i have a very minute build in mind. but i would love to pick some brains. so tell me what ya got? tell me what ya plan. tell me what ya think of my small build. i don't care. any all eco talk let's put it here.
my build-all 2.5" exhaust piping, no cat, pacesetter header
sri w/k+n filter
b+m shiftplus
mrz underdrive pulley
possible le5 intake mani and larger throttle body (unless someone has a better option for intake mani)
weight reduction
as for a pipedream - stage 1 cam's, and a great tune, p+p head
what else should i get? what else is there to do all motor? what else is everyone doing?
any insight would be appreciated. come on boys. time for the eco's to step it up.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edited Friday, October 08, 2010 9:03 PM
that seems like a pretty good mild build. Keep stock bottom end?
LE61T PTE6262 Powered 
yes, bottom end get's nothing. i do not have the knowledge nor the money to go tearing into it. lol.
i am debating whether or not valves and springs would be beneficial. haven't done enough research on them to be perfectly honest.
time for the eco's to step it up? newt did 13.8 with 169whp. ben did 13.4 with 193whp.
id say they have the game on lock down. id love to see what one making some REAL power could do.
Underdog Racing
if its in the budget i would do stage 2 cams, pnp head, bigger valves. if you go bigger exhaust, and intake/tb/mani, you need to also allow for more air in/out of the actual engine. thats how you make hp. your engine is an air pump. allow it to breath better any way you can, and you'll make power.
this car is a dd, so it needs to be completely streetable. but i want it to have more pep. a lot more. 125 whp just isn't cutting it. what would be the benefit of stage 2 over stage 1? other than the fact it's a bigger number lol. wouldn't stage 1 be better since all i'll end up really having is basic bolt on's?
all you're doing with bolt ons and mods like pnp and cams is moving the powerband up higher. the formula for hp is (rpm x tq)/5252. therefore if you more the rpm that you make your tq up higher, you will make more hp. but you also do make more tq out of these upgrades also, which helps your higher hp goals even more. the downside is having less lower rpm power/response. i would say a pnp with stage 2's and everything else you want to do would be alright for the street (def need a tune) but you will be happy in the end with your "pep". especially your passing power on the highway. that is where you will see most of your gains.
how do i keep low end punch?
forced induction, v8, lol. think about it, when you're just cruising around the city from light to light, lightly on the throttle, do you really wanna take off? but on the highway is when you need your powerband to be present. mid to high is where you want it.
I have that exact setup (minus the TB)
It def has less lower rpm power
but def much more high end
if what you're looking for is a bit of oomph to impress, it'll do that
it for sure wont get you in the 13.9 bracket though
Buddy Club Ecotec Cavalier
* More to come *
A tune will be the best especially after the all the mods. Don't be scared of botom ends, they are easy.
Dave De Stefano wrote:all you're doing with bolt ons and mods like pnp and cams is moving the powerband up higher. the formula for hp is (rpm x tq)/5252. therefore if you more the rpm that you make your tq up higher, you will make more hp. but you also do make more tq out of these upgrades also, which helps your higher hp goals even more. the downside is having less lower rpm power/response. i would say a pnp with stage 2's and everything else you want to do would be alright for the street (def need a tune) but you will be happy in the end with your "pep". especially your passing power on the highway. that is where you will see most of your gains.
Aww look at you sounding all smart
GTZryda wrote:A tune will be the best especially after the all the mods. Don't be scared of botom ends, they are easy.
Dave De Stefano wrote:all you're doing with bolt ons and mods like pnp and cams is moving the powerband up higher. the formula for hp is (rpm x tq)/5252. therefore if you more the rpm that you make your tq up higher, you will make more hp. but you also do make more tq out of these upgrades also, which helps your higher hp goals even more. the downside is having less lower rpm power/response. i would say a pnp with stage 2's and everything else you want to do would be alright for the street (def need a tune) but you will be happy in the end with your "pep". especially your passing power on the highway. that is where you will see most of your gains.
Aww look at you sounding all smart
lol, i didn't know you were still hangin around on here. this is for J BODY'S , not stupid baretta owners!
if anyone else wants to chime in about their build, feel free to do so. like i said i would like to know what others are doing as well.
