Upgrading, what to start with

[Casey Everhart]

So I got my '01 job 2 trac a few months ago. Love the truck, gas mileage sucks, but hey it looks good. I'm looking to start upgrading the performance. I'm just starting to getting into messing with cars.



I was thinking about starting with an exhaust. I'm thinking about going with the MAC intake. After that I've thought about putting in a new catback exhaust. Any tips on an exhaust kit, whats going to give me a really good tone, without sounding like a ricer. I know it's a v6, and will never have the growl or sound of a V8, I just dont want to sound like a ricer. I had a nice exhaust on my cavalier, but it made it sound riced out so I ended up the tip welded off, and put on a deep sport resonating muffler tip on it.



Is there a certain order of things that I should upgrade in steps so that it's actually gonna be beneficial with each upgrade?

 

[Jeff C]

Intake, exhaust, chip, in that order for starters. y-pipe, hi-flow cat, MAFS, T-body, underdrive pulley, and headers. Supercharger?



Oh, and as for the ST sounding ricey, listen to this:

 

[Bill Ellis]

If your ST has the factory shocks, start with them. More performance is wasted and, perhaps a bit dangerous, if the driveability and handling suck.

 

[Bill Reeves]

EE sway bar with shocks

 

[Eldon Webb]

I started with shocks, then a K&N air intake system, then a Gibson catback exaust,EEsway bar, Y-pipe,underdrive pully,Xcalibrater 2,Roadmaster active suspension, and a Flex-A-Lite 180 electric cooling fan. As soon as my checkbook cools down I plan to buy a throttle body from Todd Z and a high flow catalytic converter from Wayne Foy.

 

[Rodger Tellefson]

Don't forget the SCT XCalibrator 2 as well. Flashing your PCM for better economy is a very good thing.

 

[nick inabinet]

eldon how does the gibson cat back sound with the addition of the y-pipe? i've had mine for over a year now and never thought it was loyd enough. does the y-pipe give it a more v-8 sounds or is it just louder

 

[FlipTrac_511]

The side-effect of performance mods is, is you drive more spiritedly to feel and exploit that extra power. Therefore any mpg gain may not be evident, although it did not get worse after the fact either. I have Volant, Flowmaster, and XCal2 and I get about 17mpg in 1/3 city, 2/3 highway miles.

 

[Eldon Webb]

The Y-pipe did give the ST a more mellow sound with a little more volume. My Mileage went up 3 mpg from 17 to 20 before the underdrive pully and Xcaliberater 2, I haven't checked since then. I am hoping for at least one more.

 

[Johnny O]

Everybody on the Ranger board that got the Gibson system likes it. Probably the next purchase for me.