[Ericdared]

Hi all,
I am planning on doing some upgrades to my 23 2SS convertible. I have worked on 60's hot rods but haven't done anything other than repairs and basic maintenance on newer vehicles .
So far I am planning to do upgrades in phases. So please let me know ow if it is viable or if I am missing stuff.
1. Going to do a borla axle back exhaust
2. E85 lethal garage kit.
3. Procharger. Not sure which one yet.
4. Headers? Kooks
5. Tune. Not sure what to use on this. I am thinking hptuner mpvi3. I would imagine with these few mods it should be fairly common. I do want thr ability to custom and tweak it later after the next phase of mods.
That's it for a while until I pass my warranty period.
Phase 2 most of this at one time
1. Cam. Looking at the BTR stage 1 supercharged
2. Intake, msd atomic?
3. Heads not sure on this either port and polish and upgrade stock ones, or go with after market. I am in san antonio and go to Houston frequently so TSP and LMR are options.
4. Upgraded injectors, fuel pump? No clue if I need this or not, same with 103mm throttle body.
That's about it. I am looking for really fast street but something I am going to DD still.
Thanks in advance

[Joshinator99]

Originally Posted by Ericdared

Hi all,
I am planning on doing some upgrades to my 23 2SS convertible. I have worked on 60's hot rods but haven't done anything other than repairs and basic maintenance on newer vehicles .
So far I am planning to do upgrades in phases. So please let me know ow if it is viable or if I am missing stuff.
1. Going to do a borla axle back exhaust
2. E85 lethal garage kit.
3. Procharger. Not sure which one yet.
4. Headers? Kooks
5. Tune. Not sure what to use on this. I am thinking hptuner mpvi3. I would imagine with these few mods it should be fairly common. I do want thr ability to custom and tweak it later after the next phase of mods.
That's it for a while until I pass my warranty period.
Phase 2 most of this at one time
1. Cam. Looking at the BTR stage 1 supercharged
2. Intake, msd atomic?
3. Heads not sure on this either port and polish and upgrade stock ones, or go with after market. I am in san antonio and go to Houston frequently so TSP and LMR are options.
4. Upgraded injectors, fuel pump? No clue if I need this or not, same with 103mm throttle body.
That's about it. I am looking for really fast street but something I am going to DD still.
Thanks in advance

If you’re going with a blower, consider adding the fuel system mods to the top of your list. These cars need FUEL, and there’s no way around it. Lack of fuel is the number one killer of stock bottom end LT1s.

[SOCAL.M6.ZLE]

Originally Posted by Ericdared

Hi all,
I am planning on doing some upgrades to my 23 2SS convertible. I have worked on 60's hot rods but haven't done anything other than repairs and basic maintenance on newer vehicles .
So far I am planning to do upgrades in phases. So please let me know ow if it is viable or if I am missing stuff.
1. Going to do a borla axle back exhaust
2. E85 lethal garage kit.
3. Procharger. Not sure which one yet.
4. Headers? Kooks
5. Tune. Not sure what to use on this. I am thinking hptuner mpvi3. I would imagine with these few mods it should be fairly common. I do want thr ability to custom and tweak it later after the next phase of mods.
That's it for a while until I pass my warranty period.
Phase 2 most of this at one time
1. Cam. Looking at the BTR stage 1 supercharged
2. Intake, msd atomic?
3. Heads not sure on this either port and polish and upgrade stock ones, or go with after market. I am in san antonio and go to Houston frequently so TSP and LMR are options.
4. Upgraded injectors, fuel pump? No clue if I need this or not, same with 103mm throttle body.
That's about it. I am looking for really fast street but something I am going to DD still.
Thanks in advance

My 2 cents... based on what i have read, and experienced on my car...

I do not like your phase split. Seems like alot of re-work in labor and tuning.

If you are going to do heads / cam... you really should consider a built bottom end, or at least drop in pistons to handle boost.

