So, looking to start collecting stuff for a day's work of adding stuff onto the Camaro.

First off, the intake setup. Can I port out the intake manifold at all? And will it help? Second, a good cold air intake would be good I am guessing. I am thinking of getting and actual hood scoop setup that would flow directly back, instead of the stock airbox.

Second, exhaust. I am going to be ordering headers soon. I will do the exhaust within a month probably. I would really hate for the car to sound tinny. I know it won't rumble like a V8, but I would like it to still sound perfomance oriented. Any suggestions on muffler brands? Exhaust size? Can I simply get rid of the cat. from the car? Or is there o2 sensors to deal with?

Ordering Aurora wires, and either Bosch or NGK plugs this week.

I am running 91 octane in the car already.

I am looking for a programmer that will add reliable horsepower. someone had already suggested pcm4less, but looking for as many options as possible.

I have a water/methanol injection system in my now dead 93 diesel. wondering if anyone has run methanol injection on the 3.8 yet? it is fairly easy to set up, but I want feedback first if possible.

The car has 3.42's but no posi. which rearend would the be? 7.5"? what other cars had posi's that would work? That's one thing I really would like to have right away. I am going to be driving this car through winter, and would like two tires instead of one. The 3.42's will be staying in the car. I bought it for road trips out to Alberta to see my girlfriend, and I like the lower RPMs on the road.

Please don't respond if you want to bash a v6 build. I love v8's, but this is kinda like me building up my 6.5TD instead of getting a newer diesel. I like to build things that are a little more unique that most. Not putting any 8's down, just saying I would like to have some fun with this six and see what she can reliably do.

 

You can't just get rid of the cat without setting off the CEL...there are two o2 sensors (at least, on my 96 RS there are), one in front of the cat and one behind. I fabricated a "mechanical o2 simulator" from a couple of spark plug non-foulers which actually has worked thus far in preventing the CEL, even with a bad cat. Let me know if you want more info on this...took a little work but only cost $3.

Any reason for this? In stock form the 3800 won't see any benefit from premium gas.

 

Intake:
Really anything will work in this area...the cheap chrome intakes on ebay work great with a K&N filter...and that's alot cheaper setup than the actual ridiculously expensive K&N setup

Exhaust:
Texas Speed and Performance has a great catback system that has a nice rumble from what i've heard...flowmaster is also a good option...one of these with either PaceSetter or RKSport headers and a hi flow cat will give you a nice complete system for bout a grand

Tuning:
Not sure the best route for this the big boys on this forum would know more bout the best options but i have heard good things bout pcmforless and also hptuners but not sure if hptuners has anything for 6s

Fuel:
Never done anythin with injection and Moso is right...there is no advantage to running high octane cept draining from ur modding money quicker

Hope this helps...

 

The intake is not a bottleneck so you will not see much gain there. The intake gaskets are known for problem so if your's is orginal it not a bad project. You can match up the ports to reduce the turbulance in the intake some. Won't give you much tho. I am also not sure how much headers are going to give you because the 2002 manifold are really not that bad.

Here is what OBX headers/Magnaflow cat back sound like.

http://s226.photobucket.com/albums/d...ent=Drive1.flv

 

yea, i was just running a tank of 91 through with some octane booster for kicks only. typically don't run the stuff, just thought to see if it would make a difference. price of gas is something i look at somewhat, so I am not planning on constant 91 in the tank.

i was just thinking to pull intake and see if i could pull smoother flow from it.

i am really leaning strongly towards doing a custom hood scoop, similar to a ram air setup, to really get the air flowing through the box. anyone have pics of air box mods?

i want to keep my money to engine at around $1000. would rather save for a v8 swap, but like i said, i still want to see what she will do.

good to know on the manifolds. i think i had read somewhere that they are a tube style, so good to have it confirmed that stock they are decent. so I will be looking to go CAT delete and dual 2.25" exhaust i think.

i will be checking out pcmforless shortly.

just one the one more point, i want to know what my rearend is. what size and such, and where i could get a proper posi back there.

i will probably rig up my methanol injection system on there, just to see how she responds.

 

Your also not going to see a lot if you "tune" a mostly stock motor, GM tunes are not really that bad. Once you motor is not stock anymore is where tuning it really starts to help.

Got any more info about the Methanol injection? I had done some research on water and Hydrogen (AKA Browns gas). But I know nothing about a stand along methanol system.

 

Hmm, help me out here guys. I went to a local exhaust shop and got a quote on a new exhaust. He tells me that it can't be true dual exhaust, which is fine then, i can maybe understand that. $1400 CDN gets me a brand new exhaust with high flow cat and muffler and two chrome tips. he said that when i do a v8 swap, i can bolt right up to the exhaust. $1400 wipes out my upgrade money. how hard is it to do the exhaust yourself? i built and installed the 4" stacks on my truck from turbo back, so i dont mind getting dirty.

Gorn, I am working on become a dealer for a water/methanol company. I bought one of their units and put it on my diesel. with that i was spraying a mix of 10%methanol/90% water to keep the egts down and the power up. it did make a noticeable difference. the controller i have lets me tap into the ecm and use that to actuate the pump. on the camaro i am thinking that i will just be spraying methanol and only above 4,000 rpms.

 

that is one expensive exhaust. i'd get a catback and bolt or weld it up yourself. it is possible to run true duals as well.

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2002-...=p4506.c0.m245

If you look around I am sure you can find the correct Magnaflow Cat, below is a weld in.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2002-...4506.m20.l1116
Should take about 2 hour to install it,

Have you thought about handling upgrade instead of motor? 32 MM hollow sway bar, Close ratio rack, Alumin Drveshaft. These are all GM SS upgrades

The V8 convertion is not worth it. The darn LS1 motors are not much cheaper then the cars they are in. There are just to many people that want them for hot rods. You will pay 4K for a doner car with decent miles. You can buy a same car not wreched for $7500. If you sell your V6 car for $4500 that means you got the Complete V8 car for 7500-4500=$3000. And it will take you about 150 hours to do the swap if youdecide too.

 

hmmm good points. I paid 6k CDN for the car. I have seen similar camaros, v6 equipped, selling for 8-9,000 with more miles and less options. so i could easily turn the car over next year for more than i paid for it. i am having a blast driving this car, the only thing i am missing is around 125 more ponies, lol. that's why i am thinking, a 1400 dollar exhaust may not be worth it. and i am not to sure about it just bolting up to a different engine. any v8 going in is going to have headers for sure.

handling is another thing i thought of today. i will check into those. next year i will either swap the engine for something else, or else swap the car for a v8 camaro. but, i do like wrenching, and i do really like this car. i think i will pass on the exhaust for now and just do plugs, wires, intake, and the methanol setup. the exhaust still looks brand new on the car, aside from the fact i think the CAT might be going.

if i keep the car, i will be putting money into body, handling, and engine. engine first, and then handling. it doesn't need to be an LS1, but would sure be nice.