silverstreet

I'm starting my performance modding after finishing most my suspension mods. I'm not sure what order to do everything but I'm thinking...

cams

clutch and flywheel with tranny mounts

exhaust w/header and 3" down pipe

then the supercharger kit and finally a custom or modded air intake.

Does this order makes sense? And, do I have to get it tuned after every mod? Can I install cams with the valve springs and then drive my HHR without tuning without doing any damage? Same with after exhaust? Can I wait until supercharger is installed before I do my first tune?

I ask this because each mod will be done about a month apart and I don't want to have to tune after every one. HHR would only be driven minimal miles in between mods.

Thanks.

SS fan

Sounds ok to me but what do I know ? There are a bunch of members who have done or are planning that SC mod, ask a couple of them, I would collect all the parts and do it once. I tuned mine before the SC and it runs noticeably better.

silverstreet

Ya I was hoping a few of those members would see this thread. I will PM or reply to a few I know on here who have dealt with mods and tunes leading up to a SC mod.

Everything at once would be too overwhelming for myself and the mechanic helping me, I have to do it in stages mainly because I cannot afford everything at once and his time is limited as he has many other projects going on. I also need four new tires and rims so that expense will keep me from buying the SC until late April. I will also be moving in June so no cheap labor, free tools and car lift access with my local friend here. I figured the SC install is the most simple for myself of all of these so if I can't get that done with him I can at least attempt it on my own.

I don't get your last sentence. Do you mean you tuned before sc mod and it ran noticeably better then, or noticeably better after SC?

Thanks

hhrfreek

Since you are getting balls deep, start by getting a wide band afr gauge right away and make sure you get the catted downpipe with a bung for wb. You are going to need it for all your tuning anyway. If you do those bolt ons and cams the wideband will let you know if your afr is good. You may not need a tune right away or until you go SC.


Don't bother upgrading your catback if you have a header/downpipe. Even with a SC you won't push the catback to its limits. It gets really loud and resonates inside with a header/dp/catback. The header/dp is the choke.

American & Proud

1- Header and ZZP catted 3" down to 2.5" DP with added bung for wideband gauge.
(should not need a Tune but may throw a engine code, can be taken care of once performance mods are completed with a Tune nothing to worry about.) Wideband gauges are in the $200.00 range, put one in Now since your planning on Supercharging.

2- Cams, 2.4 motor? If so ZZP's Cams for the 2.4 do not require a Tune they claim.

3- Clutch and flywheel with tranny mounts, and upper engine mount. No Tune needed yet, but your gonna want that clutch in before you Supercharge unless your HHR is not your daily driver and you just want to burn up the oem clutch before you upgrade. But plan on it real fast I hear the stock clutch burns up Quick once Supercharged.

I'm an Auto Trans so no worrys for me on that item.

4- Supercharge and Tune it.

You may want to run some BASE logs and also SAVE your stock Base OEM Tune on a few DVDS , a thumb drive , SD card and Keep them in SAFE places.
If you buy HPTuners Pro New or Used you can do the saving the oem files and keep logs
Theres alot more Details, but that's the jist of it.

hhrfreek has already completed everything your wanting to do, so listen to him.

If your gonna buy everthimg first then install, put the header dp on and add the wideband FIRST. Then you can Save that oem Base file and start doing some logging.

Saving that OEM Base tune lets you always go back to a fresh start or back to oem stock if you put your car back to stock at some point.

I have a long post going on my supercharger install, been put on hold a couple times now but i'll get there. About to set up another start date hopefully nothing comes up that cancels it this time.

silverstreet

Thanks for both replies.

Absolutely on the wideband gauge and sensor. Any suggestions of brand?

OK. So you are saying keep everything related to exhaust that is behind the catted dp stock?

hhrfreek

I had the AEM UEGO WB. Worked great for me and it also works with hptuners or any other data logger. Many other brands out there that will work though too.

Yes. I am only suggesting keeping the catback cause it gets loud at 3k+ with a full exhaust and I just found it annoying. Flow potential is much higher with an aftermarket catback, but theres no point if the stock system can keep up just fine. Also I thought the best sound of the exhaust options I had was header/dp/stock catback. If anything make it your last mod and go into it knowing its only going to change the sound(nil performance), which is a fine reason to change a cat back too.

silverstreet

1-Is this what I'm looking for?

http://shop.zzperformance.com/store/...-Downpipe.aspx

As for wideband gauge something like this? Any specific model/brand I would need?

http://www.plxdevices.com/product_in...id=SEMOSMAFRV2

2-Yes these.

http://shop.zzperformance.com/store/...Camshafts.aspx

3-I forgot about the engine mount. Yes, my guy said don't even bother with the sc until aftermarket clutch install. At the time of clutch and flywheel and tranny mount install, this would be the best time to also install the engine mount?

4-Sounds good.

Any info on difficulty of mounting the heat exchanger? I've talked about this in the past on here and I've heard the "stealth" version is the way to go but I will be ordering the full stage1/2 supercharger kit and it already comes with the ZZP S3 exchanger and I would like to use that one.

Also, what is the end game with the air intake once sc is installed? Am I still using the regular intake to where I could install a KN kit or will the air intake filter be at a different location, or have more then one location once the supercharger is installed? If the latter is true can I get creative a locate the air intake system where I want?

Do you suggest hptuners over trifecta? The deal is I have no laptop but my mechanic does. Is the software small and simple enough to install on his laptop then I can just save info to a flash?

My idea with the order of mod installs is to avoid any unnecessary extra work by having to remove work that was just done in order to install a now mod. Would installing the headers and downpipe with the wideband first, cause me to have to go back and remove any of that again? Cam job and supercharger I imagine it's just the top half of the engine and front radiator area, but with mounts, clutch/flywheel would the down need to be removed during that install. I'd ask my guy but he isn't back in town from vaca until March.

Again, awesome reply.

silverstreet

Understood completely. Stock catback works just fine and IYO it sounds the best with the 3" down and headers. Well not having to spend another 500+ is a plus. I was debating grabbing the Razzi body pieces

http://www.pfyc.com/HH1042.html

and then doing a type of dual exhaust but I'm thinking that if it really doesn't give much more performance which is my main goal I will just keep stock catback and body parts.
Can you even see much of a difference between the stock front/rear and the Razzi? Only reason I was debating on it was because my last mod will be a full paint job and I thought adding effects and a dual type exhaust would look good but more importantly on the dual part at least, add more power but it sounds like that is not true.

Good stuff.

silverstreet

OK. For first mod this is what I want to grab. Let me know what you think.

http://shop.zzperformance.com/store/...O2-Sensor.aspx

I see the long headers come with the downpipe option. I chose the 3" non-offroad downpipe with cat and 2.5" outlet(assuming I use stock catback)
and then I added extra O2 bung for wide band.

http://shop.zzperformance.com/store/...r-Package.aspx

As for headers, down and wideband this looks to be everything I need. Let me know about my choice and anything I missed.

Thanks.

I will begin to post pics when work begins.