I also agree, if you want to take full advantage of your E / Boost combo, you'll want to plan for the proper fuel system... which would include a cam with 32% or greater fuel lobe, + a low side AUX or SMG drop in + XDI.30's... Sucks to pull everything apart later, and re-tune over and over again :(

Are you doing this yourself, or taking to a shop?

[Ericdared]

I will be doing it myself. This is why I asked here. OK so new plan.
1. Exhaust.
2. E-85.
3. 1rst mild tune
Get to warranty mileage mark (90k more miles)
Motor comes out of car and full rebuild

[SOCAL.M6.ZLE]

Originally Posted by Ericdared

I will be doing it myself. This is why I asked here. OK so new plan.
1. Exhaust.
2. E-85.
3. 1rst mild tune
Get to warranty mileage mark (90k more miles)
Motor comes out of car and full rebuild

I pretty sure E85 and the tune will void your warranty. Keeping your factory warranty crosses most mods of the list unfortunately. Because I planned to pull my motor right after break in, i even asked for a credit back to purchase with no warranty, and the guy was speechless... hahaha...

If you want to retain the warranty, id suggest a catback + intake + better wheels / tires, and enjoy as is...

If you want a modified car, like I do, then forget about the warranty, purchase your parts, plan the build you want, and enjoy the car.

Life is wayyyyy to short!

[Ericdared]

So on the e85 and tune could I not just yank that out the kit and put the factory tune back on if I needed warranty work?

Thanks everyone, this is great info for me.

[Smokin19]

Originally Posted by Ericdared

So on the e85 and tune could I not just yank that out the kit and put the factory tune back on if I needed warranty work?

Thanks everyone, this is great info for me.

Once you change the tune it becomes a history that can be read and the dealer will know it has been changed. You are really limited on what you can change without voiding the warranty, do more research.

[Hotwheeltat]

Phase 1 kills your warranty. Might as well go all in.

[cjperformance]

Here are a few random notes from my brain with inadequate caffeine and typing on a tablet. Just a few things i wish i knew at the start that i mostly learned on this board.

My impression is that centri/Procharger (which is what i have) can be challenging to work with vs a PD. Seems like i need to go an extra mile to have the same gains as a PD. BUT ive never had a PD so i cant say for sure.

Centris are supposedly more efficient (not as much hp to turn for a given boost level compared to PD) according to some sources, but suffer from higher IATs, and dont make a lot of boost at lower rpms.

If you do go with a PC, a P1X is adequate, i might have gone with a D1X if i knew more at the time i started. Id probably not consider a p1sc unless your goals are very mild. Really depends on goals. To me a centri feels completely stock/normal until i stick my foot in it all the way, then it really pulls hard.

Given the current costs of DI upgrades, id prob just go straight to port inj. Especially if you are going to run E85. Even LT4 DI components (or even +30 inj) may not be able to flow enough full E85 for your power goals. You may or may not need low side fueling improvements on a 23. At minimum probably a voltage booster for the stock fuel pump. I went with a dsx aux pump because the low side pump in a 17 was inadequate, but a 23 should have a higher flowing low side pump.

Oh, and yeah, get hptuners. Learn how to use it and log properly. Get a base/remote tune from a reputable place to start with. Dont f around with it yourself unless you know what you are doing. Protip... you dont. Neither do i most of the time . Dont use the canned tune from any supercharger mfg except to MAYBE drive it to a shop.

[adamjwilson]

Originally Posted by cjperformance

Here are a few random notes from my brain with inadequate caffeine and typing on a tablet. Just a few things i wish i knew at the start that i mostly learned on this board.

My impression is that centri/Procharger (which is what i have) can be challenging to work with vs a PD. Seems like i need to go an extra mile to have the same gains as a PD. BUT ive never had a PD so i cant say for sure.

Centris are supposedly more efficient (not as much hp to turn for a given boost level compared to PD) according to some sources, but suffer from higher IATs, and dont make a lot of boost at lower rpms.

