What about TECH FAQ?

[Chris 96 WS6]

Vbulletin has a great FAQ engine already. What if we use it for more than just how to use the forums?

Anybody intersted in helping me develop a bunch of tech FAQ's to add? This could be a supplement to the Tech DB or it could replace it.

[gettinthere]

I'll help out. Just let me know what to do!

[Chris 96 WS6]

I just need shit-tons of questions and answers to start loading in, LOL.

[gettinthere]

Let me see what I can come up with. Should I just post them all in here and let you sift thru them?

[Chris 96 WS6]

Yeah just put them all here and perhaps others can contribute as well. I imagine we'll have LT1 and LS1 questions and other sub categories.

[gettinthere]

cool

[gettinthere]

I've assembled some guides that I can make questions out of.


Most of what I've compiled came from "jrp" of LS2.com. I told him I would give him credit for his work unless noted otherwise. Some is my info, some is from other people who will be named.

My additions will be in blue.

[gettinthere]

Q: What is a Lid and what does it do?

A: What they are: http://ourworld.cs.com/jrpws6/mod+guide/lid.jpg


What they do: increase airflow and thus horse power


What to look for: Some people think that "a lid is a lid is a lid. They will all net you the same horsepower. Pick your lid based on looks and price." To a certain extent they are right. All lids will net around the same hp numbers. I personally like the MTI lid.

- 00+ cars will need to use an air breather which is required for lids that do not that the provision on the lid. Air breathers can be had from a variety of sponsors.


How to install: http://www.installuniversity.com/in...lid_install.htm

[gettinthere]

Q: What are Bellows and what do they do?

A: slp (http://ourworld.cs.com/jrpws6/mod+guide/bellow.jpg) fernco (http://ourworld.cs.com/jrpws6/mod+guide/fernco.jpg) bakerhose (http://ourworld.cs.com/jrpws6/mod+guide/bakerhose.jpg) airflow system (http://ourworld.cs.com/jrpws6/mod+guide/air+flow+system.jpg)


What they do: straighten out the airflow


What to look for: an appearance mod. Chalk it up to the every little bit helps category in terms of "performance". Fernco can be bought at your local home depot or Lowes. The size you want is 3"x3", it is in the plumbing department.

How to install: see filter installation

- Tips: if buying a ferco, bakerhose, airflow systems bellow cutting and fitting may be required. Heat up the tubing in the microwave to soften up the material for easier cutting and fitting. It will also prevent the stiff bellow from cracking or loosening up your lid.

- Pretty good deal here...

Less than $6 for a smooth bellows. :D

Step one: Go to home depot and buy a 3"x3" Fernco rubber coupling.. It should be around $5-6.

http://ole1830.20megsfree.com/images/untrimmed_fernco.jpg

Then Proceed to remove all clamps and labeling, and put it in boiling water for about 10 minutes to soften the rubber. After softening, trim approximately 1/4" to 1/2" off of ONE side of the coupling to make a better fit.

http://ole1830.20megsfree.com/images/trimmed_fernco.jpg

After you've trimmed it and are satisfied with it, put it back in the hot water for 5-10 minutes. Otherwise you'll have trouble getting one end over the throttle body.



http://ole1830.20megsfree.com/images/final_fernco.jpg

I did this, because I originally had my nitrous nozzle in the bellows, and now i'm spraying in the airbox.

Hope this helps someone, because it took me almost an hour to put it all together (the info) The job only takes about 15 minutes.

Matt (Ole1830)

[gettinthere]

Q: What is a Mass Airflow Sensor (MAF) and what does it do?

A:
What they are: http://ourworld.cs.com/jrpws6/mod+guide/GMSMAF.jpg

What they do: "...Aftermarket mafs, don't make power, due to larger size, they make power, by tricking the computer into seeing less air, therefore the computer gives more timing, and less fuel..." (Ryan 'slow')

What to look for: PORT/SWAP/DE-SCREEN AT YOUR OWN RISK. The stock maf is good for 500hp. If by chance your maxing out your MAF contact your tuner and see what he/she recommends.

How to install: http://www.installuniversity.com/install_university/installu_pages/freshman_year/mafh_swap.htm

If you are thinking about a new MAF, please read up on them. Some cars like them, some do not.

[gettinthere]

Q: I want a new throttle body, what should I do?

A: What they are: http://ourworld.cs.com/jrpws6/mod+guide/TB.jpg

What they do: increase airflow


What to look for: look into shaner (s2/s3), bauer, and jantzer. They all make great ported throttle bodies.
- The '98-'99 F-body throttle bodies have a smaller cam compared to the '00-'02 F-body TB's
- The smaller radius throttle cam opens the throttle plate faster


How to install: http://www.installuniversity.com/install_university/installu_pages/sophomore_year/tb_swap.htm

Most peope will look at a ported TB after they have done some engine work and want to really maximize thier gains. They are availible in 3 sizes: stock (78mm), 80mm and 90mm. A ported stock size will do the trick most of the time. People tend to go with a 90mm TB/Intake manifold set up when they are running bigger cube motors are large heads and cam packages. TB from 98 & 99's will work on 00+ cars, but you need to swap the shafts.

[gettinthere]

Q: Why would I want to swap my intake manifold?

A: What they are: SLP Ls6 w/ egr provision (http://ourworld.cs.com/jrpws6/mod+guide/intake.jpg) Holley (http://ourworld.cs.com/jrpws6/mod+guide/holleyintake.jpg) LSX (http://ourworld.cs.com/jrpws6/mod+guide/LSX_big.jpg)


What to look for: The ls6 intake will serve a great majority of setups. All 01-02 cars already have an ls6 intake. If you have a 98-00 and want to do an ls6 swap you'll need the new ls6 coolant tubes and plugs. If you have a stroker or are the kind of person who wants all the horsepower they can get look into the lsx (78mm for stock cubes, 90mm for strokers).

- The Ls6 intake has many different part numbers buts its the same intake

- The only way to tell 100% if you are buying an ls6 intake, especially used is to ask for pics of the bottom. The vette LS1 intake does not have an EGR provision so its easy to pass that off as an LS6 if you are none the wiser. The difference between the LS1 and LS6 intakes can be see here (http://ourworld.cs.com/jrpws6/mod+guide/IMAGE009.jpg); the ls1 intake is on the left and the ls6 is on the right. {color=blue]Notice how the LS6 intake has a smooth bottom[/color]


How to install: http://www.ls1howto.com/index.php?article=5


As far as size goes, the regular 78mm will suit most of your needs. However if you are running a bigger cube motor or have a large heads and cam set-up then the 90mm will be the best for you. And let's use common sense people, a 78mm TB will not bolt up to a 90mm intake.

[gettinthere]

Q: What does a cold air intake do?

A: What they are: FTRA (http://ourworld.cs.com/jrpws6/mod+guide/ftrakit.jpg) SSRA (http://ourworld.cs.com/jrpws6/mod+guide/ssra.jpg) BGRA (http://ourworld.cs.com/jrpws6/mod+guide/bgra4.gif)


What they do: Take in cold air from the bottom/front of the car. These work by creating a "vaccuum" effect. You need to seal you airbox in order to use a CAI system. By sealing the lid, all of the air drawn in to the lid will come from the front lower portion of the car. This creating a sucking effect.


What to look for: fast toys ram air (FTRA) and super sucker ram air (SSRA) are to very popular choices. BGRA (http://www.geocities.com/brian98ramair) is an option for you ws6 hood guys. Either option you choice you'll want the air box sealed.


How to install: follow the provided instructions that come with the setup.

[gettinthere]

Q: What is an FIPK?

A: What they are: http://ourworld.cs.com/jrpws6/mod+guide/FIPK.jpg


What they do: Same effect as the lid. They draw air into the MAF.


What to look for: A ws6 hood or slp z hood with functionality is bests suited for maximum airflow. Volant makes one of the best FIPK's on the market. K&N also offers one.


How to install: see CAI install.

[gettinthere]

Q: I'd like a new cat-back, what is out there for me?

A: What they are: Bassani (http://ourworld.cs.com/jrpws6/mod+guide/bassanils1catback.jpg) Borla (http://ourworld.cs.com/jrpws6/mod+guide/borla_14780.jpg) Corsa (http://ourworld.cs.com/jrpws6/mod+guide/corsacatback.jpg) Hooker (http://ourworld.cs.com/jrpws6/mod+guide/hookercatbk.jpg) Magnaflow (http://ourworld.cs.com/jrpws6/mod+guide/magnaflowcatbk.jpg) Random Tech (http://ourworld.cs.com/jrpws6/mod+guide/random413005.jpg) Loud Mouth (http://ourworld.cs.com/jrpws6/mod+guide/slploudmouth.jpg) LM w/ quad tip center mount (http://ourworld.cs.com/jrpws6/mod+guide/slp30259.jpg) SLP Dual/Dual (http://ourworld.cs.com/jrpws6/mod+guide/dual-dual.jpg) GMMG (http://gettinthere.ls2.com/GMMG) Mufflex (http://ourworld.cs.com/jrpws6/mod+guide/mufflex.jpg)

What they do: increase exhaust flow and alter sound


What to look for: It all depends on what kind of look and sound your going for. The premier ls1 sounds site is here (http://dodds.cc/chad/garage/z28/ls1_sounds/). Spend alot of time listening to the setups and hear as many setups in person as you can. Exhaust is subjective, so get what you like best in terms of sound since its you who are going to be driving the car around.

- Straight through setups like LM and magnaflow (pt# 14267 for just the muffler) are regarded as some of the top flowing catbacks. Flowmaster is one of the worst flowing catbacks for the LS1, it does sound good in its defense. Hooker, Magnaflow, SLP D/D are all great budget cat backs; Corsa, Borla, and GMMG round out the top of the premium spectrum.

- Loudmouth: LM is a love/hate exhaust, it sounds great on stock manifolds with few bolts on's. When you start adding LT's and ORY's it shows its ugly side. LM + ORY + LT = rasp and drone. Try and listen to various LM setups in person to know what your getting into. Time after time people get LM and end up swapping it out since they get tired of its annoyances. To reduce the rasp and drone you have a few options; install some cats, replace the resonator with a real muffler, or install a 12-18" dynomax bullet (http://ourworld.cs.com/jrpws6/mod+guide/bullet.jpg). This setup is referred to Dynomouth; Borlamouth is of the same concept but with Borla xr-1 (http://ourworld.cs.com/jrpws6/mod+guide/BOR-40641.jpg) mufflers.

How to install: Follow the instructions that came with the setup. Some tips:

- Use pipe cutters or a sawz-all to remove the old exhaust, cut at the over the axel pipe or muffler.
- A breaker bar comes in very handy, some of those old bolts and clamps are alot harder to get off then you think
- Use alot of penetrating oil (i.e WD40)

[gettinthere]

Q: I'd like some headers and a Y pipe. What's out there and why should I buy them?

