Long tube's and CEL

[bmorecam]

I was going to go with 3.73 gears first but after carefully thinking about it I think I am going to wait since my car is not even broken in yet, and if anything go bad down the line or if I need warranty work I can't just take the gear back out so I think is wise to just wait a little bit longer for the gear upgrade.
I am defenitely going to do long tube header within the next week or two. I think its most defenitely the heart of all mods to follow and if bbk's dyno is correct on a stock v6 than I dont think I am going to complain for the extra 20-30 rwhpwith headers alone.
My question is for everyone that already have the long tube and still driving with the CEL light on. Is there any problem with CEL other than just the light being on or does it put your car in limp mode? and how about onstar, do they call you about the CEL being on the car and notify the dealership?
I am not going to waste 400 right now on a tune on my manual just to get rid of the light. I don't mind driving around with the light on as long as is just a light on. So if no problems with the CEL light other than just being on than I think I will go ahead and install header first.
I am also going to do this myself so if anyone want to give me some pointers please let me know

[PoorMansCamaro]

I have been driving with my CEL on for half a year or more already. Been on dyno's and at the drag strip a few times. There are no problems, no limp mode. it's just the light. I also have the manual, and is the same reason why I haven't gotten a tune yet.

I also installed my BBK's myself. The hardest part is getting your hands/tools onto the manifold bolts to get the old one's off and install the new one. I just used good old elbow grease to get o2 sensors off. Just find a good DIY on here and make sure you have all the right tools. it's been a while since i installed mine, so if you have any questions, just ask here or pm me.

[csjcsj]

Dont know about the V6, but when I went and had mine tuned after LT's, my car was running really rich/lean cant remember which. Some have said it wont hurt, but in the long run it will!

[PoorMansCamaro]

Originally Posted by csjcsj

Dont know about the V6, but when I went and had mine tuned after LT's, my car was running really rich/lean cant remember which. Some have said it wont hurt, but in the long run it will!

it runs rich, but our V6's like to anyway. At least from some of the research done by other v6ers on this site.

I do plan on getting a tune very soon though.

[usa1camaro1969]

Car runs fine with the longtube header CEL. It throws a code, yes, and when you get your monthly OnStar diagnostics it notifies you of it.
I ran for a few months with it in the dash and it would probably still be there but I decided to go with a nitrous kit and wanted to get the nitrous tune.
There are some that went and tried the non-foulers, but I don't know if anyone was able to get a permanent fix out of them. In the long run, it would've been more cash for a temporary fix so I decided not to waste the time/money.
Hardest bolts to get to were passenger side up at the front, but it is doable.
Hope it helps.

[bmorecam]

Thanks poorman I defenitely will. So the o2 sensors are hard to get it off? and did you use just the regular hand tools or some type of air tools? I seen alot of install pics and read some instructions and it does not look too hard except getting to the bolts to remove the header but I have small hands and hopefully that will be to my advantage. My car was also built jan 28th 2011 so I think the bolts are still fresh and hopefully it wont be too hard to get them off.

[PoorMansCamaro]

oh yeah, and onstar hasn't contacted me about my CEL being on. Pretty sure they haven't called the dealer either.

[PoorMansCamaro]

Originally Posted by bmorecam

Thanks poorman I defenitely will. So the o2 sensors are hard to get it off? and did you use just the regular hand tools or some type of air tools? I seen alot of install pics and read some instructions and it does not look too hard except getting to the bolts to remove the header but I have small hands and hopefully that will be to my advantage. My car was also built jan 28th 2011 so I think the bolts are still fresh and hopefully it wont be too hard to get them off.

no air tools for me. lol all hand tools. there is a tool made for taking off the o2 sensor, but I used a crescent wrench. It is tough to get off. Most are on all cars.

[jagan323]

you won't fully unlock the power of the Headers until you tune it. It think Devildoc said after his tune, he dyno'd and free'd up a significant amount of power. (dont remember if it was doc... i think it was)

Intake, with Headers, and exhaust is a good stage to get a tune... With my intake and catback exhaust ONLY, my car isn't running to its full potential. So with LTs u should consider a tune when u get a chance =D

[csjcsj]

Check this thread out! See if these actually work!!!!!

http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=132619

This is a link also!!


http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/O2-ex...Q5fCarQ5fParts

[bmorecam]

They made 33 rwhp with just long tube header and no tune so you are saying that you can get more hp out of header with trifecta tune? I am sure you can but the question is how much and does it justify the extra $400 bucks especially for our manual cars. From what I been seeing I dont think so.

