Utter Mod Noob, so bear with me.

[Captain Vlad]

Aby, I must ask for you to continue to be a bad influence on CF.

Hehehe.

[Xmicro_SS]

Catback exhaust and certain intake may give you moderate gains, but if you are increasing horsepower, you can bet they can give you problem if the engine has issues down the road, unless your dealer is nice enough to not mention them!

[AZ MSCL]

Check with your Chevy service dept. All are different and have varying attitudes regarding mods. My Dodge dealer ordered and installed my Corsa catback and CAI - if anything goes wrong, my warranty is still good. Typical mods that will affect your warranty include S/Cs, turbos, headers, cams, tuners, and performance chips, to name a few. Beware - even if they "approve" a supercharger, if you blow your engine, they will probably not honor the warranty. The Magnuson-Moss Act (lemon law) explains warranties, here's a link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnuson-Moss_Warranty_Act. Catbacks and cold air intakes (CAIs) improve "flow" because they are less restrictive, therefore, they improve gas mileage and horsepower. Of course, with the improved performance and sound, it can be hard to keep your foot off the pedal. By adding the Corsa catback to my car, I also dumped about 50 lbs of weight.

[CamaroFemme]

Originally Posted by rham48

even if they "approve" a supercharger, if you blow your engine, they will probably not honor the warranty.

Thanks (to you & everyone, keep it coming) for the info. I call on them, though - how can they approve it and then not honor the warranty!!!????

Originally Posted by Xmicro_SS

if you are increasing horsepower, you can bet they can give you problem if the engine has issues down the road, unless your dealer is nice enough to not mention them!

Again..if they specifically say they don't void warranty...why? The mod I'm considering will only give me enough hp to, say, be on par w/ the manual V8. It isn't THAT much. I'd think a dealer would love warranty work - guaranteed paid work, right?

[brandotron]

Originally Posted by Abygale

LOL, I'm probably NOT a good role model

You decided to S/C the V6? I knew you were contemplating getting an SS

[Abygale]

Originally Posted by brandotron

You decided to S/C the V6? I knew you were contemplating getting an SS

Yes, I decided to keep my V6 and get it supercharged by LPE as soon as that is available. It can't happen soon enough though!

Originally Posted by Captain Vlad

Aby, I must ask for you to continue to be a bad influence on CF.

Hehehe.

I think she's going to get bit by the some power bug that bit me......darned sneaky bugs!

Originally Posted by CamaroFemme

To go with my CAI, I'll have to grab some black hosiery like Aby's.

Mods come in all stripes, right?

Yes.....yes, they do sweetie!

Well I'm back to one of my two car projects for today

[Primus]

Originally Posted by CamaroFemme

Are there any disadvantages? Right now I can't tell when AFM kicks in - will it increase the noise?

The V6 does not have active fuel management.

[brandotron]

Originally Posted by Abygale

Yes, I decided to keep my V6 and get it supercharged by LPE as soon as that is available. It can't happen soon enough though!

Awesome! Warranty be damned! You should look into Turbocharging it vs. Supercharging it--both have their own advantages and downfalls. I'm not suggesting one or the other, just food for thought. Either way, sounds like you'll have a V6 Vette hunter!

[brandotron]

Originally Posted by CamaroFemme

I had originally planned to keep it stock except for blacking the bowties...but now I'm considering mods. Just considering. *twitch*

So..you're telling me CAI will IMPROVE my mileage, give me more horsepower, and NOT hurt my warranty?

Sweet.

Are there any disadvantages? Right now I can't tell when AFM kicks in - will it increase the noise?

CAI and Exhaust are generally everybody's first mod. Think about it as freeing up some extra horses, rather than adding horsepower. A CAI and exhaust both work to free up the restrictive factory components, allowing your engine to work more efficiently. That results in slightly better gas mileage, better low-end power (aka, killing people at stoplights), and a bit more wear on your rear tires

[AZ MSCL]

Here's the deal: A few dealers want to appear to support high performance mods and get a reputation for it. They will put on S/Cs, turbos, etc, and maybe mention that the new mod has it's own warranty, skipping the fact that if something goes wrong and it is probably caused by the mod, they will not honor your warranty. They are out to make money: they will make it off the sale of the mod and by installation fees. I'm not saying every dealer is like this, but most are. Even if they wanted to, manufacturers (Chevy, Dodge, GM, etc.) track warranty work and when it is done, reimburse the dealer for parts/labor if it is authorized/bonifide warranty work. If it is not, the dealer gets nothing and costs come out of their pocket (as I understand it). Note: some performance manufacturers counteract manufacturer warranty problems by providing their own warranty that WILL cover damages caused by their product for periods equal to the manufacturer's warranty.

Bottom line is this: 1) if it is a mod that substantially affects engine pressures or is forced induction (such as the ones I previously mentioned, regardless of who installs it), if you sustain engine damage, the dealer will probably not honor your warranty - they can't, unless they want to pay for it out of the goodness of their own heart; 2) read your warranty and understand it; and 3) ask questions and have them put their answers in writing if they OK high performance mods and how it affects your warranty. Manufacturer's are very serious about warranties and frankly, often look for ways to void them as it is costly and there is no return on the loss.

You state you are seeking to get an additional 25-26 hp. A CAI and a catback system will probably not give it to you, but you'll be close. I know CAI manufacturers claim they can give you "up to 25 extra hp" but it's simply not true (5-10 is more like it). Catbacks, about 10-20 hp (depends on a lot of things). There are simply too many variables involved regarding power gains. I suspect some people will disagree with me (about the CAI and catback gains) but the only way to really know is to dyno the car before and after. Keep in mind, CAIs, throttle bodies and catbacks can actually REDUCE power if they are overdone or not properly matched to your engine (or each other). Think of these things as a system that work with each other - don't piece meal them together, you'll get better results. Lastly, what you really want is torque, not hp (technically).

