Stall with shift kit or full exhaust?

**Kup98ss** · 05-16-2008, 06:40 PM

I have an A4 02 Trans Am, with a cat back and lid. What would be best for a daily driver that doesn't see the track all that much?
I only want to do one now, which will be the smartest route?

1. Long tube y-pipe combo with a tune.
or
2. 3200 stall with a shift kit and a tranny cooler.

Thanks.

**Y2KPewterSS** · 05-16-2008, 06:49 PM

A stall is the best mod for an automatic LS1. The stall will make your car quicker than the exhaust would most likely. The full exhaust will also improve the quickness of your car and of course the improved sound. Neither route is bad. I went exhaust/intake first then stall, but like I said, both options are very good.

**0rion** · 05-16-2008, 08:40 PM

I'd personally do a stall/tranny cooler first. If you're still wanting to do something exhaust wise I'd recommend a cutout. I ran an open cutout on mine for a couple years with stock manifolds and cats. Made me wonder why I wasted the money on a catback. A cutout is ~$30 and then slip someone $20 to weld it on for you.

**02nbmvert** · 05-17-2008, 07:38 PM

I openly admit that I'm a total newb. HOWEVER, A stall and shift kit would probably be complimented most by drag radials, and I believe that this combo would significantly improve your chance of messing up that stock 10 bolt. An exhaust setup however could be installed on your own much easier (in my opinion) than tranny mods, has the potential to get you better gas mileage (who doesn't want that!?), improves your HP/TQ, and turns heads by giving you the ultimate sweet sweet ls1 growl. The stall/shift kit would almost definately take a little more off your track times than exhaust, but like you said... how often are you gonna be at the track?? From my point of view, at least with my own plans of modding my car, stall and shift kit comes right before drag radials comes right before 12 bolt or 9" rear. Just something to think about though! Good luck with the modding! Let us all know which rt. you take!

**Kup98ss** · 05-18-2008, 04:56 AM

I was leaning towards headers in the first place. I think you're right.

**0rion** · 05-18-2008, 07:29 AM

I guess it just depends on if you want to be fast or sound fast.

**Kup98ss** · 05-18-2008, 07:37 AM

lol

**02nbmvert** · 05-19-2008, 07:18 AM

tru dat... haha, it does seem that exhaust is one of the most "fun" of the beginner mods though. And coupled with significant gains, you can't go wrong! (unless you get slp longtubes or shorties, leave your cats on, and get a flowmaster catback!!!)

**starbuck** · 05-20-2008, 12:44 PM

If you want absolute retention of driveability, I'd advise you to go with the exhaust. The converter won't hurt you too much, but the exhaust won't hurt you at all (in fact you might pick up a MPG or two from the headers).

**TedsB4Csled** · 05-20-2008, 03:45 PM

Originally Posted by starbuck

If you want absolute retention of driveability, I'd advise you to go with the exhaust. The converter won't hurt you too much, but the exhaust won't hurt you at all (in fact you might pick up a MPG or two from the headers).

Exhaust and tune

**slims00ls1z28** · 05-20-2008, 06:12 PM

Out of all the mods to date including the gear swap 2.73-4.11, full exhaust tune cam etc I noticed more of a difference with the stall and built trans than I did the rest combined. And I even installed them all in different stages, Full exhaust with LS6 intake, then stall and built trans, rear swap, then cam and tune. Stalls IMO are the best hands down and still are softer on the launch than a clutch dump. Plus stalls make autos much more fun. One more vote for the stall.

**02nbmvert** · 05-20-2008, 07:39 PM

how do stalls effect gas mileage?? seems as if they'd only hurt it, but I could be way off. anyone?

**0rion** · 05-20-2008, 08:38 PM

there is no better bang for the buck mod for an auto than a stall.....none. Tell me any other mod that you can buy for $400-$600 and trim .5 off your ET.

Yes, around town you're gonna burn a little more gas but highway driving it will be the same. Gas mileage is a cost of going fast.

**Kup98ss** · 05-21-2008, 07:19 PM

How does a stall change driveability? Many details please?

**TedsB4Csled** · 05-21-2008, 07:49 PM

Originally Posted by 0rion

there is no better bang for the buck mod for an auto than a stall.....none. Tell me any other mod that you can buy for $400-$600 and trim .5 off your ET.