[PoorMansCamaro]

Originally Posted by csjcsj

Check this thread out! See if these actually work!!!!!

http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=132619

This is a link also!!


http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/O2-ex...Q5fCarQ5fParts

Sorry, no bueno

[KMPrenger]

Originally Posted by bmorecam

They made 33 rwhp with just long tube header and no tune so you are saying that you can get more hp out of header with trifecta tune? I am sure you can but the question is how much and does it justify the extra $400 bucks especially for our manual cars. From what I been seeing I dont think so.

Whoa, hold your horses lol. Just keep in mind that they made that power at a lower point in the RPM range (say, around 5,400 rpm) but at peak they gained around 18 or so. I've seen another dyno where a peak gain of 21 was achieved, but that has got to be the largest peak gain for headers ive seen so far.

But that is not a bad thing...who really wants all their power gained at peak anyways right?? Its nice to have more power down low, and an extra 15 to 20 horse on top is pretty dang good too. Just don't go around thinking you've added 30 horse to the stock 312 with just the headers alone.

Is the tune justified? Well, IMO it depends really. If you add headers (and say intake or whatever) and your A/F ratio goes out of whack you could be losing a lot of that HP the aftermarket parts are supposed to be giving you. So in this case when a tune is needed, then I'd say it is justified. But to do a tune just for the sake of having a tune, then no its not worth it to me.

Heres my thing and please someone more knowledgable correct me if Im wrong! lol. Once that CEL comes on, the car is basically thinking "hey Im running rich" so it tried to correct this by altering fuel amounts, which in the end, tweaks the A/F ratio and thus can cause the car to not run up to its potential.

To counter what I just said, I thought I had read once that the car will only adjust its ratios based on what the front 02s read, but not the rear 02s (which are the ones that cause this light). In this case, the car should not be altering its fuel, and instead the light is just on because it thinks you have cat problems.

Poorman...can you or somebody "learn" me on this? lol (as much info Ive read and questions I've asked ever since the first LTs were available for this car, I should know!)

[PoorMansCamaro]

Originally Posted by KMPrenger

Whoa, hold your horses lol. Just keep in mind that they made that power at a lower point in the RPM range (say, around 5,400 rpm) but at peak they gained around 18 or so. I've seen another dyno where a peak gain of 21 was achieved, but that has got to be the largest peak gain for headers ive seen so far.

But that is not a bad thing...who really wants all their power gained at peak anyways right?? Its nice to have more power down low, and an extra 15 to 20 horse on top is pretty dang good too. Just don't go around thinking you've added 30 horse to the stock 312 with just the headers alone.

Is the tune justified? Well, IMO it depends really. If you add headers (and say intake or whatever) and your A/F ratio goes out of whack you could be losing a lot of that HP the aftermarket parts are supposed to be giving you. So in this case when a tune is needed, then I'd say it is justified. But to do a tune just for the sake of having a tune, then no its not worth it to me.

Heres my thing and please someone more knowledgable correct me if Im wrong! lol. Once that CEL comes on, the car is basically thinking "hey Im running rich" so it tried to correct this by altering fuel amounts, which in the end, tweaks the A/F ratio and thus can cause the car to not run up to its potential.

To counter what I just said, I thought I had read once that the car will only adjust its ratios based on what the front 02s read, but not the rear 02s (which are the ones that cause this light). In this case, the car should not be altering its fuel, and instead the light is just on because it thinks you have cat problems.

Poorman...can you or somebody "learn" me on this? lol (as much info Ive read and questions I've asked ever since the first LTs were available for this car, I should know!)

I believe you are correct. Although I won't know for sure until I get a tune and redyno my car. I plan on doing one more dyno with my current setup and then plug in my finished tune and do another dyno.

I feel that my car isn't holding back though. But I have nothing to compare it with. Lol. Other people with a tune and same setup seem to be right around where I am HP wise on their dyno.