Cheap C5 performance...
Discussion
So, what do you think? I've got about £1K to spend on making my car perform better (in a straight line - not bothered about suspension etc for the moment), what should I do for maximum effect? I don't want anything which is a temporary fix (nitrous) but would like to see a reasonable performance return for my investment...?
Any ideas?
Col.
Any ideas?
Col.
I fitted the following and found a big improvement
I fitted and vararam air filter (about $380) big difference in power and MPG
B&M Quick shifter (speaks for itself)
and a borla Exhaust ($550) sounds amazing - probably adds a little bit to power
I also used the diablo tuner - can't really quantify what result came from it - apparently more BHP but didn't notice it really
I fitted and vararam air filter (about $380) big difference in power and MPG
B&M Quick shifter (speaks for itself)
and a borla Exhaust ($550) sounds amazing - probably adds a little bit to power
I also used the diablo tuner - can't really quantify what result came from it - apparently more BHP but didn't notice it really
The quick-shifter ain't any use, unfortunately - my car is an auto as my previous manual was too much of an arse to drive in rush hour traffic in London... 
So a Variaram filter and a diablosport tuner are good places to go, then? My experience of "chipped" non-turbo cars in the past is that they're pretty sucky - I assume that isn't the case with the Vette?
So a Variaram filter and a diablosport tuner are good places to go, then? My experience of "chipped" non-turbo cars in the past is that they're pretty sucky - I assume that isn't the case with the Vette?
A blatant plug, but I would suggest:
http://www.snowperformance.net/product.php?pk=39
I would also be interested to know the HP gains or a relatively stock vette. On my Twin Turbo setup it added 40BHP at the rear wheels when I recently had the car dyno'd.
PM me if you are interested in buying a kit.
You could also go down the exhaust route i.e. fit for example a set of less restrictive back boxes on the car. Given you have the Vararam then I personally would look at a pair of long tube headers as these are supposed to significantly increase HP. LG Motorsports are allegedly the best ones.
http://www.snowperformance.net/product.php?pk=39
I would also be interested to know the HP gains or a relatively stock vette. On my Twin Turbo setup it added 40BHP at the rear wheels when I recently had the car dyno'd.
PM me if you are interested in buying a kit.
You could also go down the exhaust route i.e. fit for example a set of less restrictive back boxes on the car. Given you have the Vararam then I personally would look at a pair of long tube headers as these are supposed to significantly increase HP. LG Motorsports are allegedly the best ones.
I fitted the vararam and was a bit fiddly the instructions it came with were not as usefull as corvette forum where somebody had posted a picture by picture account of fitting. One important difference between USA and Euro model C5's is the Euro models have a Tow eye welded to the front cross member and the vararam will not fit so in my case I got mr Angle grinder to sort it out. Also best if you can get access to a ramp. Anyway will see if I can find link and post back here.
Good luck with your mods
Good luck with your mods
Yeah cold air intakes are great.
Exhaust is also a good idea. Keep your eye out for a secondhand setup.
If you are inclined you can buy a tunetool for a few hundred quid and tune it up yourself. The auto is also tuneable, you can speed up and harden up the shifts in "performance mode" and leave the standard mode stock. Gives the best of both worlds. Altering the shiftpoints and trains pressures/shift times can let the car spin the tyres through the shifts.
Thats the best budget combo. Intake, exhaust and tune
Exhaust is also a good idea. Keep your eye out for a secondhand setup.
If you are inclined you can buy a tunetool for a few hundred quid and tune it up yourself. The auto is also tuneable, you can speed up and harden up the shifts in "performance mode" and leave the standard mode stock. Gives the best of both worlds. Altering the shiftpoints and trains pressures/shift times can let the car spin the tyres through the shifts.
Thats the best budget combo. Intake, exhaust and tune
TEKWIZ said:
I fitted the vararam and was a bit fiddly the instructions it came with were not as usefull as corvette forum where somebody had posted a picture by picture account of fitting. One important difference between USA and Euro model C5's is the Euro models have a Tow eye welded to the front cross member and the vararam will not fit so in my case I got mr Angle grinder to sort it out. Also best if you can get access to a ramp. Anyway will see if I can find link and post back here.
Good luck with your mods
OK found link, go here it gives a picture by picture account for the install (This is for US type C5's) you have to cut off tow eye on Euro models.Good luck with your mods
http://www.cajundude.com/vararam.htm
Anyway good luck, post here how you got on
TW
That all looks familar ! but really try and get it on a ramp to do this - it took me 3 hrs to do it with the car on the ground
http://www.cajundude.com/vararam.htm
Anyway good luck, post here how you got on
TW
TEKWIZ said:
TEKWIZ said:
I fitted the vararam and was a bit fiddly the instructions it came with were not as usefull as corvette forum where somebody had posted a picture by picture account of fitting. One important difference between USA and Euro model C5's is the Euro models have a Tow eye welded to the front cross member and the vararam will not fit so in my case I got mr Angle grinder to sort it out. Also best if you can get access to a ramp. Anyway will see if I can find link and post back here.
