Headers AND Intake before tune? Orrrrr? - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

BravoMyles · 02-24-2014, 04:34 PM

Had a friend earlier tell me that before a tune I should put on both the headers and cold air intake, as opposed to doing the headers, then tuning, and leaving the cold air intake for summertime or something as I planned.

Would this really help in any way? Or should I just do what I've planned?

Also, running headers with no tune, at what point should I get a tune? Is there a specific mileage on the headers where it's needed? Or would it be fine to drive a few hours to a tuner?

Indydriver · 02-24-2014, 04:49 PM

Do it all at once. The intake and headers will compliment one another. Since you apparently already have the cost covered for most of the work (headers and tune), it's not a big stretch to just go ahead and include the intake so your tune is spot on and doesn't need to be redone. As my tuner told me, "when you change the airflow to the MAF, you must retune. Air is everything to the engine."

Sp00ner · 02-24-2014, 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Indydriver

Do it all at once. The intake and headers will compliment one another. Since you apparently already have the cost covered for most of the work (headers and tune), it's not a big stretch to just go ahead and include the intake so your tune is spot on and doesn't need to be redone. As my tuner told me, "when you change the airflow to the MAF, you must retune. Air is everything to the engine."

Unless the MAF cant read air properly due to turbulence or poor MAF placement in a new CAI it should be reading just fine. If the car reads X amount of air in, it knows to inject Y amount of gas based on commanded PE ratios. On my last car 1/2 the effort was spent tuning the MAF for the POS K&N that would have been better served as a doorstop.

Jared91 · 02-24-2014, 04:54 PM

I drove my car for 1,000 miles with headers and CAI before I had it tuned, never had any lights come on for it either. If it was me I would install both and then have it tuned. If you do headers then tune and put the CAI on later you'll have to retune again. It'll just save you from having to pay someone again to tune it. Doing it all at once will keep you from paying for the same thing twice.

BravoMyles · 02-24-2014, 05:02 PM

A lot of the cost is being covered by a $300 visa gift card I got from my apartment complex, beyond that I have just about enough for the tune as well as given I can install the headers myself or with help.

Unfortunately the gift card expires in April so I have to use it (preferably on my car), and I wouldn't be able to get the extra bit for the CAI as well before then.

Should I use it elsewhere on something else? Or order the headers and just hold onto em until I can grab a CAI and tune as well (probably around my birthday in June)? Maybe get the CAI and put it on without a tune?

Edit: Also, I have a muffler delete right now, and I love the sound of muffler delete and long tubes, but my friend also said that his genesis loses HP with a delete as opposed to having mufflers. Is this the same for the L99 in the SS?

Dexman1349 · 02-24-2014, 05:32 PM

You have a few options:

1) Buy the CAI and install now, wait on headers/tune
2) Buy what you can now, and let it sit in the garage until you have the $ to get the rest
3) Buy what you can now, install it. Wait on tune until the rest of the parts become available.

In any case, I would tune it last. Sure the computer and MAF will be able to adjust to the CAI on it's own, I would personally prefer to have all of the parts installed on the car before it was on the dyno. Plus if you dyno tune it at the end, you won't have to guess what your final HP/Torque numbers are...

BravoMyles · 02-24-2014, 05:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dexman1349

1) Buy the CAI and install now, wait on headers/tune

I guess this is what I'm leaning towards right now. What about the muffler delete I have now as well? Does that have any effect towards losing power or does it not matter?

BravoMyles · 02-24-2014, 10:09 PM

Another thought, what about swapping the muffler delete for an axle back of some sort?

I would love to get the Atak cat-back still, but the price is pretty high. How would the Atak axle back with an xpipe to replace the resonators compare?

Dexman1349 · 02-25-2014, 10:30 AM

The only thing that will noticeably effect power in the exhaust system are the headers. High-flow cats work almost like straight pipes, but most typically don't upgrade those until they upgrade the headers. Mufflers (or lack thereof) do not effect HP at all. The stock tubing is already 2.5" which is what most aftermarket cat-back systems use, and you only really need to worry about upgrading to a 3" system if you go Forced Induction (turbo or supercharger).

The car already has H-pipes installed which are a less efficient version of X-pipes, but they work fine for intro mods like CAI and axle-back exhaust systems.

02-24-2014, 04:34 PM	#1
BravoMyles Drives: Blue/Black 2017 1SS Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: DFW, Texas Posts: 495 View My Garage	Headers AND Intake before tune? Orrrrr? Had a friend earlier tell me that before a tune I should put on both the headers and cold air intake, as opposed to doing the headers, then tuning, and leaving the cold air intake for summertime or something as I planned. Would this really help in any way? Or should I just do what I've planned? Also, running headers with no tune, at what point should I get a tune? Is there a specific mileage on the headers where it's needed? Or would it be fine to drive a few hours to a tuner?

