LS1TECH - Camaro and Firebird Forum Discussion

Camaro and Firebird: Aftermarket Performance Modifications

Although your Camaro or Firebird is a fast car, there is always room for improvement.

By Bassem Girgis - February 25, 2016

This article applies to the Camaro and Firebird (1990-present).

If you have a Camaro or a Firebird, then you love power. Although these cars are designed powerful, there are always aftermarket parts that can take it to a whole new level. If you're ready to take your car to the next level, this guide will guide you there. By adding one or more of these modifications, you will add more horsepower to your vehicle, but that's not it, some of these mods can better your gas consumption. What's better than more power and less fuel? Read on to learn how to make your car perform better.

Performance Modifications

chevrolet chevy camaro LS1 engine mods intake exhaust headers
Figure 1. Camaro drag racing.

#1 Cold Air Intake

chevrolet chevy camaro LS1 engine mods intake exhaust headers

DIY Cost – $100-400

Professional Cost – $300-700

Skill Level – Moderate; this job requires the removal of various components.

The cold air intake kits are designed to pull cold air from the outside of the engine compartment, and pushes it through the engine. When the engine is cold, the air getting pulled in is warm, and when the engine is hot, the air getting pushed through is cold, which increases the engine's performance. There are a lot of aftermarket manufacturers that produce cold air intake kits that could fit your car. Some of them are designed as a direct fit, while others require some more work. The results are impressive. Not only does the cold air intake kit increases the performance of your car, it also decreases your fuel consumption, and on top of that, it adds a nice, mild roar to your engine. You can't go wrong with this modification. Recommended for its increase in performance.

#2 Exhaust

chevrolet chevy camaro LS1 engine mods intake exhaust headers

DIY Cost – $200-500

Professional Cost – 300-800

Skill Level – Moderate; this job requires you to work from under the vehicle.

Aftermarket exhausts are designed to be less restrictive than the factory ones. Like the cold air intake, you will be faced with a large variety of designed, products, and prices when you're looking to buy a new exhaust. When the engine releases the gasses, the aftermarket exhaust work to flow these gasses out as smoothly as possible. The more constrictive your exhaust is, the more your engine has to work, as the gasses gets stuck in there. These mods have been known to add 5 to 10 hp to your car, and with less gas restriction, your engine will work smoother, which means less gas consumption. A lot of enthusiasts upgrade their exhaust systems for the sound alone. These will make your car sound monstrous. Recommended for its sound.

#3 Headers

chevrolet chevy camaro LS1 engine mods intake exhaust headers

DIY Cost – $350-1,000

Professional Cost – $500-1,500

Skill Level – Difficult; this job requires the removal of various engine parts.

The exhaust headers the factory puts in your car are designed to be as small as possible, which saves room under the engine compartment. Aftermarket companies decided to build headers that are tight squeeze, which come in various shapes and sizes. These are designed to let the gasses out of your engine and to the exhaust as fast as possible. These work great with aftermarket exhausts, as they create more flow, less restriction, which results in more horsepower, and less gas consumption. This is the best modification you can do for your exhaust system, and even though it is a lot of labor work, the results are close to 15 hp increase sometimes. Recommended for its horsepower increase and less gas consumption.

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