A: Headers What they are: there are 3 styles of headers for the ls1:

1) Shorties (http://ourworld.cs.com/jrpws6/mod+guide/jbals1headers.jpg): Easy to install, small power gain
2) Mid-length (http://ourworld.cs.com/jrpws6/mod+guide/macls1head.jpg): Not too small, but not so long as to scrape if your car is lowered
3) Long-tube (http://ourworld.cs.com/jrpws6/mod+guide/2253hooker.jpg): Biggest and best. Will maximize power as well as exhaust noise

What they do: allow that great engine of an ls1 breath :)

What to look for:

- Decide which header is right for you. If you want to stay 100% smog legal you'll need to stay with Shorties only and make sure they have a CARB number.

- If you have an 01-02 car do not bother with shorties. They received a better-designed manifold and flow quite well actually for what they are. You will see minimal gain if any by switching to shorties. If you have a 98-00 car you'll gain some rwhp from shorties but it wont be much either.

- If you decide on shorties work your other mods around that aspect meaning if you decide for a future cam keep it small (220 duration or smaller).

- ANY headers besides shorties will require a new Y pipe.

- Mac Mid-lengths vs LT's (http://ourworld.cs.com/jrpws6/mod+guide/macs+vs+LT.jpg). The whole Mid vs LT debate will continue to go on, I?ve learned macs can produce great numbers and are a viable option for alot of people. Mac makes headers for 98-99 and 01-02 cars; if you have an 00 car you will need the EGR pipes from a 98-99 car or you'll need to remove your EGR system.

- When buying long tubes what you are paying for is fitment, quality, fit and finish. All LT's dyno within the same net gain. Swap from one brand to another for the sole purpose of gains and you'll be disappointed. 1 3/4 sized primaries are more then adequate for stock cubes. If you have a stroker look into some 1 7/8 primaried headers.

- Buy your headers with some kind of ceramic coating or get stainless steel. If you cant afford coated headers hold off until you can. If your car see's alot of winters (real winters; i.e. east coast and mid west, ect) you might want to seriously consider the stainless steel headers, they are more expensive then ceramic coated headers but the chance of rust will be greatly diminished.

- If you plan to lower or are lowered then any long tube other then SLP will tuck pretty nicely.

Long Tubes

Since Long Tubes are by far the most popular headers they receive the most questions; to a certain extent the old adage of "You get what you pay for" rings true. Info on a few of the more popular choices, not all the long tubes available by no means.

Pacesetters (http://ourworld.cs.com/jrpws6/mod+guide/PacesetterPassenger1.jpg): Extremely popular due to there price, coated they can be had for under 400 dollars. Quality is very good for what your spending your money on, welds and collector are good. If you?re on a budget and want LT's then Pacesetters should be at the top of your list

Jet Hot (http://ourworld.cs.com/jrpws6/mod+guide/jet+hots.gif)/Hookers (http://ourworld.cs.com/jrpws6/mod+guide/hooker.jpg): The Hooker and Jet Hot Long Tubes are of the same design, jet hot took the hooker design and improved upon it a bit by moving the o2 bungs on the inside of the headers and they use a thicker tubing and have thicker flanges. Both are great long tubes and will run you 500-600 bucks

QTP (http://ourworld.cs.com/jrpws6/mod+guide/qtp.jpg)/kooks (http://ourworld.cs.com/jrpws6/mod+guide/Kooks.JPG): Both Kooks and QTP are stainless steel headers, and are generally regarded as the cream of the crop. Quality is top notch and they can be polished for that bling look if you'd like. There only draw back is the price, at 700+ they are not for everyone. If you have the money or are the kind of person who wants the best then kooks or qtp is what you want. As far as kooks vs qtp get whichever one is cheaper.

SLP (http://ourworld.cs.com/jrpws6/mod+guide/slpheader.jpg): SLP's are the long tube that usually sparks some debate. Alot of newbies are drawn into them because of the hp claims slp makes. But as already stated all LT's dyno within the same range so SLP's claims are moot. From a quality stand point they are a great header; stainless steel and are ceramic coated. There major drawback is installation and there ground clearance, or lack there of. If you plan to lower your car then pass on the SLP's or learn to change your driving style or else you'll endure alot of scrapping. Another drawback is the price as they are 700+. (My personal opinion, if you?re going to spend 700+ on headers then go for the kooks/qtp)

FLP (http://www.thunderracing.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=content&contentid=24): At first glance alot of people are turned off on the FLP setup because of the price. What you have to understand is the FLP setup comes as a kit with the ceramic-coated headers, Y pipe, cats, and off road pipes. When you look at it from that perspective it?s a great deal and setup. The biggest advance the FLP system has is the ability to swap from cats to off road pipes and vise versa at will. Great for guys who want to run off-road pipes and then need to swap to cats for emissions requirements.

Others available but not reviewed:
-Thunder Racing Headers (http://ourworld.cs.com/jrpws6/mod+guide/THUNDERHEADERSCOATED.jpg)
-Dynatech (http://ourworld.cs.com/jrpws6/mod+guide/dynatechlongtubes.jpg)
-Flowtech (http://ourworld.cs.com/jrpws6/mod+guide/FlowtechLS1_sm.jpg)
-Stainless Works (http://ourworld.cs.com/jrpws6/mod+guide/LS1.jpg)
-PPC (http://ourworld.cs.com/jrpws6/mod+guide/ppc.jpg)
-SuperMaxx (http://ourworld.cs.com/jrpws6/mod+guide/Supermaxxls1.jpg)
-TTS (http://ourworld.cs.com/jrpws6/mod+guide/ttsheaders.jpg)

A: Y Pipe What they are: Jet hot catted/ory (http://ourworld.cs.com/jrpws6/mod+guide/jet+hot+Y.jpg) SLP stock replacement Y (http://ourworld.cs.com/jrpws6/mod+guide/ls1ypipe.jpg) Mufflex (http://ourworld.cs.com/jrpws6/mod+guide/mufflexyls1.jpg) Random Tech stock replacement catted Y (http://ourworld.cs.com/jrpws6/mod+guide/random943005.jpg) Pacesetter ORY (http://ourworld.cs.com/jrpws6/mod+guide/PacesetterYpipe.jpg)

- Catted Y denotes a Y with cats; ORY denotes a Y with no cats

What they do: Connect the headers to the catback and aid in exhaust flow provided it matches the rest of your system. Meaning keep the diameter relatively consistent, 3" is the most popular, a 2.5" is fine as well and will give you a bit more clearance if your lowered.

What to look for: Y pipes come in all different shapes and diameters, if you can, get the Y made by the same company that you got your headers from. Meaning if you get the Hooker LT's then get the hooker Y, ect. All Y pipes are not directly swappable. If you wish to use another manufactures Y for your setup you are most likely going to have to modify it to fit.

-Those looking to get Pacesetters; there Y is a toss up, some people's are "acceptable", others are straight shit. Pace didn?t put to much time or development into making a quality Y and it shows in the collector. Your best bet is to go with a custom Y or modify your Pace ORY (http://ourworld.cs.com/jrpws6/mod+guide/y_pipefix.jpg) like Larry did.

Those with Hooker/Jethot/Pacesetters can now rejoice, TSP has just come out with a 3? Catted Y pipe (http://ourworld.cs.com/jrp98ls1/ypipe.jpg) to fit your headers. They use high flow carsound cats. At 350 a pop you can rest assure that this is the Y-pipe you want to get. They also offer an ORY as well.

- A custom Y is great since its taylored to your exact setup and will allow you to get the best fitment and clearance. Just pick up a Flowmaster merge collector and cats if you need and have a shop fab up the rest; depending on shop it should run you 100-200 bucks not including parts (i.e. merge collector)

- Do Not invest in a new Y pipe unless you plan to stick with shorties/stock manifolds, and even at that it?s barely worth it since you'll gain practically nothing by a new Y on stock manifolds. If you buy a new Y for stock manifolds/shorties you'll need to replace the Y you just bought if you add LT's or mids in the future.

- If you need cats for emissions purposes then do not purchase an ORY and then try and weld cats in them, just spring for the catted Y or purchase some cats, flowmaster merge collector and have a shop fab the rest. Alot of ORY's don?t have enough room to accommodate cats. If you still want to try it then get the smallest cats you can; slp's or random tech.

- The '98-'99 Y-pipe won't work on a 2000-2002 because it doesn't have a flange on the passenger side pipe. It has to be welded in place. It took them till the 2000 model year to figure out it might be better to have both sides flanged and secured with bolts. (xtrooper)

[gettinthere]

Q: How do I install headers?

A: How to install: Flat out, install will vary from car to car and from the type of header you choose, some are easier to install then others.

- Great Pacesetter (http://www.geocities.com/foff667/98Camaropg4.html) install guide done by foff667
- SLP (http://www.ls1camaro.net/sections.php?op=viewarticle&artid=57) guide (done by bomax if i recall)

A few install tips:

- Patience; if after working for several hours without any apparent results take a break. Things often have a way of working out coming back from a fresh start.

- A breaker bar is your friend.

- All LT's go in from the bottom.

- The stock cat bolts will often break, especially on the older 98-99 cars, don?t worry about it.

- Use plenty of penetrating oil on all the cat to manifold bolts.

- Have a buddy/wife/gf help you out when need be.

- Remove the oil diverter for a bit more room on the drivers side install.

- May or may not have to knotch the K-member (http://ourworld.cs.com/jrpws6/mod+guide/kmember+knotch.jpg) and floor board clearance (http://ourworld.cs.com/jrpws6/mod+guide/floorboard.jpg) (CamaroCain).

- Steering shaft removal may or may not be required. (For my install I couldn?t get the damn thing to budge, so I used a die grinder to grind down the block tab (http://www.ls1camaro.net/freehosting/block%20tab%202.JPG) to get the drivers side header to slide up). Heed the warning on the steering shaft before removal.

- Have all the proper tools before the outset of installation; jack/jack stands and/or ramps, basic hand tools (3/8, 1/2 drive ratchet, 10mm, 12mm, 15mm, ect sockets), hammer. Optional but very handy tools that may or may not be needed; sawz-all, die grinder, 2x4 4x4 pieces of wood and/or some bricks.

- Get the car as high as safely possible. It's alot higher then you think. (During my last install we had the car on 24" jack stands)

- Don?t think it has to be mentioned but I?ll say it anyway; use safety goggles where applicable and make sure your car is secured on the ramp/jack stands before getting under the car and working on it. Basically don?t do any stupid shit ;)

- Give yourself plenty of time to get the install done; first time around factor in 5-12hrs. Don?t worry if it takes you longer, just concentrate on getting it done right and gaining the experience

- Typical prices a shop will charge for an install are 300-500 dollars depending on location. If you have the time, you owe it to yourself to give the install a shot yourself. It?s not that hard and doesn?t require alot of technical knowledge or experience. If you run into trouble during the install come to the boards in a calm and collected manner and you'll get your answer in no time.

- Will you need tuning after headers: Every car varies, you wont know until the headers are installed and you've put some miles on the car. Headers usually cause the car to run a bit rich but its nothing stock tune cant handle. If you want full advantage of the new headers then you'll want a tune. Just plan accordingly; if you know your not going to install big mods (h/c) sometime in the near future then I?d go ahead and get a tune. If you plan for a new cam and/or heads then hold off on tuning for the headers and get a tune once the h/c is installed, it'll save you the time and money of having to tune twice. If you don?t want to pay for a full tune you can always pick up a used MAFT (http://ourworld.cs.com/jrpws6/mod+guide/maftrans.gif) (mass air fuel translator) and dial in your A/F ratio a bit.

