98 Trans Am 6-speed (doing upgrades need advice)

[black_98TA]

So far i got a flowmaster 80 series on the stock Y pipe... i bought it like that so im keeping it for now. A friend of mine was going to sell me his headers off his 2001 camaro ss for 200 bucks they are midlength headers and im not sure hte brand.
Also i'm having my rearend rebuilt which is a long story but i was told i can get 4.10 gears put it for no charge to me since i should've already had a working rear end and paid em for a screwed up one.
I have a Volant open element ram air box but the holes aint cut out yet cause i heard rain can destroy my car if i drive it with the thing but i dont see the difference between that and the stock air box.
Anyways if anyone can give me some advice id apreciate it

[SMWS6TA]

So far i got a flowmaster 80 series on the stock Y pipe... i bought it like that so im keeping it for now. A friend of mine was going to sell me his headers off his 2001 camaro ss for 200 bucks they are midlength headers and im not sure hte brand.
Also i'm having my rearend rebuilt which is a long story but i was told i can get 4.10 gears put it for no charge to me since i should've already had a working rear end and paid em for a screwed up one.
I have a Volant open element ram air box but the holes aint cut out yet cause i heard rain can destroy my car if i drive it with the thing but i dont see the difference between that and the stock air box.
Anyways if anyone can give me some advice id apreciate it

Not sure about your states emissions but in regards to the ML headers, save your $$ and go with the LT headers. Pacesetter has good headers and will not cost you an arm & leg. Also get a 3" ORY. If your state doesn't have emissions laws delete Cat converters, Flowmasters are loud as hell, but rust in a couple of yrs. I believe the rust factor multiplies if you live in heavy snow/rain areas. I know guys that in 2 yrs they had to by a new muffler. I just went over to Magnaflow and luv it.

As for the 4.10 gears get them while you can, I read it will only sacrifice 2-3 miles to the gallon compare to 3.72 gears. But also beware that the stock 10" rear has been know to give out when you put serious power mods to the car.

If anything I have learned while being on this forum over the last 7 months is have a goal for what you want to do, research and plan it out. Money is tight, so spend wisely.

[RARON455]

Yup, stay away from the midlength, waste of money, and later on you will wish you had the longtubes. Plus you can get a set of longtubes for about 250-275 new. Also the volant is not a problem I have the unit on my car, no problems, my airbox on the hood has a drain anyway. I would ditch the stock y pipe setup if you can, get an aftermarket one. I had 4.10's in mine, I ended up going to the 3.73s because with the 4.10 gears, I was shifting very quickly, not much time to row thru the gears, the car will accelerate faster, but I like pulling thru my gears. When I put my 9" that I have in the car now I went with a 3.75. If coin is a matter Look on ebay or, the for sale on this site, or ls1tech.com for parts for sale, and try to get a good set of headers and Y-pipe. Pace setters are some of the cheaper longtubes and there are a ton of guys running them. Also that flowmaster is one of the most disliked mufflers on the market for our cars, hate to tell ya that. My particular exhaust is a FLP longtube headers with Y-pipe (can run with or without cats-I run without had them tuned out) I paid a little over 300 dollars shipped on ebay. I have the Texas Speed and Performance rumbler cat-back exhaust system, I paid 250 bucks for the system plus shipping and put it on myself, car is a little loud but sounds killer especially after my H/C swap. Here is a vid of how my car sounds. Hope this little bit of advice helps.
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wO9j39C0SjY[/ame]

[qwk93ta]

Nice vid....

[Kaotic_ws6]

deff. skip anything thats NOT longtubes. deff. get a y to go with them, and depending on if you want it real loud or not then decide on the rest. and ive got 4.10s and they are awesome... im pretty sure you wont be dissapointed. good luck

[goof4080]

i'm working thru my 98 6-speed too, I went with a volant intake (have yet to drill out the rivets for the backing plate on my WS6 hood). SLP Powerflo exhaust, i like the car a bit more quiet. I agree with the rest, Flowmaster is crap, but if u have something that works, replace it later. Don't go anything but longtubes which can be had for just a lil over what u'd pay for those mids, unless emissions are a prob.

So next i'd recommend longtubes, Y-pipe, and skipshift eliminator. your getting the weaklink 10bolt replaced, at least temporarily, So after that save up for a possible new clutch/slave, or another 10-bolt, while waiting for a good deal on some heads and cam setup. and that's just the power department. strut tower brace, front and rear control arms, a watt's link, springs, shocks. I'd recommend more, but it all depends on what kind of duty your car will see.

[wooddaniel]

4.10s are like putting a hand grenade in the stock rearend. If you go with 4.10s at least put a girdle on the rear end. It will make the stock rear end last a lot longer. Speaking from experience (I have destroyed 3 rear ends over the years)

[Kaotic_ws6]

4.10s are like putting a hand grenade in the stock rearend. If you go with 4.10s at least put a girdle on the rear end. It will make the stock rear end last a lot longer. Speaking from experience (I have destroyed 3 rear ends over the years)

i dont get it... not to ginx myself but my rear end is stock and im not exactly easy on it??

[wooddaniel]

i dont get it... not to ginx myself but my rear end is stock and im not exactly easy on it??

