Ok I have reached a point with my car where I want as much power as I can get out of it, but within my price range. I know power and speed cost so I am askign if anyone knows of any fairly cost-effective mods for a 2003 Cav. I have a WAI, header, full exhaust, NGK plugs, RKSport conductors. big 3 and an optima anyone else have any ideas what I could do next?
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2003 Cavalier LS Sport "SHOCKWAVE"
balance shaft removal
cams
headwork
valvetrain work
injectors
flywheel
clutch
motormounts
trans mounts
a-arm bushings
sway bar/ sway bar end links
stickier tires
lightweight wheels
GM ecotec h.o. manifold kit
tuning
theres a lot more to do as far as 'bolt on' mods go. most of it isn't TOO terribly expensive.
this is the n/a route.. going boost would be a bit more cost-effective
If it were me I would find somone nearby who has hp tuners and tweak your computer. I bet there is atleast 5whp that could be gained. If you go this route it would be cool to dyno before and after on the same dyno to see the difference.
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i forgot to mention i do have to mounts as well
We Ride Together, We Die Together...... J-Bodies For Life!
SPONSORED BY: Showstopper Tuning, JM Graphics
2003 Cavalier LS Sport "SHOCKWAVE"
Brakes and suspension. No sense in going faster if you can't stop and steer.
1989 Z24 Convertible - Dust Covered
2006 tC - Dust Covered, but driven more
agreed, power is great in a straight line and all but handing is fun and even the most gutlless car is fun if it handles well.
As for as best doller per power, turbo. If you read up on them you can build a very cost effective solution that can work great and be reliable all day long. I recomend "Street Turbocharging" by Mark Warner P.E.
ZlineDavid wrote:Brakes and suspension. No sense in going faster if you can't stop and steer.
depends on the type of racing you want to do
if you just want to mod your street car, then all is well
if you're looking to do just dragging, stay away from brake upgrades
why? the reason is 2 fold
1) larger brakes prevent you from running lightweight 15" rims. who cares about 15s? most drag radials, and slicks are offered in a lot of different widths and aspect ratios for 15" rims. you'll be hard pressed to find slicks for a 17" rim if you ever plan on running big power.
2) bigger brakes = more unsprung weight. unsprung weight makes it more difficult for the engine to spin the wheels, therefore it ends up robbing power.
if you want to drag the @!#$ out of the car, do not upgrade the brakes.
suspension, no matter what, is a great investment. Just make sure you buy the suspension for your chosen autosport.
stay away from ebay coilovers
drop springs and konis are good
full adjustable REAL coil-overs (like TEIN, or Gravana PowerGrips) are the best alternative
air ride suspension is only good for showing and being cool. not very useful in any form of racing at all.
