I think if you're going to be moving that much volume out of the engine, it's time to bite the bullet and get a real intake. I think it makes the most sense and will help overall with the gains. Keep checking for used ones if you have a little time to spare

 

I have a terrible impulse problem. I can't wait on anything. That's why i'm leaning towards 1. I get it all right now. I've even thought of mixing 1 and 2. Pacesetter, volant, and flowmasters.

 

Thats quite a few mods to the exhaust bro. With Headers you'll need to budget for a tune as well otherwise you'll be running lean. The Cortex doesn't support headers(sell it to cover some costs). I'd go with 1 or 3.

 

I just read a thread about needing a real tune. That stinks. Any idea what Pat G or Livernois runs? I got my cortex for really cheap, so my profit will be high, but this tune will likely put me out of budget.

Thank you very much by the way. I had no idea I could have done damage to my car.

 

600 from Livernois if they are still running the special will get you a Rotofab and tune. And with the tune, free updates when you add the headers and cat back.

 

625 for the pat G tune. 300 for his actual tuning services and 325 for the handheld you will need to move the tunes from the computer to your car and read codes and what not.

 

I'm definitely disappointed. A real tune puts me well over budget. Looks like I'll go with a CAI and axle back only. Try to save some dough for headers and tune. Saving money is not a quality that I possess, so I hope the motivation of "go fast" helps!!!!!

 

I say go with the CAI and axle back. I really liked the sound of mine when I had solo axle backs with the mid muff and resonators deleted and x pipe installed. Very aggressive sounding. Regardless of the axle back you choose I say go ahead and do away with the mid muff. Otherwise it will be too quiet IMO. Should be able to make all the above happen for ~ $800. It won't be that much faster but it will sound amazing!

Here is an old video of mine before headers. really had a nice note...

 

Solo axle-backs...buy a $30 x-pipe on eBay and have it welded in place of the mid-mufflers. Did this on my GT and it was great sound on a budget...I didn't have the money for proper headers, installation, tune, etc. It's the way to go for sure! Then save your pennies for Kooks LT's and a high flow catted X.

 

This would be the cheapest (and reasonable) route. Then use the money left over to get a real intake (Rotofab or Vararam)


Sent from my iPhone using Autoguide.com App

 

jesusfreak702 what side of town do you live on? i know you have been pm'ing with chappy he did his exhaust on a budget. dyno tune from sullivan gm performance is $375 on average you will leave with about 340hp with exhaust and intake. pacesetters are $270 from maryland speed + $65 for the connection pipe, cut and welded mid will run about $100 + but using a cheap a/b will drone bad if you leave dod on.

pypes are $300 chappy had a nightmare getting them on right

obx are $300 idk of a local car running them

there is/was i set of magnaflows used for sale for $240 i think.



Sent from my SCH-I510 using AutoGuide App

 

jesusfreak702 what side of town do you live on? i know you have been pm'ing with chappy he did his exhaust on a budget. dyno tune from sullivan gm performance is $375 on average you will leave with about 340hp with exhaust and intake. pacesetters are $270 from maryland speed + $65 for the connection pipe, cut and welded mid will run about $100 + but using a cheap a/b will drone bad if you leave dod on.

pypes are $300 chappy had a nightmare getting them on right

obx are $300 idk of a local car running them

there is/was i set of magnaflows used for sale for $240 i think.



Sent from my SCH-I510 using AutoGuide App

Sweet, another Vegas member. I live as far northwest as you can get, but I work near the airport. I was going to ask him about the Sullivan tune. If I can sell my Cortex, I'm still in the ballpark with all of this. Thanks a ton man, and I hope to run into you guys some time.

 

also the CAI depends. Vararams are good for power up top when moving because of the "ram air" qualities, the roto will make more power down low and on a dyno. they are both about equal so it is personal opinion on styling. I wanted the roto-fab and radiator cover to clean up the engine bay. the vararam will leave a lot of space open on the driver side and looks odd to me.

 

I think I've made my mind up on the rotofab. I have a really hard time paying $315 for a CAI, but it's necessary. Been dying to find a used one, but nobody sells them.