- Where to buy: Check out our Sponsors for great deals on Headers!

[gettinthere]

Q: Why would I want True Duals?

A: What they are:

1) X-pipe setups 1 (http://ourworld.cs.com/jrpws6/mod+guide/duals+2+fl.jpg) (South FL) 2 (http://ourworld.cs.com/jrpws6/mod+guide/TDs_angle.jpg) 3 (http://ourworld.cs.com/jrpws6/mod+guide/TDs_from-front.jpg) (DVST8OR) 4 (http://ourworld.cs.com/jrpws6/mod+guide/exhuast5.jpg) (Y2KSS).
2) H-Pipe setup: 1 (http://ourworld.cs.com/jrpws6/mod+guide/mac_truedual.jpg) (Lanes)

What they do: See Y pipe

What to look for: Your only actual viable option is an X pipe or H pipe. Which is better will always be debated. Most people go with an X pipe, in a nutshell an X-pipe will net you more power and torque and an H-pipe will have a slightly better sound. Both are great, so choose what you like, either is better then a traditional Y setup. Where duals shine is power under the curve.

- When it comes to duals you have 2 options; dumped before the axel or going all the way out the back. The former is a more popular option because of cost. A complete dual setup dumped should run you 500 bucks or less. If you desire to go out the back it'll cost you, you'll need some custom over the axel work or you can go a cheaper route and go under the axel. Both have there advantages; dumped are very cost effective and have a great hp/$ ratio. However since the exhaust is now exiting under the car; cab noise is more prevalent, you'll notice rattles you never knew you had, and you'll feel the resonance. Duals out the back are more expensive but you'll get the hp and sound of the duals without the little annoyances of the dumped setup. (My advice would be to go with dumps first and see how you like it and whats acceptable to you, if you find the annoyances unbearable you can always complete the duals out the back, just pick up where the dumps left off and go over the axel or under.

- If you plan for dumps you can go 3" piping all through out. If you are lowered or plan to lower or want duals all the way back go with 2.5", you'll have more ground clearance and more room to allow for going over the axel depending on how you set it up. You can also go 3" up to the X pipe and then reduce to 2.5".

- Both 2.5" and 3" will support plenty of power, most likely more then you'll ever produce. Choose your piping based on fitment and clearance, not power.

- When you run duals you'll want an X/H pipe for the scavaging and equalizing effect, you wont get that from straight pipes off of the collector.

- True Duals w/ Side Pipes 1 (http://ourworld.cs.com/jrp98ls1/Dual+1.jpg) 2 (http://ourworld.cs.com/jrp98ls1/side+exit+1.jpg)


How to install: You have a few options:

- Have a shop fab up the whole setup for you
- Buy just an X/H pipe from jegs or summit and mufflers and have a shop fab the rest
- Buy a Dr. Gas kit (http://www.mustangdepot.com/OnLineCatalog/images/Exhaust/dr-xover.jpg) and have a shop fab the rest

[gettinthere]

Q: What is a cutout?

A: What they are: Flowtech (http://ourworld.cs.com/jrpws6/mod+guide/cutout.jpg) QTP electric cutout (http://ourworld.cs.com/jrpws6/mod+guide/QTECdisplay.jpg)
What they do: http://ourworld.cs.com/jrpws6/mod+guide/QTECDiagram.gif

What to look for: An electric cutout is the best bet, you can be loud when you need/want it to be and quite when you need/want it to be all at the flip of a switch. A standard cut you you?ll need to get under the car to cap or uncap it. A cutout is a great mod for cheap horsepower and sound.

How/Where to install: For an electric cutout follow the wiring guide instructions. For both type of cutouts you'll need to have them welded in. You have a few options of placement. The easiest is the I-pipe as there is plenty of room. You can also run dual cutouts in place of where the cats would be (on a LT' setup). Dual cats and cutouts can be done but the fitment will be very close and you'll need to run some small cats.

[gettinthere]

Q: What are the extra exhaust goodies?

A: http://ourworld.cs.com/jrpws6/mod+guide/exhaustaccessoriesa.jpg

- Gaskets: Stick with the metal gaskets, either new or re-used. Don?t bother with the paper gaskets that often come with your headers, you'll just increase the chance of leaks.

-Header Bolts: Oem bolts are fine, again new or re-used. If you want to spend the money you can get some stage 8 locking bolts, they are not necessary though. Header bolts are only required to be torqued down to 18ft-lb's, which is not alot. Do Not over torque the bolts as you run the risk of stripping the threads on the heads. They are aluminum after all. Torque the bolts from the center out.

- Clamps: Invest in some good band clamps (http://ourworld.cs.com/jrpws6/mod+guide/band+clamp.jpg); they can be had from a variety of sponsors or found at your local parts store. U-bolt clamps are pieces of shit. Another option you have is to flange (http://ourworld.cs.com/jrpws6/parts/DSC00125.JPG) your system.

-If you?re using clamps and are still having exhaust leaks try buying some aluminum tape that can be found at Lowes or home depot. Wrap the tape around the collector; whether header or Y pipe, for thicker area for the clamp to seal up too.

- Cats: Magnaflow/Carsound cats are the best overall option; they flow great and can be had for a great price, especially on ebay.

1) You?ll want pt# 94106 for a 2.5" inlet/outlet and 94109 for a 3" inlet/out.

- o2 Extension and Sims (http://ourworld.cs.com/jrpws6/mod+guide/electricalcomponents.jpg): When buying Long tubes you'll need to get 2 o2 extensions to connect the front o2 sensors as the o2 bungs have now been moved so far down the sensor wont reach the connection. Most Y/X/H pipes do not have rear o2 provisions so you'll need to run 2 o2 Sims to prevent an SES light. You can also turn off the codes with edit/hp tuner/predator and bypass the need for the Sims.

1) DO NOT PUT O2 SIMS ON THE FRONT O2 SENSORS (B1S1) (B2S1). The pcm determines the A/F ratio from the front o2 sensors when it goes into closed loop.

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Q: What are some emmission guidelines and parts for exhaust?

A: 1) When buying headers you have the option to buy them with or without emissions provisions. Find out your states/counties emissions standards before buying.

2) If you know your emissions requirements you can buy whichever setup meets your needs.

3) If your state only has OBDII testing you may remove your Air and/or EGR setup (only 98-00 cars have EGR). You can purchase the racing headers and get rid of the above systems. As long as you arent throwing any codes you will pass the OBDII test.

4) If your car has a sniffer/visual test you'll need to decide how you want to play it; either comply with the rules and keep your Air/Egr and purchase the headers with the emissions provisions or try and find a shop that will over look those missing systems.

5) 9 times out of 10 you will not pass the sniffer test without cats.

6) Go here (http://www.ls1camaro.net/sections.php?op=viewarticle&artid=70) (bomax) to remove your Air/Egr.

7) If you want to swap 98-99 and 00-02 headers around you'll need to remove your Air system or purchases the Air tubes from the year the headers were made for since the 98-99 and 00-02 have different Air tube setup.

8) It should go without saying but if you want to swap 01-02 headers on your 98-00 you'll need to remove you EGR system.

9) 00 are an oddball year as the EGR and Air setups are different then the 98-99.

10) When removing the Air system on the 00+ cars you'll be left with a vacuum hose (http://ourworld.cs.com/jrp98ls1/AIR.jpg) that you'll need to plug up.

11) Removing your Air/EGR/rear o2's will set off an SES light but will not effect performance at all.

12) If you plan to keep your Air system with your LT's you'll want to run Air Restrictor plates (http://www.ls1camaro.net/sections.php?op=viewarticle&artid=11) (bomax)

[gettinthere]

Q: What are some Header basics?

A: Header Basics by Loren Barnes, President, S&S Headers, Inc.

You have probably heard words like: back pressure, scavenging, tuned length, merged collector, rotational firing order, compatible combination and many others that meant something, but how they relate to a header may be a little vague. This article should give you a basic understanding of how a header works, what the terminology means, and how it plays a part in the header's performance gains.

The first misconception that needs to be cleared up is that a header relieves backpressure, but a certain amount of backpressure is needed for optimum performance. Just the opposite is true. A good header not only relieves the backpressure, but goes one step further and creates a vacuum in the system. When the next cylinder's exhaust valve opens, the vacuum in the system pulls the exhaust out of the cylinder. This is what the term "Scavenging" means.

The first consideration is the proper tube diameter. Many people think "Bigger is Better", but this is not the case. The smallest diameter that will flow enough air to handle the engine's c.c. at your desired Red Line R.P.M. should be used. This small diameter will generate the velocity (air speed) needed to "Scavenge" at low R.P.M.s. If too small a diameter is used the engine will pull hard at low R.P.M.s but at some point in the higher R.P.M.s the tube will not be able to flow as much air as the engine is pumping out, and the engine will "sign off" early, not reaching its potential peak R.P.M. This situation would require going one size larger in tube diameter.

The second consideration is the proper tube length. The length directly controls the power band in the R.P.M. range. Longer tube lengths pull the torque down to a lower R.P.M. range. Shorter tubes move the power band up into a higher R.P.M. range. Engines that Red Line at 10,000 R.P.M. would need short tube lengths about 26" long. Engines that are torquers and Red Line at 5,500 R.P.M.s would need a tube length of 36". This is what is meant by the term "Tuned Length". The tube length is tuned to make the engine operate at a desired R.P.M. range.

The third consideration is the collector outlet diameter and extension length. This is where major differences occur between four cylinder engines and V-8 engines. The optimum situation is the four cylinder because of it's firing cycle. Every 180 degree of crankshaft rotation there is one exhaust pulse entering the collector. This is ideal timing because, as one pulse exits the collector, the next exhaust valve is opening and the vacuum created in the system pulls the exhaust from the cylinder. In this ideal 180 degree cycling the collector outlet diameter only needs to be 20% larger than the primary tube diameter. (Example: 1 3/4" primary tubes need a 2" collector outlet diameter.) The rule of thumb here is two tube sizes. This keeps the velocity fast to increase scavenging, especially at lower R.P.M.s. Going to a larger outlet diameter will hurt the midrange and low R.P.M. torque.

The amount of straight in the collector extension can move the engines torque up or down in the R.P.M. range. Longer extension length will pull the torque down into the midrange.

Engines that "Red Line" at 10,000 R.P.M. would only need 2" of straight between the collector and the megaphone. This is just enough length to straighten out the air flow before it enters the megaphone. This creates an orifice action that enhances exhaust velocity.

In the case of V-8 firing order, the five pulses fire alternately back and forth from left to right collector, giving the ideal 180 degree firing cycle. Then it fires two in succession into the left collector, then two in succession into the right collector. If the proper collector outlet diameter is being used (two sizes larger than primaries) the two pulses in succession load up the collector with more air than it can flow. This results in a very strong midrange torque, but causes the engine to "sign off" early, not reaching its potential peek R.P.M. The improper firing order on a V-8 engine results in the need to use large diameter collectors so the engine will perform well at high R.P.M.s. Unfortunately the large diameter collectors cause a tremendous drop in air velocity, resulting in less scavenging through the entire R.P.M. range.

