Power gain

**johnfin** · 07-14-2015, 04:05 AM

What is the one greatest power gain I can do to my 2004 LS1 that would cost under $1000?

**0rion** · 07-14-2015, 06:50 AM

spray

**V8MUSCLE** · 07-14-2015, 06:57 AM

what are your goals for the car? what have you already done? if stock its gotta breath before anything else, so full exhaust keep egr, air, and cats tho. there's no reason to remove them, egr shuts off at full throttle and air only runs for a couple min when you start the vehicle and it doesn't hurt power at all plus the weight savings is only around 15-20lbs for both systems. plus its a bitch getting it inspected some guys are strict, it covers their ass so i see why.
Intake/airbox would be next, stay away from k&n filters tho, they can coat your maf with oil if you dont maintain it correctly, which you probably wont.
cam will always boost power, but they gotta breath, a radical cam on stock exhaust will add a few horses, but nothing compared to the same cam with a less restrictive intake and exhaust.

**pajeff02** · 07-14-2015, 04:25 PM

What 0rion said.

**johnfin** · 07-14-2015, 06:10 PM

i was thinking about a 102mm fast intake but its pushing a grand. Does anyone make shorty headers for the 2004 gto that would bolt up to the existing cats or would that not be worth doing?

**pajeff02** · 07-15-2015, 02:55 AM

The consensus is that shorties simply are not worth the effort. You can probably grab a set of Pacesetters or OBX longtubes, together with a Y, within that budget.

**johnfin** · 07-15-2015, 04:24 AM

How can I run long tubes and keep the cats?

**Firebirdjones** · 07-15-2015, 04:42 AM

There are Y-pipes made specifically for long tubes that retain the cats.

It's just a matter of whether your state complains about "moving" the cats to a different location.

***SMWS6TA*** · 07-16-2015, 08:12 AM

FL like AL inspections.....

LT's are ok, shorties are just not worth it unless you're looking for boost applications.

And regarding a FAST 102, that $1000 cost is just for the intake. I just went through all of this so I'm very certain of the cost:

Need to add into the cost: new TB (avg $380-420, recommend the NW102 TB), injectors (this varies a lot on the style of injector. For LS3's you'll need the FAST spacers $38 and wire harness adapters $35 in addition to injectors), LS2 or after market fuel rail ($200 and up, LS1 will not work with the intake) and tuning (starting at $500 for the dyno). If you are set on a FAST102 wait to do it in conjunction with Heads/Cam upgrade. Save you $$$$$ in tuning.

**theorangeguy** · 07-16-2015, 08:14 AM

You live in Florida so get long tubes and be done with it...that will net you the biggest gain right off the bat and you need it to build off of. Long tubes should be your first mod in my opinion.

**Whamhammer** · 07-16-2015, 03:42 PM

Originally Posted by johnfin

What is the one greatest power gain I can do to my 2004 LS1 that would cost under $1000?

I wonder how much weight could be shed with $1,000.00. ( Especially unsprung).

**cammed goat** · 07-19-2015, 06:28 PM

I agree on the LT option as you live in FL. Get a tune too.

**cammed goat** · 07-19-2015, 06:44 PM

Originally Posted by Whamhammer

I wonder how much weight could be shed with $1,000.00. ( Especially unsprung).

That varies on the vehicle. Rear seat delete could be done by the owner themself, which is probably 20lbs if not more. Headers are lighter than cast iron factory exhaust manifolds. Pacesetter headers can be had for $200-300. Delete the cats and you're probably losing another 2/3lbs. If the car has a steel driveshaft, switching to an aluminum saves weight($500-1000 if carbon fiber). Drilled/slotted brake rotors can be had for $250+ depending on brand.

If you do all the work yourself, you can save some coin.

***SMWS6TA*** · 07-19-2015, 08:10 PM

Originally Posted by cammed goat

That varies on the vehicle. Rear seat delete could be done by the owner themself, which is probably 20lbs if not more. Headers are lighter than cast iron factory exhaust manifolds. Pacesetter headers can be had for $200-300. Delete the cats and you're probably losing another 2/3lbs. If the car has a steel driveshaft, switching to an aluminum saves weight($500-1000 if carbon fiber). Drilled/slotted brake rotors can be had for $250+ depending on brand.

If you do all the work yourself, you can save some coin.

No cost:
In addition if this is to be fully lighten remove all the sound material, carpet and passenger seat. All the plastic panels.

K Member is the heaviest item on the front, with exception to the engine. Tube chassis like UMI or some of the other aftermarket. It's about $500 or more for those. Tubular A arms help also.

There is also some material that can be removed from under the nose piece. There is a tubular piece it replaces but it's a few lbs too.

Other then that there's not much else with out compromising safety and vehicle integrity.

Glass is the other heaviest item left.

**Whamhammer** · 07-20-2015, 07:36 AM

Originally Posted by SMWS6TA

No cost:
In addition if this is to be fully lighten remove all the sound material, carpet and passenger seat. All the plastic panels.

K Member is the heaviest item on the front, with exception to the engine. Tube chassis like UMI or some of the other aftermarket. It's about $500 or more for those. Tubular A arms help also.

There is also some material that can be removed from under the nose piece. There is a tubular piece it replaces but it's a few lbs too.

Other then that there's not much else with out compromising safety and vehicle integrity.

Glass is the other heaviest item left.

I was definately speaking of lightening up of the k member and suspension components, especially unsprung weight. I believe the idiom about unsprung mass is that one pound of unsprung mas is equivalent to 4 lbs curb weight.

**pajeff02** · 07-20-2015, 02:51 PM

I weighed most of the parts swapped out on my car and also the car itself a couple of times during the process. My biggest weight drop was swapping out the stock wheels and tires for a track specific setup.

**Whamhammer** · 07-20-2015, 03:10 PM

Originally Posted by pajeff02

I weighed most of the parts swapped out on my car and also the car itself a couple of times during the process. My biggest weight drop was swapping out the stock wheels and tires for a track specific setup.

When I got the Z06 wheels, I weighed them vs the WS6 wheels and there was a five pound drop per wheel in favor of the Z06's.

I thought the k member dropped about 60 pounds on the car?

**pajeff02** · 07-20-2015, 05:14 PM

Stock K-member is 55.5 lbs and the UMI tubular K-member weighed in at 32.5 lbs. So there was a 23 lb. difference.

Here's a link to that section of my K-member swap thread: K-member swap and upgrades - Page 3