When I Get My Hotshots Installed Will I have To Get My A/F ratio adjusted or will i be ok without the retune and if a retune is necessary how would i go about getting this done?

 

You will only know for sure if you get it dynoed with AF readings. But then in saying that, most with headers have run rich and needed AF adjustment with some sort of piggyback to get peak power and "proper" gas mileage.

 

but will i still feel a nice performance increase without the tune

 

You may or may not. Different users have had different results. I saw a big increase in power from dyno tuning with only a CAI, Y-pipe and B-pipe. When I tuned after installing the headers they still had to lean it out a lot even from the previous tune.

I would just count on having to install something like a S-AFC2 to tune with.

 

IMO, if u plan to keep the car for awhile...just fork out the $250 or so for a VAFCII....

90% of the people on here need af tuning....i doubt u will fall into the 10%....as a matter of fact...I don't think I've seen a perfect AFR max with headers...anybody care to say?

 

Agreed... all the dynos of 5.5 Gens with headers I've seen have suggested AF tuning is required to lean em out.

 

I just wanted to add onto my other post...

If u plan to keep the car for awhile, your going to be adding mods...well if u get the VAFCII, u will never have to worry about tunes....cuz its always there so u can tune...and if u wanna take it even further...get a WB02 sensor...then u will never have to worry about your car running bad, when mods are added...cuz you'll be tuning on the fly!

VAFCII + WB02 = teh MFW!!!

 

Where do you get this VAFCII from?
THanks.

 

EBAY...

it might be a little bit more than $250 shipped...but for sure, if you paid more than $270 shipped, you're not looking hard enough....

type in VAFC....not V-AFC or V-AFC II or whatever....I got more results like that when I was searching for mine

 

what is a WB02 and what does it do? ;D

 

Actually WBo2. Wide Band Oxygen sensor. You can hook a gauge to it and see your Air Fuel Ratio as you drive. Too much fuel in the mix causes loss of power and poor milege. Too little cauces hot spots in the cillenders and can cause damage.

 

whats the difference between the vafc and safc and what type of shop will install this type of thing and tune it for me?

 

One starts with an S and the other with a V.

 

1. Google search "SAFC II" and/or "VAFC II" and you will find descriptions on both units.

2. Most "tuner" type shops will install it.

3. You will have to find a place with a dyno in order to get it tuned or in order to tune it yourself.

 

i did some research and basically the only difference i can find is that with the VAFC i would be able to change when vias kicks in which i am not really worried about

 

a fuel controller such as the s/v-afc would be beneficial regardless of headers. A stock car would be able to see to gains just from fine tuning the A/F

 

You can trigger the two 12x2 maps (hi vtec and low vtec) in the VAFC-II to be used side by side to essentially create a map that is 24x2. That is the main advantage of the VAFC-II over the SAFC-II. You will have more tunable points over the entire RPM range and that allows for more precise tuning and thus a flatter AF curve for the most power under the curve.

Btw, there hasn't been any good reason to change the VIAS switchover just yet. Just thought I'd throw that in there.

 

I would get the car tuned with a SAFC or VAFC. I recently had my car tuned with a SAFC-II and picked up a bunch of HP. The car was running extremely rich after the Hotshot install.

 

if i decided to go with a y-pipe and catback instead of the hears would i still need a tune...i dont really wunna mess with the motor too much,just want more power

 

You probably wouldn't need it, but you may gain power from it. It all depends on the individual car (because the AFR is different for everyone) and your preferences.

 

If you get the vafc is it something that has to tweaked all the time? Or do you get tuned at a shop and hide it away?

 

You only adjust your A/F on a dyno or during street tuning with a wide band O2. You don't touch it after that. Some people use like to use the tach on the AFC because it is typically more accurate than the one in the dash, so not everyone puts it out of site.

 

I'm thinking of adding the budget y+b pipe next week. Didn't realize that a piggyback would be recommended to go with that. I thought the onboard ECU would compensate

 

You have an 02-03, I hope you know that the most power you will gain from a y-pipe + b-pipe is about 12 whp give or take a little.

Like I posted above, you do not necessarily need a piggyback for a y-pipe set-up. You may be able to use the piggyback to squeeze more power out, IF your AF so allows, but it is not necessary. The only way to find out for sure is to get it on a dyno.

For example, MadMaxNH gained about 14 whp on his almost stock (intake+catback) 02-03 just from tuning with a SAFC-II because he found out via dyno that his AF was whack to begin with.