Yes, around town you're gonna burn a little more gas but highway driving it will be the same. Gas mileage is a cost of going fast.

Plus the cost of install, or the headache of installing it yourself. Don't get me wrong, I may have one installed when my rebuilt tranny warranty expires, but I may not. At almost $4 a gallon for gas, and no foreseeable trips to drag strip...?

**0rion** · 05-21-2008, 10:24 PM

Originally Posted by TedsB4Csled

Plus the cost of install, or the headache of installing it yourself. Don't get me wrong, I may have one installed when my rebuilt tranny warranty expires, but I may not. At almost $4 a gallon for gas, and no foreseeable trips to drag strip...?

you're gonna have install costs no matter which way you go and a stall is about the same amount of work as headers. I pulled my tranny and swapped converters by myself last time......about the same amount of time it takes me to pull my headers and put them back in. I don't start a clock and time myself but they're pretty close. I'd almost say if I was busting ass I could do the stall faster and it's easier to do by yourself than headers.

I guess it all really depends on what you want to do.....do you want to go fast or do you want to get gas mileage because those 2 lines rarely run together. I can't tell you gas mileage differences because I never check mine. I would say gas mileage really banks on how much city driving you do. The stall will eat more gas driving around in the city. If you do much highway driving it'll make little difference because once the converter locks up it'll be just like stock.
The bottom line is you can line up a car with headers against a car with a nice stall and my money is on the stalled car every time.

**0rion** · 05-21-2008, 10:27 PM

Originally Posted by Kup98ss

How does a stall change driveability? Many details please?

It'll take more throttle to get the car moving at traffic lights and that depends on how big of a stall you go with. I have a 3500 in mine and it's not like you have to really get on it to get the car to move but it takes more throttle to get the car rolling. I guess about the only comparison I can come up with is if you've ever driven a car that had the tranny slipping a little bit. Kinda feels like that. When you hammer the car it's a whole different story though. The car immediately jumps into the power band and will stay there through the whole run. You know how when you get on it now and it runs through 1st gear then shifts to 2nd and the rpm's drop way down and the car starts building rpms again? That's way way less with a stall. It's called shift extension. The rpm's stay much higher after the shifts keeping your car where it's making power.

**TedsB4Csled** · 05-22-2008, 03:56 AM

Originally Posted by 0rion

It'll take more throttle to get the car moving at traffic lights and that depends on how big of a stall you go with. I have a 3500 in mine and it's not like you have to really get on it to get the car to move but it takes more throttle to get the car rolling. I guess about the only comparison I can come up with is if you've ever driven a car that had the tranny slipping a little bit. Kinda feels like that. When you hammer the car it's a whole different story though. The car immediately jumps into the power band and will stay there through the whole run. You know how when you get on it now and it runs through 1st gear then shifts to 2nd and the rpm's drop way down and the car starts building rpms again? That's way way less with a stall. It's called shift extension. The rpm's stay much higher after the shifts keeping your car where it's making power.

3500? Would you recommend something that high while doing a lot of street driving? What about tune? Did you need to re-tune your car after installing?

**0rion** · 05-22-2008, 07:07 AM

Originally Posted by TedsB4Csled

3500? Would you recommend something that high while doing a lot of street driving? What about tune? Did you need to re-tune your car after installing?

everyone's threshold for pain is different when it comes to what is streetable. If you can I would recommend checking out some local cars that are stalled so you have an idea of what it's like. My car isn't a daily driver but if it were I could easily drive a 3500 daily. Other than a little more throttle required to get the car moving you really don't notice the stall to much. I think at just cruising speeds the stall locks around 35mph anyhow so once you hit 35-40 mph the stall locks up and becomes a non-factor.
Tuning is something I meant to put in my last post and forgot. Some people can get away with not tuning on smaller stalls but I would highly recommend a tune no matter which stall you get. Shift points will need to be moved and unless you do a shift kit the line pressures will need to be raised. I also had to bump my in gear idle up due to stalling. I would actually recommend a tune with a stall OR headers....whichever way you guys decide to go. In the end it's completely up to you guys what you decide to do and do whatever fits you but out of every single mod I've done the stall was the best bang for the buck. A stalled auto is a beautiful thing.