Eh, some of the stockers last a while. With your mods, you should start saving for a moser. I put a 4.10 in my 98 Trans Am and the rear end went out the next day when I went WOT. Some of my buddies have had the same thing happen. The car I have now has stocker rear end with 3.73s and a rear end girdle with synthetic fluid. Solid as a rock.

[Numba1TA]

Deff go with Long Tube headers and get the 4.10's. I would go with a good catback exhaust and an off road Y-pipe the get her tuned

[black_98TA]

i dont get it... not to ginx myself but my rear end is stock and im not exactly easy on it??

my rear end is semi stock... its a stock rear end out of some gm vehicle that instead of a limited slip its got a mechanical locker will that affect my life expectancy of my rear... i also had it dropped 1.25" and its got 18" rims on it... i bottom out a lot (working on getting new shocks for the back)

[Fearls1]

Go to summit and get yourself a Magnaflow muffler! Its sound is very smooth and quiet when just cruising. And loud as a mo fo when your are WOT.

[Kaotic_ws6]

Go to summit and get yourself a Magnaflow muffler! Its sound is very smooth and quiet when just cruising. And loud as a mo fo when your are WOT.

yea i have a magnaflow resonater. its loud as shit

[black_98TA]

so i got the 4.10s installed still working on the rest... its hard to find a job... but like i said ive been working on it little by little... my rear shocks are shit and my power steering rack is shit... but the 4.10s are awesome and it seems to be holding up... its been a little while since its been done... anywho... as far as long tube headers with the lowering kit will they hit the ground... im not sure what the diff is on longs or mids but they look like they drop down more in the pictures of them... anywho thanks alot guys i appreciate all the advice... and does anyone know where subframe connectors go?

[justinmc978]

i dont get it... not to ginx myself but my rear end is stock and im not exactly easy on it??

you'd better be knocking on some wood right now dude


but seriously with 275 tires that WS6's come with i wouldnt stress the rear end too much, now, throw on some 305+ tires and it would definatly be more of a priority


hey just out of curiosity.. what kind of rpms are you running at 70mph in 6th gear with those 4.10s?

[RyanJM]

i'm working thru my 98 6-speed too, I went with a volant intake (have yet to drill out the rivets for the backing plate on my WS6 hood). SLP Powerflo exhaust, i like the car a bit more quiet. I agree with the rest, Flowmaster is crap, but if u have something that works, replace it later. Don't go anything but longtubes which can be had for just a lil over what u'd pay for those mids, unless emissions are a prob.

So next i'd recommend longtubes, Y-pipe, and skipshift eliminator. your getting the weaklink 10bolt replaced, at least temporarily, So after that save up for a possible new clutch/slave, or another 10-bolt, while waiting for a good deal on some heads and cam setup. and that's just the power department. strut tower brace, front and rear control arms, a watt's link, springs, shocks. I'd recommend more, but it all depends on what kind of duty your car will see.

You have my car a volant and slp power flo I went with corsa clone tips since the dual/dual was too small looking for my taste. I love that exhaust I almost went along with my 2 friends and got a magnaflow but after I got it installed it was just what I wanted deep and mellow at cruising and lower rpm but now it broken in it really has a bark when the car it at WOT running past 5500 till the 6k shift points.
As far as the Volant I have an aftermarket WS6 hood since I couldn't afford a hawk hood with all the wheels, bolt ons, and suspension work going on at one time and certifit had this for $250. I took it to my shop and before I even started to primer and prep it I did a test fit and started drilling, cutting and sanding till those filters could be seen clearly through the openings. rain doesn't bother it I took the car home from getting the 3.73's done in 6plus inches of standing water in my lot and it was still pooring out and I was doing 50 to 65 coming home where it wasn't flooded and doesn't bother the car at all just don't be stupid like the vette guy down the street and drive into a puddle that was to deep for his car with the vararam intake. If you go through a deep puddle fast and the water creates big enough wave in front to come in the scoops your probably screwed then but that would be your own fault. Under any normal driving no matter how fast your going or the rain is coming down my Volant has never failed to keep water out.
BTW I had a 80 series on my car and it was great till the LT's and off road ypipe then it will get extremly loud and raspy till you can't wait to tear it off. If you can't afford a catback when you get the headers just buy a 3" dynomax bullet or a glasspack and put a turn down pipe on iut and dump the flowmaster you'll be happier till you can buy a real catback and you can get a bullet muffler or glasspack for $50. That flowmaster is terrable without cats to quiet it down.

[silverWS6]

hey just out of curiosity.. what kind of rpms are you running at 70mph in 6th gear with those 4.10s?

I run at exactly 2k rpm

[justinmc978]

I run at exactly 2k rpm

you have got to be kidding me, my a4 w/ GU5 3.23's runs just over 2k @ 70.

fml.

[silverWS6]

you have got to be kidding me, my a4 w/ GU5 3.23's runs just over 2k @ 70.

fml.

hmmm maybe i'm wrong? But naa i'm pretty sure last time i noticed was at exactly 2k rpm, ill double check tomorrow on my way to school

[silverWS6]

hmmm maybe i'm wrong? But naa i'm pretty sure last time i noticed was at exactly 2k rpm, ill double check tomorrow on my way to school

Yup 2,000rpm at 70mph