O.K. here goes,
I just sold some parts I had and I have $500.00 burning a hole in my pocket. I'm looking to add performance to my G8/GT. I don't care what it is as long as I can keep my warranty intact. Exhaust?, Tune?, Sometime else. Let's here your thoughts and reasons why.

Thanks,

Mike

A tune by far will be the best bang for the buck for $500, you can also get our "FIRSTG8" deal with a spare ECM for any warranty concerns.

depending on where you live, i'd hunt for a shop to do a dyno tune... that way you will have you car properly dialed in, and you will know what you got for your money...

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the tune itself WOULD void the warranty. The only way around it is to swap out the ECM or "detune" it before you went to have any work done on your car. Is that not correct?

I'm not saying a tune isn't a excellent option and worth the money because it is. I just want to make sure I've been reading these boards right.

Tuning doesnt void your warranty, under magnuson moss that would be illegal. Those of you looking to get your G8's tuned might opt for a second ECM and swap them for dealer visits if you are that worried about it, in reality its nothing to be worried about most of the time.

Tuning doesnt void your warranty, under magnuson moss that would be illegal. Those of you looking to get your G8's tuned might opt for a second ECM and swap them for dealer visits if you are that worried about it, in reality its nothing to be worried about most of the time.

You're not entirely correct. If the tune is found to be a potential cause of the damage (they don't have to prove it, just show probable cause), then it'll void your warranty. It won't void it by default though.

A tune by far will be the best bang for the buck for $500, you can also get our "FIRSTG8" deal with a spare ECM for any warranty concerns.

This is the deal correct?

http://www.g8board.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1628

What about the crank relearn I read about? What is the best and least expensive solution?

Thanks,

Mike

30 hp? wont a cold air intake do that? I'm new at this so sorry if thats a stupid question. Also, what exactly is a ECM? I'm interested in the same exact thing (performance mod for around 500)

ecm is the electronic control module that controls the engine and all of it's parameters... and blackdevil tune time is right near where you are located... they will be able to hook you up...

ecm is the electronic control module that controls the engine and all of it's parameters... and blackdevil tune time is right near where you are located... they will be able to hook you up...

ah ok. Sounds like that would be able to do more than 30 horse wouldn't it? I'll check into tune time thanks! Is it a complicated or difficult mod?
Random question...I heard a rumor that something as simple as a spark plug can increase performance. Is this true?

30 whp is a great gain from just a tune... my TB SS only saw a 15 HP increase with the first (crappy) tuner that got a hold of it... i haven't looked into the spark plugs on these cars, but i would assume there is lil to no gain from changing the spark plugs, until you start heavily modifying(ie forced induction, cam/heads, etc.)...

30 whp is a great gain from just a tune... my TB SS only saw a 15 HP increase with the first (crappy) tuner that got a hold of it... i haven't looked into the spark plugs on these cars, but i would assume there is lil to no gain from changing the spark plugs, until you start heavily modifying(ie forced induction, cam/heads, etc.)...

in that case im definitely checking out the ECM tune. How much gain would a cold air intake give the car? Which is more simple? What if i did both?:gears: Any particular ECM I should get? As long as it doesn't mess up the car's electronics I'll be down with it. I was told newer cars are much more electronically complicated and more can go wrong more easily.
Has anyone done this mod already?

My vote for first mod is going to be exhaust. Though I agree that a tune may be the best bang for the buck mod for these cars, I am not going to do one until I have some of the other mods in place like intake and exhaust. I will have a custom tune done that takes full advantage of the mods on the car. I may even do headers before the tune. I am going to wait a little longer on the intake to see what else becomes avaliable as I would like to see an over the radiator option. That leaves exhaust. The magnaflow system seems to show pretty good gains in power and I think you do an exhaust for more that just the power gain as these cars are just too quiet. I plan to order one soon as my first mod.

I guess one way to answer the question is how much modding do you plan to do in the first place and that may help lay out a plan on which mod to do first.

Neil

P.S. what about shocks or a bigger front bar? you seem to like autocrossing it :)

in that case im definitely checking out the ECM tune. How much gain would a cold air intake give the car? Which is more simple? What if i did both?:gears: Any particular ECM I should get? As long as it doesn't mess up the car's electronics I'll be down with it. I was told newer cars are much more electronically complicated and more can go wrong more easily.
Has anyone done this mod already?
if you got a CAI and a tune, you could see as much as 40 WHP gain... the CAI is definitely more simple, but the tune is better... they don't change out the ECM, they just plug into it and fine tune it, so they can release some extra HP... many have gotten tunes, and from what i have seen so far, have had no problems...

if you got a CAI and a tune, you could see as much as 40 WHP gain... the CAI is definitely more simple, but the tune is better... they don't change out the ECM, they just plug into it and fine tune it, so they can release some extra HP... many have gotten tunes, and from what i have seen so far, have had no problems...

Oh ok. I'll see if I can get both done. So all they do is re-program the ECM? I saw somewhere else on these forums that someone had their dealer update the ECM and it greatly improved performance and gear shifting. Is that the same thing or should I go elsewhere instead of the dealer?

