First Time SS Owner Looking For Guidance
 

Just bought a new black 2013 SS on Labor Day and I am in love! I have already got the mod bug but am looking for some guidance. The first few things I have planned are purely cosmetic. Hex vents or ACS TL1 (Not sure opinions?), black powder coated rims and new spoiler. After that I am looking at a cold air intake, LT headers and cat backs. Just really wanting to get some recommendations/opinions on what other people are doing and the results they are getting. I don't want to dive into the motor as this is a daily driver and I would like to NOT void my warranty!

Even though it makes a world of difference I am going to hold off on a dyno tune as the car is brand new and if something goes wrong and the dealership can prove it was from the tune there goes my warranty.

I still need to check to see if I have a weak or strong MAF and I am pretty sure the dealership put a tank full of 83 octane in it so from what I have read I need to run about 2 tanks of 93 octane before doing a fuse pull to reset the ECM.

Any other tips and tricks would be greatly appreciated.

I will post picks of before & after of each mod.

Thanks in advance!

You sound as if you are concerned about warranty. My suggestion, do your cosmetics and wait till you are ready to step up and void your warranty. Even a cai can void a warranty if found to be the cause.

Welcome... most would not say start with suspension... but some subframe bushings would be a really good start.

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I really like my HexVents. You can literally see the heat pouring out of them. I have a CAI Inductions intake but there are a few others that work just as well. I have had Roto-Fab and Vararam in the past as well. Good products. If you want to keep warranty you might as well forget about long tubes. I would look into some Hi flow cats instead, the stock cats are the biggest restriction in the exhaust system. Do you have the LS3 or L99? If you have an L99 then I wouldn't recommend an axle-back or cat-back system without the Range AFM delete (safe with warranty) or a tune (voids warranty).

Sounds like you are on the right track. The Hex Vents are a great product but I am not familiar with the ACS product. It sounds like you have been doing some lurking and reading but here are a couple good threads about intakes and exhaust upgrades.

THE Air Intake Thread
Choosing The Right Long Tube Headers

If preserving your warranty is important important I would not recommend installing the headers and running without a tune. If you are running around with a CEL on because of the headers you will not know if a serious code trips because something actually is wrong. Then your engine self destructs, you take it to the dealer, and they use that to deny the warranty claim and you are in the hook for a huge bill. Just go with a good cat back for the time being and add the headers when you are willing to get a proper tune. My personal favorite is this one.

SW Retro Chambered cat back - Before and After LT headers!

Welcome and congrats on the Camaro.
The local Camaro club in AZ is the Arizona All Gens Camaro Club, they also have there own forum and hold a lot of events monthly. Over 700 5th Gens in that club alone. No dues, no meetings, just events and get togethers.
This Saturday is Camaro night at Pavillions in Scottsdale.
We are one of the leading Performance centers here in Phoenix not to far from you.

Piccione Performance
16666 N. 32nd st.
Phoenix, AZ 85032
602 765 6800

We are a one stop shop, we do it all, custom paint, upholstery, engine builds, supercharging, exhaust, accessories, you name it.
Currently have 4 5th Gens here from the AZ All Gens club in for different upgrades. Stop by and chat sometime. See what we have going on.

I have a L99. What is the range AFM delete?

Thanks for the help!

Chase,
Thanks for the advice. I have been doing a lot of research on here and it seems like you are always in on all the important threads I have been reading, weighing in with some excellent advice! So Thank You!

I was wondering though, is the fuse pull still necessary on the 2013 camaro? You would think Chevy would have fixed that problem of the computer not switching back to the high octane fuel settings but you never know.

Also you are right preserving my warranty is important. So you would recommend not installing headers and running without a tune? After doing some more research I am just going to install a CAI and a good cat back. I just want to make sure I am reading your response right about the tune, you are saying I should do a tune?

Thanks in advance!

Thanks for all the info sounds like a great performance shop! But I am in Chandler Texas!

Do your cosmetic stuff first. Then I would speak with my dealer to find out what they say about a CAI. Some dealerships are cool with it and some are not. Any header you buy will eventually throw a cell and need a tune which will ultimately void your warranty. So you are better off for now just getting hi flow cats. You will get a little gain from that.

Being that you are a L99, suspension parts like bushings are a great "upgrade" but not needed until you are making big power. Most L99 guys run completely stock suspension until they are running well into the 10's. LS3 cars benefit more from suspension upgrades.

Don't get it.
It's a device that plugs into your OBD port and "tricks" you computer in not going into AFM. I wouldn't do it because nobody knows exactly how they are doing it and the long term effects it might have on it. Do it right and tune it off.

There are some thing you can do w/o voiding your entire warranty. The post about CAI voiding a warranty can be true if they can prove the part(s) that failed, failed directly due to the CAI itself. That being said its not something that would stop me from doing things like a CAI and high flow cats for example to add some more power. I am sure that the high flows would void the warranty on my cat-back exhaust, but to me that a risk worth taking. However, I also strongly agree with Tram above and suggest some suspension upgrades. As its your DD, you will really enjoy the improved handling when you are out on the streets as well as a track. If your goal is to keep your warranty then I suggest you stay away from this forum :sm0:, I was like you not 6 months ago and now I am saving up for a cam, headers, CAI, and other supporting mods....tune of course.:headbang:

You are so right I need to stay away from this forum! When I get on here and start reading about what fellow camaro owners are doing I get all riled up about making more power! But for now I am going to focus on the cosmetics and minor performance upgrades like CAI, high flow cats and cat back exhaust. I am also going to do more research on suspension upgrades it seems that more and more people are recommending things like bushing upgrades as a good starting point for newbies like me!

The Range AFM delete will keep you out of 4 cylinder mode.I have a new 13 with 389 miles and used it on day one when taking the car home from the dealer.I would recomend it to anyone with an L99.Plugs into your OBD port and can be removed anytime you want to(ie warranty work).Read about it in the marketplace V8 bolt ons and tunes.

On the other tip you can void your warranty right off the rip by tuning your car.But be aware that not everyone knows what they are doing even if they claim to.I had my 10 and 11 tuned and had problems with both cars.Most can tune an engine but the 6L80E transmission is a tricky beast.On the 10 and 11 the 2-3 shift was screwed up,engine revs but car is going nowhere.Similar to missing a gear in a standard shift.My 13 will not be tuned.

Decide what you want to do and be careful who you trust your car to.