Thread: Mod questions from a 1st time poster

First off welcome! The CAI and PCM you should be able to do no problem. The -U-bend take it to an exhaust shop. And yes you will notice a diffence.

Originally Posted by flrgen

Please be gentle its my first time. I am new to these boards and have been trying to read as much as I can over that last few days. I read the thread about safely modding your 3800 powered car and now have a couple questions.

I have an '02 GTP. I figured instead of buying a new car I would put a little money into this one and make it feel like a new car. I dont want to take the car to the track, its just going to be a daily driver for me, but I do want something more than stock. After reading the safely modding thread I thought I would get a cold air intake, maybe do the u-bend delete and pick up a PCM. My question is, are doing those things going to be worth it? I mean will that only give me marginal upgrades or will I notice a for sure difference?

Also, I'm not much of a car guy (I'm working on that) as I dont work on my car myself but I would like to try to install this mods myself. How hard would it be for a newb like myself to install them?

Thanks for any insight you can provide me. I have already learned a good deal just from reading these boards and hope to learn more.

Welcome!

I can help you out i love spending other peoples money!!



First make sure your car is in good working condition. Here are just a few things that should be in good working order before you try and do modifications. Things to consider:
1)Tires (enough tread, correct pressure, rotated or balanced if necessary)
2) Leaks. (make sure you have none, either water or fluids)
3) Squeaks of all kinds ( From doors, from driving, etc)
4) Engine oil and filter
5) Trans service {flush, filter fluid}.
5) S/C Fluid. (cheap and easy to change)
6) Suspension A) axles aren't broken (squirting out grease or making noise) B) Struts aren't broken/ making noise.
7) Scan, scan the car for codes, if you have any take care of them.
8) Paint, if you have some small stretches or chips buy touch up paint.
9) Exhaust, listen for leaks.
10) Breaks, are the pads or roters ok?
11) Other fluids: Break fluid, power steering fluid, coolant.
12) Lights, all of them both inside and outside.
13) Misc: All buttons (windos, doors, lights, etc), ac, radio, etc.

I list the obvious b\c some people just don't know. I had a friend who had NO2 installed in his car and didn't know how to check his trans fluid . Moral of the story make sure you have a well oiled machine before you put it on roids. Im sure their are a few more general maintenance things i missed.


ONLY IF YOU HAVE DONE MAINTENANCE then you should upgrade. I have a few questions b4 helping you out with that.

1) How many miles are on the car
2) How much do you want to spend (short term and long term).
3) What is your goal for WHP? 1/4 Mile time?

Could have just said read the Safely Modding Your 3800 Thread and made life a lot easier.

You will have a noticeable difference in power. Get a 3" catted dp tho. After you start to mod you will want some more. That way you will be set up for a plog. First mod should be an aeroforce gauge tho. That way you can see what is going on in your car.

Originally Posted by flrgen

Thanks for the replies. DNAProdigy, I have done all those things except the transmission. I plan on doing that and replacing the spark plugs and wires. I have no idea how much I plan on spend. I'm taking it on a case by case basis. I'm sure like someone else said once I do a few mods I'll want even more.

Car has 63k miles on it and according to the dealership I have never perfromed any sort of tune up, whoops. So the car is definetely ready for some TLC.

Someone metioned a plog and an aeroforce gauge. Guess its time to read some more and find out what those are.

A "tune up" can be a variety of things, usually it could include a change of spark plugs, plug wires, fuel filter, air filter (don't do if your gonna get a CAI), a belt and probably a few others.

Personally the first mod i would do is purchase or make a CAI or FWI. More hp, better mpg, more whine.

If you plan on purchasing a CAI MOST people on here would recommend the Wizaired. Its about $244 (when you buy the filter). Or you could not include the cone ($200) and buy the better $~50 AmsOil cone. I forgot exactly which part number it is.

Another CAI, less tested by people on here, but an option is the Cold Air Inductions box. Its $250 and the entire unit is much more sturdy then the Wizaired. Whether or not it actually keeps your IAT (intake air temp) down is unknown, as far as i know no one on here tested it as they have done with the Wizaired.

A cheaper, less fancy (IMO) but equally effective option is a fender wall intake made by TDCRacing, a member on here. You can get one for $115 here.

If your on a budget you can make a FWI. Look at the write up here.

A PLOG or powerlog is a replacement front exhaust manifold. Its ported to its lets more air escape with less turbulence and keeps the engine cooler (thus reducing KR). They start at $180. You should consider this only if you do not plan on getting headers (which start around $350 and take some mechanical skill to install).

An Aeroforce gauge is basically a scanning tool in the form of a gauge. Go to the link and it will tell you exactly what it scans for. It plugs into the ObdII. The scan for Kr is most important. Read about Kr here.

After you figure out what intake your getting, then you can figure out how to spend more $$!!! Ha!

Less fancy? HA! The TDC intake is the best intake out there for the 3800 available platform right now...smokes your thrasher crap that's for sure. And please don't start the ambient temp bullsh*t because we all know the Trasher/Wizaired/CAI Inductions "Boxed" intakes suck balls compared to a fenderwell.

