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Types of Mods for the 3.8

impala04ss

impala04ss

New member
I got the 04 Impala SS. I put in a smaller pulley a 3.4, autolites 104 plugs, throttle body spacer, k&n intake, exhaust. What other mods you think will be effective. I recently looked into reprogramming my pcm...I am a little sketched out if I need to reprogram my security system...tell me what you guys think of mods and so forth =)
 


Take that pulley off you do not have the supporting mods for it. You should really look into a custom tune. What do you mean by exhaust?
 
Probably a catback. Read the threads on here about pulley drops and realize that your destroying your car.
 
01GTP said:
Take that pulley off you do not have the supporting mods for it. You should really look into a custom tune. What do you mean by exhaust?
Click to expand...

You don't have to take that pulley off...:th_shakinghead1:

BUT - don't flog the car either. The point is you need to invest in exhaust modifications - SOON - or you are running a risk of this happening:

DSCF0324.jpg

DSCF0327.jpg

DSCF0329.jpg


On the list of performance modifications - a pulley drop is about #6, to be honest - when talking about a bone stock car.

You need to get (in no certain order):
1) An exhaust manifold upgrade - either PLog, headers, something
2) A catless - or hi-flow catted downpipe - get that U-bend gone ASAP
3) An improved air intake system - either home-made or complete system purchased - but it needs to be a FWI for best results.
4) Colder plugs - Autolite 104's or similar
5) A custom tuned PCM - preferably mated with some form of active, real-time scanning tool.
6) THEN - when you have done these things, at minimum, and you have A/F ratios dialed in, KR tuned out as much as you can, etc etc - THEN - you can drop a pulley size. The drop to a 3.4 is the most popular - but you have other options - personally, I think the 3.5 is underrated for beginning performance gains - but if you do these things, you can (typically) run a 3.4 without any negative ramifications.

-Swash
 
Swash said:
You don't have to take that pulley off...:th_shakinghead1:

BUT - don't flog the car either. The point is you need to invest in exhaust modifications - SOON - or you are running a risk of this happening:

DSCF0324.jpg

DSCF0327.jpg

DSCF0329.jpg


On the list of performance modifications - a pulley drop is about #6, to be honest - when talking about a bone stock car.

You need to get (in no certain order):
1) An exhaust manifold upgrade - either PLog, headers, something
2) A catless - or hi-flow catted downpipe - get that U-bend gone ASAP
3) An improved air intake system - either home-made or complete system purchased - but it needs to be a FWI for best results.
4) Colder plugs - Autolite 104's or similar
5) A custom tuned PCM - preferably mated with some form of active, real-time scanning tool.
6) THEN - when you have done these things, at minimum, and you have A/F ratios dialed in, KR tuned out as much as you can, etc etc - THEN - you can drop a pulley size. The drop to a 3.4 is the most popular - but you have other options - personally, I think the 3.5 is underrated for beginning performance gains - but if you do these things, you can (typically) run a 3.4 without any negative ramifications.

-Swash
Click to expand...


Ill look into getting the u bend removed...does anyone know a good and reliable performance shop in the Boston area that does reprogramming PCMs....?
 
If u buy either a catless dp or a highflow cat dp it will come with a u-bend delete. Its just a straight pipe. My dp helped a lot. Made it sound deeper too
 


impala04ss said:
Ill look into getting the u bend removed...does anyone know a good and reliable performance shop in the Boston area that does reprogramming PCMs....?
Click to expand...

Any good exhaust sop can do it and if all fails...buy a U-Bend Delete from ZZP...they are like $40.
 
99prixgt said:
damn, your list should be this.

-Headers (asap)
-aeroforce gauge or scanmasters
-tune
Click to expand...

Cant tune yet, cant do headers yet. I still got a warranty on my car otherwise if they see it my warranty will be vioded. Luckily they don't notice the pulley drop cause its so minor and only way to tell if you measure it which I doubt they will. I got a couple thousand miles left once its up I'm putting headers and tuning it up!
 


bluegtp91 said:
Depends man...when they scan the PCM and notice changes to it then they are gonna either say something or re-flash it to a stock setting and kill your tune on the car.
Click to expand...


Yeah that's what I heard as well. I know Intense PCM, if your pcm gets flashed to stock you can get one more tuned PCM for free....
 
even if they did...if u have hptuners just reload it. takes 30 seconds and i know because it tells u who long it takes. it has a small ego problem as its always bragging lol
 
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