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I want to do some mods to get some more power/make the Z drive better but don't want anything that would void the warranty. What's safe to get into? Thinking short shifter, headers, exhaust, pulley? Thanks in advance!
Pulley will void since you need a tune. Basically intake, headers, x pipe. Throttle body. You are fine , just take it back to stock before to avoid any issues. Tunes will void you .
Last edited by Pacembellum; 03-08-2020 at 12:51 AM.
Just my opinion. If you bought your Z brand new. Leave it stock. The only thing I will do as of now to mine is add the Borla X pipe that is discontinued. I have a brand new one in the box still did not add it yet. I think you run into to many risks with the dealers with warranty work if needed.
I’ve done BMS, Mamo TB and Borla Xpipe along with the MGW. No tune needed and a dealer would have a hard time claiming any did damage. I’d love to do headers and/or pulley but they’d require a tune and definitely void warranty. Some have had issues with check engine lights on 17+ cars when they’ve done a CAI along with the TB and Xpipe as it can run on the lean side.
Pulley will void since you need a tune. Basically intake, headers, x pipe. Throttle body. You are fine , just take it back to stock before to avoid any issues. Tunes will void you .
^^^^ This....the key is that you don't need a tune. But be careful with headers, some DO require a tune.
Thanks to all of you for your advice, it is greatly appreciated, even Z06 Cracker, I totally understand what you are saying, and I will likely leave it stock for a few months, but, I've got the need for speed, and I'm already starting to itch...
I will definitely keep an eye out for some of these mods coming down the road in the future!
I’ve done BMS, Mamo TB and Borla Xpipe along with the MGW. No tune needed and a dealer would have a hard time claiming any did damage. I’d love to do headers and/or pulley but they’d require a tune and definitely void warranty. Some have had issues with check engine lights on 17+ cars when they’ve done a CAI along with the TB and Xpipe as it can run on the lean side.
I just installed the BMS, Katech proted tb and the Borla mid pipe in my 2019. Car is too lean now. I'm seeing some .91 Lambda's in some frames with factory EQ Ratio at .86 or so in the low rpm ranges. Upper rpm .88-.89 with .84 or so EQ Ratio. .06 leaner in some frames. I'm putting my factory tb back on to see if it will come closer to the stock EQ Ratio. A couple hundredths leaner is fine but not 6 IMO.
Also tried the aFe intake previous to the BMS. Way to lean! I did have the 86mm ring removed so it flowed more than a stock aFe intake.
Factory stock I recorded Lambda in the upper .7s as a comparison. Too rich.
I just installed the BMS, Katech proted tb and the Borla mid pipe in my 2019. Car is too lean now. I'm seeing some .91 Lambda's in some frames with factory EQ Ratio at .86 or so in the low rpm ranges. Upper rpm .88-.89 with .84 or so EQ Ratio. .06 leaner in some frames. I'm putting my factory tb back on to see if it will come closer to the stock EQ Ratio. A couple hundredths leaner is fine but not 6 IMO.
Also tried the aFe intake previous to the BMS. Way to lean! I did have the 86mm ring removed so it flowed more than a stock aFe intake.
Factory stock I recorded Lambda in the upper .7s as a comparison. Too rich.
how are you checking lambda? I’ve ran an AFE with high flow filter and an x pipe and multiple track days and not any issues
how are you checking lambda? I’ve ran an AFE with high flow filter and an x pipe and multiple track days and not any issues
I"ve temporarily installed an AEM wideband to record Lambda. Installed it in the rear 02 sensor plug. Have a CEL but doesn't matter.
How do you know you didn't have any issues if you didn't have a wideband to check afr? I can't imagine our engines lasting the long haul after having made a lot of WOT passes with to lean afr.
I"ve temporarily installed an AEM wideband to record Lambda. Installed it in the rear 02 sensor plug. Have a CEL but doesn't matter.
How do you know you didn't have any issues if you didn't have a wideband to check afr? I can't imagine our engines lasting the long haul after having made a lot of WOT passes with to lean afr.
because it didn’t blow up? Where did you install the wideband, before or after cat?
The rear 02 sensor plug is after the cat. I used the passenger side.
Not sure just because your engine didn't blow up is the best indicator.
It’s under warranty soooo not blowing up is fine by me 😂. Ok so .9 lamda On e10 fuel is 12.7 a/f that sounds great!? What’s it like at 5000-6000 rpm when the car is really warm that’s when COT should richen it up.
It’s under warranty soooo not blowing up is fine by me 😂. Ok so .9 lamda On e10 fuel is 12.7 a/f that sounds great!? What’s it like at 5000-6000 rpm when the car is really warm that’s when COT should richen it up.
This Direction Injection is probably our savior! Mine did go into COT approx. 1692* at 4827 rpm but not much reduction in Lambda at this temp. Reduced Lambda to about .88-.89 even at shift of about 6392 rpm where I was up to 1828* in 4th gear. I was only testing in 4th. .88 at these rpm does make good power although factory Lambda is .833 at this rpm. I feel on the long haul .02-.03 leaner than factory settings is probably a safe tune.
