Help with mods that actually give HP gains??

ProtoType5 said:
The Catted Midpipes from various vendors also is a noticble increase over the stock second cat....and you'll keep some emissions cleaning...

I read in Tuner, when they compared a High flow midpipe vs. a Test Pipe, that the difference on an NA application was around 1whp...That's all...
Click to expand...

Hmmm, good to know... but I think I'd still like to get rid of the first cat because of the gains from a full header and mid pipe. And I think I could put the stock back in fairly easily if it came to that. But... did they happen to mention how much of a difference it was if you just replaced the mid-pipe vs. a full header and mid-pipe? Because if the difference is small enough, it would save me alot of money and pain to just do a mid-pipe and a cat-back. I could also stay enviromentaly freindly. Another reason I ask is I saw somewhere on these forums someone saying that the stock header and first cat aren't all that bad and fairly free flowing, but it's the super crappy mid-pipe that chokes everything off... anyone know about this or tried both and have some input??
 
Are you saying you don't want to spend alot of time, effort, money, and reliability in mods with minimal gains? I understand completely. Unfortunatly, that's exactly what it means to modify a P5.
 
DeadGeneration said:
Are you saying you don't want to spend alot of time, effort, money, and reliability in mods with minimal gains? I understand completely. Unfortunatly, that's exactly what it means to modify a P5.
Click to expand...


Haha, I know I'll have to give somewhere, guess I'm just trying to ensure that what I'm buying is going to give me a good increase and that If I don't have to do as much to get a similar increase then I'm all for it... just trying to feel out all options. Thanks for the help!
 
Re: header- don't forget an added benefit is weight reduction. Generally speaking, tube headers are always lighter than cast iron exhaust manifolds. Boosting your power/weight ratio is like getting free horsepower!
 
Wishmaster said:
Haha, I know I'll have to give somewhere, guess I'm just trying to ensure that what I'm buying is going to give me a good increase and that If I don't have to do as much to get a similar increase then I'm all for it... just trying to feel out all options. Thanks for the help!
Click to expand...
Mine is sport auto. IMO, one of the best things you can do with auto for reliability is get a transmission oil cooler & go with synthetic fluid flush/fill. If you go with the header it'll take a bit of low end torque but give upper end performance so get a UDP to get the low back. The VTCS removal is less moving clattery intake blocking nonsense especially in a warm to mild climate so getting rid of it & the porting/polishing is a free bonanza that helps it breathe better, especially with the other things.***edit***never had coldstart issues with no VTCS down past freezing the few times a year it gets that way here in TX.
 
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No issues with my car and cold starts with the VTCS removal, idling or anything. Even in the winter. Though I always let my car run for at least 30 seconds before driving. Power gain isn't anything spectacular, like any mod (except a turbo)

It was a worthwhile mod for me. I spent a few bucks, got a spare intake, did the mod, installed it, and sold my stock intake. Took maybe two hours, and make the second biggest performance improvement to my car. Header was the biggest. That's why they are the only 2 performance mods left on my car.
 
Wishmaster said:
I've heard a number of people mention the VTCS removal helps and number of people who say it doesn't or only offers a tiny increase, so most likey an "in your head increase" and decrease in the future reliablity, felxibility and warm up ability of the car. Does anyone have info on the real deal with VTCS and/or dyno maps proving mods to it?

I'm a realist and will not bother doing anything to my car unless there are proven on paper results. I only want to mod items which don't actually change the way the car was designed to work. So far for simple DIY and bolt on's for an automatic... if I go with a combo of a CAI, Header and Catback (still want to keep one cat, which I guess kinda negates what I said above (shady) )... I am guarenteed of some decent results for some fairly easy to do mods with comparatively small cost ($1000 give or take).

So I think I've got enough info and am able to research which CAI, Header, Catback I should opt for in other areas of this forum... so thinkin this is pretty much done??
Click to expand...

your wrong with the reliability part. the mp3 ecu was designed for NOT using vtcs. the ecu knows how to warm up the car properly without vtcs.

CAI, Headers, catbacks, midpipes are also all boltons that you are talking about. all they do is free up the engines breathing capabilities. your going to get a small gains including better gas mileage and less stress on the engines. the point of a bolt on is to add a small amount of power to the engine without affecting the reliability of the car.

your asking for the best of both worlds, which you cant have. either you want small power with reliability (NA bolt ons), or alot of power with little reliability (turbo kit)
 
i wish i could get the best of both worlds... i think i'm goin the bolt-on path though... i want a car that will be pretty savage and still be able to start up every day without problems... i want a car that i will be able to keep without putting tons of money into... so i'm definately not going turbo because there are way too many reliability issues related to them... i don't need my car to haul a** that badly... but at the same time there is no way i am getting pushed around by a civic DX with no exaust

well i hope we at least kinda helped you decide what you wanted for your car... it's all a matter of preference though
 
well, dont get me wrong. bolt ons do give you a good gain. my car pulls hard, and im not complaining. a turbo kit will give you power for like a 13 second car. my car is in the 15's. im lovin it.
 
jamesk said:
your wrong with the reliability part. the mp3 ecu was designed for NOT using vtcs. the ecu knows how to warm up the car properly without vtcs.

CAI, Headers, catbacks, midpipes are also all boltons that you are talking about. all they do is free up the engines breathing capabilities. your going to get a small gains including better gas mileage and less stress on the engines. the point of a bolt on is to add a small amount of power to the engine without affecting the reliability of the car.

your asking for the best of both worlds, which you cant have. either you want small power with reliability (NA bolt ons), or alot of power with little reliability (turbo kit)
Click to expand...


Thanks for the info... I have an auto so can't do the MP3 ECU mod.
 
i12drivemyMP5 said:
Mine is sport auto. IMO, one of the best things you can do with auto for reliability is get a transmission oil cooler & go with synthetic fluid flush/fill. If you go with the header it'll take a bit of low end torque but give upper end performance so get a UDP to get the low back. The VTCS removal is less moving clattery intake blocking nonsense especially in a warm to mild climate so getting rid of it & the porting/polishing is a free bonanza that helps it breathe better, especially with the other things.***edit***never had coldstart issues with no VTCS down past freezing the few times a year it gets that way here in TX.
Click to expand...


What is a "UDP"?
 
A whole thread about N/A bolt on mods and I don't get mentioned...

Screw you guys...I'm leaving. Headwork is a bolt on.
 
iliveonnitro said:
So what worthwhile mods will not make my car louder? How much will gas mileage be affected?
Click to expand...
after market ECU wont increase noise at all - unless you lift the rev limit to 7k ;)
then no matter the exhaust, it'll scream like a stuck pig :)

Mileage - generally speaking, more power means less need to wring the cars neck...

I have gained significant mileage with my car, and i know twilightprotege has added some insane amount of time between fill ups with all his gear..
but its all relative to how often, and how much you press the gas pedal :)
 
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