Sorry for going on and on, just trying to help.

Originally Posted by CamaroFemme

Thanks (to you & everyone, keep it coming) for the info. I call on them, though - how can they approve it and then not honor the warranty!!!????



Again..if they specifically say they don't void warranty...why? The mod I'm considering will only give me enough hp to, say, be on par w/ the manual V8. It isn't THAT much. I'd think a dealer would love warranty work - guaranteed paid work, right?

[Doc]

Originally Posted by CamaroFemme

Interesting, interesting.

How much will that run me?

Well depending on what parts you buy, a good CAI from a reputable company will probably run you between $400-$500 and the catback exhaust is going to be between $1,000-$1,500 installed. It's important you have the catback system properly installed so there aren't any exhaust leaks and the exhaust tips are properly lined up and stick out far enough to not melt the plastic shroud on the rear of the car.

A CAI you can install yourself if you're at all handy with tools or have done any basic work on a car.

So for approximately $2,000 after all is said and done, you'll have more power and torque, possibly a bit better gas mileage (if you can keep your foot out of it hehe) and the car will sound much better.

[CamaroFemme]

Originally Posted by Primus

The V6 does not have active fuel management.

I'm not in the V6.

[CamaroFemme]

Originally Posted by rham48

You state you are seeking to get an additional 25-26 hp. A CAI and a catback system will probably not give it to you, but you'll be close. I know CAI manufacturers claim they can give you "up to 25 extra hp" but it's simply not true (5-10 is more like it). Catbacks, about 10-20 hp (depends on a lot of things). There are simply too many variables involved regarding power gains. I suspect some people will disagree with me (about the CAI and catback gains) but the only way to really know is to dyno the car before and after. Keep in mind, CAIs, throttle bodies and catbacks can actually REDUCE power if they are overdone or not properly matched to your engine (or each other). Think of these things as a system that work with each other - don't piece meal them together, you'll get better results. Lastly, what you really want is torque, not hp (technically).

Sorry for going on and on, just trying to help.

By all means, go on as much as you want. The point of the forum is to share information, right?

Actually, I was just looking to improve the car if I could, but not void the warranty, lose mileage under normal driving conditions, or have it so loud it's annoying to take on long trips. I didn't even have a specific goal hp or torque in mind.

That said, I've been given a lot to think about (thank you all) on this thread. I don't know whether to do it or not!

[AZ MSCL]

Sorry for all the info, this can get complicated. I would go with a good quality CAI and catback and leave it at that for now. Contrary to popular belief, there are VERY little to no gains (performance wise) without doing both. Doing one without the other will only give you sound improvements. If money is a factor, do one and do the other down the road. There should be no warranty problems with these two mods. As you learn more (which you will) on this and other forums, you can make your own decisions. Beware of simply going with the flow - many people on these forums play follow the leader, one does a mod, more follow, more follow and all of a sudden a bunch of people just spent a lot of money for something they didn't need or is not right for their car. "Mod fever." Throttle bodies (TBs) seem to be the big one now (at least with Dodge owners). Most everyone who bought a 85mm or 90mm found no change or that they lost performance (stock is 80mm on the 5.7 hemi). Can't speak for the Camaro, but on the stock hemi, there is really no need for this until you get into forced induction or cams. I would also look into a catch can - won't improve hp but it will help keep your engine clean (see the commercials about "engine sludge?" That's what this prevents). They are relatively cheap and easy to install. I have a Moroso.

First, I would check with your dealer's service dept and see what they say. I got a good deal doing that (my catback was less than through most internet suppliers, CAI was about even) and was guaranteed no warranty problems. The CAI is pretty wide open, I'm sure there is someone here more knowledgeable of the Camaro than me that can recommend a good one. As for the catback, the Corsa is outstanding (I have one): It has a nice low rumble at idle and normal driving but roars at wide open throttle (WOT). I highly recommend it and it gets better with age, however, it is also more pricey ($1360 - $1500, depending on where you buy it). Labor will be around $150-$400, unless you have some friends that can help out. I got mine through my Dodge dealer ($1360 plus labor). If you want something that everyone hears at all four corners of an intersection, Corsa is not for you.

That said, I really think you'll be very pleased with these two mods. If you are looking for major power down the road, you have a few choices: 1) a cam, heads and other small changes (50-100 hp without changing a lot more engine components); 2) a supercharger (100-500 hp, depending on how much you want to spend, the unit is around $7000 for a twin screw, $4000 for centrifugal), or 3) a turbocharger (also pricey plus it works different than a supercharger - not my choice). Headers are included here too. You can also combine cam work with the S/C or turbo if you're going for it all. Generally speaking, engine life will be reduced proportionally by more power that you add, not to mention reduced gas mileage. The Diablo Sport Predator is a tuner (about $400) that can add power too by slightly modifying the stock tune but you must return your car to stock before taking the car into your dealer or you'll be in trouble. Google their website for details. These are mods that will affect your warranty in a negative way.

Keep it simple and go for the CAI and catback! Maybe the Predator later. You'll be very happy, just be careful about a catback that is too noisy for you.

Good Luck!

Russ

Originally Posted by CamaroFemme

By all means, go on as much as you want. The point of the forum is to share information, right?

Actually, I was just looking to improve the car if I could, but not void the warranty, lose mileage under normal driving conditions, or have it so loud it's annoying to take on long trips. I didn't even have a specific goal hp or torque in mind.

That said, I've been given a lot to think about (thank you all) on this thread. I don't know whether to do it or not!