To mod, or to rebuild? That is the question.. The $2000 question

**comatoast** · 06-28-2013

Well seeing as how I will mod this anyways, ( even after I told myself I wouldnt mod another car again ) and am in the process of ordering headers, MPS, and intake.... I guess I'll just throw this out there

Lets face it.. 75% of the cars on here are old ( 10+ yrs ) and have hi miles, leaking oil pans, and have been past their prime.. So now I'll ask this.. I have a 2006 GT.. Its my daily driver, but yet, I still want to mod it.. I am a sucker, and apparently give in easy to the temptation being there. It is in excellent condition for the year ( 8/10 outside , 9/10 inside ) but is closing in on 150K miles... I just did the coolant, trans flush, added a shift kit , 180 stat, new plugs n wires and now want more bolt on toys.. So is it really smart to do this with 150K miles, or do some of you just have the mentality of, "If it's not broke, dont fix it?" I know these are great motors, especially the bottom end, but is there a point where you say " If your trying to mod with this many miles, just pull the motor, rebuild and do everything right, all at once" that being the addition of new cam, seals/gaskets, possible head work, valvetrain, I/C, Rings, Hone etc..

Only reason Im asking is because I really want to know what everyone thinks, and If Im dumping all this money into bolt-ons, should I just yank the motor, and do a full rebuild? My car runs phenomenal, and has a assload of highway miles, but 150K, is still 150K.. I cant see yanking the motor on these cars being to difficult, and if it will make it easier to understand.. I have $2000 that I will spend on this car.... that is it.. Im already being a spineless vagina because I said I didnt want to mod in the first place, and gave in, but if I can dump 2k into a car I paid 6k for and have it be a lasting reliable car for 5 yrs.. I have zero problems doing it

**GTP89** · 06-28-2013

First of 150k isn't that many miles especially if they are highway, i modded my 200k engine, yeah i chipped a piston but that was due to another reason. Personally i wouldn't worry about miles,again personal thought. These locks are great, all i would do is change any if not al gaskets that you see leaking, clean it, and get the work done right the first time. this is the hard part, you also have to decide how far into the BUILD you wan to get into, There are many things you can do to make it go faster, butt you have to decide what route, Rockers, Cam, I/C and such. as far as you're worry on engine miles brush it off, my worry would be the trans.

**dbextreme** · 06-28-2013

Are you top swapped right now? You said a '06 GT but you are ordering a MPS (I assume Modular Pulley System, but I could be wrong)

If that's the case, you have all the main parts. I purchased a 27K L26 that looked like it was pulled from a showroom floor car. I have pics in a thread around here somewhere if you want to see 'em. But I have a a little under $3,000 in my build, and I had to buy the top swap and had the heads worked...I went with a N* also because it came with the top swap and I plan on upgrading eventually to a Gen V and intercooler. So there's more of a savings for you. You can do it with a new low mileage L26 for $2000 I'm sure.

**Fivefingerdeathpunch** · 06-28-2013

06-07 GT's are supercharged.

GM dropped the GTP name after 2005.

**comatoast** · 06-28-2013

Originally Posted by Fivefingerdeathpunch

06-07 GT's are supercharged.

GM dropped the GTP name after 2005.

yup.. thanks guys.

**dsmuts** · 06-28-2013

Mod the hell out of it. I modded my 230k mile 98 and it was a blast. Miles shouldn't scare you at all

**comatoast** · 06-28-2013

No top swap. Just the mods listed. If I can find an hptuners tuner in mn or wi I'll be set. If not its just scanned tune. And in that note. Sine 06+ have tuning issues with HP tuners. How will I ever be able to get a real tune?

**dsmuts** · 06-29-2013

You'll need a 04-05 pcm and your gas gauge will read backwards

**comatoast** · 06-29-2013

Blahhh. Maybe I'll just get one from Will and live with it.

**darkhorizon** · 07-01-2013

Tuning is not required to go for mods..

Before we had tuners we had no problems getting cars into the low 12s.. Fuel tuning is super easy to do mechanically, a shift kit in the trans will do what a tune will, raised shift points are pointless, stock timing is good enough for 99% of the world running on 93/e85, etc etc etc.

**comatoast** · 07-02-2013

Probably one of the first arguments I've seen made about canned tubes being useless

**comatoast** · 07-03-2013

Anyone else wanna chime in on darkhorizons post?

**BillBoost37** · 07-03-2013

I yanked my motor and cammed it at 186K miles.. so no worries about 150K. Thing there is.. the cam bearings need to be good.

On what Dark said. There is additional power to be found in the tune. Does a nearly stock tune work? ...Sure as hell does. My car with cam, rockers, Gen V, N*, LQ4 maf, S3 heads, electric wp, S3 IC ...you get the point. Was on a stock tune with the maf table changed out for the most part. Many around here rode in that Bonneville and it sure as hell had the ability to tear a transmission reluctor off and stretch the chain. I see a lot of merit in what Dark says, however you also have to understand he's at a level above most and fueling is a key that he's mentioning.

**comatoast** · 07-03-2013

I got that too. But if your fully modding the car and have to change timing and fuel tables , isn't wills the only option on 2006+ not saying I need that but just curious. I see what he is saying about a stock internal motor not needing some of the things found in wills tune, but for $150 it seems like it would be a good option.

So with nothing other than an intake and shift kit right now would I actually notice anything from just dropping the PCM in besides a cooler tranny, raised shift points and the fans coming on sooner?

**tms8582** · 07-03-2013

I wouldn't rebuild the motor if you have only 2 grand to work with because once you get it stripped down the dollars just keep adding up. It becomes like this... ok well as long as I'm in this far I might as well replace this that and the other thing. If I was you I'd install headers, rockers, 90# springs and a 3.4 pulley and a shift kit. Those mods would give you a nice kick in the pants for way under 2 grand. Just my 2 cents...

**REDCRAPGP** · 07-03-2013

I wouldn't rebuild unless you had a actual reason to rebuild. If your motor is running fine now...just slap the mods on it and keep on trucking. These motors are a beast and mileage wouldn't scare me.

**comatoast** · 07-03-2013

Thanks guys. I was gonna do the mods tms suggested but really don't wanna dump $500 on rockers and springs with no head work done. For the price per performance gain with everything else stock it doesn't seem like the best deal. Headers intake and a 3.6 would be more practical and I'm guessing not more than maybe 2/10th slower in the 1/4

**REDCRAPGP** · 07-03-2013

Rockers themselves are not bad for the price and gains especially if you buy a set of used ones. Head work is expensive and unless your going all out I doubt you want to put that much into it or course a cam is better but more money and more involved. I would keep it simple, DIY intake, headers, 180tstat, rockers and a tune, 3.5-3.6 and you won't be breaking the bank