Jed (?),
So, another 3.0R owner has got the engine mod bug! Well, you won't be the last either.
I started with the tune. Basic tune focused on 98RON fuel. There are more things that can be done, but I like to do incremental stuff so I can see the bang for buck (bfb). The basic tune (with an injector power flush) resulted in 10% gains in both power (kw) and torque (nm) across the rev range at the wheels (atw). On the dyno at STI (and every dyno is different) mine recorded 116 kw atw and after the tune, 128 kw atw. It is only an auto. For the Spec B 6sp manual, usually see around 14o kw atw.
Next was the rear mufflers. More for aesthetics than performance (I like the look of quad tips, and I love the sound of wide open throttle (wot). I also took it back for another dyno at STI (important to keep using the same dyno for comparisons) and resulted in another 3 kw atw. Not sure what the full exhaust mod achieves (2 x front CATs, removal of 3rd CAT), but did not go that route. The global knowledge is that the size of the exhaust pipe diameter is critical if you do not want to create torque holes at lower revs. Check the other threads on this topic (The search function of this forum is very, very useful, hint, hint
).
So, the tune was the best bfb and the quad tips, well I would have done them any way.
There are other areas to focus on for the tune, Drive By Wire (DBW) which impacts what the engine does when you use the accelerator pedal, and AVCS, but the time and costs need to be weighed up with the potential gains. The gains from the 3.0R in NA for are limited and if you are chasing real power gains, then as others have suggested, ultimately you will need to consider either a turbo, biturbo or supercharger. Of these, the Raptor kit seems to be cheaper bolt on solution. I have had a ride in a 3.0R with the Raptor Kit fitted and, well, it is hard to put into words, suffice to say that stock V8s would be in shock! If you do go the Raptor route, ensure you factor the Water to Air (WTA) Intercooler into your budget, along with the installation. Intake Air Temperatures (IAT) are going to be too high for a daily drive if you operate in stop start traffic conditions (my opinion at this point).
On the costs front, there is more to it than just the cost of the bits. Installation labour, and tunes also add to the budget and well, get some estimates before you embark and identify some good local area tuners that have good reputations. You might pay a little more, but you get what you pay for!
What state are you in? Recommendations will vary according to your location also.
Kind Regards,
Mark.