New gtp owner

**Jameswest21** · 09-26-2016

Hey everyone name is James, and I am looking at buying a 97 or 98 gtp...maybe a little later year model if possible. Just a quick few questions......will be looking at putting around 2500 to 3000 in to the car...where would you guys start to get the best bang for your buck...I have seen performance packages from zzp and 3800 as well as intense. Just trying to get some input. Also round about what 1/4 mile times or hp number would I be looking at. I'm looking to make it quick enough to surprise some people lol thanks

**Fivefingerdeathpunch** · 09-26-2016

I'd avoid a 97, I dislike a few of the year only parts they have.

99-00 are the best years in my eyes.

Performance packages aren't money well spent, you can buy parts seperate and save money and get better results.

Headers, pulley drop and a tune is the best place to start. Going alot further will mean you are going to be at the limits of the stock transmission. Sure some survive a long time with mods and other break with near factory horsepower.

They make around 190-200hp to the front tire and are basically 15 second cars. Do a few mods and you should be at 230-240 to the front tire and "maybe" high 13's if you are lucky with traction and driver mods.

Before you did any of this, getting the car up to snuff is key. Plugs, wires, intake gaskets, coolant flush, trans fluid and a shift kit, suspension check and all that jazz.

These cars rust the rockers and rear strut towers, check all that before you buy a car. No sense in buying a rust bucket and then trying to mod it.

**Jameswest21** · 09-26-2016

Ok thanks.....I consider myself pretty mechanically inclined.. and like I said I'm wanting to do heads cam and that jazz as well....thanks for the heads up about the rear strut towers

**Fivefingerdeathpunch** · 09-26-2016

You'll be paying up the ass for cylinder heads, just be aware.

Stock heads will flow okay and most don't even port them or upgrade them because of cost. Look up triple edge performance for transmission costs, it will take up your whole budget if you plan to take this pretty far. The transmission will be worth more than the car is.

**Scottydoggs** · 09-26-2016

for about a 100 bucks in tools you can port your own heads, i as well as a bunch of others here have done it.

even if you just smoothed and polished them it would be a improvement.

**Jameswest21** · 09-26-2016

Well I'm thinking of 12 to 13 second car and still fun to drive. And yeah I have seen the price of heads. So maybe just a cam with better valve train components for now. And if and when the tranny goes that'll be an expense then

**Jameswest21** · 09-26-2016

Yeah I helped a buddy to a tgv delete on an sti and pretty much every daily driver car I have had for myself I at least do a gasket match on the tb or carb lol

**Scottydoggs** · 09-26-2016

dont forget the tune part of this. if you port the tb you need to maf tune it. buying a tuner is the best option for most, canned tunes aint all that.

**Jameswest21** · 09-26-2016

Ok I had a 92 eagle talon Tsi that was tuned by email tunes....how does the ecu and what tuner works good

**Scottydoggs** · 09-26-2016

hpt or you can still use DHP, they went out of business, but it still works and is about 1/2 the cost of hpt.

**Jameswest21** · 09-26-2016

Ok so if I do cam and valve train components do I have to tune? I'm at Fort riley kansas and there's some tuners for gm in wichita and kansas city not to far away... but if I do cam and stuff, no porting do I need to tune then?

**Scottydoggs** · 09-26-2016

truth is yes. as soon as you mod it will run but it will run at its best custom tuned.

if you go to a shop make sure they know how to tune a 3800. as simple as they are, these guys dont always know.

ive remote tuned more then a handful of cars myself.

**Fivefingerdeathpunch** · 09-26-2016

Anything past an intake pretty much needs a tune.

More airflow in and out of the motor make the factory calibrations incorrect. It's a must to dial in fueling once more air is brought into the engine. A tuner and a wideband are a must if you want to do this yourself. A wideband is a must regardless, you always want to know fueling. It's how people chip pistons or melt holes in them.

If you have time, learn to tune a stock engine before modding, it makes everything a breeze once you start modding.

**Jameswest21** · 09-26-2016

So scottydoggs I'm gunna have to keep a tab with ya so we can do some remote tuning. And I just looked at hpt and it looks like 5 to 600 for the setup...is that right?

**Fivefingerdeathpunch** · 09-26-2016

Yes, HP Tuners costs more.

It comes with 8 credits to tune 4 vehicles, it's a software that is updated daily and have full support still. Though the 3800 support isn't somthing they keep updated because it's an older platform, they focus on newer vehicles now.

It's a more advanced tuner software than DHP, better scanner and features. HP Tuners can do a few hundred different vehicles from GM, FORD and DODGE where as DHP is limited to 3100, 3400 and 3800 powered cars and that's the other reason it costs more. If you only plan to use it with this vehicle and nothing else than DHP might be what you want.

I own HP Tuners myself but I've used it on my old grand prix, a V8 GXP and many silverado/sierra trucks. I bought it because I could use it on several different vehicles.

**Scottydoggs** · 09-26-2016

everything he said...^^^^^^^

im a DHP guy.

**jarredpickett24** · 09-28-2016

I would look into zzperformance. What little bit of mods I've got done were thru them with some great deals

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**BlackMambaGtx** · 09-28-2016

Originally Posted by Scottydoggs

for about a 100 bucks in tools you can port your own heads, i as well as a bunch of others here have done it.

even if you just smoothed and polished them it would be a improvement.

Pm'd

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