Oh ok. I'll see if I can get both done. So all they do is re-program the ECM? I saw somewhere else on these forums that someone had their dealer update the ECM and it greatly improved performance and gear shifting. Is that the same thing or should I go elsewhere instead of the dealer?


You don't bring it to the dealer for one of these. :slap: Sometimes there will be a TSB (Technical Service Bulletin) for a reflash of your ECM and then the dealer will perform one of these but they will never do one that everyone here is talking about. These type of reflashes are strictly aftermarket territory.

P.S. what about shocks or a bigger front bar? you seem to like autocrossing it :)

Thought about this. Going to save my money and get the full Peddlers Track treatment someday.


--Mike

if you got a CAI and a tune, you could see as much as 40 WHP gain... the CAI is definitely more simple, but the tune is better... they don't change out the ECM, they just plug into it and fine tune it, so they can release some extra HP... many have gotten tunes, and from what i have seen so far, have had no problems...

Please stay away from the CAI.

The CAI looks so cool, and is a real easy swap, plus it is only a couple of hundred bucks.............but IMHO as an ex 2005 A4 GTO owner, the end results of the CAI were minimal at best.

Get the tune, which will do great things to your shift points on the auto transmission. You can really tell by the seat of the pants that the shift points were changed!!!!!!!!!

If you are going to take the car to the track, get some drag radials which are around 400 bucks.

Please stay away from the CAI.

The CAI looks so cool, and is a real easy swap, plus it is only a couple of hundred bucks.............but IMHO as an ex 2005 A4 GTO owner, the end results of the CAI were minimal at best.

Get the tune, which will do great things to your shift points on the auto transmission. You can really tell by the seat of the pants that the shift points were changed!!!!!!!!!

If you are going to take the car to the track, get some drag radials which are around 400 bucks.

The GTO airbox is gods gift to earth compared to the G8 box, Its definately NOT a waste on the G8 as numerous people have already shown :)

The GTO airbox is gods gift to earth compared to the G8 box, Its definately NOT a waste on the G8 as numerous people have already shown :)

Yeah thats what I was told. The airbox on the G8 I heard was not very good so I figured a cold air intake would improve performance nicely. Any CAI recomendations for the G8 and how much horse do you think it will add to this car?

Yeah thats what I was told. The airbox on the G8 I heard was not very good so I figured a cold air intake would improve performance nicely. Any CAI recomendations for the G8 and how much horse do you think it will add to this car?

Roto Fab is defiantely way the way to go, the build quality is amazing and it looks as good as it works. Nearly everyone thats tested it has gotten 20+ RWHP on a stock car, even more with a tune!

Roto Fab is defiantely way the way to go, the build quality is amazing and it looks as good as it works. Nearly everyone thats tested it has gotten 20+ RWHP on a stock car, even more with a tune!

Nice! Were can I get one of these and how much do you think it would cost to install? I'm very new to this car mod stuff and do not trust myself at all

wait for the OTR intake, it will perform better than any CAI out there now, based on what the best ones are in Australia...

What is the OTR intake?

an over the radiator intake, there is a link to it here: http://www.g8board.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2596&highlight=russo

an over the radiator intake, there is a link to it here: http://www.g8board.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2596&highlight=russo
There are other mod's on that car as well aren't there? Doesn't the Commodore come with a stronger engine stock than the G8 GT does? Also what is the difference between the two intakes?

i was just showing that thread b/c it has a link to the intake i am talking about... the less bends and the less area the air has to travel, the better... this intake gives a ram air effect with the air having to travel not as much as in other intakes, especially the stock box...

Roto Fab is defiantely way the way to go, the build quality is amazing and it looks as good as it works. Nearly everyone thats tested it has gotten 20+ RWHP on a stock car, even more with a tune!

Being real respectful here.

20+ rwhp is a lot. Huge! Something one would gain with headers, however just an intake............call me skeptical.

Then again an aftermarket stall will gain around .5 off the quarter and will not show up on the dyno.

when do you think that intake will be available?

Being real respectful here.

20+ rwhp is a lot. Huge! Something one would gain with headers, however just an intake............call me skeptical.

Then again an aftermarket stall will gain around .5 off the quarter and will not show up on the dyno.


Everyone was skeptical about it, including me however FOUR shops now have published dyno numbers now showing the Roto Fab being 20+ to the tires. Then again like I said the intake on the G8 makes the GTO look PERFECT.

The OTR stuff is pretty cool but they are mostly MAFless and if they DO incorporate the MAF still the short shot to the throttle body means a tune is required as the fueling will be all over the map. I dont think anyones done any OTR testing in the US, there were a few people that did the OTR on the GTO but didnt find it to be worth the gains from the tuning headaches but who knows these may be more forgiving :)

Yeah dude def. go with a dyno tune!

Most ++ for your $$

Save up and get the CAI and TUNE combo from Vector.

I'm thinking this would be the most bang for the buck on the G8.

if you can wait, wait for an OTR, then get a custom dyno tune... easily the most bang for your buck...

i would get the intake

I'm in favor of a VMS or a tune via HP Tuners. The gains with either have been consistent where as the CAI gains are disputable.