Finally got the car, what upgrades first?

I picked up a 91 RS 5spd a while back and just started catching up on the payments, so now its time for some upgrades. I was thinking intake, wires, cheap stuff like that. Any tips or suggestions? It's stock other than a cat back with the rectangle exhaust tips, dunno what kind, but it pops like backfires really bad. Also doesn't sound that good imo. what to do first? and whats with the popping backfire? is that the exhaust or is the motor out of tune or wha?

Headers, delete cat if you have no emissions tests otherwise get a high-flow, a nice 3" mandrel bent catback (4th gen LT1 catbacks can bolt right up to your third gen, it's the same setup)... what's the induction on your car? Get some type of cold air intake or if it's TBI or carb i guess oen of them high flow air cleaners... if you wanna spend a little more, a limited slip diffeential with 3.42 or 3.73 (or 4.10 if you're feelign ballsy ;)) gears would be nice

97 pretty hit all the basics, it not done already, give it a full tune up. Some good sythetic oil, delco plugs, oil filter, fuel filter (will make difference if it's never been changed, wires. Edelbrock Tes headers are a good choice for 3rd gens. The magnaflow from and LT1 powered f-body, would be catback of choice, provides really good flow and sounds damn good too. I have the american thunder catback (flowmaster), sounds really good, didn't really see much of a difference as far as performance goes. Awesome, you got a five speed, i was looking for a five speed LB9, but didn't have any luck.

I'd do a complete tune-up if the car has somewhere around 80K miles or more.

ummm what engine you have? it would help us be more specific

ummm what engine you have? it would help us be more specific

Yeah I hope for his sake it isnt a 3.1

I wouldn't put synthetic in unless it already has it.

sorry, its got the 305 TBI. theres around 110k on it, and already has posi. I changed the oil, oil filter and air filter myself probably 1,200 miles ago. So the backfire when the RPM's go down is from it being out of tune?

could be the muffler is shot, could be plugs/wires. Can't really tell online from your description

intake, exhaust, shift kit, holley 650cfm tbi unit... alluminum driveshaft... deeper gears... and a chip. those and the things other people listed... relatively easy mods that will help wake up the car... congrats on the car man

Well you should still replace.. wires, spark plugs, fuel filter, rotor and cap, and if you want to be safe, your fuel distributor. The backfire could be from the muffler though.

Well you should still replace.. wires, spark plugs, fuel filter, rotor and cap, and if you want to be safe, your fuel distributor. The backfire could be from the muffler though.

a fuel distributor? there's no such thing...

Yeah.. its the thing that is right under your cap and rotor, and under the ICM. All the way in the back.

It's stock other than a cat back with the rectangle exhaust tips, dunno what kind, but it pops like backfires really bad. Also doesn't sound that good imo.


Don't assume it IS a misfire... when my stock muffler died it sounded liek popcorn driving around

Don't assume it IS a misfire... when my stock muffler died it sounded liek popcorn driving around

Haha thats funny as hell dude.

Yeah.. its the thing that is right under your cap and rotor, and under the ICM. All the way in the back.

ya the distributor... i know what a distributor is... you said fuel distibutor... there's no such thing as a fuel distributor, i was just checking to see what you were talking about...

Hm.. I just checked around too and there is no such thing.. WTH! Well look I know its a real part, and where it is, im sure I have the name wrong that's all. So yeah, its under the cap and stuff.

Damn, well yeah. You know wth im talking about, just shutup. I hate being wrong :disappoin

Hm.. I just checked around too and there is no such thing.. WTH! Well look I know its a real part, and where it is, im sure I have the name wrong that's all. So yeah, its under the cap and stuff.

lol i know what you're talking about, but like i said there isn't a fuel distributor

I pulled my plugs (car not head) and most of them were yellow and the spacing was larger than should be on a few. Yellow plugs are uhhh...high speed brazing or something right? I fixed the spacing on the few and i'll get new ones soon. Im thinking it is the muffler, just from the way it sounds. My old truck did kinda the same thing and it was the muff. The wires aren't bad but new ones wouldn't hurt.

Why dont you just buy new plugs? They're cheap as hell.

sorry, its got the 305 TBI. theres around 110k on it, and already has posi. I changed the oil, oil filter and air filter myself probably 1,200 miles ago. So the backfire when the RPM's go down is from it being out of tune?

my 87 iroc did the same thing. if u don't have enough backpressure u will get a small backfire, as was my case because i was running true duals with no crossover pipe (h/x). if u know the muffler is good and you have done a tuneup, this could be what ur experiencing.