[rhudeboye]

<!--quoteo(post=80960:date=Sep 29 2009, 12:08 PM:name=flash)-->QUOTE (flash @ Sep 29 2009, 12:08 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->lol - digressing from the poll for just a moment, well, i guess it depends on from where you are starting -
get a large comparative amount of power for the dollar - not the few dollars it used to be, but still probably the best bang for the buck<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

On topic as this thread is all about how our cars breath. Wish I could change the topic so people don't feel compelled to list suspension mods.

Best bang? Nope, that's gotta be the chip. I felt very little change after drilling the box. I could hear it and feel it near the top end but compared to the chip, not even close. But it's best to do them both at the same time. So call it a $150.00 mod

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[flash]

odd - the dyno shows that the airbox mod, at the proven 10.8hp got over 75% of the power of the best chip tested at the time - you have to use the K&N to get it, but it was definitely there - even if you had to buy everything, and that pushed the cost to about $80, that's still $7.4/hp versus at least $10/hp for a chip

but some of them do work best together (like the rs barn chip) - some chips get a bit scary, and don't work well at all with the airbox mod

i'll fix your topic for you

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[rhudeboye]

<!--quoteo(post=80963:date=Sep 29 2009, 12:35 PM:name=flash)-->QUOTE (flash @ Sep 29 2009, 12:35 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->the dyno shows that the airbox mod, at the proven 10.8hp got over 75% of the power of the best chip tested at the time
i'll fix your topic for you<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->



Wouldn't have guessed it. I was simply going by the seat of the pants feel and I did my upgrades seperately and months apart, so I really got use to the feel of the car.

1st I added the K&N filter- Noticeable rev difference. Quicker and I could hear a difference in the whirl of the air.

Months later, I did the ABM- In low RPMs I could hear the difference but felt nothing, well, maybe a little something. But as I climbed above 4.5 or so I could feel
more then the typical push. It seemed to stretch for 6.8 rev mark w/o loosing its push as it has before. I ran with a TL that day also and this was evident as I walked away at the top of 4th.

Then, many months later Pete did the RSB chip. <b>DAYUM</b>! That thing put my car in a whole different league. What I could do at 2.5K was amazing and then I still had more as I passed 4k. No comparison as far as my car is concerned.

I'm hoping the cat does similar.


Thanx for the fix Flash.

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[flash]

ah - now it all makes sense - had you have done all of the box stuff at once, you likely would have felt a larger change

the chip would definitely have more of an effect down low than the box mod, and it would be very noticeable

the cat won't change things much (i actually saw some low end torque loss with a few different hi-flow cats on mine - i went back to OEM)

a cat-back won't help a lot either (other than the weight loss and tone improvement, which can be enough by itself to make driving more fun) - you may see a bit of smoothing and throttle response improvement though

the header will make significant change

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[rhudeboye]

<!--quoteo(post=80968:date=Sep 29 2009, 01:31 PM:name=flash)-->QUOTE (flash @ Sep 29 2009, 01:31 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->the cat won't change things much (i actually saw some low end torque loss with a few different hi-flow cats on mine - i went back to OEM)

a cat-back won't help a lot either (other than the weight loss and tone improvement, which can be enough by itself to make driving more fun) - you may see a bit of smoothing and throttle response improvement though

the header will make significant change<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

That's both disappointingly informative. Ahhhh, I guess I already knew it. That's why I'd rather buy the cat back used and save my coin for the headers/labor.

Hey, did you do stage 2 and 3 or did you go directly up to the the level of insanity that your at now?

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[flash]

lol - my process was at least convoluted, and definitely circuitous, but, i went from stock with a K&N to stage 1, testing chips and intakes as i did it, to stage 2, to where i am now, stopping along the way to mess with 11 different cat backs, a half dozen different cats, and a few more intake mods

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[rhudeboye]

[img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif[/img] [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif[/img] and we benefit from your time and expense as to what worked and didnt. Thanks Flash.

