First mods 98 A4 LS1

[MPe488]

I don't have ANY money now, but as soon as I get some I still won't have much so I'm gonna try to keep stuff cheap as possible.

I was thinking-

Magnaflow or SLP Loudmouth catback
Dual cut outs behind headers
Lid & some kinda foam filter that the air flows through more easily
possibly gears
I kinda tossed out the idea of kook LTs and an X-pipe cause it's too much $$.

So, tell me what you think I should do differently... the only thing I really need besides best bang for buck is to keep my gas mileage or even improve it a bit. I can't afford new mods and more gas money, it's just not gonna happen... so I gotta restrcit myself there. Thats why the gears are probably a 'no,' I can't lose the highway mileage as it's gonna get a lot if highway miles in the next 7 years.

I'm not the most knowledgeable person on engine mods so I could use any help you guys can offer. Thanks ahead of time.

[Mr. Luos]

3500 stall.

Go with Magnaflow.

[Nate355RS]

less restrictive filter and free flowing exaust will help with the mpg, so those would deffinatley be your best place to start

[MPe488]

If I got cut-outs and a cat-back would I have to toss them if I decided to get LTs and true duals in a while? And what would be the difference in HP between the two set ups?

And won't the 3500 stall make it harder to drive and consume more gas? I think I need to get used to all the torque this car has first. My last had 100 ft-lbs, so I'm still on the learning curve.

Edit: I was also actually wondering about a ported TB and an ls6 intake. I don't know as much about those as I would like to- so, can I use a ported stock TB with an ls6 intake? Or does the ls6 intake package have it's own tb... (i'm clueless, I know.)

[Mr. Luos]

On the intakes....The LS6 intake is shaped exactly the same as the LS1 intake at the throttle body and the top.
The differences are inside and on the bottom. VERY good mod for 98-00 LS1 cars.
You will be using your stock throttle body. I recommend a ported TB and LS6 intake for lightly modded cars....don't need much more than that.

The stall will probably slip mileage down a little. Shouldn't be too bad though. The stall is the best mod you can do on the auto LS1 cars though. Gets you off the line SO much better.

I am not a big fan of cutouts. They are problematic. Carbon causing rust causing them to stick shut (electric ones) and the manual ones are a pain.
Car will sound great and pick up a little power over your average y-pipe and catback though.
I can see a good shop making sure your cutouts are re-useable once you get headers. They need welded up, then they would need cut and welded again once you get longtubes.
Don't put the cutouts right at the headers though unless you have a nice stall. You lose power down low running open like that. When I was running open headers I had some minor surging issues down low and it just plain out was slower. Not a ton slower....just didn't seem to have the kick it normally had...anywhere in the RPM's.

[MPe488]

thanks for the help, but I still have tons of questions and I hope I'm not bothering anyone with them. heres a few-

how hard is it to swap out gears? I was thinking about throwing on 3.73s for awhile cause I drive city 95% of the time until I end high school, then maybe I'll swap back in the stock ones for highway mpgs.

And will a 3500 stall cause my rear end to need replacing anytime soon? Thats a major concern for me. In faact that the reason I didn't opt for the t-56. And will it hurt the tranny?

[Mr. Luos]

Not sure about the gear swap. I imagine it wouldn't be too bad with the right tools, although I don't know what those are.

Stall shouldn't hurt anything. The nice thing about the auto is that it preloads the rear....much less likely to break that way.

[demon9766]

Well if the car is mostly stock u don't need that mush stall speed i would go with 1500-2000 and don't try to put in gears yourself if u don't know how u will trash the rearend get a shop 2 do it 4 u.

[z28 boy]

With Lous on this one. I have 3.73's and gas mileage didnt really change much on the highway but it did go down around town. I would go with the stall first as it will only effect ur gasmileage in town under about 45 MPH after that it will be like driving normal. Remeber tho whether u get gears or a stall to get any use out of either one u will need stickier tires. Unless u really know what ur doing dont do the gear swap ur self or u will regret it. I would go with a hooker cat-back since i think they get a better sound and are cheaper. Some pacesetter LT's would work great too u can get them cheap along with the TSP y-pipe from www.texas-speed.com. I would do exhaust, intake, light suspension(tires, SFC's) since it wont be a track monster then stall and gears. If u want most effective first then stall and tires.

[viperh]

Get sub-frame connectors.. Night and Day diffrence in handling. Also if your t-tops are leaking it'll stop that.. about 400 bucks from UMI performance.

[Mr. Luos]

If you pay $400 for subframe connectors, you paid $150 too much.
Check me

[viperh]

Originally Posted by Mr. Luos

If you pay $400 for subframe connectors, you paid $150 too much.
Check me

I was over estimating. I dont remember the exact cost.

[z28 boy]

Actually u can get subframe connectors for less than that u can get them for 150 even.

[Mr. Luos]

Originally Posted by z28 boy

Actually u can get subframe connectors for less than that u can get them for 150 even.

Agreed.

But I like the diamond ones.