Thread: 1st time tuning/upgrading advice

zzp pcm's are not locked. you can read them with dhp or hpt. ive re tuned 3 of them so far.

Good, they stopped doing that. I have a couple ZZP pcms from way back when and they are tuner locked. Most annoying thing ever.

Originally Posted by Garandpa

No can return ZZP PCM, so worst case I'm out $125 if I order the 3800 Performance version. Overkill is twice as much $$.

I think overkill will give you a $50 credit if they are using a competitor's core. Just a thought. I will say that I was able to raise my mpgs a fair amount when I tuned it myself. I added a bunch of timing to the cruise tables, way more than any of the canned tunes I've seen have.

if you have inspection you would need a 3 inch hi flow cat, headers come with a down pipe but no cat. in the tune the cat and rear o2 deleted.

its bolt on, remove the old stock factory manifolds and the headers replace it. they bolt right up to your cat back. theres no need to up grade the cat back, theres no gains, unless you like noise.

the cat you can band clamp in, or weld it in at a shop or diy welding.

jack stands will do. most of use do all our work in the driveways on our backs.

that exhaust is loud as hell. no idea if you will like it at all. most who get it, sell it. its cool for maybe a month and then your ears hurt. unless your a 17 year old, then maybe you'll like it, but judging by your s/n your not a teen lol

oh its loud lol. you'll see.

im not a kid either, and from what ive heard in person, i dont want anything but a stock cat back. a 3800 will never have that v8 sound or tone. its not bad at a idle, but the rest is a wet fart sound to me, nothing like all the back fires and popping out the pipes when you let off the gas either to make it sound even more like crap.

i like the sc whine to be heard and thats all.

If it was me I would return the catback, alternator booster, and coils. No performance gain. Annoying drone with the catback. Buy a set of Speed Daddys off Ebay. Have them powdercoated. Buy a high flow cat, some band clamps, and follow the install thread on here. Tune out the rear O2 or run it (extend the wires) with the non-fouler trick. I run a ZZP canned tune. I am happy with it. Many aren't. Soon to be dyno tuned. Scan for knock with a OBDLink LX and Torque Pro. Run a cone, CAI, or modded stock airbox with drop-in K&N. If you are done with mods get a dyno tune and enjoy. Definitely read the mod thread. Parts are expensive at ZZP. I buy some stuff on there and shop around for others where cheaper. They run a black Friday special.

I would do headers before you put the 3.5 pulley and tune in the car. The headers will reduce the likelihood of Knock Retard which will prolong the life of your 3800.

you can run the pcm but dont dare drop the pulley till the headers are on. mod one is always headers or plog down pipe combo. plog and dp cost more, and good lick finding a plog, zzp is out of stock for like a year now iirc.

unless you want to install rockers and springs, those can be installed with no other mods and still help the engine flow better. stock i had 8º KR, rockers killed off 5º of that kr, stock tune and everything else.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/3-Thunderbol...item20d0c877ba right there

i got speed daddy headers and that cat, the cat replaces the mid pipe of the down pipe, you can band clamp it, or weld it, welding is much better tho.

band clamps got me through inspection, then i pulled my engine and replaced my flex pipe and welded in the cat while it was all apart.

headers come with a down pipe, but never with a cat. the dp is in 3 parts, middle comes out cat goes in.