I want to make my Grand Am faster, what do I do? FAQ.

[bwwelk]

The guy that wrote the top part of this page I think did a great job ... Ive been wanting to do some mod's to my grand am gt and this will be very helpful... GOOD JOB!!!!!!

[atc3434]

Ahh, the praise is still flowing in.... I love it. Seriously though, the section needed a good guide, and this was the solution. Glad it was helpful.

[el nino]

VERY HELPFULL! i love this page its like my check off list. just started though.

[williamGT]

I hope im in the right spot this time. I have a borla exhaust with out the resonator, If i put a highflw cat would it sound louder?
Thanks

[SpyhunteR]

Originally Posted by williamGT

I hope im in the right spot this time. I have a borla exhaust with out the resonator, If i put a highflw cat would it sound louder?
Thanks

headers will make it sound crazy wild sexy.

[williamGT]

Originally Posted by SpyhunteR

headers will make it sound crazy wild sexy.

headers are too much tho i thougt a magnaflow highflowcat would work.

[coupe]

Originally Posted by williamGT

headers are too much tho i thougt a magnaflow highflowcat would work.

If all you have is a cat back changeing the cat to a HF cat wont add much sound, you probably wouldnt notice it. Changeing the cat is pretty pointless on a GA with no headers, the stock cat is pretty high flow as it is.

[williamGT]

Originally Posted by coupe

If all you have is a cat back changeing the cat to a HF cat wont add much sound, you probably wouldnt notice it. Changeing the cat is pretty pointless on a GA with no headers, the stock cat is pretty high flow as it is.

thanks you help me alot. peace

[Schweppe23]

Originally Posted by atc3434

Ok, I see lots of threads, probably 5 or more a week, asking what can be done to make the Grand Am faster. I figured we need a sticky that'll explain the mods, what order they are most effective in, etc. This FAQ is written with 3400 in mind, but many of these general principals would apply to the 2.4 or ecotec as well. So here we go:

• Exhaust- this is the best place to start modding, because the stock exhaust on the Grand Am, while not horrible, is fairly restrictive. You'll want to buy a full catback exhaust, which replaces the piping from the catalytic converter all the way to the tips. Two companies are offering catback exhausts for the Grand Am, SLP($458) and Borla($690). Both have larger and better piping that stock, SLP is louder and more agressive, Borla is quieter. Either setup is worth around 5-10hp, is the best bang for the buck first mod. Avalible from Parts for Your Car One other note on exhaust, a common misconception is you need backpressure for maximum power. This is utter BS, you want scavenging, but not backpressure. This article helps explain that principal, and contains other good information on intake and exhaust systems.
  
• Headers- S&S and TOG(The Other Guys) both make headers for the Grand Am 3400. The investment is substancial, expect to spend $700 or more just for the headers, but the gains are worth it. A highflow cat should be used with headers, costing around $50-$75. Headers coupled with a hi-flow cat is worth 15+hp at the wheels. If you choose to have a shop install these, you can expect to spend another big chunk of change, probably in the neighborhood of $500. You can install them yourself, its just time consuming, and requires some mechanical knowledge. TOGs are avalible at PFYC and S&S at ssheaders.com
• DHP PCM - this is a $215 reprogrammed Engine Control Unit. Shift points are raised and firmed, skip shifting is allowed. Top speed limiter is removed. Fuel and spark tables are optimized for higher octane (91+) fuel. Fan on temps are also raise to work best with a 180* thermostat. The MAF tables are adjusted to work with CAI better than the stock computer. In my opinion, for the shifting alone, the DHP is worth it. With headers and exhaust, you could expect to gain around 5hp. It will also be close to optimal for all mods until you start thinking about a cam or boost. Another option if you really like doing your own tuning is a DHP Powertunr. This allows you to reprogram your own PCM to your specifications. This is useful if A.) you know what your doing, and B.) you are doing substancial modding that requires more than the changes DHP makes on a standard DHP PCM. Powertunr costs around $400. PCM Avalible from PFYC and Powertunr from DHP
  
