[koontzjr]

So, after reading many many threads and sources, it appears there really isn't much we can do other than forced induction. I have the npp exhaust, is there anything I can do to improve it other than aesthetics? As far as air induction, is a good drop in just as good as any cai out there? Possibly the GMPP induction, power to be had there? Still enjoying this car very much.

[Dustya]

Bolt on's are tougher this time around it seems with more people going to mod with the turbo 4 the 6 has been kind of left behind. One of the big test and design guys from the previous generation 6 Jason@Jacfab is now focusing on the turbo as well. So without anyone stepping up to design manifolds etc... the market is thin.

However the people involved are really involved and there are definitely some things in the works.

What you can do is Tune, Cai, Throttle body, Exhaust. Doing these things will give you a bump in power for sure.

BMR has all kinds of Suspension stuff.

What are you wanting to do ? is the key thing I mean the big thing for any car for largest gain is going to be forced induction.

[PolynesianPowerhouse]

Like said above, almost everything you can do to any combustion engine is out there and available.

Some stuff may have to be custom done but any competent shop can do it.

Alll depends on whats your goals nd what you try to do with the car.

[cellsafemode]

A drop in will do a great deal of whatever gain you see intake companies touting, since they're nearly entirely benefiting from less air resistance since they all route the same way and take in air in the same location and are equally insulated from engine bay heat.

Port your throttle body, it's easy if you have a dremel and watch a youtube video on it.

Cut out the intake manifold air straighteners ...seems unnecessary and just blocks some air flow.

tune.

Not sure you'll see much other than that general stuff to improve perf other than nitrous and forced induction.

Exhaust is essentially as good as it's gonna get performance wise, though aftermarket ones can reduce weight and improve sound.

Intake is already a cai.

engine is already pushing the limits anyone can expect for a NA v6.

Maybe change out the rear gears for better acceleration at the expense of top speed and mpg? Personally i think the engine wants to be supercharged, and you seem to be in a state that doesn't care if you do, so that's the route i'd go if you can afford it.

[PolynesianPowerhouse]

exhaust give a decent efficiency gain over the stock one. its a velocity killer, which slows the flow, but it does a great job at quieting it down, mass produced.

[koontzjr]

Is the stock NPP (dual mode) good as long as you keep it open or will you still see gain with aftermarket?

[Dustya]

The restrictions come from 2 catalytic converter a restrictive mid pipe section and a enormous muffler that you lose alot of flow through after all that comes your NPP valves.. hope that answers your question

[cellsafemode]

I've yet to see anyone show a perf difference with just stock -> any aftermarket exhaust on the car, including the removal of the cats (which isn't legal anywhere).

The exhaust is hot by the cats so you'd need to be VERY restrictive to make any difference. You can crush those pipes pretty good and it doesn't matter when they're that close to the engine and getting hotter within the cats.

I would still consider it a placebo effect both from the sound and from historic real benefits from cars of yesteryear. That being said, i've done exhaust mods to my car. I just wouldn't say it is beneficial to real performance until i see numbers - which i haven't tested myself and haven't seen any with the v6.

[PolynesianPowerhouse]

Originally Posted by cellsafemode

I've yet to see anyone show a perf difference with just stock -> any aftermarket exhaust on the car, including the removal of the cats (which isn't legal anywhere).

The exhaust is hot by the cats so you'd need to be VERY restrictive to make any difference. You can crush those pipes pretty good and it doesn't matter when they're that close to the engine and getting hotter within the cats.

I would still consider it a placebo effect both from the sound and from historic real benefits from cars of yesteryear. That being said, i've done exhaust mods to my car. I just wouldn't say it is beneficial to real performance until i see numbers - which i haven't tested myself and haven't seen any with the v6.

Beg to differ big time on this....

I posted track times before and after last year when i did the tests. That really was my only reason in going to the track before and after. Posted slips and results in this forum and the drag forum. Wasnt a hidden secret. I know some ignore it cause its not a huge corporation showing numbers, but whatever. Im not selling any products. I dont have anything to gain, sponsors, etc.

Most of the things i find to be beneficial. I post and share.

Also if anyone has a basic understanding of how exhaust works and how the stock mufflers quiet sound, its a no brainer. If someone is new to exhaust and how it works: http://www.motoiq.com/MagazineArticl...st-System.aspx
Decent article that wont steer you wrong with the basics

The cats will keep things hot, but the open chambers of the rear suitcase muffler allow exhaust to expand, cool, and slow in velocity being a rather large multi chambered muffler. When you slow the velocity of the exhaust pulses, which weakens the strength as well as sound levels. It becomes a restriction. Its the same principle as to why one doesnt hollow out a cat vs simply using a test pipe. Or putting a piece of pipe thru the cat so that the flow goes straight thru.


Im going off real world results. Well over 30 combined runs, 18 on the first day with stock exhaust, and the rest after removal and install of exhaust. Good enough for me. and best part was many of the runs were back to back to back. Not much cool down time.

A dyno costs about 100$ for 3 runs. Comparing a product is 200$ minimum. Good for tuning, and people obsessed with power numbers. But the only way to get real world results is to go out in the real world and run. I honestly dont care what power numbers my car has. I just care that it performs. No different that a guy who brags he can bench 400 lbs. Impressive to number addicts, but seeing a guy pull an 18 wheeler with just a rope up an incline is more a testament to overall power/strength, than max bench press.

