Best mods for money and performance

[jsbihn]

IRA51,
I know thats isnt true. Even my Vette I have modded without "ponying up the big bucks".
I know it is easier to go the route of the masses and buy the items people buy with high price tags but I know there are items out there right now that do the same job.

Like I know there is someone on here that bought a code reader for like 25 bucks that works with his phone and such, and so far I have heard it works great (and he didnt have to pay a couple of hundred for the same thing)

I know that on my M3 everyone yells out to buy the 1300 titanium dollar muffler, yet research and dynos have proven that the 300 dollar one is only 2lbs heavier then the titanium one and yields the same HP.

So why waste money.
I know that there are mods available for the H2 that dont cost an arm and a leg. Sure a reprogrammer might be a few hundred, but which one is the best buy. I mean why buy one for 150 that will only re-map one car and it only does a good job when you can buy one for say 250 that will re-map 2-3 cars and do a great job.

see where I am trying to go with this?

[[__--MUD--__]]

My mod list is almost at the point I'm just going to start listing what I havn't done to my slut. Honestly I can't think of any engine mod that was worth its cost as far as squeezing any additional mileage out of a gallon. The stock intake is designed to keep water out of the motor and also silence it. Changing that is only going to be an appearance mod and make the engine louder.

If you want to make that truck alot easier/fun to drive, ****can that stock steering pump. Call AGR Performance out of TX and tell them you want a high pressure pump w/ all the upgraded options. Your in the $350 range. At a complete stop on pavement w 38" tires, I can damn near throw the steering wheel to turn the wheels. You will get alot of additional braking assist also. Eliminates the dead steering feel in parking lot manuevers. If I ever get a second truck, this will be the first thing done.

[Hellz]

while i "FELT" a performance increase when i installed my K&N CAI, i dont know what actual gains i got from it.

for biger improvments, i would recommend long tube headers AND full exhuast replacement. i think you would be looking at somewhere around 50 HP gain..

do a corvette servo in the tranny should wake it up a little and improve shifting. think the servo is like $20 to $50 bucks, and you can do with the tranny still installed.

i have a Diablo Predator U7193 tuner. while i cant say i feel alot of gains from it, it is useful when changing speedo, and tires.

for the lift portion... you can spend the $3k to get a lift, and have it installed... then an extra 2k to 3k on tires alone ( not including rims ),

or

just buy 37 inch tires ( 2 to 3K) and green keys and crank your torsion bars for the extra few inchs.

if you go the lift route, your wheel wells will look very very empty with just 35 inch tires in there, and 37 inch tires only slightly improve it. if you go lift.. go with atleast 39 inch tires, if not 40's.

now, with that said, you will be spending more money on the front end.
tie rods, pitman, idler, upper, lower ball joints, and finally hubs.

i would say right now, stop trying to improve MPG. msot mods you will do, they will lower your MPG. you didnt say what year your H2 is, but if you have on 06+, that will help you tons for MPG wise because it is a 6 spd instead of the 4 spd on the older H2's. if you continue your driving habits, it will limit how much MPG you lose, but accept the fact that you will lose some.

so to re-cap, my advice for mods are:

37 inch tires - 2 to 3k
tuner to change tires and perk up tranny and engine - $300 to 600
green torsion keys- $ 200 ish
corvette servo - $20 to 30
long tube headers- $800
catback exhaust - $1600 - Borla

you will lose some performance going to 37 inch tires... to make up for it, you can regear from your stock 4.10 to 4.56 or 4.88's

regear to 4.56 or 4.88 - $1800 for parts and labor.


you sound like your mechanically inclined, so once parts start wearing down (hubs, idler arm, ball joints and such) you can save alot of $$ by installing yourself. alot of it is fairly simple to install.

im no mechanic, i just consider myself good at understanding how **** works, and isntalled everything in my sig minus the gears.

now... if you are really wanting pure HP power.. skip the supercharger/turbo all together. why spend 5k on the SC and another 2k on install when you can easily buy a big block ( 427 or 454) for the same amount, with a few extra $$$ for tranny and install and do the H2 right. you will have more HP then what any SC could offer, and that is just stock without any mods. from there, the same mods listed above will have a greater impact on HP gains.

granted, not sure where your MPG will be after doing something like that, but i would imagine about 8 to 12 mpg. give or most likely take a few MPG.

IMHO i wouldnt consider a SC as any kind of option for the H2.
after all the costs of the SC, you will still need to buy a new tranny ( maybe not right away, but not too long afterwards) you gain about 125 Hp from it, which will put you in the 450 hp range. you will need a good CAI still, exhaust, custom tune, and your are very limited afterwards. pretty much any further engine mods wont gain you anything.. so why spend all that $$ to just hit the limits, where as an engine swap will open up many more options to you fromt he get go, all the while any mods improve your HP gains.

there is a guy here who did a 502 swap. im sure if your imterested, you can find the thread here somewhere.


FYI... unless you buy a HP tuner with credits, any ( i could be wrong) tuner that you buy up to $600 range will only tune 1 car. thats not saying you cant buy credits for the tuner, but off the shelf, only 1 car. if you know HP tuner software, that may be the route to go starting at $600 +.

[H2Much]

I agree with Hellz, we have most of the same mods. Definitely would do the exhaust(headers and full catback), programmer, and gears first; those get you the most added juice for the least money. The regear really isn't necessary unless you go with bigger tires though - at which point it is an aboslute must. Either way you go, these mods will be part of your journey to max out what you've got, so if they do not come first, they will come eventually.

