Thread: alright it's question time...

Originally Posted by virility26

If you were trying to accomplish what I'm goin for...what would your shopping cart from tdcracing look like? :-)

2-3 ginos, if it were me I would full size I/C and headers then drop to as small of a pulley as I can without knocking and be done with it.

1) in no way possible is it ever going to happen to sound like any v8 out there. keep the exhaust stock and open up the engine side (headers or downpipe/powerlog). if you want to do anything then just change the mufflers, but everything sounds crappy when not at idle.

2) that is very easy to do with our cars. a little bit of intake and exhaust mods and then slap on an intercooler. consistant mid 13s all day long.

3) even putting any power into these cars makes the transmission liable to eat itself, but its really all in how you drive. i could have ran 12s with my car and i just blew up my stock 135k mile transmission a couple weeks ago. treat it well and itll run for a long time. these cars are fantastic to own over a long time so long as you dont let it run dry of oil and you dont let water/coolant into the oil. those are the two main reasons why these motors go down.

4) everything that will get you into the 13s is easy bolt on stuff. so long as youre not a moron you could do it all yourself.

5) fullsize intercooler in all its trim: $1000, intake: $100 at MOST, exhaust: $250-700 depending upon what you buy, pullies and other small stuff to finish it off: ~$150.




if i was the one doing this i would buy these parts:

fullsize IC with a nice big front mount heat exhanger (a ported blower and opened up lower intake go along with this nicely, but might be out of your budget)
ZZP front powerlog
ZZP 3" catted downpipe
ZZP modular pulley setup with 3.4, 3.2, and 3.0 pullies
buy a nice cone filter and toss it on the throttle body (once you intercool there is no reason for a CAI)


THEN get someone to tune your car and run whatever of those three pullies you can without knocking. on a daily driver there is no reason to run anything above stock timing (16* at WOT) so the car will be uber reliable and safe.

any more questions?

I know you're not going to want to hear this, but I'm a firm believe of not modding if you can't do the work yourself. If something breaks, which it will when you're modding, you need to be able to fix it yourself. If it's just a driver, leave it stock.

Originally Posted by Scimmia

I know you're not going to want to hear this, but I'm a firm believe of not modding if you can't do the work yourself. If something breaks, which it will when you're modding, you need to be able to fix it yourself. If it's just a driver, leave it stock.

I agree 100%. Only do what you can...get a 3" Catted Downpipe, a TDC Racing Fenderwell Intake, New spark plugs and wires, 180* T-Stat, and a Tune. That should be good for low 14's on a cold day with a 3.5" or 3.4" pulley. If you plan on not modding any further then go ahead and get a press-on. If you want to mod past bolt on's get a Modular Pulley System.

Originally Posted by whitelightnin04MC

Bio, I'm just curious, have you ever heard the Corsa exhaust in person?

I guess I'm a little biased, but I used to think that everything sounded like ass on the 3800 until I heard the corsa for the first time.

does NOT sound good. no exhaust sounds good on these cars. do not care what anyone says or thinks sounds good.

also, anyone that pays $500 or more for a catback exhaust needs to rethink their spending agenda.

yeah, i'm worried about once i get to working on my exhaust system...i have heard so many different setups on gp's and they all just get to sounding terrible once you get on it for some reason...

Originally Posted by vailskier3

yeah, i'm worried about once i get to working on my exhaust system...i have heard so many different setups on gp's and they all just get to sounding terrible once you get on it for some reason...

keep your stock mufflers and enjoy the blower whine. loud exhaust is for ricers. if you do anything just throw a big glasspack in there to give the exhaust a little "tone".

Exhaust is just like opinions...everyone's is different and everyone likes something else...I say never get rid of the resonator...other's like it taking it out...some say keep the cat...I don't have one...people say Flowmaster's are the worst muffler ever...I love mine and think that they sound awesome...for a 3800. And I am, for one...hate the way the 3800 sounds...if I could give it a MS4 cammed LS6 sound...then I'm all for it

Originally Posted by Bio248

keep your stock mufflers and enjoy the blower whine. loud exhaust is for ricers. if you do anything just throw a big glasspack in there to give the exhaust a little "tone".

no S/C here.... now i'm really in trouble...lol