The real old school addage around the forums are those still believing that exhaust and intakes do nothing but add sound. It was the same crap on the 5th gen camaro 5 forums. Theres truly been more than enough people that have posted results.

Remeber, most till say the k&n filter doesnt add power. But when lethal camaro posted the vid that it did make a decent amount of power for its worth. You still had people saying, it only adds sound. -"common sense isnt so common anymore" holds true.

Lets face it, unless the gains are something astronomical like a s/c or turbo...some people will always say "it only adds sound". It's sad

Little mods add up. Always have, always will.

And to boot. Another mod people down play, a simple strut brace... most tout it as an appearance only mod. (For those of you that drive right lane speeds in the left lane, i agree) Then pfadt made a solid lighted underhood video of the movement of the strut towers. Now we ALL had video proof!!!! What more can you ask for? Guess whats still being said is an appearance only mod?

Sometimes you gotta do your own research and testing. Waiting for others, you might lay a golden egg and be able to fly by time that happens. But i take my car to the track, i try new things and see what makes a difference. I dont just add parts and daily drive or casually drive.

If it's not making the car more consistent or effiecient in some shape manner or form... i dont have a use for it really. Just not the route i go with cars.

[cellsafemode]

my car has mrt axle back (even wrapped the entire thing in heat wrap to the tips because less heat loss is better and i dont care if it rusts out)

it has afe cai, trifecta tune, ported throttle body, cut out the straighteners in the intake manifold.

Have I broken the stock numbers GM put out for the 0-60 time. Not even close. Granted i'm not at a track testing and i'm using the dash timer without any tricks to let me rev up before launching.

So to me, all of that stuff adds up to maybe something that can be measured on a time slip but is otherwise inconsequential to the driving experience.

but meh. I still dont get anything in my either of my catch cans either Coming up on another oil change soon so it should be roughly 8k+ miles on both cans.

[hightorq]

This may have been covered somewhere else but has the manifold spacer been rulled out? I have really been wanting a bit more low end and think a longer runner would help add some TQ's

[PolynesianPowerhouse]

Originally Posted by cellsafemode

my car has mrt axle back (even wrapped the entire thing in heat wrap to the tips because less heat loss is better and i dont care if it rusts out)

it has afe cai, trifecta tune, ported throttle body, cut out the straighteners in the intake manifold.

Have I broken the stock numbers GM put out for the 0-60 time. Not even close. Granted i'm not at a track testing and i'm using the dash timer without any tricks to let me rev up before launching.

So to me, all of that stuff adds up to maybe something that can be measured on a time slip but is otherwise inconsequential to the driving experience.

but meh. I still dont get anything in my either of my catch cans either Coming up on another oil change soon so it should be roughly 8k+ miles on both cans.

Thats my entire point. How can one say this or that doesnt work if you arent out testing it or etc.

Its like having someone on a weightlifting program, but all they do at the gym is walk on the treadmill. Can you really say the muscle gained or lack there off can conclude the weight lifting program as a wash. Especially when it really hasnt been used.

To date the times, ive posted at the track is with a full tank of gas and a 400lb driver, which is way more than weight than what they test with. Thays pretty muxh like 2 avg sized peoole being in a car. I may be about 2.5 randy pobsts if you think about it. And ive been spot on if not lower in some results. I havent even launched the car truly hard yet. Just step on the gas when the light turns green.

As far as the catch cans go... its a bit past 5000 miles on this oil change. But ive attached a pic from monday or tuesday this week. July 25th. Just checked the pic. This has been consistent at least twice per oil change. But the blowby capture is really only gonna occur if you are driving hard on a single port setup.

I believe kirkh has also had a small amount captured regularly.

People i know in autox with v6s and catch cans are also getting accumulation. Im just a hair over 38k miles now.

If youre just daily driving or casual driving theres nothing wrong with that. But theres zero way to say a mod didnt or did accomplish something. Your car with the mods listed is pretty decked out, and thats awesome. But from what you posted it doesnt really sound like you are pushing it to perform. I mean honestly i still wanna wrap the pipes myself. A local here did that on his v6 lfx. He won the v6 drag racing at camarofest this year. Hes been telling me to do it for 2 years now. Ill get to it soon.

You said you use the timer, thats about it. Get to the screen, brake torque the engine, then hit reset. The timer starts as soon as there is ANY movement. So you get the car loaded on the torque converter and on the brakes, then hit reset, and thwn GO! thats the big tip for getting good times using the stock timer.

Originally Posted by hightorq

This may have been covered somewhere else but has the manifold spacer been rulled out? I have really been wanting a bit more low end and think a longer runner would help add some TQ's

It hasnt been ruled out, but Will at overkill and jason at jacfab were workong on the ported 80mm tb and manifold combo.

[cellsafemode]

If you do wrap your exhaust, make sure you do so with one of those full body disposable jumpsuit things, along with the gloves and goggles. Holy hell fiber glass isn't fun.

It did increase the exhaust temp over 100F above the temp it was before putting the wrap on. Measured with my IR heat gun at the tailpipe.

[hightorq]

Originally Posted by cellsafemode

If you do wrap your exhaust, make sure you do so with one of those full body disposable jumpsuit things, along with the gloves and goggles. Holy hell fiber glass isn't fun.

It did increase the exhaust temp over 100F above the temp it was before putting the wrap on. Measured with my IR heat gun at the tailpipe.

Meaning less heat dissipating through the exhaust system?