Often cams are used with extended valve timing to help the exhaust cycling. This results in valve timing overlap (Intake and Exhaust valves both open at T.D.C.) which causes a "Reversion"cycle in the exhaust. When this happens, exhaust actually backs up into the cylinder causing intake air to be pushed back out the intake. This reversion causes "Standoff" (fuel blowing out of the Intake) at low R.P.M.s. This whole improper cycling has resulted in a number of "Cure Alls" to help stop this reversion and standoff.

The plentum intake was created to stop the fuel "Standoff". Then came "Anti Reversionary" Cones in the exhaust tubes, and stepped tube diameter in the header, extended collector lengths and even plentums in the exhaust tubes.

In this chain of events beginning with improper firing order, a series of cures has developed, each one causing a new problem.

The optimum cure to this whole problem is to correct the exhaust firing cycle. The two cylinders that fire in succession into each collector have to be separated. This can be done partially by a "Tri-Y" header, where the four primary tubes from each bank merge into two secondary tubes (separating the two pulses firing in succession) and finally collect into a single collector. This type of header helps, but the two pulses are still coming back together at the collector.

The second optimum cure is to cross the two center tubes from each bank, across the engine running them into the collector on the opposite side. This makes the firing cycle in each collector 180 degrees apart, the same as a four cylinder engine. Once this firing order is achieved, the small collector outlet diameter can be used and the "High Velocity Scavenging" at low R.P.M.s cures the reversion problems and eliminates the need for extreme cam duration.

This sounds so easy, you are probably asking why wasn't this done from the start?

If you have ever seen a set of 180 degree headers you would understand.

On today's cars, with space virtually nonexistent, crossing four tubes either under the oil pan or around the front or rear of the engine presents major problems. On racing applications where it is possible, there is still the problem of keeping the tube length down to a reasonable 32" long. If that's not enough challenge, then try to arrange the tubes into each collector so they fire in a "Rotational Firing" pattern. Then you have, what has been called "A Bundle of Snakes".

Arranging the tubes to fire rotationally adds to the scavenging capabilities. The exhaust gas exiting one tube, passing across the opening of the tube directly beside it, creates more suction on that tube than it would on a tube on the opposite side of the collector.

The next problem is "Turbulence" in the collector. When four round tubes are grouped together in a square pattern, so a collector can be attached, you notice a gapping hole in the center of the four tubes. The standard method in manufacturing headers is to cap this hole off with a square plate. This plate in the center of the four tubes creates dead air space, or turbulence, disrupting the high velocity in the collector. This problem is solved by using a "Merge Collector". This collector is formed from four tubes, cut at approximately an 8 degree angle on two sides. When the tubes are all fitted together they form a collector with a "Pyramid" in the center. This has eliminated the need for the square plate and has taken up some of the volume inside the collector, speeding up the air velocity.

Other methods of curing this problem are: fabricating a pyramid out of sheet metal and welding it over the hole between the tubes, or squaring the tubes on two sides so they fit together forming a "+" weld in the center eliminating the hole all together.

You can see that there are a great many factors that go into making a good header. When the header, intake system, and cam timing are all designed to operate to their maximum in the same R.P.M. range, then you have a "Compatible Combination". This combination can be tuned to deliver maximum power at any desired R.P.M. range.

These are some of the "Basics" you need to know about building a good high performance header. There are many other adjustments that can be made to fine tune a header, but this should give you a basic understanding of how all the components work together.

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Q: What are stock Cam specs for an LS1 F-body?

A:
stock 98-00

duration@.050 198.86 intake 209.25 exhaust
lift .498 intake .497 exhaust
LSA 119.45

stock 01-02

duration@.050 196.37 intake 208.72 exhaust
lift .464 intake .479 exhaust
LSA 115.92

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Q: What are some modding guidelines?

A: The LS1 like any other engine works as a system, treat is as one, you want to get as much air in and out as you can. The plethora of mods out there will allow you to do that. Things to consider before you start on your modding process:

1) There is no "best" part when it comes to mods.
2) When you want to start modding your car come up with a tangible plan.
3) Do not go into modding blindly; you will end up wasting money, time, and effort.
4) Do your research before you buy mods.
5) Find out your states/counties emissions requirements before choosing mods
6) Be realistic on what your going to do with your car
7) Usable power under the curve is what you want to shoot for, do not just look at peak gains
8) Work within your budget
9) If your are still under warranty Contact your own dealership and discuss your warranty and modding issues.
10) Work on matching your parts well, meaning:

- do not buy 2500+ stage 3 heads that flow 330cfm@.600 if you have a stock cam or very low duration/lift cam (i.e tr220)
- LSX intake and 90mm TB for a basic bolt on car
- dont run 230+ cams on stock manifolds or shorties
- dont run a big cam and a small stall (i.e tsp231 and a vig 2200)
- dont over/under gear your car (i.e tr230, a4, 2.73's)

(Credit given where applicable. Info/pics taken from personal experience, around the Internet, and ls1tech/ls2.com.) Special thanks to the guys on ls1tech (J-Rod, JMX, ect) :worship:

[gettinthere]

Q: What should I look for when upgrading my cam and what do those numbers mean?

A: What they are: http://www.ls2.com/boggs/cam/cranecam.jpg
Higher Res cam pics:
http://gettinthere.ls2.com/cam1
http://gettinthere.ls2.com/cam2
http://gettinthere.ls2.com/cam3
http://gettinthere.ls2.com/cam4
http://gettinthere.ls2.com/cam5
http://gettinthere.ls2.com/cam6
http://gettinthere.ls2.com/cam7
http://gettinthere.ls2.com/cam8
http://gettinthere.ls2.com/cam9
http://gettinthere.ls2.com/cam10
http://gettinthere.ls2.com/cam11

What they do: Cams are the ?brain? of your engine and dictate how your engine will perform; power, idle quality, valve events, ect.

What to look for:

- Get a basic understanding of cams before purchasing. It?ll also help you understand the info/advice that is given on the boards.

- ALL gains are relative to your own setup

1) For example if you installed S2 heads and a tsp231 cam and only put down 390rwhp tuned don?t fret if you started with a base of 290rwhp.

- When researching cams look at the average gains. Don?t look at the highest gains you see (395rwhp with say and ls6 cam) and expect to get the same results when the average is 360-380rwhp depending on setup

- Can a cam be your first mod; yes. Should a cam be your first mod; no.

1) Cams need to breath, that means a complete intake and exhaust setup. The bigger the cam the more prevalent those mods become.
2) A4 guys; match your stall and cam appropriately

- Don?t be afraid of older or smaller cams (T1/B1, tr220, comps 218, ect). They might not use the latest and greatest lobe technology or break speed records but they are proven cams and are great for the guys looking for 400 > * rwhp cam only.

- Take Internet reviews of cams with a grain of salt and use them as reference only. Contact your local fbody club or ask around your local regional forum and find as many guys who have cams as you can. Hear and drive/ride along with as many different cam setups as you can. The reason for this is everyone has there own idea of what streetable is since that is a RELATIVE term. Decide on your own what streetable is to you

- Don?t let someone talk you into a cam if it doesn?t meet your requirements and fit your specific applications and goals.

- Keep in mind there is more then one way to make the same amount of power

- If you have the sniffer for emissions either go with the cam of your choice and pray you find a good enough tuner and have luck on your side or keep the duration 226 and under on a 114 and a decent tune and you should be fine.

- When buying a used cam ask for the cam card and/or serial numbers. Take that serial number and email or PM the company or board representative with that serial number. They will be able to tell you if in fact it is one of there grinds and if it?s the one you had planned on purchasing. That is the only way short of having the cam spec?d on a cam doctor to know exactly what cam you are buying. Here's the serial number from my old TR230 (http://www.ls2.com/boggs/cam/tr230.jpg).

- Don?t get caught up in peak HP. These are ls1 boards not Honda boards ;). Under the curve power is where it?s at.

- To make things easier most sponsors offer cams as a package deal that includes all that you?ll need for an installation. Here (http://www.ls2.com/boggs/cam/tr230.jpg) was my old cam kit.

[gettinthere]

Q: What should I look for when upgrading my cam and what do those numbers mean? Part 2

A: Cam Overview:

- http://www.ls2.com/boggs/cam/camanatamy.jpg

- Your starting point:

Stock 98-00 trans am cam

Duration@.050 198.86 intake 209.25 exhaust
Lift .498 intake .497 exhausts
LSA 119.45

Stock 01-02 trans am cam

Duration@.050 196.37 intake 208.72 exhaust
Lift .464 intake .479 exhausts
LSA 115.92


When buying a cam it comes with a cam card. This card gives you the exact specs of the cam. Here is an MTI/Lunati B1 cam card (http://www.ls2.com/boggs/cam/B1+cam+card.jpg) and a LGM G5X2 cam card (http://www.ls2.com/boggs/cam/g5x2.jpg).

[gettinthere]

Q: What should I look for when upgrading my cam and what do those numbers mean? Part 3

A:
Duration:


- The amount of time (in degrees) that lift is generated is called the duration of the lobe. Camshafts operate at half engine speed. This is easy to see because the gear that turns the camshaft is twice the diameter of the crank gear that drives it. That means that the cam spins at half engine speed. Because of this, camshaft duration is always expressed in crankshaft degrees. This makes it easy when it comes time to degree the cam to ensure it is positioned accurately in the engine.

- As you can see in the 2 cam cards there is duration @ .050 and duration @ .006. Duration @.050 is pretty much industry standard and that?s what you?ll see when looking at cam specs from the various sponsors and what most people are talking about when discussing duration

- Duration @.050 and Duration @.006 is a way you can determine the difference between two or more cams with the same given duration at .050. For example a TR224, TSP 224, and Comps 224. The lower the duration @.006 the more aggressive the ramp rate. The more aggressive the ramp rate the more overall and under the curve power.

- If you know the advertised duration (.006) of a cam you can calculate the ramp rate. To do this you take the duration @.006 and subtract it from the duration @ .050. A number of 53 or higher denotes an XE lobe or other mild lobe and a number of 49 or lower denotes an XE-R lobe or other aggressive lobe (Beast and 99 Black Bird T/A :cool: )

- Using the B1 and G5X2 as examples is as follows:

B1: 281 (.006) ? 221 (.050) = 59

G5X2: Intake 281 (.006) ? 232 (.050) = 49
Exhaust 289 (.006) ? 240 (0.50) = 49

- Most cam companies use Comp lobes; either an XE or XE-R, the later being the more aggressive of the two. TR uses its own proprietary lobe and FMS uses Cam Motion lobes.

- Intake opening (IO) usually occurs before top dead center (BTDC), while intake closing (IC) happens after bottom dead center (ABDC). For the exhaust side, exhaust opening (EO) occurs before bottom dead center (BBDC) and exhaust closing (EC) after top dead center (ATDC). These data points are listed on the cam card that comes with each new cam.

- Traditional Splits refers to more exhaust duration and lift then intake (tsp231/237, g5x2 232/450, ect). Reverse split refers to more intake duration and lift then exhaust (TR 230/224, X1 230/227). Single patterns are defined as having both the same intake, exhaust duration, and lift. (TR224, TR220, FM4 226/226). Which cam is better depends on your application.