You seem to have the right idea in mind..
I would definitely suggest the le5 mani, bigger injectors (ford red tops are a nice complement, or LSJ), and a larger TB.
If you are getting into cams, invest the extra money into a new valve train as well. And I would suggest a custom regrind for cams...check into Colt Cams, they do excellent regrinds, and for a great price...not much more than buying a set of Comp Cams. This way, they can give you a grind for YOUR specific set up and power goals..this is the best way if you want to achieve a good balance between high end power and keeping some punch to your low rpms as well.
And with ANY sort of modifacation, a good tune is going to be what makes the most of the mods, as well as keeping some longevity to the motor. A bad tune (or no tune) is going to result in a signifigant decrease in the motor's life span. HP Tuners will be great for the hardware you are looking at.
If you do go with cams, and especially the PnP and larger TB, I would look at the LSJ coated header from Pacesetter; has slightly larger primaries than the L61 pacesetter, and will compliment that 2.5" piping as well. (flange is the same on both, so the lsj will bolt right up).
I would also work a resonator into your exhaust line, at least 24" if not larger.
resonator is a definate since i've decided no cat. biggest one i can fit in there i will. here's a newbie question. what do i do with the o2 sensor that goes to the cat when i remove the cat?
Just have a bung welded in the pipe and place the rear o2 in there.
Since you're going to be tuning, I would get yourself a wideband o2 as well, will make tuning much easier and you'll be able to tune to a higher rpm as well.
i plan on having someone tune for me. tuning>me
I would also head over and sign up for an account on ecotecforum.com...lots of info and knowledgable brains to pick over there.
been there for awhile. typically i just read there. i don't do much posting like i do here.
is there really a need for shiftplus if you are tuning it? tuning it would do the same and save you money
have you read the
RULES yet?
my carDomain updated 6/11/10 Forged and Supercharged
I was thinking of doing a mild n/a build with my eco swap, just slight modding since no matter what I do its still gona feel slow after driving a boosted/sprayed ld9 for 3yrs lol..heres my plans though if I do
pacesetter lsj/ some form of longtube (in the works, see thread in performance forum)
3" cti piping, no cat but 18" glaspack and cobalt ss factory muffler (already have all)
Full mounts (have)
Rk underdrive pulley (have)
external coil swap ( have parts for)
le5 intake mani, some kind of bigger tb
some form of cams
slight tuning
For the cams is where Im a little uncertain, as Im new to the eco and pretty much n/a modding lol. For stage 2 cams is it necessary to upgrade valvetrain if not raising the shift points? Ive seen a few 2.2 delta's with different stage 2 cams and no valvetrain upgrades, hell even with no tuning. Honestly I just want something with some top end and not to sound like a @!#$ty n/a 4cyl, hence a the exhaust setup and larger cams hah
You;ll gain real power if you put the correct amount of pedals in the car. I've fiddled with bolt on automatics before, you end up making as much wheel horse power as the manual version did stock.
1994 Saturn SL2 Home Coming Edition: backup car
2002 Chevy Cavalier LS Sport Coupe: In a Junk Yard
1995 Mazda Miata R-package Class=STR
Sponsored by:
Kronos Performance
WPI Class of '12 Mechanical Engineering
WPI SAE Risk and Sustainability Management Officer
A higher stall converter,ttr trans mount and hpt trans tuning says otherwise
But just like with manuals itll make more power up top but reving higher will want an upgraded valvetrain in most cases..Like theres ld9 guys with ho cams that used stock vlavetrain, but since I had planned todo more tuning/raise shift points I was using ss valves,2.3 springs and 35mm lifters
icemike89 wrote:A higher stall converter,ttr trans mount and hpt trans tuning says otherwise
Simple math on the efficiencies of the transmissions says otherwise.
1994 Saturn SL2 Home Coming Edition: backup car
2002 Chevy Cavalier LS Sport Coupe: In a Junk Yard
1995 Mazda Miata R-package Class=STR
Sponsored by:
Kronos Performance
WPI Class of '12 Mechanical Engineering
WPI SAE Risk and Sustainability Management Officer