Good luck with your mods
OK found link, go here it gives a picture by picture account for the install (This is for US type C5's) you have to cut off tow eye on Euro models.Good luck with your mods
http://www.cajundude.com/vararam.htm
Anyway good luck, post here how you got on
TW
ringram said:
Yeah cold air intakes are great.
Exhaust is also a good idea. Keep your eye out for a secondhand setup.
If you are inclined you can buy a tunetool for a few hundred quid and tune it up yourself. The auto is also tuneable, you can speed up and harden up the shifts in "performance mode" and leave the standard mode stock. Gives the best of both worlds. Altering the shiftpoints and trains pressures/shift times can let the car spin the tyres through the shifts.
Thats the best budget combo. Intake, exhaust and tune
Exhaust is also a good idea. Keep your eye out for a secondhand setup.
If you are inclined you can buy a tunetool for a few hundred quid and tune it up yourself. The auto is also tuneable, you can speed up and harden up the shifts in "performance mode" and leave the standard mode stock. Gives the best of both worlds. Altering the shiftpoints and trains pressures/shift times can let the car spin the tyres through the shifts.
Thats the best budget combo. Intake, exhaust and tune
Agreed, intake, exhaust and tune is the starting point. A bit more than a grand though, at least if your paying to have it done.
Hey, fellas,
I've ordered the Vararam, so that's on it's way, and I'll probably go with a Diablosport 2 as well, as I have non-run-flats on my car, and I gather with this programmer I'll be able to turn off the "SERV. PRESS. MONITOR SYS." message I get whenever I turn my car on, right?
Also - if I use the Diablosport programmer to firm up my A4 shifts, does that actually mean that when I use the Auto-Box in Manual "mode", the action between individual gears will be more notchy, so I don't bypass gears?
Finally - I'm not going for an exhaust at the moment as I had custom pipes built on my last vette - straight through with no silencers. While they sounded spectacular, they wore me down after a bit...
Col.
I've ordered the Vararam, so that's on it's way, and I'll probably go with a Diablosport 2 as well, as I have non-run-flats on my car, and I gather with this programmer I'll be able to turn off the "SERV. PRESS. MONITOR SYS." message I get whenever I turn my car on, right?
Also - if I use the Diablosport programmer to firm up my A4 shifts, does that actually mean that when I use the Auto-Box in Manual "mode", the action between individual gears will be more notchy, so I don't bypass gears?
Finally - I'm not going for an exhaust at the moment as I had custom pipes built on my last vette - straight through with no silencers. While they sounded spectacular, they wore me down after a bit...
Col.
Not sure on the Diablo. You probably wont have any access to BCM stuff like tyre pressures etc. Tech2 is the tool for that.
As for the shifts etc again the diablo is limited as to what you can do, but if it allows trans tuning should allow you to raise rpm shift points and firm up the shifts a tad. Something like hpt or efilive will allow you full control over just about anything you can think of. Torque management is the main enemy. It pulls timing during shifts to be nice to the trans. You can add some timing in without being too heavy on it and make it shift like a proper sports car.
As for the shifts etc again the diablo is limited as to what you can do, but if it allows trans tuning should allow you to raise rpm shift points and firm up the shifts a tad. Something like hpt or efilive will allow you full control over just about anything you can think of. Torque management is the main enemy. It pulls timing during shifts to be nice to the trans. You can add some timing in without being too heavy on it and make it shift like a proper sports car.
ringram said:
Not sure on the Diablo. You probably wont have any access to BCM stuff like tyre pressures etc. Tech2 is the tool for that.
As for the shifts etc again the diablo is limited as to what you can do, but if it allows trans tuning should allow you to raise rpm shift points and firm up the shifts a tad. Something like hpt or efilive will allow you full control over just about anything you can think of. Torque management is the main enemy. It pulls timing during shifts to be nice to the trans. You can add some timing in without being too heavy on it and make it shift like a proper sports car.
Whoa! That all sounds very interesting! Although all a bit above my head! More info, please!!! As for the shifts etc again the diablo is limited as to what you can do, but if it allows trans tuning should allow you to raise rpm shift points and firm up the shifts a tad. Something like hpt or efilive will allow you full control over just about anything you can think of. Torque management is the main enemy. It pulls timing during shifts to be nice to the trans. You can add some timing in without being too heavy on it and make it shift like a proper sports car.
C5RagTop said:
eldudereno said:
Excellent write-up, just need to buy my Vette first. You don't know anyone that's selling a yellow C5 Z06, do you? 
Good choice. Dart had one but if you interested send me a PM as I was offered it and can give you some info if you want.,
have you got a vararam for sale?
UK_WS6 said:
C5RagTop said:
eldudereno said:
Excellent write-up, just need to buy my Vette first. You don't know anyone that's selling a yellow C5 Z06, do you?
Good choice. Dart had one but if you interested send me a PM as I was offered it and can give you some info if you want.,
have you got a vararam for sale?
Don't suppose you (or anyone, actually) has some T1 Sway-Bars for sale, do you...?
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