And honestly, why would want to make a car have more air then be able to get rid of it first? IMO, flow mods are very important...more so than induction mods. Get a 3" Catted or Catless Downpipe with the U-Bend delete before you do an intake. AFTER THAT, you should definitely attempt to make your own fenderwell intake. It is one of the best mods to do for these cars except headers, IMO. Or, try TDC's. Great fitment and quality (I'd have one if I didn't run a open cone).

I'd do it like so...

180* T-Stat
Autolite 104's
3" DP w/ U-Bend Del.
FWI/CAI
PLOG or Ported Manny
A Tune of some sort (custom or mail order)
Drop a pulley size...most of the time a 3.4" will be fine, but get a way to scan for knock.

you've got to be kidding with the wizard remark...its the most overpriced intake out there. Make your own or buy tdc.

x2 everything else that bluegtp91 says

Originally Posted by bluegtp91

Less fancy? HA! The TDC intake is the best intake out there for the 3800 available platform right now...smokes your thrasher crap that's for sure. And please don't start the ambient temp bullsh*t because we all know the Trasher/Wizaired/CAI Inductions "Boxed" intakes suck balls compared to a fenderwell.

And honestly, why would want to make a car have more air then be able to get rid of it first? IMO, flow mods are very important...more so than induction mods. Get a 3" Catted or Catless Downpipe with the U-Bend delete before you do an intake. AFTER THAT, you should definitely attempt to make your own fenderwell intake. It is one of the best mods to do for these cars except headers, IMO. Or, try TDC's. Great fitment and quality (I'd have one if I didn't run a open cone).

Oh i know it is better then my Thrasher, i have compared my tests to others with the Wizaired. My Thrasher was free tho . And how do you really know a FWI is better then a Wizaired, is their data supporting this? I have seen so many threads debating a FWI to a CAI with no definitive "winner". And by fancy i just mean, imo, a cold air box looks allot cooler then a black or silver tube running from your TB to a wall.

I say intake first because SOOO many people on here have no idea what they want to do with their exhaust system as their are numerous mods for it (and install can get sticky). They get a plog and DP just to realize they want headers and wasted their $. Or get a u bend delete and then realize the DP they want has one. Or just want moderate gains so ported exhaust manifolds are for them. On top of that a DP is not always a piece of cake to install. He says hes just starting to learn about mechanics, if he tries to put a dp in himself and a bolts snaps do you think he will know what to do?

Again all of these are opinions (besides the fact that my thrasher stinks) so the op can make up their mind with the information and the debate here . I do agree, if your on a budget and want to gain some skills in mechanics and fabrication (as the op seems to be) then building your own FWI is the way to go.

Originally Posted by 99prixgt

you've got to be kidding with the wizard remark...its the most overpriced intake out there. Make your own or buy tdc.

x2 everything else that bluegtp91 says

No this hunk of uselessness is the worst intake out there.

get rid of the plugs......you dont go colder until you have the 3.4 pulley on. it will make it run not smooth and get bad gas mileage
what did you get for a program from overkill........is it for the 3.4 or the way you have it set up now?
you can use stock plugs until you put the new pulley on. The dropping heat ranges is just to kill knock retard when you drop pulley sizes. Always run as warm of a plug as you can with no KR..........obviously you need something to scan with to check that out though......TDC racing has them cheap(aeroforce)

Originally Posted by flrgen

Ok, So i have gone ahead and made a few upgrades and now my car stalls and is undriveable. I have installed a plog, 3"dp, autolite 104s and a 180*thermostat.

Why would it stall? could there be a problem with the DP or the plog or is it more likely because i have the colder spark plugs? I also just got my Overkill PCM today, will that help the problem or is there a bigger issue at work? Thanks for your help.

Plog most likely isn't the problem, so i think we can ignore that mod. Your heat range is probably too low but it shouldn't cause the car to not run. As far as i know all it will do is lower performance and gas millage.

As was said their can be a variety of different things answer these questions so we can better help you.

How long does it stay on before it stalls?
If it is for a few seconds is the idle ok or rough?

Are you POSITIVE you didn't knock a vacuum line off? (triple check)

Did you run into any problems with the DP specifically with the 02 sensor? Did you make sure to reconnect it?

Do you have any lights on like a check engine?

Did you check to make sure you have spark on all of your plugs?

Originally Posted by DnaProdigy

Plog most likely isn't the problem, so i think we can ignore that mod. Your heat range is probably too low but it shouldn't cause the car to not run. As far as i know all it will do is lower performance and gas millage.

As was said their can be a variety of different things answer these questions so we can better help you.

How long does it stay on before it stalls?
If it is for a few seconds is the idle ok or rough?

Are you POSITIVE you didn't knock a vacuum line off? (triple check)

Did you run into any problems with the DP specifically with the 02 sensor? Did you make sure to reconnect it?

Do you have any lights on like a check engine?

Did you check to make sure you have spark on all of your plugs?

agreed.........but the plugs dont help........get the proper heat range on there and start checking the above mentioned things. Help us help you.....