So I cashed in some company stock...time for MOAR power

JJ650

Golden Member
Apr 16, 2000
1,959
0
76
If I have enough left over after a couple of home projects, the G8 will finally get some mods.

Starting with:
http://www.vararam.com/g8.html

Next:
http://dougthorleyheaders.com/products/sfID1/9/productID/1030
Having a local shop remove the resonator/midpipe and welding in a X-pipe.
I will keep the stock axle backs to keep the drone at bay. I don't want it to be obnoxious sounding.

To make use of the better breathing I decided to look into Vector Motor Sports http://www.vectormotorsports.com/) or drive up to PCMforLess and have them do a dyno tune. I'm leaning towards Vector since I could always flash back to stock should the need to do any sort of warranty work pop up.


After all that, maybe a Pedders kit to top it all off. :D
 

Dr. Detroit

Diamond Member
Sep 25, 2004
8,528
932
126
Get a Corsa exhaust. Buddy has one with Kootks LT headers on his Camaro SS and its pretty mellow in everyday driving but when he gets on it, it makes small children cry.

If you add headers you have to get a dyno tune.
 

overst33r

Diamond Member
Oct 3, 2004
5,761
12
81
Get a Corsa exhaust. Buddy has one with Kootks LT headers on his Camaro SS and its pretty mellow in everyday driving but when he gets on it, it makes small children cry.

If you add headers you have to get a dyno tune.

Nearly $1.5k for a corsa exhaust. They sound nice, but so does the setup he suggested. Personally I'd rather save the money for a mild cam install or a few HPDEs. To each his own...
 
Last edited:

EightySix Four

Diamond Member
Jul 17, 2004
5,122
52
91
Vararam's are pretty well known for dropping times at the track despite average dyno results, which means the ram air effect had to be working, at least on the vettes I'd see it on.

As far as the tuning goes, I'd recommend picking up HPTuners and learning to do it yourself. You can go back to stock whenever you want and learn more about your car than you ever would have otherwise.
 

JJ650

Golden Member
Apr 16, 2000
1,959
0
76
Get a Corsa exhaust. Buddy has one with Kootks LT headers on his Camaro SS and its pretty mellow in everyday driving but when he gets on it, it makes small children cry.

If you add headers you have to get a dyno tune.

The Corsa sound nice, but I seriously want to keep drone down. I thought about doing a complete Kooks exhaust package, but the price is up there. With the DT headers and having a local shop do the rest (midpipe delete/X-pipe install) I save close to $400. I don't think the POSSIBLE 1-2 hp from a complete Kooks or ARH setup will be missed, especially at the cost. Now if I were going for great ETs or HP chasing, then yeah.

Vector really doesn't require a dyno tune as they have done many a tune on the G8's with various setups. Even though every car is unique to some degree their tunes have great returns. The dyno tune negates a flash back to stock ECM settings should the need arise. I could always get a core ECM to throw in.
Also, since there IS NOT a flash counter on the G8 ECM/TCM I can flash, reflash to my heart's content.
 

JJ650

Golden Member
Apr 16, 2000
1,959
0
76
Vararam's are pretty well known for dropping times at the track despite average dyno results, which means the ram air effect had to be working, at least on the vettes I'd see it on.

As far as the tuning goes, I'd recommend picking up HPTuners and learning to do it yourself. You can go back to stock whenever you want and learn more about your car than you ever would have otherwise.

YEah. People slam Vararam dyno results all of the time. No ram air sitting on a dyno with just a large fan blowing across an open hood. The New Era or Roto-fab setups aren't bad either. Just mod the snorkel @ the bottom of the intake for more cool air from under the car.
 

overst33r

Diamond Member
Oct 3, 2004
5,761
12
81
I agree 1000%, STAY AWAY FROM MTI

Take a look at this thread, read through the entire thing.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-forced-induction-nitrous/2238645-mti-tvs1900-and-my-c6.html

It looks to me they handled it pretty well... even the customer thinks so...

He did get ripped off, but that's his fault for not doing research. He basically spent $30k+ for what could have been done for less than $10k.

I wanted to post this last night but the internet at my hotel was out.

I picked up my car at MTI yesterday, and went over everything with Reese.

The reason for the overheating was actually due to the A/C condenser being clogged with gravel and seeds, weeds and leaves. All this I could not see as the condenser was buried between the heat exchanger and radiator. When Reese took the heat exchanger off to install the custom one, he saw immediately why there was no airflow.

He replaced the a/c condenser, as they couldn't get everything out of it. Then installed the new heat exchanger. So, in reality all the problem with heat was NOT the fault of MTI in any way. I remember where I must have picked up all that junk.

So, all the noise I made about the cooling was my fault entirely. Still, Reese picked up the tab for the shipping and didn't charge me anything for the custom heat exchanger. He was very upset thinking that he had missed something. We were both relieved that there was nothing wrong with their kit.

