co-pilot.
 
As has been said, mods can be done in any order, but HP gains come
with the right parts added at right time, so doing In a certain order makes sense.
Budget is also a consideration, as thats how this topic started.

Long tubes and exhaust are very subjective, with right parts before
big gains come from right flow, as also said up thread.
But with everything comes choice.
farther you go with suspension, nicer ride goes away.
Sometimes finding the balance is the hardest part.
Also no one wants to spend 3k on exhaust system to realize
its too loud.

This is where homework comes in. Remember this started as away to add
100+hp over time. A person can start a kiddy, wait 2-3 years and add SC
for 5-8k with ver little other mods to get 100 + hp

As with all things in life its choices. End of day each person and car is unique to them.
Some are happy with 250-300 HP and gives them more than enough for great
Sunday afternoon drive and the odd little bit of spirited driving.
Knowing where you want to be, is as important as the journey of getting there.
 
Marc,

I appreciate your honesty

I would be ok With trying the cams, CAI and a custom tune and seeing where it takes me. I like the rumble of cams and the music they make. I know they would be better and have a different sound with the long tubes however I am just not sure if that would be the route for my weekend driver. I wish they would be easier to test. Lol

At the end of the day I do not want to be that guy that loses too much drivebilty in the end when it is all said and done. I still want to enjoy it and my passenger as well.

The way I look at it I guess I have had it since 07 so anything more I do should make a difference to the way it drives and pulls anyways. If I am not happy with that I can always go further.
 
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