02-24-2014, 04:54 PM	#4
Jared91 Drives: 2011 Camaro SS/M6 Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Pennsylvania, 15909 Posts: 180 View My Garage	I drove my car for 1,000 miles with headers and CAI before I had it tuned, never had any lights come on for it either. If it was me I would install both and then have it tuned. If you do headers then tune and put the CAI on later you'll have to retune again. It'll just save you from having to pay someone again to tune it. Doing it all at once will keep you from paying for the same thing twice. __________________ 2011 Ls3. Slp TSV2300. 8PSI. 3.4 Pulley. Livernois Twin Fuel Pump. Id850 Injectors. Slp 1 3/4 headers. CAI Cold Air Intake. 3inch exhaust. V-Maxx portted throttle body. Night Fury cam. Lpe 391 gears. Fj performence tune. 643rwhp 574rwtq

02-24-2014, 05:32 PM	#6
Dexman1349 2010 2SS/RS M6 Drives: 2010 2SS/RS M6 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Auckland, NZ Posts: 1,482	You have a few options: 1) Buy the CAI and install now, wait on headers/tune 2) Buy what you can now, and let it sit in the garage until you have the $ to get the rest 3) Buy what you can now, install it. Wait on tune until the rest of the parts become available. In any case, I would tune it last. Sure the computer and MAF will be able to adjust to the CAI on it's own, I would personally prefer to have all of the parts installed on the car before it was on the dyno. Plus if you dyno tune it at the end, you won't have to guess what your final HP/Torque numbers are... __________________ 2/7/2014: 419 hp, 419 tq Cosmetic: ZL1 front w/mailslot, painted stripes, powdercoated SS rims, tow hook, and full chrome delete Suspension: Pfadt subframe bushings, Pfadt rear UCA bushings, Z28 Upper control arms, Spohn trailing arms with BMR trailing arm & differential bushings, ZL1 Toe Rods and springs, Prothane radius arm inserts & steering rack bushing, Pfadt Sport front sway, FE4 conversion w/ DS rear sway, Pfadt strut brace Drivetrain: RMCR tune, CAI intake, Kooks headers, hi-flo cats & exhaust, VMAX TB, ZL1 fuel pump, LSR Tri-Ax shifter Bumblebee Racecar Build

02-25-2014, 10:30 AM	#9
Dexman1349 2010 2SS/RS M6 Drives: 2010 2SS/RS M6 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Auckland, NZ Posts: 1,482	The only thing that will noticeably effect power in the exhaust system are the headers. High-flow cats work almost like straight pipes, but most typically don't upgrade those until they upgrade the headers. Mufflers (or lack thereof) do not effect HP at all. The stock tubing is already 2.5" which is what most aftermarket cat-back systems use, and you only really need to worry about upgrading to a 3" system if you go Forced Induction (turbo or supercharger). The car already has H-pipes installed which are a less efficient version of X-pipes, but they work fine for intro mods like CAI and axle-back exhaust systems. __________________ 2/7/2014: 419 hp, 419 tq Cosmetic: ZL1 front w/mailslot, painted stripes, powdercoated SS rims, tow hook, and full chrome delete Suspension: Pfadt subframe bushings, Pfadt rear UCA bushings, Z28 Upper control arms, Spohn trailing arms with BMR trailing arm & differential bushings, ZL1 Toe Rods and springs, Prothane radius arm inserts & steering rack bushing, Pfadt Sport front sway, FE4 conversion w/ DS rear sway, Pfadt strut brace Drivetrain: RMCR tune, CAI intake, Kooks headers, hi-flo cats & exhaust, VMAX TB, ZL1 fuel pump, LSR Tri-Ax shifter Bumblebee Racecar Build

02-24-2014, 04:49 PM	#2
Indydriver Drives: '14 2SS/RS Vert 6M/KTU/NPP/DTA/ARH Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Indianapolis Posts: 2,826	Do it all at once. The intake and headers will compliment one another. Since you apparently already have the cost covered for most of the work (headers and tune), it's not a big stretch to just go ahead and include the intake so your tune is spot on and doesn't need to be redone. As my tuner told me, "when you change the airflow to the MAF, you must retune. Air is everything to the engine."

02-24-2014, 05:02 PM	#5
BravoMyles Drives: Blue/Black 2017 1SS Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: DFW, Texas Posts: 495 View My Garage	A lot of the cost is being covered by a $300 visa gift card I got from my apartment complex, beyond that I have just about enough for the tune as well as given I can install the headers myself or with help. Unfortunately the gift card expires in April so I have to use it (preferably on my car), and I wouldn't be able to get the extra bit for the CAI as well before then. Should I use it elsewhere on something else? Or order the headers and just hold onto em until I can grab a CAI and tune as well (probably around my birthday in June)? Maybe get the CAI and put it on without a tune? Edit: Also, I have a muffler delete right now, and I love the sound of muffler delete and long tubes, but my friend also said that his genesis loses HP with a delete as opposed to having mufflers. Is this the same for the L99 in the SS?

02-24-2014, 10:09 PM	#8
BravoMyles Drives: Blue/Black 2017 1SS Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: DFW, Texas Posts: 495 View My Garage	Another thought, what about swapping the muffler delete for an axle back of some sort? I would love to get the Atak cat-back still, but the price is pretty high. How would the Atak axle back with an xpipe to replace the resonators compare?