- GREAT technical discussion on cams started by J-Rod from ls1tech: here (http://www.ls1tech.com/forums/showthread.php?t=101100&highlight=cam+discussion)

- Valve Events (VE) calculator can be found here (http://users3.ev1.net/~black_ops/cams/VE%20calculator.xls)

- Other good technical stuff can be found here (http://www.wighat.com/fcr3/engine.htm) and here (http://www.ls1tech.com/forums/showthread.php?t=102153&highlight=camshaft+discussion) and here (http://compcams.com/Technical/TimingTutorial/)

[gettinthere]

Q: What should I look for when upgrading my cam and what do those numbers mean? Part 4

A:

Lift:

- Lift is defined as the difference in height between the radius of the circle and the height of the eccentric. This is called lobe lift.

- When viewing cam specs the lift portion is the gross lift, meaning its calculated with the 1.7 stock rockers.

- To get the lobe lift you take the advertised (gross) lift and divide it by 1.7. If you follow the B1/X2 cam card you?ll see that they list both lobe lift and gross lift.

- If you want to add higher ratio rockers and want to know your new lift you do the following using the B1 as an example:

.559 / 1.7 = ~.329, you then take that lobe lift and multiply it by whatever rocker ratio you want. With SLP 1.85 rockers your new lift specs become .329 X 1.85 = ~ .609

[gettinthere]

I'll post more later.

[gettinthere]

Q: What should I look for when upgrading my cam and what do those numbers mean? Part 5

A:
Lobe Separation Angle (LSA)



- LSA is defined as spread in camshaft degrees between the intake centerline and the exhaust centerline.

- Overlap is the number of crankshaft degrees that both the intake and exhaust valves are open as the cylinder transitions through the end of the exhaust stroke and into the intake stroke

- LSA is ground into the cam and cannot be changed without grinding a new cam

- Bigger duration cams will have more overlap then a smaller duration cam even if both are on the same LSA.

- The key to making overlap work is maximizing the power in the rpm band where you want it.

- Long overlap periods work best for high-rpm power. For the street, a long overlap period combined with long-duration profiles combine to kill low-speed torque

- Reducing overlap on a long-duration cam will often increase midrange torque at the expense of peak power, but if the average torque improves, that?s probably a change worth making.

- Many enthusiasts purchase a camshaft strictly on the basis of how it sounds. A cam with generous overlap creates that distinctive choppy idle that just sounds cool.

- You?ll find that a 112 or 114 LSA with a 108 and 110 ICL respectively is the best all around street setup.

- While doing my research on the T1 I cam across this dyno in which if I recall Tony (Nineball) stated that the blue graph was a T1 (112 lsa) and the other 2 where a B1 (114) lsa. 112 vs. 114 (http://www.ls2.com/boggs/cam/MTIStg1+112+vs+114.jpg)

- What really affects where the cam makes the most power is the intake timing events. What affects drivability most is the exhaust-closing event.

[gettinthere]

Q: What should I look for when upgrading my cam and what do those numbers mean? Part 6

A:
Advance and Retard:

- When you see cams specs like 224/224 .563/.563 112+4; the +4 denotes that the cam has 4 degrees of advance ground in.

- Most off the shelf cams have 2 or 4 degrees of advance ground in. This lowers the power band slightly and offers more low end and midrange at the sacrifice of a bit more top end power

- For cams used primarily on the street the advance is best appreciated. For a strip or racing setup 2 or 0 degrees advance will net you more peak power in the upper ranges of the power band

- To find out if you cam has advance ground in you can check on the cam card. Besides the +2, +4, you can determine the number by looking at the intake center line (ICL). Referring back to the B1 cam card you?ll see that it states that those are the specs when installed on a 108 ICL.

- Subtracting the ICL from the LSA will give you the advance: 112 ? 108 = 4 using the B1. Or 113 ? 109 = 4 using the G5X2.

- Retarding the cam does the opposite of advancing it, it pushes the power band up slightly and gives more top end power.

- With an adjustable timing chain or degreeing the cam you can install the cam at different ICL?s.

- Keep in mind as stated; most cams already have advance ground into them so if you buy an adjustable timing chain and advance 2 degrees you?ll increase the overall advance to 6 degree?s if the cam has 4 degree?s ground in.

- Also with big cams and/or milled heads piston to valve clearances starts becoming an issue. If in doubt always clay the heads and find out your PtV clearance before installing/advancing especially if your cam has a big intake duration as advancing starts the intake valve events sooner.

- Installing dot to dot or degreeing at the said ICL is the best bet.

[gettinthere]

Q: Which cam is right for me?

A: - The key to cam selection is to be brutally truthful when it comes to how you intend to use the engine in question.

- Don?t succumb to the temptation to put the biggest cam you can find into your daily driver.

- If you want to be lazy and not do your own research to find the cam that best suits your application you can just pick up a tr224 114 cam which is the quintessential all around great daily driver cam.

- Pretty much any 220 to 230 duration, .550 to .590, 112 or 114 cam is considered relatively small and great for a daily driver application with the right tune.

- A few of the more popular and latest and greatest cams in no particular order:

TR224 .563/.563 112 +4
TR 224 .561/.561 114+4
Comps 224 .581/.581 112
TSP 231/237 .598/.595 112 (unsure of advance)
G5X2 232/240 .595/.609 112 or 114+4
G5X3: specs unreleased but bigger then the X2
TR Trex 242/248 .608/.612 110+2
FMS FM4 226/226 .575/.575 112 or 114
FMS FM 10 228/228 .581/.581 112 or 114
FMS FM 13 230/232 .591/.585 112 or 114
02+ LS6 cam 204/218 .551/.547 117.5
LPE GT2-3 207/220 .578/.581 118.5
GM HotCam 219/228 .525/.525 112
TSP 225/225 .589/.589 112
TSP 233/ 233 .595/.595 112

Your application will have alot to do with which cam to get and also what LSA to have it on. As a general guideline a 112lsa will be well suited for an M6 car whereas a 114lsa will be well suited for an A4 car. That is by no means set in stone, but just what most people prefer. ANd yes there are A4 cars running 112's and even 110's. It's all up to how "driveable" you want the car. Cams on a 114lsa will also be a little better for N2O set-ups.

And please remember to do your homework on supporting mods. A cam needs to breathe. The more air you give it, the better it will perform. This will mean: Long Tube headers, a Y pipe, an LS6 intake or better, a ported TB, and a lid. Other mods to consider would be a ported or LS6 oil pump and new injectors. You also must get ungraded valvesprings, retainers, seats and pushrods. Most valvetrain parts you can get in a package from a sponsor. The factory equipment can barely handle stock power. For questions about the valvetrain go here (http://www.ls1lt1.com/forum/showpost.php?p=13344&postcount=33). Other non engine mods to look at when installing a cam would be strengthening the trans, clutch and rear end. Also if you have an A4 get a compatable converter. i.e. a 233/236 cam would go well with a 4000+ stall. A 224/224 would work well with a 3400 stall and so on. Gears are another thing to look at. Usually the bigger the cam, the bigger the gear you need.

[gettinthere]

Q: What should I look for when upgrading my valvetrain?

A:
Springs


- For any cam swap you MUST change out valve springs. The stock springs are only good enough for the stock cam and barely at that.

- As far as springs go you have a few but not limited to the following choices:

1. Comp 918?s (http://www.ls2.com/boggs/cam/918.jpg): A few years back they had some problems with non-blue stripe springs breaking but they have seemed to rectified the problem. The beehive design is also a superior setup. Your stock steel retainers can be reused with the 918?s but titanium retainers are recommended for lightening up the valvetrain and for strength.

Outside Diameter (O.D.): 1.290"/1.060"
Inside Diameter (I.D.): .885"/.656"
Installed Pressure: 130 lbs @ 1.800"
Open Pressure: 318 lbs @ 1.200''
Coil Bind: 1.085"
Maximum Lift: 0.625"
Rate (lbs/in): 313 lbs/in


2. Manley Nextek (http://www.ls2.com/boggs/cam/manly.jpg): Also a single spring like the 918?s but not of the beehive variety. They are a good spring and come in a package deal from SDPC for 178 and that includes titanium retainers. The springs are rated for up to .600 lift.

Max Valve Lift : .600"
O.D. : 1.255"
I.D. : .830
Installed Pressure : 115@1.750"
Open Pressure : 350@1.175"
Coil Bind : 1.100"


3. Crane Duals (http://www.ls2.com/boggs/cam/cranesprings.jpg): A dual spring setup rated for up to .650 lift. When buying duals you?ll need the dual springs (obviously), titanium retainers, new dual spring seats, and new valve stem seals.

The installed seat pressure is 112 lbs @ 1.800'' with a maximum recommended lift of .650'' at the valve with an accompanying open pressure of 352 lbs. The 1.275'' O.D.

112lbs @ 1.800
352lbs @ 1.150
will handle .650 lift with .045 coil clearance

*INFO REGARDING CRANE SPRING REVISION* (http://www.ls1tech.com/forums/showthread.php?t=205337&highlight=crane)


4. Comp 921?s: Also a dual spring like the Cranes above and come as a kit with everything you need for installation, rated for up to .650 lift

O.D: 1.300
I.D: .870 (outer spring)
I.D: .655 (inner spring)
135 LBS @ 1.770
400 LBS @ 1.220
COIL BIND @ 1.040
MAX LIFT .650


5. Patriot Gold Duals (http://www.ls2.com/boggs/cam/patriot.jpg): See Crane and 921?s. The PP Golds are currently the best direct drop in spring, they are the stand set for the new AFR heads and come on all PP heads. PP are the only genIII spring setup to use the super 7 locks.

O.D 1.29
135lbs @ 1.800
385lbs open
coil bind @ 1.08
.650 lift

jrp's Personal Indepedently tested PP golds:

seat: 143 lbs @ 1.800
open: 363 @ 1.200
coil bind: 1.060
Clearance: .140
spring rate: 367


6. PRC Dual Spring Kit (http://ourworld.cs.com/jrpws6/heads+and+cam/prckit2.jpg): Kit comes with Dual springs, tit. retainers (using stock locks), seats, valve stem seals. good for up to .660 lift

seat : 140lbs
open: 390lbs
install : 1.800
coil bind: 1.07
1.290 O.D.
max lift : .660
matl : super pure chrome silicone


Comp 977's: dual spring (requires machining of spring pockets)

O.D: 1.46
I.D: .700
seat pressure: 155 @ 1.850
open presure: 419 @ 1.250
coil bind: 1.195
spring rate: 441

Comp 978's: Dual springs (requires machining of spring pockets)

O.D: 1.46
I.D: .697
seat pressure: 126 @ 1.850
open presure: 368 @ 1.250
coil bind: 1.195
spring rate: 403

Comp 987's: Dual Springs (require maching of spring pockets)

O.D: 1.430
I.D: .697
seat pressure: 121 @ 1.800
open presure: 388 @ 1.200
coil bind: 1.150
spring rate: 344



Pushrods


What they are: http://www.ls2.com/boggs/cam/cranepr.gif

What they do: transfer the motion of the cam to the rockers

What to look for:

- New pushrods aren?t absolutely necessary but they are highly recommended.