I saw 768MPH said you ran headers and cortex and then took tune off? Is that harmful to the car? I think I would rather sacrafice my trans tune and have headers, cai and exhaust, and just save for a tune in the future.

I know nothing about performance mods, so pardon my ignorance. I've wanted headers on every car I've ever owned, and now I'm going to do it. I just want to be careful not to harm any internals or accessories from running lean.

 

I think I've made my mind up on the rotofab. I have a really hard time paying $315 for a CAI, but it's necessary. Been dying to find a used one, but nobody sells them.

I saw 768MPH said you ran headers and cortex and then took tune off? Is that harmful to the car? I think I would rather sacrafice my trans tune and have headers, cai and exhaust, and just save for a tune in the future.

I know nothing about performance mods, so pardon my ignorance. I've wanted headers on every car I've ever owned, and now I'm going to do it. I just want to be careful not to harm any internals or accessories from running lean.

Some say it will run lean without a proper tune to support Headers, the Cortex does not provide that. Yet some on the board have been running LTs with the cortex and swear by it.
I rather save my engine and do it right with a Pat G tune.

 

Buy your Rotofab, do the mid-muffler delete and then upgrade your cortex with the Rotofab tune. It will sound good and you will get some additional use out of your superchips tuner.

 

This combo alone had my upsetting many on the streets. Haha


Sent from my iPhone using Autoguide.com App

 

Well, option 1 seems to be the way to go. With hearing that I can run with or without the Cortex for awhile, I think I'm pulling the trigger. Going to wait until mid day tomorrow to hear back on a couple of PM's I have out. If nothing, I'm doing it. The Volant can't be much worse than the Rotofab. I think I actually like the styling better.

 

The Volant, on many dynos have shown a 0 HP increase. OBX are renamed Magnaflows and with the headers, you're in for drone city!

I HIGHLY suggest you take the Rotofab/xpipe solo/cortex route. But to each their own.


Sent from my iPhone using Autoguide.com App

 

I'm gonna get flamed for this, but if you're on that tight a budget, why not check out the spectre intake?
There are a lot of debates over intake gains, but I only paid $150 for mine. Is 1,2, or even three hp worth the extra $? Not for me.

Shaun

 

I'm gonna get flamed for this, but if you're on that tight a budget, why not check out the spectre intake?
There are a lot of debates over intake gains, but I only paid $150 for mine. Is 1,2, or even three hp worth the extra $? Not for me.

Shaun

Spectre is pretty good, but its no Rotofab or Vararam. But I agree its a good intake if your on a budget and the gains were great for the price.

 

Don't get the Volant, go Roto or Vararam & maybe Spectre. Then get Solo axle backs and save up for headers and tune at a later time.

 

No issues at all with my Volant, I like it...


Sent from my iPhone using Autoguide.com Free App

 

I've gotta say thanks to everyone. I just talked with a guy on one of my softball teams that knows a guy that does GM dyno tunes. I've seen a Vette and GTO he's done, and they're legit. If he can't come through for me, its rotofab and whatever axle back I decide. I think I'm so anxious for the headers because its something i've always wanted, but unless I do it right,I won't appreciate it anyway.

 

THAT SPECTRE INTAKE IS A GIANT P.O.S.!!! especillay if you live here where the ambient air temp is 110F in the summer. you WILL lose power over the stock intake even. keep the homemade one over the Spectre or you will hate yourself in the summer. Chappy also had that Spectre intake in the summer it was so hot if you touched it you would get burned (he has a roto-fab now), nothing better for power than a hot air intake LMAO!

as for the Vararam you can make the same power in real world conditions, it is personal opinion really. On the dyno you may not make as much as a roto-fab but a dyno is not real world air flow scenario. I have a Roto-fab, i also know people with the Vararam they ran similar E/Ts with bolt ons.

FYI Midnight mayhem on the 30th there should be a few of us out there racing.

