Which mod first?

[Scoobaro]

Looking to get started with the mods on my VXR (LS2) and somewhat torn as to the best changes to go for first.

Ultimately want:

- Ripshifter
- Road Response Pack
- Wortec Catback Exhaust

Based on finances right now can either go for just the exhaust or leave exhaust standard for now and add the ripshifter and road response pack.

Am leaning towards the exhaust, mainly from a noise persepective (though do note the remap will also make a difference)

Any thoughts as to the best way forwards?


P.S.
Is it worth getting the geometry sorted without going for the road response pack. Not sure how much tolerance exists within the standard factory settings

[Black VXR]

Wortec Cat-back and re-map will pay for itself over time (and put a huge smile on your face). My fuel consumption has increased by 2 to 3 to the gallon since fitting. Handling pac is a must. Brakes seem very popular (can't think why) - not sure that rip shifter is it just a nice to have option? I am sure others will comment and differ in their opinions...

[willisit]

I've just had those things done.

To be brutally honest, all these mods do is take the car up to the standard it should be from the factory. The ripshifter is a must - try it and then disagree with me
Road response pac changes the whole car - handling, ride, the lot. Amazing really.
Exhaust... if you want your car to sound like a V8 and not a hairdryer then it's great. I've not noticed any increase in mileage personally but that's probably because I'm always on the loud pedal! Performance and response are up though which is a bonus.

[bennno]

I noticed on a couple of Auzzie sites that Eibach do a set of lowering springs to suit the standard dampers on the VXR - about $300.

I also saw that exhausts for the LS2 GTO are about $750 in the US, or a couple of the bespoke places in the uk - offered to custom make me a 4 box system with crossover for £700+VAT.

Bennno

[magicgreg]

I can only comment on video/sound clips that I have heard but I'd go for the catback first.

I know thats the first thing I'll be doing when the time comes.

G

[Gelf VXR]

EFI Live engine management tool, then you can tune your engine yourself and later retune to suite each mod you add.

[ctheo0]

ripshifter must be done first

[anonymous-user]

Gelf VXR said:

EFI Live engine management tool, then you can tune your engine yourself and later retune to suite each mod you add.

and then buy a new engine!

[V8HSV]

Brakes if you will eventually increase power levels

[crisisjez]

An extension on the wallet

[Gelf VXR]

wormus said:

Gelf VXR said:

EFI Live engine management tool, then you can tune your engine yourself and later retune to suite each mod you add.

and then buy a new engine!

Lol, this is not for the faint hearted, but there is plenty of support available.

[ringram]

Gelf VXR said:

wormus said:

Gelf VXR said:

EFI Live engine management tool, then you can tune your engine yourself and later retune to suite each mod you add.

and then buy a new engine!

Lol, this is not for the faint hearted, but there is plenty of support available.

If you are starting out you might not want to tune your new supercharged setup yourself without lots of reading an patience. Stock engines you would have to be criminally insane to drive it to death as it would run like a sack of sh*t which should tell you something is wrong before you do any permanent damage. But people do win Darwin awards after all.

But you do have to be interested and curious enough as it takes time to get good with it. You can always grab an HSV 380bhp tune for free and gain 40bhp over stock without reinventing the wheel. I think Stigmund did this and found it better than one of his previous pro tunes! Pretty much pays for itself in that instance

[Scoobaro]

Many thanks all. Your advice is much appreciated.

Angling towards the new exhaust first, purely on the basis that the car should at least sound better than the 2 litre engine in my previous car

One final question, is there any market for second hand VXR exhausts? (around 5,000 miles on it)

[greens vauxhall]

ringram said:

Gelf VXR said:

wormus said:

Gelf VXR said:

EFI Live engine management tool, then you can tune your engine yourself and later retune to suite each mod you add.

and then buy a new engine!

Lol, this is not for the faint hearted, but there is plenty of support available.

If you are starting out you might not want to tune your new supercharged setup yourself without lots of reading an patience. Stock engines you would have to be criminally insane to drive it to death as it would run like a sack of sh*t which should tell you something is wrong before you do any permanent damage. But people do win Darwin awards after all.

But you do have to be interested and curious enough as it takes time to get good with it. You can always grab an HSV 380bhp tune for free and gain 40bhp over stock without reinventing the wheel. I think Stigmund did this and found it better than one of his previous pro tunes! Pretty much pays for itself in that instance

Not if you are starting with a 400 LS2!

[Gelf VXR]

greens vauxhall said:

ringram said:

Gelf VXR said:

wormus said:

Gelf VXR said:

EFI Live engine management tool, then you can tune your engine yourself and later retune to suite each mod you add.

and then buy a new engine!

Lol, this is not for the faint hearted, but there is plenty of support available.

If you are starting out you might not want to tune your new supercharged setup yourself without lots of reading an patience. Stock engines you would have to be criminally insane to drive it to death as it would run like a sack of sh*t which should tell you something is wrong before you do any permanent damage. But people do win Darwin awards after all.

But you do have to be interested and curious enough as it takes time to get good with it. You can always grab an HSV 380bhp tune for free and gain 40bhp over stock without reinventing the wheel. I think Stigmund did this and found it better than one of his previous pro tunes! Pretty much pays for itself in that instance

Not if you are starting with a 400 LS2!

What not if your starting with a 400 LS2? Can you be more specific?

[Le Sarthe]

Grab a ready made HSV 380hp tune I imagine.....if you alreaafy have a LS2

[greens vauxhall]

Le Sarthe said:

Grab a ready made HSV 380hp tune I imagine.....if you alreaafy have a LS2

[ringram]

True.
For physical mods, I like the idea of the exhaust too. If you go with a wortec you will get the tune as well as its a package deal. Also not much point doing one without the other as the engine needs to be "told" about the changes in order to make best use of them.

[Gelf VXR]

greens vauxhall said:

Le Sarthe said:

Grab a ready made HSV 380hp tune I imagine.....if you alreaafy have a LS2

DOH!!

[stigmundfreud]

ringram said:

. I think Stigmund did this and found it better than one of his previous pro tunes! Pretty much pays for itself in that instance

yep but unlike the hsv tune it does run semi-open loop to at least take care of things if needed. BTW when I leaned out with 1.13 knock went haywire, well not but it was worse than before so I've gone back to 1.176 for now. However the PE table used to come in at 15kpa and had 1.22 all the way through whch could account for it running much richer. Now set that to come in at 80 and set it to 1.176 to match b3647 and logging to see how it goes