Yzark99's mod madness

[yzark99]

Glad I could help.

The air sensor (MAF) question is a good one for the intake vendors. There is plenty of room on the sides and bottom of the intake tube for the sensor. Maybe it has to do with preventing excess oil from clogging it?

[yzark99]

SOLO High-Flow Cats

I think this is my last performance mod for a while. There really isn't anything left to do that doesn't cost a bunch of money for weak gains. I bought these used from a C5 member who is getting a super charger (doesn't play nice with HFC).

These have arrived now, and they are in good shape except for a small hairline crack in one of the welds. I called Solo, and they recommended that I have it fixed. My dealer doesn't weld stainless, but they told who would. The muffler shop was able to fix the pipes and install them too, for not much more than the dealer would have charged me.

I took it out for a long test drive an hour ago.

Wow! What a difference!

The sound is much better. There is now a low-level burble under the great SOLO cat-back sound at start-up and idle. The car now growls at half-way down on the throttle pedal; where it used to take nearly flooring it to get the same effect. It is going to be a challenge to remain stealthy without the cops following me around now.

This is the most improvement to acceleration since I installed the VMAX PTB. A light 1/3 push on the throttle used to be comfortable; but now it is surging forward. I am literally half-way down on the pedal to get the same sound and acceleration that flooring it used to take. It reminds me of the Camaro V8's that I test drove before I got the V6; almost too much acceleration. The car was easy to hold at 60, but it kept creeping up when I was listening to the new sounds. Keeping my foot on it like I used to doesn't work the same now.

Cold Start up:



0-60 MPH Windows Up: https://www.youtube.com/embed/QF6wCQizg3c

0-60 MPH Windows Down: https://www.youtube.com/embed/FIkcnGEpM30

Update: I went on the Mt. Saint Helens cruise, about 10 hours of driving. Cruising at 75 on the freeway produced a serious rumble. Climbing the mountains, the exhaust was almost annoyingly loud in the cabin (windows were closed). It sounded the best it ever has. I think the full Solo exhaust is one of the best-sounding things that I have ever heard, and well worth the $1600.

Update #2 My exhaust tips are clean. They used to be filthy with black soot after even a short drive. I had to wash them constantly. Now, they are staying clean. Everyone on this forum thought that the LFX engine was designed to run too rich from the factory, and that was the reason why the tips get dirty so easily.

I now think that it is actually caused by the stock cat material flaking off and making the mess on the tips. I haven't tuned out the rich mix, so if the old theory was correct my tips should be even worse. I have already skipped cleaning them twice, during my car washes as it has not been needed yet.

[CRF8]

thanks for the thread, enjoyed reading

[yzark99]

You're welcome.

[derek1387]

Thanks for the great read-showing me more and more there is plenty to do to my base model before i Twin Turbo it.

Off to the garage!

[Darticus]

Great Journal, very well done. Love the exhaust, watched a few youtubebe videos, maybe next spring.

[yzark99]

Thanks to you both for reading and commenting.

[yzark99]

Tail Light Bezels - Painted Gray

I stumbled across a thread on how easy these were to remove, so I decided to give it a try. They were pretty easy to get out with trim tools. They have been shiny fake chrome since I bought the car.

I dry sanded them, then washed, and finally used rubbing alcohol to clean up any residue. I decided to paint them with the same gray primer-sealant that I used on my front speaker adaptors. I also sprayed a couple of coats of clear on top.

Now they blend in instead of calling attention to themselves.

Update October 2015:

While these looked better in gray than the shiny fake chrome, they still looked off and it bothered me. I re-painted them in a silver that more closely matches my car's color. Naturally, the spray paint was no where near the smoothness of the brushed grey; and I may either re-try in the spring, or cough up some money and let my dealer paint them. The dealer has been charging more to paint lately which is annoying.

[derek1387]

Originally Posted by yzark99

Unofficial Cargo Net: I got this on Amazon for about $18 shipped. No reason to pay GM $40 or more.

Which cargo net did you get? I see a zillion of them available...

Thanks

[yzark99]

It's been 4 years, so I don't remember. Just measure between the plastic clips on the back panel, and get one in that length range. If it is too long, you can always loop the excess netting around the clips one more time.

I got mine with reinforced ends, and tall enough to reach from the clips to the floor and back up. I have had 6 grocery bags in it without them touching my subwoofer cone.

[OVERPAR73]

Can you tell me how your front camera is powered? Does it only come on when you open the lid or do you have to hit a switch. I have a wireless video camera setup and now need to figure out how to wire it up, thanks.

Bill

[BlackSmoke]

You have put a lot of work and time on documenting and pictures along the way. I wish you were local to me. You have gave me a few ideas so thanks for that but a very good write up.

[yzark99]

Can you tell me how your front camera is powered? Does it only come on when you open the lid or do you have to hit a switch.

Post #52 above. I ran an extension power line from the green wire in the center console. The green wire is fused, and only active when the car is on. This extension line goes from the center console to the cabin fusebox area, and then up to the front of the car. The front camera and the monitor both tap this extension for power. Both are grounded to nearby screws.

When the keys are out of the car, both are off. The key must be turned to accessory to activate power to the line. The monitor is off until opened, but the camera is on with the car. Neither one uses much juice to operate. I have driven forward with the monitor open; but being so close to the ground induces motion sickness at speed.

[yzark99]

You have gave me a few ideas so thanks for that but a very good write up.

Thank you for reading and for commenting.