 

I saw that juiced motorsports was having some deals on an intake and exhaust combo. Looks like a rotofab and solo axlebacks will run you $700 before shipping. That'll save you a little bit off retail. I would recommend the roto-fab, solo axle backs with xpipe and mid muffler delete. I ran this combo for a long time on my GT with the cortex tune and my car ran great. Save for headers and sell the cortex when the time comes to help pay for the new tune. Do it right the first time or you won't be happy with the results, plus you won't realize the full potential of your new mods w/o a proper tune for headers.

I've come to a final decision... I want the Pypes Violators (I really like the note) and a Rotofab. I've got a PM out on a Vararam, that if he makes the deal I asked for, I'll take it, but I think I want the Rotofab for appearance purposes. LVGMMAN gave me a source for dyno tune when I decide to do the headers (thank you). I also think this way I'll enjoy a double step up in performance. Once on CAI and exhaust, then again on headers and tune.

 

without headers just use the cortex not worth the dyno tune.

Sent from my SCH-I510 using AutoGuide App

 

I saw that juiced motorsports was having some deals on an intake and exhaust combo. Looks like a rotofab and solo axlebacks will run you $700 before shipping. That'll save you a little bit off retail. I would recommend the roto-fab, solo axle backs with xpipe and mid muffler delete. I ran this combo for a long time on my GT with the cortex tune and my car ran great. Save for headers and sell the cortex when the time comes to help pay for the new tune. Do it right the first time or you won't be happy with the results, plus you won't realize the full potential of your new mods w/o a proper tune for headers.

 

So now I have a choice to make...

Rotofab is on the way. Still haven't pulled the trigger on headers yet, but probably order pacesetters tomorrow. Most likely have my cortex sold to help pay for custom tune.

Here's where it gets complicated...

I emailed a very reputable tuner and inquired about his services. He responded with a rather high price, but seems to be VERY good. He then tells me that he has a gxp, and possibly has the OEM axle back laying around and would sell it to me for very cheap. I've never even considered this option, but the price makes it almost too good to pass up. I really like the sound of the pypes though. I have to wait until Monday to see if he has them or not. Is there a drastic difference either way as far as performance or sound go?

 

is a tuner in las Vegas with a Gxp and is expensive. Sounds like the guy at dynojet. The owner right? I don't know if I am right since I don't know if he tunes or not. Also a couple of us are going to cars and coffee Saturday am.

 

215 and eastern early am I will be there about 830.

 

Very close to my shop. I'll swing by. Look forward to meeting you.

 

I don't know what OP ended up doing, but if I started all over again I'd probably just buy the OBX system from the headers to the mufflers, all stainless and is a copy of kooks, I'd have an intake and tune put on prior and then when I saved up enough money for a retune and install put the OBX system on.

 

smh, you are correct. But there are some personal belief issues that landed the much more expensive Kooks system on my car.... 'MERICA!!!! Also tried to locate an OBX system for another local car after 6 months of looking still have not found one for sale. he opted to purchase pacesetters a couple months back which is better imo than the obx system (not because of design but because of their business practices.)

JESUSFREAK702, np stuff comes up i'll let you know about our next outing. do you have "Normal" hours you work?

 

So he threw away the axle backs. He has the whole mid pipe. Is there any benefit to that over something custom?

 

If it's an unmodified mid pipe from the GXP then it may actually hurt performance a little over what you already have. The GXP's (and all late model year 09's) have an extra set of cats installed in the midpipe. 08's and early 09's didn't have this extra set of cats in the midpipe. You won't lose much HP, (5 hp maybe) but with adding headers it may restrict a little more.

 

Thanks for all the input from everyone. Very knowledgeable group of guys.

Final decision:
Rotofab (waiting to arrive) thanks Glanzergtx
Pypes violators (waiting for car to roll out of body shop) thanks Slizzo
Pacesetter LTH thanks Amazon dot com
Selling Cortex to toolazy4agoodname
Custom tune yet to be decided. Got a recommendation from lvgmman I'm looking into.

 

where you at.

Sent from my SCH-I510 using AutoGuide App

 

where you at.


Sent from my SCH-I510 using AutoGuide App

Not gonna make it. Waiting on a customer to come pick up wheels. Never fails, I wanna take off, and someone needs something.