This Direction Injection is probably our savior! Mine did go into COT approx. 1692* at 4827 rpm but not much reduction in Lambda at this temp. Reduced Lambda to about .88-.89 even at shift of about 6392 rpm where I was up to 1828* in 4th gear. I was only testing in 4th. .88 at these rpm does make good power although factory Lambda is .833 at this rpm. I feel on the long haul .02-.03 leaner than factory settings is probably a safe tune.
curious since you’re one of the few running a wideband here on stock tune what year is your car and what would happen if you ran e20 gas. The owners manual says do not run higher than e20 and I know some on here have talked about adding 2-2.5 gallons of e85 to their tanks to try and improve octane. Wil long term fuel trims step in and rich the car up the necessary 5% or so due to moving from e10 to e20
curious since you’re one of the few running a wideband here on stock tune what year is your car and what would happen if you ran e20 gas. The owners manual says do not run higher than e20 and I know some on here have talked about adding 2-2.5 gallons of e85 to their tanks to try and improve octane. Wil long term fuel trims step in and rich the car up the necessary 5% or so due to moving from e10 to e20
It's a 2019 A8. Trying to save my warranty for now but get what safe power I can. Looks like the stock throttle body, BMS and the Borla mid pipe is about all you can run and get afr in the right direction. I just reinstalled my stock tb in hopes of some richer. Have not tested yet. The numbers I was giving you was with the Katech tb. Too much flow with it and the other items.
Not sure about E20. Might help eliminate knock retard. These cars have a lot with 93. I doubt without tuning it will pick up much if any power on E20. Don't know what effect it would have on fuel trims. I'm not an expert on Ethanol. Were I to add octane I think Boostane is the easiest and safest way. Not sure what the dealer would say when they pull the heads should we experience a failure and saw all the orange color. Might void the warranty.
It's a 2019 A8. Trying to save my warranty for now but get what safe power I can. Looks like the stock throttle body, BMS and the Borla mid pipe is about all you can run and get afr in the right direction. I just reinstalled my stock tb in hopes of some richer. Have not tested yet. The numbers I was giving you was with the Katech tb. Too much flow with it and the other items.
Not sure about E20. Might help eliminate knock retard. These cars have a lot with 93. I doubt without tuning it will pick up much if any power on E20. Don't know what effect it would have on fuel trims. I'm not an expert on Ethanol. Were I to add octane I think Boostane is the easiest and safest way. Not sure what the dealer would say when they pull the heads should we experience a failure and saw all the orange color. Might void the warranty.
i run boostane in every tank and the dealer has replaced two cats ive burned out on the track that definitely had some orange crap on it. I don’t run as much though, down to just 4oz per tank to bring the 91 to 93 and I run a can of techron after track days to hopefully cut down on the orange crap. It’s not bad at just 4oz a tank. I used to run 12oz a tank it was a lot worse then. Shouldn’t void anything besides O2 sensor warranty imo.
Chevy dealer doesn’t “tear down” engines if you bring it in busted. They check codes and look for obvious signs it’s bad, then pull the tune, if it’s stock you get a new engine they aren’t opening it up.
Last edited by Pacembellum; 03-09-2020 at 09:59 PM.
You won't notice much fix to your itch if the stock 650 hp gets slow and you want to keep the warranty. I've done the "big 3" on mine (green BMS filter, Mamo TB, Borla X Pipe--right before they were discontinued). None of them gave a big seat of the pants change to power or anything that I'd really find very noticeable since I don't drag race (more road course myself). Another 30 or even 50 hp on top of 650 just isn't that much. The filter if you get audio up front picks up a little more sound, the TB fixed some of the hesitation with the manual, especially off the line and the X Pipe definitely opens up the sound some. Wanting to keep the warranty on mine as well, especially since I talked them into the extended for a song! As much as I'd love to believe I "felt" it being faster, honestly I'm sure there's some placebo, some slightly louder noise with the BMS and X Pipe, but I can't swear I truly felt it faster. But yes, I do feel like what I have isn't as exciting as it once was. Getting loose on power now seems normal in this car (and was in some other cars of the past as well).
Been doing some research on E85 and everyone has their say so on warranty. This is what i found on the Chevrolet Warranty Manuals.
Basically any mod For Power Performance that requires a Tune MAY void your Warranty. In case your car coughs up an issue and GM decides to Investigate your claim and finds out you flashed your ECU you will be at a total Loss.
BMS drop in, ported TB, and catless X pipe are the ONLY mods I would recommend without a tune. You could probably get away with ARH Mids as well but its not worth it without a tune. But if you're looking for more sound than a catless X pipe alone can provide, the mids will minimize the part throttle lag.
Sure people do more mods without a tune but they really don't see whats going on behind the scenes with the ECU pulling timing and fuel being dangerously lean at times until the LTFT's catch up. But what they ALSO do not tell you when they say "I have blah blah mods with no tune", is the lost drive-ability of the car. Adding long tubes without a tune makes the car feel sluggish at part throttle not to mention you will get O2 codes. But even if you trick the O2s, its going to ruin the part throttle drive-ability.
03-07-2020, 10:21 PM
Mods that don't void warranty?
