Thread: Could use some suggestions.

So I'm wanting to get a bit more go-fast out of my GTP, but I aint worried about making it a monster, I have an old muscle car for that stuff.

So I'm looking at getting the SLP headers: apparently the cheap ones on ebay are the same design? Are they of similar quality?

If I were to get those headers, and do the intake bit with a K&N element, and the 1.9 roller rockers and a custom PCM tune, what would be the smallest pulley I could run safely (with proper plugs ofcourse)? I'm at basically sea-level if that makes any difference. I'm guessing a 3.25", 3.4 at least?

Based on what i read on the sticky for safe modding, I'm going to leave my cat-back stock.

Anyone with the special edition hood (I know more than just the 40th ann. edition came with the hood) able to give me any information on hood clearance and intercoolers, I'm currently thinking it a fullsize wont fit, but would like a confirmation either way.

This is also assuming (from the reading I've done), that the mods list I listed above (headers, intake, rockers, 3.25 or 3.4 pulley, plugs) wont need an upgraded TB, MAF, injectors/pump, plug wires, or anything else? Any corrections would be appreciated!

Thanks again

with headers and rockers you should easily be able to run a 3.4 .start there , scan for knock , if no knock get the next smallest...lather, rince, repeat.

3.4 tops on the pulley unless you run corn or get a ic under the blower.

and you need it tuned.

I forgot to mention a 160º thermostat, but I honestly think that should be a given, along with valve springs if someone says anything regarding valve-train.

I was hopin to get an informed enough opinion to only have to buy 1 pulley one time and just be done with it, heh. Most of the packages I've seen on the various websites (intense, zzp, 3800) and what I read here have me almost convinced a 3.25 would be should be fine, but I'd rather measure twice and cut once.

@ scottydogs, I plan on getting the pcm tuned, just gotta figure out what all I'm throwin at it first. I was hoping with the headers and 1.9 rockers i'd relieve heat/exhaust enough to safely do a 3.25", but if not then the 3.4 will be what I go with.

If i were to intercool it, I'd go as deep as i could on the pulley and then get everything ported and get all the supporting fuel mods and in the end be better off having done a turbo lol, and if I'm going to drop that kind of money, I might as well do it to the car that should already allegedly be in the low 11's and make it even faster for cheaper.

forget the t stat, run a 195.

i had exactly what your wanting. i still run a 195 with the fans tuned to 180.

If I were you I'd be looking for quarter mile times on different mild setups so that yeah, you only cut once and get it the right length so to speak. I've not paid much attention to HP mod threads as I don't plan any myself. But with the level of desire and capability your post suggests... I think I'd set my sights on a 3.4 and concentrate on fully tweaking the support mods so its safe to drive like you want. And drive the thumpy Buford often!

Originally Posted by SgtMarshal

you wont need an upgraded throttle body or maf sensor, but the throttle response is nice if you switch to a northstar throttle body and maf sensor. if you do switch to said tb/maf you will need it tuned to adjust the maf table in the pcm. stock injectors are fine until to have a pulley smaller than 3.1". a custom tune is going to be the best bang for your buck. if you can afford to spend 500 or 679 on a tuner then pick up an HP Tuners and either learn to tune or have Will from Overkilled work with your scans to get it tuned. Good thing about HP Tuners is that it can tune a lot of different vehicles.

Can it tune my skylark?

jk lol

And thanks all for the input. It'd be really hard for me to justify dropping that much on a tuner, I know that I can get super involved here, with a wideband A/F sensor, blowoff valve controller, and a bunch of other stuff, and eventually I might actually get THAT involved in this car, but for now, due to monetary concerns (both for a part budget and the fact that the GP is my daily driver), I'm hopin to just get away throwin some bolt-ons at it and not getting too serious to get a decent jump in the power potential. Down the road, once I've got a decent career going, a 6.0L with a turbo or two and a 6T80E transmission is where I'd like to eventually go, but even that would be after I've gone with a fully aluminum 455 fuel injected build.

Invest in a wideband aswell.

Originally Posted by SgtMarshal

here is my opinion: I have an XP cam, ported heads, a full size intercooler and am running a 3.25" pulley. my car has kr when I go smaller. you will not be able to just buy one pulley and call it good, unless you are will to settle with a 3.5". you could probably run a 3.25" pulley if you did the headers 1.9 rockers and a methanol injection, but again tuning will be required.

When you say tuning, do you mean like mailing my pcu and having it reprogrammed by someone with some know-how and a list of my mods, or a tuning session with my car on a chassis dyno all afternoon?

every car reacts differently to mods, so those mod to pulley formulas are all just ballpark baselines. one guy can run knock free on a 3.4 with just headers and 104's , while the next guy with the same car will get knock with headers , 104's , and rockers .... you don't know until you know.

you can buy a dhp tuner set up for 250. and learn to tune. lots of us here use dhp too. maybe more DHP users then the hp tuners.

Originally Posted by EHBGoober

every car reacts differently to mods, so those mod to pulley formulas are all just ballpark baselines. one guy can run knock free on a 3.4 with just headers and 104's , while the next guy with the same car will get knock with headers , 104's , and rockers .... you don't know until you know.

i was the latter guy 4.3º kr with headers 1.95 rockers, and a 3.4. i tuned that out with dhp tho.

@ 04lss: I'm assuming low 14's high 13's, maybe mid 13's at best..?

@ the gurus: So, will I need a wideband AF gauge just for the tuning, or is this something I'm going to have to constantly monitor and mess with? If all else fails I'll try and find someone on these boards that's within a moderately reasonable drive of me and pay them to borrow theirs if I can get away with using it once.

Anyone in the gulf coast region within a couple hours of Pensacola? lol

So an AF ratio gauge, knock sensor, and the tuner, is there anything else I'd be stupid not to get?

BTW, are the SLP knock offs of similar quality to the SLPs?