- The pushrod was never designed to be a fusible link in the valvetrain. Several years ago we even had a member (might have been in the old LS1.com days) that was an engineer from Jesel (don't recall his ID) and he was adamantly opposed to the notion that the LS1 pushrods were designed to break in the event of a mechanical over-rev. The job of the pushrod is to accurately transmit the motion of the cam lobe (via the rocker arm) to the valve. If it?s flexing under load, then its simply not doing its job.

Look at it this way; you CAN mechanically over-rev any engine - pushrod, OHC, rotary, or otherwise - and cause damage. There is nothing unique or special about the LS1 pushrods making them fusible.

This is like saying that you broke your ring gear on a missed shift so therefore everybody should continue using the weak 10-bolt rear ends. Just a silly, backwards argument IMO - especially when you're considered an aggressive cam with heavier valve springs (Fulton 1)

[gettinthere]

Q: What should I look for when upgrading my valvetrain? Part 2

A:
Rockers

What they are: HS 1 (http://www.ls2.com/boggs/cam/HS.gif) HS 2 (http://www.ls2.com/boggs/cam/HS2.gif) Comp Magnums (http://www.ls2.com/boggs/cam/comp_ls1_rocker_mi.jpg) Comps (http://www.ls2.com/boggs/cam/comp_Ls1_shaftrocker_mi.jpg) Crane (http://www.ls2.com/boggs/cam/crane18rockers.jpg) SLP 1.85 (http://www.ls2.com/boggs/cam/slprocker.jpg)

What they do: transfer the cam motion along from the pushrods and accentuate the valves to open

What to look for:

- New rockers are also an optional choice during a cam install.

- The stock roller tip rockers have been known to loose there bearings but it?s not an overly common occurrence.

- With companies like Harland Sharp coming out with affordable high quality roller rockers it makes the choice to upgrade that much easier

- Yellow Terra?s (YT) are also a relatively economical choice for roller rockers

- Adjustable rockers allow you to adjust lifter pre-load

- Higher ratio rockers can be used to increase lift (see cam lift for more info). Along with increasing the valve lift adding higher ratio rockers also nets you an extra degree or two of duration and increased overlap.


Others

- It?s a good idea to install a new timing chain as well. The stock ones are notorious for having a lot of slack in them
- You can either get a single (http://www.ls2.com/boggs/cam/ls1_timingchain.jpg) or double (http://www.ls2.com/boggs/cam/rollmaster+double.jpg)
- The double chains come with the needed spacers to clear the oil pump
- 98-00 cars should also factor in a new oil pump
- A new chain and oil pump should run you about 200 dollars

[gettinthere]

Q: How do I install a cam?

A:

- Install Guide (http://www.ls1howto.com/index.php?article=23)
- I along with countless others have followed that guide for cam installs (among other things). If you can turn a wrench, have some basic knowledge, and follow that guide you can do your own cam install.

If you have the paitience and know how I highly reccommend trying it yourself. It's not the easiest thing in the world to do, but it's a good expirience. Plus most shops will charge $750+ for a cam install.

[gettinthere]

Q: What do all the cam terms mean?

A: Cam Glossary

asymmetrical: one cam lobe with differing opening and closing ramp rates; it projects different images on either side of the lobe centerline; many modern cam grinds have asymmetrical lobe patterns, often with high opening rates using roller lifters, which allow their use

base circle (heel): lowest point of the cam lobe in relation to lift; the closed valve position occurs as this portion of the cam lobe turns against the lifter. All valve lash settings are made when each lobe has the base circle (or ?heel?) against the lifter (or lash pad on some OHC engines). When a camshaft is being ground, the base circle is the actual part of the lobe that is ground to form lift at the lobe

basic rpm: the rpm range in which the engine makes the best power

cam centerline: cam phasing in relation to the crankshaft; where the centerline of the intake or exhaust lobe is in relation to the No. 1 cylinder?s piston given in degrees of crank rotation after TDC. When degreeing a cam, you must know this figure to install it properly. When you do advance or retard the cam centerline (when degreeing a cam), you affect both intake and exhaust lobes; these are not individually adjustable

degreeing a cam: setting the camshaft?s phase (or position) in the engine in relation to crank position. Most cams today are ground with some advance to make up for timing chain stretch, around 4 degrees. If the installer places the cam ahead in relation to crank/piston timing, it has been advanced; if it?s moved back from straight up, it?s been retarded. Many people used to install a cam advanced, but since most are already ground slightly advanced, there?s usually no need. Always follow the manufacturer?s installation card or instructions carefully


duration: time (in degrees of crankshaft rotation) that the valve is open during its tappet lift; given in ?advertised duration? and at 0.050-inch tappet lift; when comparing cam specs, always compare duration figures at 0.050-inch lift because cam companies measure advertised duration differently

hydraulic cam: a cam using lifters that has a valve-controlled plunger inside its body, preloading the pushrod at the closed valve position through oil pressure lift: distance the valve is depressed from its seat when closed to the peak valve lift when open fully

lobe separation: actual spacing of cam lobe centerlines (in degrees) for a common cylinder; ground into camshaft?not changeable; largely responsible for the idle quality of an engine; narrow separation angles seal a cylinder for a longer period of time but also give a rough idle quality, while larger angles generally give a smoother idle in street engines

mechanical (solid) cam: a cam using lifters with only a radiused contact face in which the pushrod end sits without internal valves or other complexity; requires periodic lash setting

nose: full-lift portion of the cam lobe where the lifter is pushed open at maximum distance

ramps: portions of the cam lobes that lift or settle the lifter from the base circle of the cam; does not include the nose. They have different rates of lift in velocity and degrees of crank rotation. Symmetrical cams have individual lobes with the same opening and closing ramp rates, while asymmetrical cams have different opening and closing rates on the same lobe. Roller cams can use more radical ramp rates because of the nature of the roller lifter


roller cam: in either hydraulic or solid versions, these cams use lifters that employ wheels to contact the camshaft lobes, fixed in needle bearings; these cams often have higher valve opening rates than flat-faced cams and exhibit less friction; most roller cams require using a bronze distributor drive gear due to metallurgical differences in flat-faced and roller cam material, though some new ones do not. Rollers have been widely used in diesel and motorcycle engines previous to automotive gasoline engines

split duration (dual pattern): cams with intake and exhaust lobes of different specs

symmetrical: both sides of one cam lobe are mirror images of each other; they have the same ramp rates upon opening the valve and closing it; split evenly on either side of the individual cam lobe centerline


- CHP

[gettinthere]

The following questions ae made from a compilation Jaberwaki put together


Q: What's the deal with Nitrous?

A:
Nitrous Oxide (or N2O) is a chemical oxidizer; it is two parts nitrogen and one part oxygen. The oxygen is the part that makes power. Gasoline combines with oxygen in a combustible mixture. The more of both gasoline and oxygen you have, in the proper amounts, the more power you make. So why not inject pure oxygen? Simple: pure oxygen is much, much more intense of an oxidizer. Having about five times the intensity that N2O provides, pure oxygen would melt your motor.

Bang for buck, N2O is the fastest way to make power. That being said, N2O has a bad reputation for giving more BANG then people expected. Let me go on record as saying, this is not the N2O's fault. The fault is on the person trying to get away with spraying nitrous and only having $500 total to put into it. Nitrous is a SAFE power adder, if it is both set up correctly and used properly.



Setup Types

There are 3 major types of nitrous setups.
1. Dry
2. Wet
3. Direct port

As with most choices, there are pluses and minuses to all of them.

Dry:
A dry shot relies on the car's MAF, PCM, and fuel system to add the proper amount of fuel to balance the nitrous out. That is, the nitrous is sprayed in front of the MAF, which recognizes a sudden spike in O2 and signals the PCM, which decides the proper amount of fuel needed to balance the mixture. It is the cheapest of the setups to purchase. It also leaves no chance of fuel "puddling" in the intake. The weak point in this system is the car's fuel system. The dry shot is limited to the car's ability to increase fuel. Often a shot will find the weak spot in the fuel system, be it the injectors, the fuel pump, etc. Spraying N2O without the fuel to support it equals the kiss of death for your car.

Wet:
A wet shot does not rely on the car's MAF, PCM, or injectors to provide the proper amount of fuel to balance the mixture. It has a separate fuel line with its own jetting that is set up to spray the exact amount of fuel needed to go with the size nitrous shot you are using. In some cases, this may require you to step up your fuel pump, but you need not worry about your injectors. Some drawbacks are that with a separate fuel line and the fact that the spray is happening AFTER the MAF, any trouble with the system will go unnoticed by your PCM until it's too late. If your nitrous stops spraying but the fuel does not, then it will puddle and possibly introduce you to your hood-- the hard way... If the fuel side cuts out but the nitrous side does not, then you will go drastically lean and blow your motor. Threat of these things can be minimized. Buy GOOD parts, not the cheapest you can get away with.

Direct Port:
A direct port setup mixes the N2O and fuel, and directly injects the mixture into each individual cylinder. It is by far and away the safest and best way to use N2O. It does have one major drawback... PRICE. The direct port system by itself, can cost north of $1500. That does not include any of the supporting parts, that really are must-haves with ANY nitrous setup.


Accessories

Not just the base kit. If you plan on running N2O and would like your car to last more then just one or two runs down the 1/4, then you should compliment your base kit with the proper accessories. These include:

- RPM Window Switch: It will turn your nitrous kit off and on at preset RPMs, 1. so you don't spray under low RPMs, which can blow your motor; and 2. so you don't spray right into your rev limiter, same reason.

- Fuel Pressure Safety Switch: If your fuel pressure drops below a safe range while spraying nitrous, the safety switch will shut the nitrous off to keep from running the engine too lean.

- Bottle Pressure Gauge: It allows you to safely monitor your nitrous pressure from the passenger compartment.

- Throttle Position Sensor (TPS) Switch: Also called a WOT switch, it only allows your kit to turn on when you are at Wide Open Throttle.

- Automatic Bottle Heater: It will keep your bottle at the correct temperature and pressure to ensure that you are spraying the correct size shot. This is especially important in a wet shot setup, as the shot of fuel will not adjust to the lack of nitrous from a cold bottle.

- Purge Kit: This vents old nitrous left in the lines from the last time you sprayed, and keeps it out of your motor.


This is not everything there is to know about nitrous. It is only a quick, down and dirty introduction to entry-level knowledge that you should have before you go the N2O route.

(As a side note, it should be said that referring to nitrous as NAWS or NOS is a good way to get made fun of at the track, and could even get your ass kicked.)

[gettinthere]

Q: What is considered a "bolt-on"?

A: Bolt ons are any part that assists in the making of power, that does not touch oil. It is common knowledge that they are the starting point in modding your car, so the fact that you should complete your bolt-ons should go without saying. Let's look at some of them and what they do.

Lid:
A lid replaces your stock lid, which was designed with comfort, not power, in mind. Simply put, an aftermarket lid does not have the restrictive air silencing fins and baffle found on the stocker. It allows more air in, and is a "must do first or second" mod. A lid is a lid, don't ask which one is best.

