100 hp upgrade advise

[forensicsteve]

Want 100 or so hp increase on 2002 GTS. Will a heads/cam package suffice and if so...are there choices? Car has to remain my daily driver. Also since it's my only vehicle, don't want it in the shop all the time having to be tuned.

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

Also since it's my only vehicle, don't want it in the shop all the time having to be tuned.

Then be happy with 450hp and leave it alone.

 

[forensicsteve]

Do you advise to leave it alone because increasing the hp to about 550-600 would require more frequent servicing? or for other reasons.

Not a response I was expecting but one I should apparently think about carefully.

 

[Casey]

Heads/Cam/rockers, full exhaust should get you there. Shouldn't need any more frequent servicing than normal.

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

Even something as simple as a header upgrade can give you "head"aches - leaks, coat peeling, frame rubbing. Pulling heads can lead to more "issues." But I'm an old bastage and did all that crap when I was younger. Little problems became aggravating as I got older.

The main thing here is that it's your only vehicle. Good luck with whatever you decide. It's up to you.

 

[forensicsteve]

Alas my lack of knowledge of cars (although been driving sports cars since 1969), doesn't help in making these decisions.

That's exactly why posting on Viperclub is so very helpful. You get different viewpoints on the same topic based upon a wide variety of poster experiences.

I am dealing with a Performance/Racing shop near where I live and am sharing all my upgrade goals and concerns with them.

 

[Catwood]

Learn to drive what you've got. Car's probably got more in it than your capable. It's the same for me. I've been the route of nitrous, blower, etc on other cars. This car had nitrous on it when I bought it...I've removed it and love the car the way it is....

YMMV....

Carl

 

[Russ M]

Catwood is absolutly correct.

A viper if driven properly can beat almost anything out there. 100hp bump will never make up for the lack of driving skill on a car that is already severly traction limited.

But,

Here is what I would do for best bang for the buck on your car.

Exhaust (no cats) Borla/Bellanger
Cam
Rockers
headers
Vec 2

This will probably get you 100hp at the crank gain. If you port the heads you will get much more than 100 hp gain, I bet you would get 550+ at the wheels if all this is done right.

 

[J DAWG]

nitrous is the easiest


heads/cam(for me) is the most satisfying.

Have over 9k miles on my heads/cam with no issues, but I believe I went with a good product and had an excellent installer.


John


ps - where are you in the Big Easy? I keep an apartment in river ridge/harahan.

 

[fuelman]

Or you just do what JDAWG does, cheat. He leaves the line before the other guy most every time, something about reaction time seems to be important.

Tuned right a supercharger can give you a lot of reliability as well as the smooth idle you are used to. I have over 8000 miles on my setup and I will drive it to Atlanta this weekend, more than 1000 miles roundtrip.

 

[STUGOTS]

Greg Goods top of the line heads ($3700) and his custom cam ($600) should get you around 100hp, there have been cases where his heads alone have gained over 100RWHP without the cam.

P.S this is also my next mod

 

[Walt McFarland]

I've got 10,000 miles on heads/cam/RRs and nothing has ever broken...

 

[99 R/T 10]

I've got a NOS Kit (#5180) that would work great with the Vec 2!

 

[rcdice]

Walt,

Mind sharing the basic specs on your package?

I've got the roller rockers in my garage (Mopar/T&D) and have been seriously thinking of doing the whole package. Also, if you didn't do it yourself, who did the work?

Thanks,

 

[Schulmann]

Chuck is right.
Any modification that you make to your Viper will require tuning, fixing no matter what you do. Though there are mods which require less maintenance:

- The well known, high flow air filters with smooth tubes
- 1.7 rockers
- Remove your cats and install cat simms (That will help a lot to transform your Viper into a good daily driver)
- Headers are very expensive compared to what they yield on a base Viper
- Then you have the Vec2 which can add a stable 30-40hp but you need a tuner for that.

And that's it. Anything beyond requires maintenance and tuning.

 

[STUGOTS]

and the vec 2 is the gift that keeps on giving, after every mod I added since I just get it tuned and the Vec 2 pulls a few more ponies out. well worth the grand IMO

 

[Walt McFarland]

Bob;

I did the Heffner 575 package first (see his website) and later went to the 650. The car is now back in for the TT treatment. The 650 package put something like 556 RWHP and 563 RWTQ. It drove no different from stock and even got similar fuel economy--until I got on it.

I modifed it while still new and have used it as a daily driver--at least a couple of days a week ever since. It now has 13,500 miles on it. I have kept up with basic maintenance and have Hef check it out each spring.

As I said, nothing has ever broke...See Hef's website.

 

[TAZMC2]

What is a vec 2 and what does it do?

 

[STUGOTS]

VEC 2 is an engine managment system that allows you to add TONS of power with every mod you do by adjusting A/F and timing and spark advance ect.

heres a link to it at Roe racing it explains in detial what it does.

http://www.roeracing.com/ProductCart/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=8&idproduct=81#details

 

[rcdice]

Thanks Walt.

I wonder why the TT numbers on Heffners cars are so much higher for a Gen II vs. a Gen III. Is that right?

 

[VENOMAHOLIC]

Steve, I strongly recommend getting a second car. Driving a 550 hp Viper in heavy rain would make me cringe. If not then buy a spare pair of rear rims with stickier tires. You could mount them for performance driving opportunities and will notice improvement over stock tires. Put your all season tires back on for daily driving when done.

 

[pumpgas]

Nitrous

 

[Mopar426]

As your only car, I'd leave it alone IMO.

 

[2MANYTOYS]

Add a Roe blower and you'll pick up 100-120hp. Virtually, no maintence to speak of and you can drive it every day.

 

[BradBodily]

I would recommend the Paxton Supercharger setup. We've been installing them here at Velocity Performance with great success. Your motor stays intact making the install quick and the driveability is fantastic. Our customers love it.

 

[NOTV8]

Daily driver means..... leave it alone. It is already too much power for just the street use.

 

[Herc]

Daily driver means..... leave it alone. It is already too much power for just the street use.

I bet they used to say that about the Corvett back in 1975. It's all
relative.


Herc