[jsbihn]

Thanks guys!!
Great advice

Currently I am working on something right now to end the days of the H2's shifter linkage slipping.
I have a good cheap temporary fix in there now, using a nylon nut but the principle is still the same as OEM (just cost me 30 cents versus 125 dollars for a new assembly I dont need).
When I am done I should have a good permanent fix.

[glennf1]

Before you start on upgrades may I suggest maintenance. When I bought my 05 H2 6 months ago very soon after I changed the coolant, replaced the tranny & t-case fluid with Dexron-VI fluid (don't use Dexron-III), changed the power steering fluid, changed the front & rear gear oil, and lubed all chassis points. My MPG on the hwy is around 14 which seems to be above average.

[jsbihn]

14 is average on hwy?
maybe i was reading wrong but i thought i have been reading 12 -13 is the average hwy

either way i am doing maintenance on this as i go.
it doesnt need it i think but i want it fixed and good since this thing keeps running

[USMC_Buckaroo]

Originally Posted by jsbihn

Thanks guys!!
Great advice

Currently I am working on something right now to end the days of the H2's shifter linkage slipping.
I have a good cheap temporary fix in there now, using a nylon nut but the principle is still the same as OEM (just cost me 30 cents versus 125 dollars for a new assembly I dont need).
When I am done I should have a good permanent fix.

Howdy jsbihn,

I'd be interested in hearing more about this pard' (insert yellow smiley face holding its hand up to its ear )


Buck.

[jsbihn]

Buck, I have the order in on the parts.
I have two coming just in case i botch one up since this is trial and error.
Hopefully this will permanently fix the problem, and I will never have to worry about the linkage slipping off since most likely it would break before this

Given, as of right now the nylon bolt with the nut clips has worked well. sure it is just a temporary fix since it will probably fail just like the oem since it is a form of plastic that will get to enjoy the heat of the transmission and exhaust before it gives out like the oem

[H2R]

I installed a SC back in 2004 and installed a larger Trans cooler, corvette servo, and the transmission has never let me down and performs as new. My truck has 38 inch tires and 6 inch lift but I did do a regear to 456. Mileage stayed the same under normal driving. The truck is still running strong.
[quote=Hellz]IMHO i wouldnt consider a SC as any kind of option for the H2.
after all the costs of the SC, you will still need to buy a new tranny ( maybe not right away, but not too long afterwards) you gain about 125 Hp from it, which will put you in the 450 hp range. you will need a good CAI still, exhaust, custom tune, and your are very limited afterwards. pretty much any further engine mods wont gain you anything.. so why spend all that $$ to just hit the limits, where as an engine swap will open up many more options to you fromt he get go, all the while any mods improve your HP gains.

[Hellz]

Originally Posted by [__--MUD--__]

Call AGR Performance out of TX and tell them you want a high pressure pump w/ all the upgraded options.

can you provide a part # and what all options you bought on yours?

[IRA51]

Originally Posted by jsbihn

IRA51,
I know thats isnt true. Even my Vette I have modded without "ponying up the big bucks".
I know it is easier to go the route of the masses and buy the items people buy with high price tags but I know there are items out there right now that do the same job.

Like I know there is someone on here that bought a code reader for like 25 bucks that works with his phone and such, and so far I have heard it works great (and he didnt have to pay a couple of hundred for the same thing)

I know that on my M3 everyone yells out to buy the 1300 titanium dollar muffler, yet research and dynos have proven that the 300 dollar one is only 2lbs heavier then the titanium one and yields the same HP.

So why waste money.
I know that there are mods available for the H2 that dont cost an arm and a leg. Sure a reprogrammer might be a few hundred, but which one is the best buy. I mean why buy one for 150 that will only re-map one car and it only does a good job when you can buy one for say 250 that will re-map 2-3 cars and do a great job.

see where I am trying to go with this?

Other then the trans cooler that will not give you more power ,but is a smart mod to do ,you aren't going to get any real power cheap . Makeing it louder with a free flow exaust and K&N sounds kool though . A SC or heads and cam package with long tubes is the way to go ,but you better get the trans up graded or it will fail . So if ya havent got at least $2500.00 to spend and do the labor yourself keep dreaming .there is no real gain with a prograhmer on a gas engine ,and sometimes they make it worse in hot climates like Phoenix. FYI my 06 C6 with padle shifter auto only made 20 hp more with LG long tubes and X pipes and Corsa exaust at a cost of $2400.00 . the best bang for the buck was getting rid of the run flats and going with Nitto envo's . But what the hell do I know ?Anyone telling you you can get a 50 hp bump on a stock H2 with headers and exaust has never seen a one on a Dyno for proof ,ain't going to happen.

[glennf1]

Originally Posted by IRA51

Other then the trans cooler that will not give you more power ,but is a smart mod to do ,you aren't going to get any real power cheap . Makeing it louder with a free flow exaust and K&N sounds kool though . A SC or heads and cam package with long tubes is the way to go ,but you better get the trans up graded or it will fail . So if ya havent got at least $2500.00 to spend and do the labor yourself keep dreaming .there is no real gain with a prograhmer on a gas engine ,and sometimes they make it worse in hot climates like Phoenix. FYI my 06 C6 with padle shifter auto only made 20 hp more with LG long tubes and X pipes and Corsa exaust at a cost of $2400.00 . the best bang for the buck was getting rid of the run flats and going with Nitto envo's . But what the hell do I know ?Anyone telling you you can get a 50 hp bump on a stock H2 with headers and exaust has never seen a one on a Dyno for proof ,ain't going to happen.

Yes and no on the programmer. The timing advance is where you can get some free HP, up to around 10 hp gain. Your right about hot climates though as you can start to get spark knock. Everything else like shift points and firmer/quicker shifts don't add power but can make the truck a little bit faster.