Cold Air (Ram Air):
The factory placement of the lid is poor for two reasons: the amount of space that air has to get into the lid is minimal; and placing it right on top of the radiator all but insures that you will have hot air entering your motor. A cold air (or ram air) kit fixes both of these problems. Either drawing cool air from under the car, or sealing your factory ram air to the cool outside air. Both methods ensure that enough air is getting in, and that the air that gets in is not hot.

Headers:
Headers replace your stock exhaust manifolds. They assist in the evacuation of spent gasses from your heads. They do this two ways: 1. first, they are free-flowing, which is to say they do not restrict exhaust flow in the slightest. 2. being free-flowing is not enough - GOOD header designs take it one step further by creating something know as the "scavenging effect"; that is, the flow of one header primary as it travels to the collector, creates a void or vacuum in the other primaries, effectively sucking out the exhaust as it is released from the head. I have always preferred "stepped" headers, for this very reason. Steeped header primaries get larger as you move away from the head's exhaust port. This greatly increases the scavenging effect, and increases your power potential.

Underdrive Pulleys:
Most commonly the crank pulley; it is simply a smaller pulley. 1. The rotational mass of the pulley is less, and therefore lighter and easier for your motor to turn. 2. It effectively reduces the amount of power required to turn the rest of the accessories, much like shifting to a lower gear.

Electric Water Pump:
Following hand in hand with the underdrive pulley, the electric waterpump gives the motor one less accessory it has to turn, thereby freeing up a few more HP. Although there is debate as to how much, no-one (who isn't a moron) disputes that it does free up at least SOME amount of HP.

Manual Rack-And-Pinion Steering:
Along the same lines, the MRAPS gets rid of yet another accessory, thereby freeing up power. It also weighs considerably less then the stock power steering system.

Exhaust Systems:
While there is A LOT of bullshit that flies around the Internet about "this exhaust sounds better then that one", this post is not for posers who want to whine about rasp. The very best-flowing exhaust there is, is a true dual X-pipe or H-pipe setup, with or without bullet mufflers. The next best thing is a cutout in the I-pipe. No cat-back out-flows a cutout; no Y-pipe setup out-flows true duals. Period.

Intake and Throttle Body:
I put these together because much like heads and cam, they should be matched. Again all bullshit aside, the best is the LSX 90mm intake and a 90mm throttle body. They are very expensive. A cost-effective second place is the LS6 intake and a ported stock TB. Either of these two choices are worth it, and have been dyno-proven time and again.

[gettinthere]

Q: What are "short blocks"?

A: When you're ready to play with the big dogs, it is time to refer to older wisdom: "There's no replacement for displacement."

I will not speak to which vendor, or even which short block, is best. But there are a few staples that any good short block should have:
1. be completely balanced and blueprinted
2. forged internals
3. warranty on craftsmanship


1. it should be Completely Balanced and Blueprinted
This means that every part of the rotating assembly has been weighed and made to be in perfect balance with like parts; for example, all pistons weigh exactly the same within a tolerance of +/- 1 gram. This ensures that the motor is not vibrating itself to death. A perfectly balanced motor will always make more power, all else being the same. Blueprinting means that every clearance and tolerance has been checked, rechecked, and documented for you on a build sheet.

2. it should have Forged Internals
Getting a new short block is something you do not want to have to do twice. Forged internals will last longer, withstand more abuse, and support more power. Do it once, do it right.

3. it should have a Warranty on Craftsmanship
This should not be a hard one to understand. If a company will not stand behind its product, then why would you?Do not be fooled by a vendor who says no-one gives a warranty on short blocks. Yes they do, and if that vendor will not, then find one who will. It should be noted on the side, that this does not, nor should it, apply to power-adder cars (nitrous, forced induction). Too many things can go wronge in a power-adder setup, to ever hold the motor totally responsible.


Having a potent short block will most definitely make you the guy on your block to beat.

Ensure that you have the short block built for your specific application. Most builders do not have cookie-cutter short blocks. They build yours for your goals. Are you looking to be a naturally-aspirated (N/A) monster? Then a 427 mill with high compression may be your best bet. Or are you looking to be king of boost? In that case, perhaps a bulletproof low-compression iron 408 would suit you best. Tell your builder what you want to do with the short block, and they can help guide you to the one best suited for you.

[gettinthere]

Q: What are some basics of upgrading an M6?

A: First, let me congratulate you on buying the stronger of the two stock transmissions. With minimal changes, this tranny in near-stock form has been deep into the tens. And in built form, it has propelled an F-body to mid-9-second glory. Now for the bad news. You also possess the single most part-destuctive force known to civilized man. FACT. M6 cars break more stuff in the drivetrain then most A4 boys ever dream about. To avoid this (as best we can), we are going to talk about parts that are made ultra-tough, just to stand in defiance to this cruel tyrant called the M6 tranny.


1. Clutch

It's time to man up and start giving your left leg a serious workout. Your stock clutch (yes, even if it's a Z06 one) is weak. It is the skinny guy on the beach that all the other clutches walk by and kick sand in the face of. It will NOT hold much more than stock HP, and it won't even hold stock HP for long on sticky tires. If your plans are to run 11s or faster, then you can forget those oh-so-cheap Stage 1 and Stage 2 clutches. I hate the term "stage" because people get wrapped around the word and forget to think about what they are really buying. So you wanna be fast? Well, you have two choices of clutches:

Twin Disk
A Twin Disk clutch is very strong; it will most definitely get you where you want to be. It will also do so while retaining a very comfortable pedal feel, and streetablility. Sound good? It is. However, as always, with the good news comes the bad. It is well over $1200 for a respectable twin. If you want that comfort, you've gotta pay for it.

Sintered Iron Disk
Wow, just saying its name makes it sound manly, doesn't it? That's because it is. It's a MAN's clutch. Little pansy boys, who like to complain about too much rasp or the clanks and rattles that solid end links make, need not apply. If you do not love the feel of a race car, then DO NOT buy this clutch! But, if you want a clutch that will kick your car in the ass and say "giddy the fuk up pony!", then this is the clutch for you. Your reward for having balls? How does paying $400 less grab ya? Yeah, that's what I thought.


2. Driveshaft

First things first, you need to say to yourself over and over and over again: "ALUMINUM IS FOR BEER CANS, NOT DRIVESHAFTS!!!" When it comes to driveshafts, I will stand on this statement every day and twice on Sunday. If your plans include a lot of power and sticky tires, then you have three choices for driveshafts.

Steel
Steel is real. Steel is strong. Steel is easy to balance. Steel is afforable. Can anyone guess what kind of driveshaft I have? Thats right, steel. Steel, however, is not perfect; it does have two troubles. 1. It is heavy -- against its
lighter counterparts, it does produce slightly more parasitic loss. 2. In the rare occasion that they do break, they take a lot of stuff with them.

Chromoly
Chromoly... without going into a chemistry class, think of chromoly as having all the plusses of steel, and add to that it weights about 50% less. So why doesn't everyone have one? Price -- ah yes, the almighty dollar. These things are very pricey.

Carbon Fiber
All right! A real use for carbon fiber, other then making ricer hoods! Carbon fiber is light, very strong, and looks GREAT. One major asset that carbon fiber has that the other two do not, is that in the rare case that it does break, the fibers splinter and crack into what is best descibed as a broom. This means that as you are hitting the brakes and your broken driveshaft is still spinning, it is NOT hurting anything else. Hell, it might even clean off a thing or two.


3. Rear End

Let's face facts. When the General was building the F-body, he put no thought whatsoever into the choice of the 10-bolt rear. This rear is not even strong enough to hold the stock HP, and is one of the first things to break when a new F-body racer heads to the track. In the case of the M6 tranny, please do not make a $2500 mistake. If you have spent a week on LS1tech, then you have heard the words "12-bolt" and "9-inch" when it comes to rears. If you have an M6, then I want you to forget the first of those. You are about to spend $2500 on a rear; do you really want to break it? 12-bolts are for automatic cars. They last a long time in an auto. But you own the sledgehammer of parts, the T56, breaker of rears. For you, there should be only one choice -- the mighty mighty 9-inch.


Rear end parts... Now that you have chosen the correct rear, it's time to pick the parts you want in it. Most every place that sells these rears will give you these choices.

Posi-Traction: The best choice for a car that will not see much track time but still wants a super-strong rear.

Detroit Locker:The best choice for a car that will see a lot of both street and strip time. It is more noisy than the posi, but it is also stronger.

Full Spool: So you got a RACE car, huh? Well, this is what you want. Full spool is the least street-friendly of the choices, but it is hands-down the strongest.


Axles: The simplest way to approach axles is: the more splines, the better.

Gears: This is mainly a matter of personal preference. 4.11s are perfectly streetable while also performing well at the track. Numerically higher gears lean more to track use; lower leans more to street cars.

[gettinthere]

Q: What are some basics of upgrading an A4?

A: Welcome to the wonderful world of the 4L60E transmission. Let me be the first to congratulate you on entering the world of the broken trans. The 4L60E is not the cruel tyrant on drivetrain parts that its M6 brother is. It is most definitely MUCH more parts-friendly. Too parts-friendly. So friendly, in fact, that it will break itself before it will break other parts. How noble... The problem is that it does this far too often, and even in full built form, this transmission is just NOT very good for real drag racing. Most in search of 10-second and quicker timeslips find that they are just not able to do it with the 4L60E tranny. They usually end up with a TH350, TH400, or 4L80 (the 4L80 being the only one of those which has overdrive).


1. Torque Converter

Selection of your TC is very important. It has much to do with how quick you come off the line, and your 60-foot. The general rule of thumb is: a 3200-3500 stall for the LS1 street/strip car. If you are gearing your car more for drag-only, then 3600-4400 will be more your speed.

Another important number you will see is STR. Without going into a math class, the STR of your TC is part of the torque multiplication that happens in your TC. The higher your STR, the harder your TC hits off the line. You wanna get that 60-foot down? Then get that STR up!


2. Rear End

Since you have the more gentle of the two trannys, the 12-bolt is all you need. Simply apply the same principles as the M6ers do for their 9-inch selection.

[gettinthere]

Q: How can I strengthen my chassis or upgrade my suspension?
Q: What are some of the suspension parts I should look to ugrade?

A: Okay, you are ready, right? You now have a 500+ rwhp car, with a bulletproof drivetrain. You slap on your slicks and head to the track. On your first run, the track is cold. The 3rd amber lights, and you floor it.... What used to be your tires, is magically transformed into two pillars of billowing smoke. You lose to a cam-only F-body in the next lane.

Frustrated, the next time up you perform a burnout that John Force would envy. People in the stands, stand and cheer and whoop and holler. Determination furrows your brow as you stage. As the bulbs start to drop, you bring your rpms way up... 3rd amber, you peg it. Your teeth feel like they are going to fly to the back of your throat, your rearview mirror pops off and is only stopped by the cable holding it. The front tires head skyward as the track is lost from view for a brief moment. "Wheels up BABY" you scream in your head as you hit second and the track returns to view. You steal a glance at the next lane, the other car is WAY behind; you would look at him in your rearview mirror if it was still hanging properly. You cross the traps well in excess of a 120mph... WOOHOO!!! You hit the brakes and make the turn around. At the ticket booth, there is a older guy looking hard at your ride. As you pull up, he starts cussing you out... you get kicked off the track for the day. 10 seconds... no roll bar... DOH!!! You take your ass-chewing like a champ, only because he hands you that timeslip.

