Quick Question on Mild Mods...

[SSSeeYa]

I'm looking to keep my stock exhaust note exactly as it is, so that rules out Catback/X-Pipes. What I was hoping to do is slap on a CAI, 2.93 Pulley and chip to get as much power as I could without changing my exhaust not. Should I expect complications by not opening up my exhaust more and increasing intake and boost? By nixing the exhaust change, what can I expect out of a 2.93, CAI, and chip-is it worth my time even at that point?

Another quick question, any idea what the logic was in putting softer springs in the verts verses the coupe? Was it just to soften the ride or is there a more 'techie' performance reason?

 

[2003 Term'nator]

I can't really help you with the mods except to say that common sense would dictate that if you open up the airflow on the front you should open it up on the back end also. I don't think you will get the most out of your pully and intake unless you free up the exhaust but I have no idea if there are any long term durability issues. About the vert springs, I initially thought about ride quality and I posted the same question. It seems that there might be an issue of the vert chassis not being rigid enough to handle stiffer springs, see my post in this thread and the response just below it:

http://www.svtperformance.com/forum...perpage=25&highlight=irs springs&pagenumber=2

 

[SSSeeYa]

Interesting. I've not ridden in the coupes, is the ride that much softer over them? I wonder if it is true that the Vert is as delicate as mentioned in that thread... Oh well. The biggest concern for me at the moment is with the pulley/chip/intake. I'm hoping it doesn't cause long term issues, in the worst case I might just have to let go of my like of the stock sound levels and do a catted X and Catback.

Any other thoughts on this?

 

[RedfireVenom]

I would at least do cat-back without the x-pipes. It won't be as loud, but if you put a pulley and CAI you will definitely need to do exhaust. I've seen a car get around 420 RWHP with CAI, CHIP, and Pulley, but with exhaust I've seen cars in the 450-460s. I got 413 with just CAI and exhaust.

 

[SSSeeYa]

Originally posted by RedfireVenom
I would at least do cat-back without the x-pipes. It won't be as loud, but if you put a pulley and CAI you will definitely need to do exhaust. I've seen a car get around 420 RWHP with CAI, CHIP, and Pulley, but with exhaust I've seen cars in the 450-460s. I got 413 with just CAI and exhaust.

might I be better served with an Electric Cutout? I saw brief mention where some people were replacing the 1st two cats with these to open up wide when they wanted to run. Only thing is I'm not so sure how much losing 2 cats would affect the noise/fume level. From the sounds of it so far, I'm going to have to get an exhaust setup if I want to carry any sort of power-and with a vert's extra weight, I really need all the extra power I can muster.

 

[2003 Term'nator]

Everything is a trade-off: more power=more decibels. Depending on what your root reason is for wanting to keep the stock sound (not drawing LEO attention, having a sleeper, Wife Approval Factor, etc.) you might want to listen to various exhausts in person and try to find one you think you can live with.

 

[jshen]

Your Exhaust System

As stock has 30 POUNDS of back pressure! 5.0 Mustang mag did a thing on the KB install and their tests show 30 lbs..incredibly high and probably done to keep the stock hp numbers down. Look at your stock pipe just in front of the muffler..it goes from 2 1/2 down to about 2". When a simple 2 1/2" mandrel bend cat back was installed, the back pressure decreased to 15...[still a lot]. I love the magnaflow system...and Bassani baffles...and the Steeda CAI round it out quite nice...

 

[SSSeeYa]

Re: Your Exhaust System

Originally posted by jshen
As stock has 30 POUNDS of back pressure! 5.0 Mustang mag did a thing on the KB install and their tests show 30 lbs..incredibly high and probably done to keep the stock hp numbers down. Look at your stock pipe just in front of the muffler..it goes from 2 1/2 down to about 2". When a simple 2 1/2" mandrel bend cat back was installed, the back pressure decreased to 15...[still a lot]. I love the magnaflow system...and Bassani baffles...and the Steeda CAI round it out quite nice...

I'm not familiar with the Baffles. With the Magnaflow and this baffle set up how does your tone compare to stock? Less deep? much louder?

 

[03DOHC]

My buddy got ~425rwhp with a 4lb lower and a dyno tuned chip and nothing else. I got 412rwhp w/exhaust and 9"K&N and no chip.

Bassani baffles in my maggies are still louder than stock, but quieter than w/out.

 

[slow lane]

Pulley, Chip, CAI ... 430 / 460 since last October.

Very happy with the combo. I will likely do an exhaust swap and a reburn eventually, but I am going to wait until the wife will let me do the full exhaust including some type of headers. The extra 20-30 HP and 10-20 TQ just don't seem worth the expense, the noise or the fight with the wife.

The 30 lbs of backpressure was with a twin screw blower stuffing an enormous amount of boost through the stock exhaust. The exhaust is the major restriction with pulley, chip, CAI combo, but it's not nearly as big an issue as Jshen is putting it out to be.

Your main problem with the pulley, chip, CAI combo will be traction.

 

[2003 Term'nator]

Originally posted by slow lane


Your main problem with the pulley, chip, CAI combo will be traction.

 

[jhwalker]

I hit the traction issue (which resulted in either wheelspin or wheelhop) as soon as I switched to the K&N filter, which I did just as I also benefited from some 'breakin' increase in power. It got to where I did not want to jump on it because of the unpredictable results (usually violent wheelhop). If you search on wheelhop you probably get many hundred posts, and the cures are well documented. Subframe connectors (also much search commentary available) really helped the Vert feel more solid, and the rollbar felt like it tied together the back half of the car. I still want the front to have a more taut feeling on rough pavement.
By the way, love my MagnaFlows, but they are definitely not a stock sound.
JW

 

[2003 Term'nator]

What kind of roll bar do you have? Pictures? I want to put a roll bar in eventually (not a light bar) for both marginal safety and handling.

 

[jjksutton]

I've been told an FR500 catback is pretty close to stock in terms of sound...

 

[jhwalker]

Originally posted by 2003 Term'nator
What kind of roll bar do you have? Pictures? I want to put a roll bar in eventually (not a light bar) for both marginal safety and handling.

I'll get off my lazy a** and post soon. It was made by B&D in Canoga Park, Ca.
JW