I want to publicy apologise to Reese and all the guys at MTI who busted their tails to get this all fixed.

The cause of the problem was something beyond their control.

Reese didn't have to eat the cost of all the stuff he did replacing the heat exchanger. He was well within his rights to tell me to take a flying leap, after everything I have posted. He went way above and beyond to make my car perfect.

By the way, the car runs cool, and hauls azz!

Peace out

GM
 

JJ650

Golden Member
Apr 16, 2000
1,959
0
76
Kooks 1-7/8" + 3" X-Pipe + 3" Spintech

Do it!

If I don't do the DT's, I'll go Kooks, but I am keeping stock axle backs. Like I said, I REALLY don't want this to be too loud. I routinely have a baby in the back along with grandmother on weekend visits, and complaints about a loud car is the last thing I want.
 

IcePickFreak

Platinum Member
Jul 12, 2007
2,428
9
81
If your still running stock tuning, those mods with a tune will make a huge difference along with the tuning. A TCM tune alone is a night & day difference.

I'm also not sold on the 1-7/8" primaries, we're only talking 364ci to begin with. I much rather keep some low/mid range torque, this is a 4 door daily driver that see's some occasional track use, and I'm not driving around at 4k rpm on the street. So I've been looking at the DT longtubes as well since they're 1-3/4" primaries and obviously their tri-y design for better low end as well.
 

overst33r

Diamond Member
Oct 3, 2004
5,761
12
81
If your still running stock tuning, those mods with a tune will make a huge difference along with the tuning. A TCM tune alone is a night & day difference.

I'm also not sold on the 1-7/8" primaries, we're only talking 364ci to begin with. I much rather keep some low/mid range torque, this is a 4 door daily driver that see's some occasional track use, and I'm not driving around at 4k rpm on the street. So I've been looking at the DT longtubes as well since they're 1-3/4" primaries and obviously their tri-y design for better low end as well.

http://www.ls1tech.com/forums/gener...motor-1-3-4-vs-1-7-8-engine-dyno-results.html

Not much fundamental difference between his engine and the LS1. I wish he would have included dyno graphs, but it basically says there's no difference down low, while up high the 7/8 are better.
 
Last edited:

JJ650

Golden Member
Apr 16, 2000
1,959
0
76
Yeah, if I track this (or if I ever go with a maggie later on) 1 7/8" are the way to go.

Right now, I have no mods (tuning or otherwise) and the DT's are winning purely on a cost basis. I'm still thinking things thru and looking at different avenues. I wouldn't even mind a used set with low mileage, but I would prefer new.

I just wish the complete Kooks setup was a bit cheaper.
 

IcePickFreak

Platinum Member
Jul 12, 2007
2,428
9
81
First, I find it almost impossible that they were spot-on indentical down low, considering even the peak numbers were relatively close any differences down low should be noted (as you said, they should have included the dyno charts). I've seen that thread, and plenty of others just like it before anyway and they go both ways. It's usually different brands of headers so theres other things to take into account (primary length, collector size, merge spikes, etc) and miraculously it seems whatever the preferred 'house brand' is for the place doing the testing is the one that concluded as the superior header.

That said, that's at WOT anyway. This is mainly a daily driver car that spends 95%, if not more, not at WOT. If you're building a car for mainly for the track, then sure I can see going with the bigger primaries. But for a daily driven street car I still think the slightly smaller primaries are the way to go, not to mention the DT aren't a true full length header anyway since their a Tri-Y design - which is, again, designed for better low end torque & partial throttle response.
 

ponyo

Lifer
Feb 14, 2002
19,688
2,811
126
http://www.ls1tech.com/forums/gener...motor-1-3-4-vs-1-7-8-engine-dyno-results.html

Not much fundamental difference between his engine and the LS1. I wish he would have included dyno graphs, but it basically says there's no difference down low, while up high the 7/8 are better.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-tech-performance/2238116-1-3-4-vs-1-7-8-header-swap-results.html

This guy PowerLabs did the 3/4 to 7/8 swap to test on his SC LS2. He said, "Conclusion: The 1 7/8" headers gave up *nothing* in the low end, in fact gaining a small amount of torque, while maing slightly more power. If you aready have 1 3/4" headers, and are making similar numbers, spending the money to "upgrade" to 1 7/8" is not a good investment given the minimal gains
If you have a F/I car, or are thinking of going to F/I, there is no reason not to get 1 7/8" headers, given the extra power with no trade-offs
If you have a F/I car making a LOT more power than me, you stand to gain a LOT more from the header swap, since smaller primaries will always "max out" sooner. That said, 600WHP does not appear to be the point where they max out."

Basically there's not much difference between the two but if you're buying new, there's really no reason to go with 3/4 unless it's cheaper.
 

Hyperlite

Diamond Member
May 25, 2004
5,664
2
76
every time i read the title of this thread i think you crashed into something.