Decisions Decisions

Which mods to do?

  • Toss on nitrous

    Votes: 1 4.0%

  • Get a tune on that thing!

    Votes: 3 12.0%

  • Fuel pump, no question

    Votes: 1 4.0%

  • Wheels and tires, screw the snow

    Votes: 2 8.0%

  • Suspension parts

    Votes: 1 4.0%

  • Don't fear the gear!

    Votes: 10 40.0%

  • Screw your limit, buy a blower. Be broke and happy.

    Votes: 7 28.0%
  • Total voters
    25
S

Screw-Rice

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My Mark is still basically stock, and I am not liking it. I have a ton of mods I want to do, but can't decide what I want to do first. I am going to cap myself at $1000 for mods. Which doesn't include getting it tinted, since I can't stand being in a fish bowl, and j-mod. I also have a nitrous kit (with full bottle) in the garage, I constantly debate installing.

I wanted to do wheels and tires, but not sure since I still have about 3 months of winter to deal with. So I am leaning towards the following:
-Sway bars ($350ish)
-Tune, debating chip vs xcal2 ($500?)
-Want gears, found some new FRPP 4.10's for $75, but that would be $300-500
-Replace mufflers with some Magnaflows, X pipe
-255 Pump

So lets hear some suggestions, and thoughts. I am very conflicted right now, wanting the most bang for buck.
 
i voted for wheels but you could get the rearend and pump done for that much money.
 
When it comes to the hweels and tires, it helps I have a uddy who gets me deals since he works for a tire shop. The wheels I found, I love, since I have not seen them on a Mark, or anywhere for that matter.
 
Well heres my .02, wheels really change the cars over all looks, allow better handling and better acceleration.
Gears will really wake the car up big time.
Exhaust systems really make the car sound much nicer. I love my Borlas.
A tune.... I am up in the air. I have the SCT and a custom tune. I dont feel much improvement really and the shift points are driving me crazy. My car shifts into 4th at really light load at 42mph, then it accelerates fine and locks the converter at 45mph and then instantly unlocks it again at 45mph. Its ONLY under very very light acceleration but it still bugs me. When the car gets done at the body shop I am going to turn all the trans peramiters back to stock to see if it helps.

J-mod, thats a MUST DO IMHO. My 97 trans shifted with much more authority and speed versus my 98 trans. It will be my next performance mod.

So I would eaither do wheels which will eat over $1000 or:
J-mod + gears + trac lok + sway bars


And KK, why the pump? Does it make any difference on a non-blown car? I ask cause I have a 2 year old 255lph in the old car I can slap in the new one. :D
 
I didn't factor the jmod into the budget since it is a must have, in my opinion. So that is a done deal, and will be done very soon.
Also I forgot I have a external boost a pump from my old car that was on it for maybe 2 weeks. Forgot what it pushes, but I know it is quite a bit.

I can score some gears cheap, and I have read both yes and no that LSC's have a trac lok. If it does, couldn't I just do a rebuild on it with gears?

I have a bad feeling I am going to go over budget. :lol:

Oh and Laser, you don't need the 255 pump....so give it to me. :D

Edit: Tune wise I was thinking Xcal2 and Pro Racer Package, but still in the air.

Edit2: How much of a restriction is the stock exhaust. Obviously it isn't great, but how bad is it?
 
Screw-Rice said:
Oh and Laser, you don't need the 255 pump....so give it to me. :D

Edit: Tune wise I was thinking Xcal2 and Pro Racer Package, but still in the air.

Edit2: How much of a restriction is the stock exhaust. Obviously it isn't great, but how bad is it?
Click to expand...
No you cant have my pump but I am wondering if I get any performance increase by simply bolting in a more powerful pump. Seems I remember reading the stock setup is good for 350 RWHP and I am no where near that.

And yes the exhaust is pretty restrictive, not as bad as a base model but Geno says with a double x. 2.5" pipes and a cat back that he sees like 20 rwhp over a base so figure maybe 15 hp better then an LSC version. I still want a high flow center res for my car but have plenty other things to screw with first.

And no Mark VIIIs came with a Trac Lok
kustomizingkid said:
I geuss you just need to drive with a heavier foot Laser...
Click to expand...

Guess so. :lol:
 
I saw the claims for Geno's exhaust, so the restriction makes sense.

Hmm, I need to start hooking or something so I can buy everything I want. :lol:
 
If you go with a blower, wouldn't you need to get a tune?

Anyway, I say tune and make it not shift into 4th gear at 30mph.
 
JMiles_T said:
If you go with a blower, wouldn't you need to get a tune?
Click to expand...

Yeah, it could be up to $1k to dyno tune with a blower. I just kind of tossed it in since I had 7 options. :lol:

4.30's are a little too steep for me. I do a decent amount of highway driving, and city limits suck. There are multiple streets that have 3 lights in a 1/2 mile. :mad:
 
So far I have the jmod coming, and the tuner I bought last night. So far I still have about $850 to toy with.

Oh and I am also getting the car tinted on Sunday.
 
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