So, i finally have a job making enough money to afford me some performance parts. My question is, what should i get first. I know a cat-back is usually the recommended starting point, but i dont want just a catback, if i do an exhaust, i want to do it all. You know, headers (what size?) 3inch cat-back (or should i try my hand at 2.5in dual?) and take that ragged, useless *** catalytic converter out. Or, alternately, should i start with my intake, since what i really want more than anything is to make my car pull harder past 4500 rpm...

in advance
-Todd

 

If you do, in fact, have the 2.73 rear gears like your profile states, an upgrade to a 3.23 or 3.42 would give you a noticeable improvement when you mash the gas.

 

do headers and catback...if only enough for one...do catback and then headers....

 

Gears are best bang for your buck. On my 93 I put a cat back on first and I saw a big differance and did not see much when I put the headers on but that car is a totaly different beast than a 3rd gen. If you go with gears I personaly like 3:73's. as long as you have an OD tranny its not that bad. And from 2:73 to 3:73 you will think you have a new car. I put 3:42's in my 88 and just wasnt happy with them BUT that is me. 3:42 is a good gear. but between 3:42 and 3:73 (3 tenths differance) you not looking at a big RPM differance. Also if you do the exhast take into consideration a duel cat Y-pipe. true duels are cool but clearance problems, custom exhaust gets costly and can give you a hasstle at state inspection time. The duel cat Y-pipe came stock on G92 optioned cars so its hard form "the man" to say anything about it and it will free up your rev's

 

No inspections here in florida, so wouldnt going with no cat be better? I'm obviously new at the engine stuff... I do like the idea of the gears, that was my other choice, also what about the cam? I think my engine has the "peanut" cam, right? (this seems like the cheapest thing i will be able to buy, how much can a scrap yard cam cost?) Thx for the replies so far, if anyone else has something to ad, I'd be very grateful!

-Todd

 

Yeah right, have you ever actually priced on of those for a third gen? Last one I saw was over $700

 

I would go with headers and a 3'' cat back with out the cat.... Then 3:42s or 3:73 at a later date... Exhaust is a fun upgrade. i cant wait till i do my gear swap!

 

If you plan on driving the car on the street, I would stay with the catalytic converter. It helps with emissions and the environment. You can get a good flowing catalytic converter from catco or random technologies. Go with a full 3" cat back with a good muffler, I prefer magnaflow and love the sound. Then go with a set of full length tuned headers, like the 3" collector hooker 2210s. That should improve things a good deal. After that go with a warmer cam, and either port the factory heads or get a set of aftermarket heads. I personally went with comp cam xr258hr12 and am very pleased with the power that cam makes. Needless to say, you would want to improve the intake some. If you choose to stay with the TPI, you can port and portmatch the base and plenum, and go with bigger runners, such as the SLP runners. Upgrade the injectors. Of course, non of this is going to work correctly without a proper wide band tune.

 

inspection or not its still illegal to take it off.

A good high flow cat wont hurt performance and will keep you legal and the tree huggers happy.

I would go the exhaust, and as for the gears, yes they are a good idea, but changing just the gears requires special tools or paying somebody to do it. A good alternative is to find a rear out of a 4th gen car, 98-02 is best. You can get you better gear ratio, better brakes and a good posi for not a lot of money. And it bolts right in, just have to rig up the parking brake and tweak the brake lines a bit and depending on the setup you have now, buy a couple flex hoses.

After that, get some good weld in subframe connectors, tires , shocks and springs.

there is no need to go with long tube headers. the headaches with hooking them up to the exhaust and loss of ground clearance is not worth the power you will most likely loose on a stock l03 motor. A good set of shorties with a 3" y pipe and catback will be plenty.

 

He actually has an LB9, not an LO3. Even so, a cam upgrade would definitely take advantage of long tube headers in that car without sacrificing low end torque (I believe that since it is an 89 MAF auto, it has the smaller cam, not the L98 cam). It needs to be done right = good tune and no mismatched parts.

 

oops, misread that.

i still think lt headers are going to be way too much for the engine, and not worth the hassle of a custom y pipe, but to each his/her own.

But if the OP does want to go that way, get the LT's that dougs makes, they are the exact same design as hookers, have thicker flanges and are cheaper by about 250 bux for coated

 

Do you know if the these doug's headers have a tuned primary tube design?

 

they are the exact same header, designed by the same guy who designed the ones for hooker, i read that on here somwhere when they first came out. Look at the pics, they are identical, slip joint and everything, except they have 3/8 flanges as opposed to 5/16

 

Do you know where to get them from?

 

Last I saw they where at least $900. But you can buy one with no cats from jegs for a couple hundred ad cheap cats or go without where hes from

 

Alright! Thanks again to everyone for your input. As I'd guessed, the exhaust is the way I'll be headed. Now I just have to clear up my new college expenses, and research prices. 3in catback and high flow cat here i come!

 

dont buy anything save up for a ls1 swap but if you have to gears and headers 3inch y pipe and 3 inch cat back would be a good start thats what i did

 

You know, i WAS thinking of saving up for a swap... But nothing sounds as good as my faithful little LB9, and I'd really more than anything like to keep the stock block in the car, it just feels like cheating to use another engine...

 

then you should trubo or supercharge it lol i would but it will take some time probably

 

well, I have ideas, when student aid comes back, I will be doing full exhaust, maybe a cam swap, and port intake. But i just spent all my money on school, and still have to save up for a uniform, 1000rds of pistol ammo, and like 100 shotgun shells... When i do get enough money put together to do what i have in mind, I will definitely post it up here for y'all to see!