I do think I'll shoot for the headers stage 2 chip and catback next... I think.
Seems to be the most rewarding in the HP dept.

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[flash]

yup - you won't recognize the car

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[Cloud9...68]

Current
RacerX chip
Stock headers and exhaust
4 hole Airbox mod

Next step
RS Barn Header, Cat Back, High Flow Cat Converter (I think - there seems to be some debate on this one), RSB Stage 2 chip

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[flash]

not so sure it's really a "debate" - i just didn't have good results with any of the 5 different ones i tried - none of them sucked or anything - i gained some top end on some, but seemed to have lost some low end, and more importantly was running VERY dirty - i had to fiddle with things to get it to pass emissions - i went back to OEM - runs very clean now, and while i may have lost a touch up at the very top (over 7k), it runs very well down low - good compromise for me

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[Cloud9...68]

<!--quoteo(post=81013:date=Sep 30 2009, 12:51 PM:name=flash)-->QUOTE (flash @ Sep 30 2009, 12:51 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->not so sure it's really a "debate" - i just didn't have good results with any of the 5 different ones i tried - none of them sucked or anything - i gained some top end on some, but seemed to have lost some low end, and more importantly was running VERY dirty - i had to fiddle with things to get it to pass emissions - i went back to OEM - runs very clean now, and while i may have lost a touch up at the very top (over 7k), it runs very well down low - good compromise for me<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Yeah, that's what I was referring to. Based on your results, it doesn't look like a high flow cat is really a good bet...

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[flash]

the problem is that it takes some pretty fancy welding to refit the OEM cat into an aftermarket header and cat-back - pete wanted a true "bolt-up" package, and put together one with a cat that works pretty well, but may not be "perfect" - the performance outweighs anything else for most people though

i think he recently found a new metal cat he can get too, which would work better on emissions

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[rhudeboye]

<!--quoteo(post=81011:date=Sep 30 2009, 10:46 AM:name=Cloud9...68)-->QUOTE (Cloud9...68 @ Sep 30 2009, 10:46 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Current
RacerX chip
Stock headers and exhaust
4 hole Airbox mod

Next step
RS Barn Header, Cat Back, High Flow Cat Converter (I think - there seems to be some debate on this one), RSB Stage 2 chip<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

We're in the same spot Cloud.
Looking at my cash. It appears that 1000 gets me the power (headers) and I can hold off on the sound (keep orig cat back). Not sure why I didnt plan it out that way before. I will also be able to use the trade in w/ the chip.

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[flash]

plan on spending a bit at a good muffler shop to fit up the OEM cat - you'll also either have to tow it there (since you can't drive it without the cat-back)

so, first you will have to find someone who will do it - then they will have to make up adaptor tubing to fit it, because the OEM cat is not round tubing - a couple of us have done it, but it isn't simple

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[rhudeboye]

<!--quoteo(post=81017:date=Sep 30 2009, 11:23 AM:name=flash)-->QUOTE (flash @ Sep 30 2009, 11:23 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->plan on spending a bit at a good muffler shop to fit up the OEM cat -<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Point noted.

back to the poll-
I'm surprised how many of us are running completely stock exhausts.

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[Johannvb]

<!--quoteo(post=81027:date=Sep 30 2009, 09:34 PM:name=rhudeboye)-->QUOTE (rhudeboye @ Sep 30 2009, 09:34 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->I'm surprised how many of us are running completely stock exhausts.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

I think it is because of the cost. A full system is $2000, and that can buy you a lot of other things. I find $2000 a very big expense for 10 - 20 hp, especially if my stock exhaust is still in good shape. But once I have the cash lying around and no other maintenance needs to be done, I will consider a new exhaust system.

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[flash]

you are not alone

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[SILVY968]

I did not see a place to vote if you have removed the front plate from the resonator.
I did and I wonder if anyone else did.
Brian

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[flash]

yeah - there probably should be an "other" category

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[Mark]

I can't vote for each car so I have abstained. [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif[/img]

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