Thread: 1st time tuning/upgrading advice

band clamped in there.

I wouldn't run a cat unless you have emissions where you live.

Originally Posted by Garandpa

Done. Does this bolt on or weld?

Weld it. I have SSAC headers and I've blow that mid pipe off at Wide Open Throttle twice until I had it welded.

Nope.

Not unless you hack the cat off the downpipe and weld/clamp it in place. Then you couldn't sell the downpipe for profit.

SD comes with there own downpipe section that fits nothing else but the SD supplied parts.

you can weld in a new bung in a clear area. you will need a o2 harness extension too.

Yeah, you can move the o2 sensor further down or rotate it in close to the same position to clear the firewall better.

Some even move it to the cross over pipe in the engine bay. You'll want a o2 extension harness for either or make your own. ZZP sells them for like 10-15 bucks I think, I prefer them to making one. No risk of them coming apart from a bad solder and the extension harness's are good qaulity connectors for weather proofing.

Originally Posted by Fivefingerdeathpunch

Yeah, you can move the o2 sensor further down or rotate it in close to the same position to clear the firewall better.

Some even move it to the cross over pipe in the engine bay. You'll want a o2 extension harness for either or make your own. ZZP sells them for like 10-15 bucks I think, I prefer them to making one. No risk of them coming apart from a bad solder and the extension harness's are good qaulity connectors for weather proofing.

Does the Speed daddy header/downpipe get rid of the u-bend?

yes, see my pic, right side is the flange to the cat back.

bolts right up to stock cat back. aftermarket cat back is worthless too.

Not entirely true (Catback wortless). It all depends on your plan, where you want to take the engine, car. If mild mods, sure, just open up the exhaust a little with headers and provide better flow in/out and you'll see a nice improvement in acceleration. But, if you plan to cam your engine, open up intake, heads, headers, etc., then a 3" exhaust to the tails benefit. I went 3" all the way early on with the knowledge in the future I would mod more. It certainly didn't hurt anything. And for the exhaust notes or sound, some say it'll always sound like crap, but try using the vibrant ultra quite resonator and Hooker MaxFlow mufflers... Is the best sound hands down you'll ever get from this engine. Use youtube, you'll see

Originally Posted by WarStryker13

^^^ headers fer sure.

And a mail order tune is always an eh upgrade, the real upgrade would be a proper tune from either a reputable shop that knows how to tune a 3800, or a local friend with a tuner.

Mail order tunes, or "canned" tunes never get the full potential that an actual tune will, because every car is different and canned tunes are all the same.

Amen brother!

Originally Posted by Scottydoggs

for headers most of us run speed daddy headers, 220 shipped most of the time. add some band clamps and your all set. for 250 in all.

I run these. Whole different car. Now if I can get up off my butt and retune. The boost weather is upon us!

Originally Posted by Mitch R

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.

Same here! I CAN get almost 30+ IF i can keep from going deep and making her whine... I mean make boost. LOL

Originally Posted by Explicit_Spade

I wouldn't run a cat unless you have emissions where you live.

I dont. I tuned the O2's out. Just went thru emissions 2 saturdays ago and passed. Im in Maryland.

Originally Posted by coolone

Not entirely true (Catback wortless). It all depends on your plan, where you want to take the engine, car. If mild mods, sure, just open up the exhaust a little with headers and provide better flow in/out and you'll see a nice improvement in acceleration. But, if you plan to cam your engine, open up intake, heads, headers, etc., then a 3" exhaust to the tails benefit. I went 3" all the way early on with the knowledge in the future I would mod more. It certainly didn't hurt anything. And for the exhaust notes or sound, some say it'll always sound like crap, but try using the vibrant ultra quite resonator and Hooker MaxFlow mufflers... Is the best sound hands down you'll ever get from this engine. Use youtube, you'll see

i member here "buck" did a 3 inch cat back and lost HP on the dyno. theres no gains for a sc engine on a 3 inch. a turbo sure. not a sc.

The catback does become an issue at higher power numbers. I was knocking like a ***** on 18 PSI of boost on my turbo setup. Swapped to ZZP catback (which honestly, I thought sounded good but I was turbo so everything I know is a lie) and all the knock was gone. I then turned it up to 26 psi and KABOOM wen't the transmission, but we dont talk about that