 

I was going to dyno next week before the y+b and then go back after to see the difference. If I go to a reputeable shop that knows whats going on will they be able to tell me that the AF mixture needs tweaking?
You say I'll only gain about 10-12 HP. Was hoping for more than that, does that mean I'll have to go with a complete exhaust system for huge gain? Headers, y+b, and catback?

 

Regardless of how good they are and what they tell you, take a copy of the run files home with you (hopefully they're using a Dynojet 248) and post em here. We can give you more opinions.

Aftermarket headers for this car come with a y-pipe that is unique to the headers, ie. if you get headers, you must use the y-pipe that comes with it, and your Budget y-pipe will be useless.

Huge gains have only come from replacing the stock headers because the restrictions are due to the design of the manifolds/precats. Look around the dyno forum for 02-03 dynos with headers.

Cat-backs don't do squat for this car either. They'll get you about 5 whp, most of which you can get from replacing the b-pipe alone. The stock rear section is very free flowing.

Btw, cat-backs include the b-pipe and axle back, so if you get a cat-back, you don't need a b-pipe.

 

The place I was thinking of does have a dynojet but not sure about the model. I've been wanting to dyno for a while but i still have my snows on the car. Will be putting the summers back on on Friday so I'll make my appointment for next week.
I did notice that the cattman headers and y-pipe do have an odd configuration, there is a really strange bend almost at the point they meet up. Unfortunately headers isn't an option at this point in time. I was thinking of going with the cattman y, but at 400CDN shipped + install vs. 500 for budget y+b installed, I'm definately leaning toward the budget setup.

 

^Do yourself a favor and get the headers the hotshot ones are around 550 i made the mistake of getting a warpspeed y pipe and now regret it because of the dynos ive seen w/headers (up to 30hp) as compared to ypipe (5-10) save up a little longer and just get the headers. Thats my next mod I had to do it the hard way now i will end up paying more.

 

Before I go the header route I'd like to hear the sound. I don't wan't to be extremly loud on the highway. Most of my mileage is highway whether it's to and from work or touring around Ontario with my wife looking for antiques. Got my car in November with an extended warranty. My warranty will expire this summer at the rate I drive. Anyone have sound clips of cruising at 60mph?

 

You will be fine soundwise as long as you keep your stock muffler or something comparable.

 

My car sounds no different than stock cruising @ highway speeds (i.e 60, 75, 85)

 

I was wondering when you were gonna chime in....

 

I have an intake, headers. stock cat, Warpspeed B-pipe and stock muffler. At cruise the car is silent. It's only loud when I open the throttle. I can put it in third at 5000 RPM and it's quiet as long as I keep it steady. It sounds great when I open it up. I don't get any drone at all.

 

I emailed Hot shot to find out how much the shipping costs are for the headers... Hope they don't quote shipping via UPS.

 

Yea, when I replaced the stock headers with Hotshot(3/25/06-recent) I kept everything else stock. It sounds great because it's not loud at all but sounds deeper from the headers. When I down shift the deep tone sounds good. I might consider replacing some part of the rest of the stock exhaust because my installer told me that there was a very restrictive part in the exhaust after the headers/y-pipe combo which was robbing power.

Also the weight difference between stock Headers and Hotshot headers was pretty big. I picked up the stock stuff and there had to be atleast 20 lbs of difference with the Hotshot stuff. Less weight is always good!

I did notice that my gas mileage is not as good as before which probably means I am running rich, I think. I am gonna have to get a VAFC 2 pretty soon to improve this. One question to people that installed the Apexi VAFC, did you notice significant gains hp wise???

Thanks, for any feedback.

 

Yup, that would be the b-pipe.

IIRC, people have gotten anywhere from 8 to 19 whp from leaning out the mix after installing headers.

 

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Also the weight difference between stock Headers and Hotshot headers was pretty big. I picked up the stock stuff and there had to be atleast 20 lbs of difference with the Hotshot stuff. Less weight is always good!

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Woohoo, so if I get these my front end will be even higher! I hate how the maxima is higher in the front end than the rear end. Looks like the trunk is always loaded down....

 

for a 2k1 max. with the hotshot headers do i need an 02 simulator no matter what? if so, how many? i am just trying to prep what i need for doing the install.

 

1 x dual output sim from www.02sim.com.

 

can i get one from cattman? i think its the same product right?