You take your car home... But after a week of driving, you start to notice the car pulling to one side... you get out and inspect. Sure enough, your brand new tires are worn BADLY on one side. What gives? Hey, remember at the beginning of all this, I asked if you wanted a twisted chassis? Well, congratulations, oh master of the clutch dump... You now have one. Hell, you didn't like your now-$80,000 car anyway, right? Yeah, let's keep this from happening too. And while we are at it, we are gonna stop that first race from being a loss too....

Chassis Parts

To keep your chassis happy at this power level, it still only takes a few pieces.

Sub-Frame Connectors
SFCs are nothing more then mild steel or chromoly bars that are welded to both your front and rear subframe. This will greatly minimize chassis flex, and will also assist in the lifting of the front when you launch. They really are one of the first five mods you should do.

Roll Bar/Cage
Under the incredible stress from a drag launch, a roll bar/cage will go one step further in adding to chassis strength. But that is not the reason you install it. You install it to save your life if something goes wrong at the track and you find yourself riding on your roof at 100 mph. Oh yeah, and it will help you avoid getting kicked off the track. If you run faster than 11.49 seconds, then you need a roll bar. Faster than 9.99, then you need a full cage.

K-Member
This part is not so much about strength as it is about losing the weight that your other chassis mods added. You want your car to be strong, but you also want it to be light. This part will more than make up for the extra weight.

Suspension Parts
To keep your tires planted to the ground, you need to upgrade your suspension.

Shocks
Shocks control the up and down motion of both the front and back of your car. Ideally in a drag race, you want your front shocks to allow the front to rise very fast, but to come down slowly. Your rear should assist in transferring weight at first, and then push the rear end toward the ground as forward movement begins. You need adjustable shocks to do this. It would be better to have two-way adjustable shocks if you can.

Springs
Your front springs should be weight-specific. If your car is heavy, then you want a stronger front spring to assist in bringing the front of the car up. If your car is a tin can, then you can go lighter on the front springs. For a stock weight car, I would go with a 300lb front spring; for a really light car, 275lbs should be plenty. There is some debate over the rear springs. Many have gotten their best times on stock rear springs; others use what I use, V6 springs.

Lower Control Arms
LCAs are very important for several reasons. They control wheel hop -- the violent bouncing of your tires as they try to grab traction. And as weight transfers from the front to the back, the LCAs apply downward pressure to the axle housing, planting the tires and aiding in traction.

Torque Arm
The TQ arm does a few vital things for your whole setup. 1. It (along with the LCAs) is the pushing point for your rear end. 2. It acts as a ladder system to assist in weight transfer. 3. It can affect and change the pinion angle of the driveshaft as well. If you intend to race a lot, then you want a chassis-mount torque arm, not a tranny-mount torque arm.

Rear Sway Bar
As the power of your motor is translated through your drivetrain, it create a natural torque to one side; that is, the body tries to twist to one side. A drag solid-end-link rear sway bar, will combat this effect and assist you leaving the line straight and true.

Pan-Hard Bar
As power is sent violently to your rear, the rear end has a natural tendency to move side to side (known to some as the traction shimmy). Your pan-hard bar combats this. If you get an adjustable one, then you can also use it to center your rear end.

[Jaberwaki]

when i get some spare time here at work i will add some stuff as well...

good idea chris :thumbsup:

[Chris 96 WS6]

Yeah and I need LT1 stuff too.

I have 5 LS1 FAQs up already...I'm just doing them as I have time a few here and there.

[Fenster]

Lt1...

Q: Why does my dyno graph look like a heartrate meter...

A: Cause you car has a POS bastardized Optical Spark Distributor that GM hacked off Mitsubishi, then abandoned when it gave them nothing but problems. You would be better w/ a gerbal and a 10,000 volt cattle prod than that thing!!!

[Chris 96 WS6]

LMAO..where'd you come up with that one?

Lt1...

Q: Why does my dyno graph look like a heartrate meter...

A: Cause you car has a POS bastardized Optical Spark Distributor that GM hacked off Mitsubishi, then abandoned when it gave them nothing but problems. You would be better w/ a gerbal and a 10,000 volt cattle prod than that thing!!!

[gettinthere]

Lookin good so far!

[Fenster]

LoL I made that one up myself... What got me started though was Jeff's description of the Opti Wiggle on dyno graphs!!!

[Jaberwaki]

Q:
I have not upgraded my clutch or my supporting components. The clutch smells very bad and there is a noticable slip.(A quick way to check if your clutch is slipping is to place it in 6th gear at about 2000 rpms and floor it, if the RPM rise quicker than the car accelerates then it is in fact slipping.)

A.
The most common problem with clutches is that the friction material on the disc wears out. The friction material on a clutch disc is very similar to the friction material on the pads of a disc brake, or the shoes of a drum brake -- after a while, it wears away. When most or all of the friction material is gone, the clutch will start to slip and eventually it won't transmit any power from the engine to the wheels. The clutch only wears while the clutch disc and the flywheel are spinning at different speeds. When they are locked together, the friction material is held tightly against the flywheel, and they spin in sync. It is only when the clutch disc is slipping against the flywheel that wearing occurs.

So if you are the type of driver who slips the clutch a lot, you will wear out your clutch a lot faster. If your clutch is slipping this much then it is time for a new clutch disk and flywheel. It is at this time that most people chose to upgrade their whole clutch system (a good idea).

[Jaberwaki]

Q.
My clutch will not engage at all. I push the clutch pedal in but it will not go into gear.

A.
There are a few reasons for this. Most often you have a bad throwout bearing or related clutch assembly part. For this particular trouble it is time to replace you clutch assembly and it is also a good idea to either replace your flywheel or have it resurfaced as it will not cost you more to have these parts put in at the same time.

[Jaberwaki]

Q:
Under normal driving my clutch works fine, but at wide open throttle my clutch sticks to the floor in 3rd gear and I cannot get it to shift into 4th.

A:
This is a very common problem with LS1 f-bodies. You do not have a fried clutch, the problem 90% of the time happens after you got you car tuned and/or raised your rpm limiter. GM put a restriction in the hydraulic line between the master cylinder and the slave. This restriction lets only a measured amount of clutch fluid flow from one to the other. This restriction was placed in the line to make shifts feel more smooth and to give the pedal a softer feel. The solution to this line restriction is a simple procedure referred to as the drill mod.

In short, it involves removing the line, using a drill to bore out the restriction and then replacing the line. For instruction on doing this yourself, go to www.installuniversity.com

[Jaberwaki]

Q.
Under normal driving my clutch feels soft but works fine. Under wide open throttle there are many times I can?t get the car to shift at any given gear until the RPMs come down. I have already done the drill mod (or not). What could it be?

A.
The answer to this problem is simple. However, the reason the problem exists is not so simple. This symptom almost always points to air in your hydraulic lines. The reason this causes problems is because, unlike the clutch fluid that is meant to occupy that space and is very incompressible, the air that now resides in the line can be easily compressed. This creates that "squishy" feeling you get in the clutch pedal. Also (and more importantly) the fact that the air compresses means that the fluid is not pushing the pressure plate to its full disengaged state. Under wide open throttle, where the clutch requires even more pressure to fully disengage the pressure plate, the compression of said air is often severe enough to not allow the pressure plate to disengage at all, making it nearly impossible to get into the next gear up. The fix is to bleed down your clutch hydraulics very carefully until all the air bubbles have been removed. There is a write up on how to bleed your clutch hydraulics on www.installuniversity.com, or you can go to any shop and have it done for a very nominal fee.

Now the bad news: If you never have this problem again (lets say after 3 months), then you are fine and the air probably got there when you performed the drill mod. However, if you have either not done the drill mod, or the symptom returns, then you have a bigger problem. There is most likely a leak in your hydraulic system.

The first culprit to look at is your master / slave line. Inspect it for kinks or pin holes. Next is your slave cylinder. If you have gone through the trouble to remove it go ahead and replace it.

[Jaberwaki]

Q.
I just replaced my worn out clutch with a brand new clutch. The clutch grabs strong and does not slip at all, but the clutch disengagement happens only 1-2 inches from the floor board and in wide open throttle at higher RPMs it will not shift into the next gears.

A.
Often, people replace their tired clutch with the latest /greatest clutch, but forget to upgrade the supporting pieces. Because the brand new clutch and flywheel that you just installed have MUCH more material than your old worn-out piece, it takes more pressure to completely disengage the clutch disc from the new flywheel. The first step in fixing this problem is to do the drill mod discussed before. If that does not cure your trouble then it means that your clutch requires much more fluid pressure in order to operate properly. Your stock master--even after the drill mod--can only push a very set amount of fluid. If this set amount is not enough to push the pressure plate then it is time to step up to an adjustable master cylinder. An adjustable master cylinder will allow you to increase the fluid pressure enough to operate your new clutch. It will also allow you to adjust exactly where in your pedal travel your clutch engages and disengages.

There is one company that attempts a more simplistic fix known as a slave shim. This effectively shortens the space that the fluid resides in, therefore putting a "preload" on your fluid pressure. I don?t like this fix for two reasons: 1-it is not adjustable, making it impossible to correct your pressure settings as your clutch pad and flywheel wears, which makes it necessary to replace both of them sooner than you would have to if you could adjust the correct amount of pressure; and 2-because it is not adjustable, it does not account for those whose master cylinder puts out a little more fluid than it was built to. For these people, they will notice that their clutch engages and disengages in the very first 1-2 inches of clutch pedal travel. If this is the case, there is a very good chance that
your clutch is never fully engaging, which will result in a broken or worn out clutch disk very early in the new clutch?s life, and a very displeased customer who thinks this part was junk.

[Chris 96 WS6]

OK, most of the above stuff has been added to the FAQ. I'm not done putting stuff in but this is a good start. I even wrote a new article on Optisparks for the LT1 FAQ.

[Jaberwaki]

:cool:

[gettinthere]

Lookin' good.

[54belair]

I have a '01 t/a LS1 that is going into a 1954 Chevy belair and want to know what option I have for airbox/filter setups as obviously the stock setup probably will not work well in this situatuion? I have considered buying a y-split alum type (corvette type) housing--many avail on e-bay for looks and ease of install, is this a good option or is there a better one? Any other swap info you can provide would be great as well, just got my wiring harness back from Current Performance and want to get started on this project.

[Chris 96 WS6]

I have a '01 t/a LS1 that is going into a 1954 Chevy belair and want to know what option I have for airbox/filter setups as obviously the stock setup probably will not work well in this situatuion? I have considered buying a y-split alum type (corvette type) housing--many avail on e-bay for looks and ease of install, is this a good option or is there a better one? Any other swap info you can provide would be great as well, just got my wiring harness back from Current Performance and want to get started on this project.


Hi,

This is the wrong place for your question. Please create a new post in the proper technical section.