• 62mm Throttle Body - the stock Throttle body is 56mm, and flows 345cfm. A 62mm throttle body flows 435cfm, which is a large increase over the stock unit. After you've improved the exhaust flow, you'll want to start increasing the flow of air into the engine, and this is the best starting point. $250 will buy you a 62mm throttle body. You'll need to remove the upper intake manifold to port out the opening to take full advantage of the larger throttle body bore. RSM, who sells 62mm throttle bodies claims a 10hp gain, I think 5hp at the wheels is realistic to expect, maybe more with more breathing mods supported.
  
• Cold Air Intake - this will draw cool air in from the drivers side front fender, behind the foglight. Cold air is important to performance, because cooler air is denser and carries more oxygen, which you need to support more fuel, which makes more power. Stock ram air is a gimick, a CAI will get you cooler air, and offer less restriction. $160 is RSMs price for their CAI. Probably worth 5hp if you've done other engine breathing mods.
  
  Oh, and a word on Warm air intakes, where a large cone filter is placed right after the MAF (mass air flow) sensor; these do not help performance, they will hurt it. Because they pull in air from the engine bay, the air is very warm. This is bad because A) it doesn't carry as much oxygen as cold air, and B) it will cause the engine to be more prone to knock. When the engine knocks, the computer will retard the ignition timing, which hurts power. The computer will automatically start pulling timing if the intake air temperature is high enough, because it knows it will cause knock. So, stay away from warm air intakes, they don't help performance, and can likely hurt it unless its extremely cold out. I've varified this information personally with a scan gauge, a warm air intake, even when moving at highway speeds, offers MUCH hotter air than a cold air intake, or the stock setup. And we don't want hot air.
  
• Ported and Polished Intake manifolds/heads - the next step in getting your engine breathing well is to port and polish the intake manifolds and heads. This involves removing casting flaws within the manifolds and heads, opening up air passages as much as possible, as well as polishing/grinding the valves for maximum flow. If you are going to do head work, its also advisable to upgrade to stronger valve springs, to prevent valve float at higher rpms, which the stock springs are not very good at controlling. Donkey Punch Performance. offers a set of ported heads for $525 which includes LS1 valve springs. They also offer a ported upper intake manifold for $90 that is ported out to mate with a 62mm tb, and a Lower intake manifold for another $90. All this porting is probably worth 10-20hp. Obviously, install these type of components requires mechanical knowledge, as well as the proper tools, and time. Again, a shop could be paid to do it, but it would defintely cost you. Milzy Motorsports also offers heads and manifolds.
  
• Cams - Milzy Motorsports as several different cams avalible for the 3400 v6 now, in different stages. $380 will buy you one of these cams, but you'll defintely spend some money installing it. You'll need software to tune the engine to run its best with the much increased breathing capacity. With all the supporting mods about, the higher lift cam could easily make you 30hp more.
  
• Nitrous - Zex offers a 75hp dry kit for under $600, avalible at PFYC. Pretty good bang for you're buck, and a pretty easy kit to install, and operate safely. Larger amounts of hp can be gained with a wet kit. You'll need to buy a few other things, such as a bottle heater, opener, etc. Whenever you juice, you'll really want to make sure you've got a good air/fuel ratio, or you can do serious damage. However, nitrous isn't all that dangerous for your engine unless its not used properly.
  
• Boost - turbo and superchargers. Donkey Punch Performance is making a 10+psi turbo kit for around $2000 depending on what parts you need from them. This could easily make you 75-100hp with the supporting mods above. Especially when combined with a boost-specific cam, real power can be made. You'll need to do signifigant amounts of work and tuning to make it all work. Also, RSMs has a supercharger kit, which is capable of up to 12psi of boost, and at least 80hp. This kit is $3500.

Some other thoughts. Get a scan gauge if you are serious about modding. Aeroforce makes a $200 gauge that'll read really critical stuff like knock retard, injector pulse width, fuel trim, o2 voltage, etc. Espeically as you get deeper into mods, its important to know what your car is doing, so you can make the most out of your mods, and make sure your engine is safe, and not suffering something dangerous like spark-knock, or a lean condition.