If you do go with a PC, a P1X is adequate, i might have gone with a D1X if i knew more at the time i started. Id probably not consider a p1sc unless your goals are very mild. Really depends on goals. To me a centri feels completely stock/normal until i stick my foot in it all the way, then it really pulls hard.

Given the current costs of DI upgrades, id prob just go straight to port inj. Especially if you are going to run E85. Even LT4 DI components (or even +30 inj) may not be able to flow enough full E85 for your power goals. You may or may not need low side fueling improvements on a 23. At minimum probably a voltage booster for the stock fuel pump. I went with a dsx aux pump because the low side pump in a 17 was inadequate, but a 23 should have a higher flowing low side pump.

Oh, and yeah, get hptuners. Learn how to use it and log properly. Get a base/remote tune from a reputable place to start with. Dont f around with it yourself unless you know what you are doing. Protip... you dont. Neither do i most of the time . Dont use the canned tune from any supercharger mfg except to MAYBE drive it to a shop.

Solid advice... also agree with the masses here that your upgrade split is way off.... may want to provide your end HP/Torque goals as well.

[Ericdared]

Thanks again this is great stuff. Yeah I am very much in the brainstorming point right now gathering ideas and knowledge so when I do have a plan. The only thing I am going to do at this point is just the axel back borla S or atak exhaust. I will probably also buy the tuner and start logging and observing. I am a cybersecurity professional so I am pretty sure I can make some magic happen and make it seem like nothing was ever changed. One of my work friends has cracked a different manufacturers security and is well known for doing some cutting edge stuff on his platform, so I will have a good reference point when I get to that point.

As for end goals I am still planning daily driving my camaro but want it to be a nasty street car, so for hp goal I would say 700-750ish?

[adamjwilson]

Originally Posted by Ericdared

Thanks again this is great stuff. Yeah I am very much in the brainstorming point right now gathering ideas and knowledge so when I do have a plan. The only thing I am going to do at this point is just the axel back borla S or atak exhaust. I will probably also buy the tuner and start logging and observing. I am a cybersecurity professional so I am pretty sure I can make some magic happen and make it seem like nothing was ever changed. One of my work friends has cracked a different manufacturers security and is well known for doing some cutting edge stuff on his platform, so I will have a good reference point when I get to that point.

As for end goals I am still planning daily driving my camaro but want it to be a nasty street car, so for hp goal I would say 700-750ish?

Keep in mind your base rwhp is ~385ish (450 at the crank).. normally we reference rwhp. Adding aftermarket exhaust (assume NPP) will have minimal gains if any to rwhp and torque. May want to provide a budget as well for the masses here to reach your HP goals above

[arpad_m]

Originally Posted by Ericdared

Thanks again this is great stuff. Yeah I am very much in the brainstorming point right now gathering ideas and knowledge so when I do have a plan. The only thing I am going to do at this point is just the axel back borla S or atak exhaust. I will probably also buy the tuner and start logging and observing. I am a cybersecurity professional so I am pretty sure I can make some magic happen and make it seem like nothing was ever changed. One of my work friends has cracked a different manufacturers security and is well known for doing some cutting edge stuff on his platform, so I will have a good reference point when I get to that point.

As for end goals I am still planning daily driving my camaro but want it to be a nasty street car, so for hp goal I would say 700-750ish?

I have just this car, 735 rwhp and a true Jekyll & Hyde personality, nice cruiser for daily driving and trips with the missus (25-27 highway mpg) and a gnarly animal (4-5 mpg ) when leaning into it with performance shift mode activated. Mine was built by Jannetty Racing, you can see the main components in my signature.

The Maggie 2300 would obviously be replaced by the 2650 in a new build, and yes, it's a PD, not a centrifugal.

[Boost Creep]

Originally Posted by Ericdared

Idiot, check my plan please

You rang?