Damn you love that quote button
given for doing your very thorough research.
To answer the V6 is high-end power stock for stock the I4 actually pulls pretty hard til 60 stock. So your daily driver feelings won't be hurt with the I4.
The V6 will get the same gas mileage unless your in cruise control mode on the highway or on the backroads. An example of this is I went to CamaroFest 7 in Bowling Green, KY last year when I did my highway cruise at 74mph 99% of the time I got about 700mi. from a full tank and I was ECM tuned and full bolt-ons. On backroads I can average 35 to 37 mph with cruise control and no traffic. Now I don't often do that because let's face it i'm the guy who will light up people at a stop-light given the chance same on the highway, nothing like boost building then slamming the pedal down for wide open throttle i'm a sick mofo I know. So gas mileage is all in how you decide to drive. I average 24mpg with my more then spirited driving.
I will say this part only once... Wether you choose the V6 or not don't use the shitty regular or 87 octane fuel it will cause knock and pull timing thus performance it's a fact and it will happen use premium regardless of your choice.
As far as your forged internals... They are not your traditional aftermarket forged internals they are Factory Forged internals and they are only good til about 400whp so figure 450wtq with that as a complete guesstimate and then things start breaking. I feel the V6 is in this same boat again i'd ask Dustya he's the only one in those numbers on the V6. Again to exceed 400whp/450wtq you'd need to solve a few lingering issues obviously you'll need a bigger turbo those are easy to find.
1. Forged Internals (ZZP, Molnar, CP-Carillo, JE Etc.) All make Forged Rods and Pistons for the 2.0T LTG/I4.
2. Cooling - Upgrading your intercooler and piping is a must probably past 350whp. We have a few options direct fit with Mishimoto's OEM Location and ZZPs FMIC option.
3. Fuel - This can be corrected with several things but you will need a way to get more fuel then the stock system allows. We do not currently have a better HPFP - High Pressure Fuel Pump. The V6 is in this same boat as us with fueling. So correcting for a short list you could go with the ZL1 Low-Pressure-Fuel-Pump this has been confirmed to work and fit by Dustya in the V6 there is zero reason it wouldn't work in the I4. That will solve your problem with getting fuel from the tank next the engine area you can get a better cam ZZP has developed one and a few people are working on other cams and methods but your probably safest in getting Methanol Injection so you can adjust timing.
4. M6 if you get a manual your gonna wanna upgrade that clutch...
So in case you ask this question if you decided to modify and tune your I4 Camaro. You have 2 options with a whole nother can of worms depending on your transmission choice.
- 2016 I4/V6 Camaros A8 or M6: Will be easiest to tune nothing is locked in them i'll get to this below in t he next section.
- 2017+ I4/V6 Camaros A8 or M6: GM Security locked the ECM/PCM and TCM in these cars so for M6 you will need to unlock your ECM/PCM and go from their it's not cheap... 4 Credits to Unlock 4 to Tune I think so find someone you trust. With the A8 your dumping even more money in you have the ECM/PCM let's stick with the 8 Credits for tht now you need to Tune your TCM seperately. To do so you need to physically remove your TCM - Transmission Control Module and send it to HPTuners to be unlocked costs $200. They will mail it back to you after that put it back in and go get tuned which is another 4 credits. So your tuner is going to use 12 credits just tuning your car. So M6 your out anywhere from 400 to 500 A8 your sinking 800 to 1k into it depending on how gracious your tuner is.
One final mention is A8 Transmission Shudder. This is in all factory A8 Transmission I4, V6, V8 this is because GM are assholes sometimes and they put such high slip% limits that the transmission oil pressure will drop not only does that suck it can damage your torque converter the way around this is a transmission tune to zero out or adjust slip%'s to near nothing. GM has this Band-Aid flush TSB and it's exactly that a Band-Aid.