Another thing to consider, the tranny is this car is pretty weak. Guys with just headers and a few other mods have been known to wear them out. Others have had more success, I've personally put 114k on mine, quite a bit of that with my mods, and it still shifts and operates wonderfully. There is a guy on these boards going 13.9 on a cammed 3400, spinning the tranny WAY over its rated rpm and power handling, and he hasn't broken it yet. There are options, upgraded parts are avalible, and Rossler has built a pretty tough tranny for Schweppe23, who currently is around 13.3, and looking for 12s.

I hope this guide can be helpful to this community, and people who are looking for information on upping the power on the GA. That would be the order I would mod things for the most hp for $'s invested. If anybody sees any mistakes, please let me know, and I'll fix them up.

Mods: somebody wanna sticky this?

Found my 12s now looking for 11s. (time to edit)

[Ajaxus]

you had to quote the WHOLE thing just for that part?

[gectek]

ok so is donkey punch still in business? and also there are some other performance parts from another v6 forum...im sure yall know the place

[jackal2000]

dpp is closed as of now. he might open back up some time in the future but it isnt too foreseeable.

[Vegeta]

He isn't opening back up nor would that be a good thing for the community given what has happened so far.

How about some updates...like removing RSM and DPP and a mention of 60V6 store for the TB and other parts:P

[atc3434]

So, I'm back in Grand Am action, I'll get a feel for the new stuff thats happening, adn the old stuff thats not, and make some updates. First things I've seen since I came back after a year are Spy's in the deep 12s, and Schweppe gunning for 11s. I've missed some good stuff. 11's! Dayum!

[lvemy3100]

Also maybe you can add MP racing parts as well...



thanks

[SpyhunteR]

Originally Posted by atc3434

So, I'm back in Grand Am action, I'll get a feel for the new stuff thats happening, adn the old stuff thats not, and make some updates. First things I've seen since I came back after a year are [i]Spy's in the deep 12sAND TOP CACK BLOCK, and Schweppe, STILL HASN'T SHOWN PROOF OF RUNNING 12'S BUT IS CLAIMING HE'S gunning for 11s. I've missed some good stuff. 11's! Dayum!

EDITED FOR ACCURACY



Don't just think Schweppe is the only one gunning for 11's, there's quite a few people who are in hiding that may just pull something out of the blue.

Originally Posted by SpyhunteR

EDITED FOR ACCURACY



Don't just think Schweppe is the only one gunning for 11's, there's quite a few people who are in hiding that may just pull something out of the blue.

Im running 10s b/c I got nitrous stickers on my car...

[SpyhunteR]

Originally Posted by frmtheash

Im running 10s b/c I got nitrous stickers on my car...

you're cute, thanks for shopping at pepboys. please feel free to take with you a complimentary indiglow shift knob on the way out.

[timberwoof]

Hey question: After taking out the speed limiter, which of the two, GT or SE will have the higher top end? I've been wondering this since they have different final drives.

Asking to see if it would be worth getting the final drive switched out. I know a lower geared car usually has has faster track times, but has a lower top speed. and the opposite for the a higher geared car.

[harvester45]

Originally Posted by timberwoof

Hey question: After taking out the speed limiter, which of the two, GT or SE will have the higher top end? I've been wondering this since they have different final drives.

Asking to see if it would be worth getting the final drive switched out. I know a lower geared car usually has has faster track times, but has a lower top speed. and the opposite for the a higher geared car.

I think it matters how much power you're getting to that final drive ratio. So probably for a stock GT vs a stock SE, the GT would have the higher top speed. That's just my thought, since the taller the gearing, the more power it takes to accelerate in a given gear. I know that even running 7 psi, I can't top out 3rd on my SE, whereas I might be able to on a GT

Somebody check me on this, since I'm not positive, but it's the assumption I've been operating off of.