manual transmission, the whole thing is stock as far as i can tell, kinda disappointed to hear it only had 160 HP, what should i do for Hp increase? one thing at a time, which should i do first/which is most effective for how much is cost


and do these chips i see on ebay really work?

 

chips do not work, especially on an unmodified engine. if you have a custom map made for you once you are very modded you will see gains, but to just slap a "chip" onto your car will do next to nothing. chances are it will just make you run rich and cause you to have to change ur plugs more often.

 

Don't look at it as "only" 160hp, look at it as 200ft-lbs of low-end torque! With all that torque, often hard to remember that these cars have a red-line for a reason, and it's perfectly safe to push the needle right up to it; feel free to push your engine for ever horse it's worth and you will rarely find it lacking for power in day-to-day driving.

As for upgrades, by far the cheapest, easiest and most effective is to sell it and buy a Z28[:'(]

 

^^^^^ its actually true, the money you would have to spend on a 3.4 to get good gains doesnt justify the platform to begin with. an lt1 z28 can be had for just a few K now. the 3.4 is far to economic based and has far too little aftermarket support

 

ok. how does a "performance air intake" sound?

 

There are a few little things you can do. K&N filter, change the plugs & wires if they haven't been done in a while, and keep the tire pressure good. I notice a distinct improvement in my 3.4L's performance on 5W30 Full Synthetic over dino or 10W30, too. And new oil over old. Had to stop around 150k and switch back to dino when it started weeping oil though.

The best part about this car is the handling- it's FUN to drive! Handles better than a Z28, too, because the front end is lighter. I noticed better handling with stiffer (higher speed rated) tires over the "comfortable" ones that were on it when I bought it. Honestly, unless you're doing drag racing or autocross, there's no reason to worry about the 160hp engine.

Edit: was composing while you asked about the filter. I saw a slight boost with a K&N filter. Might have even been placebo effect. But it won't hurt, and may boost you a few hp. I don't recall offhand, but I'm thinking it's supposed to be something like a 2-3hp gain. They work by letting more air (and more dirt) into the engine, so keep that in mind. Though, honestly, on a 95, I wouldn't worry about it!

 

alright thanks, looks like im going stock!

 

u mean how does it sound as in is it a good idea, or how does it make ur car sound?

an intake is a good first mod. it wont change the sound of ur car much

 

a lot of kids at my school, unintelligent ones, would hop in the car with me and look at my gauges and say "oh, this thing only can go 110" since all of their 90's camrys and accords have gauges of up to 130-150. I just chuckled, gunned it, and soon the needle was past the 110 marker, thanks to K&N Filter and a few other goodies.

Like grover said, don't think of it like that.

EDIT: also, grover was completely right with how fun these are to drive. I've driven around in accords, camrys and other "normal" cars, yet despite 160 hp, this car is one of the most fun i've ever driven, and like grover said because of the light weight. Steering is fun, turns are fun... enjoy! Also, make sure your pressure is right (on 3.4l v6's it should be 35 psi each tire) because it makes a huge difference. I originally got mine with about 30 and the two back tires, 20 on the front right and 15 on the front left... and it was noticeable in handling. I never let that happen again.

 

The engine cuts out at 110.. It can easily go past but does not allow it. Been there more than a few times. Don't waste your money on mods, keep it clean, give it a nice tune up (spark plugs, wires, antifreeze flush, tranny fluid) $80, cold air intake $200, 160 degree thermostat $12, and possibly a fan switch ($not much)so you can keep that engine as cold as possible whenever you want. The colder the 3.4 is the tighter and quicker you'll see the response. I'd say put about $300 and you'll have a nice looking car that can impress the ladies. If your having trouble keeping the front wheels clean get some ceramic brake pads, they work great for reducing dust and stopping on a dime.