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Power Mods for 2009 SS

FJJ

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I just brought an 09 SS and im looking to do some mods straight up, its the first V8 ive owned and im looking to keep it a while. Ive read the ones about exhaust upgrades and im keen to do that, are there any other mods i can do to it that wont cost an arm and a leg? Also when i do go for the exhaust upgrade, what should i get?
 

Darren

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All depends on your definition of arm and a leg, I'm up to cam or supercharging, a few rough prices I've managed along the way of my 6 month ownership are as follows (can't remember exactly what they were but are fairly accurate):

Exhaust (Xforce Mild Steel 3") / Cats (Racing Cats) / Extractors (Pacemaker 1 7/8) = $2300
Diff Upgrade (HSV GTS LSD 3.7) = $1900
MAFLess Tuning / OTRCAI = $1600

Cam will be around the $4000 mark then a stall converter on top so another couple of grand, supercharging there appears to be limited options (well companies that I want to deal with), then there's NOS which whilst it seems to be very affordable I don't like the idea of sudden bursts of power and neither would the engine / driveline.

All in all with the above done it's actually frightening to drive, you simply can't put your foot down for very long and your at the speed limit. As mine is auto if I were to do the diff again I reckon I would go 3.27, a massive jump from 2.92 > 3.7.
 

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Caution with mods to 09 SS

Gday FJJ,
I have owned many V8s over the years and 5 weeks ago I picked up my new 09 SSV (auto with active fuel management). If you have also purchased the auto 09, be aware that there are issues with installing aftermarket exhausts, as when the AFM activates, you effectively have a V4 engine breathing through the tubes, and hence an over piped system.
I had my exhaust done (2.5" cat back ) and the drone was dreadful at highway speeds. It has been back to the installer quite a few times for muffler alterations, cross pipes, etc, and in an attempt to fix the problem it now has hurricane headers and hi flow cats. The sound and performance difference is great, but it still carries an awful hammering drone inside the cabin when AFM kicks in. I then had the original factory mufflers put back on the new exhaust and the drone was gone....but so, unfortunately, was the V8 note and the performance. After searching a few forum sites in the states, it appears as though this is a very well known and common problem. Many in the states have given up and returned to factory exhaust. Others just drive in manual mode (which does stop the AFM activating. This works on mine too)

Interested to hear from anyone who may have experienced this problem here, and how, if at all, they managed to fix the issue.
 

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Caution with mods to 09 SS

Gday FJJ,
I have owned many V8s over the years and 5 weeks ago I picked up my new 09 SSV (auto with active fuel management). If you have also purchased the auto 09, be aware that there are issues with installing aftermarket exhausts, as when the AFM activates, you effectively have a V4 engine breathing through the tubes, and hence an over piped system.
I had my exhaust done (2.5" cat back ) and the drone was dreadful at highway speeds. It has been back to the installer quite a few times for muffler alterations, cross pipes, etc, and in an attempt to fix the problem it now has hurricane headers and hi flow cats. The sound and performance difference is great, but it still carries an awful hammering drone inside the cabin when AFM kicks in. I then had the original factory mufflers put back on the new exhaust and the drone was gone....but so, unfortunately, was the V8 note and the performance. After searching a few forum sites in the states, it appears as though this is a very well known and common problem. Many in the states have given up and returned to factory exhaust. Others just drive in manual mode (which does stop the AFM activating. This works on mine too)

Interested to hear from anyone who may have experienced this problem here, and how, if at all, they managed to fix the issue.
 

Silver Streak

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hi I have a D@T 2,5 cat back on my SSV and yes there is a drone , but I put some wadding for a carpet place under the mat in the boot as there is no sound proofing in there and the plastic spare tyre well is an echo chamber , the drone is reduced with the wadding so much that the glove box does not vibrate, and it is much nicer, the power gain with the exhaust gains is worth it but the drone does get to you so much that your ears still ring after you have been out of the car for half an hour or so , but the power gains put a smile on your face when ever you are driving your car with a low deep v8 sound , the exhaust is not cheap and there was times that i wished that i did not change the exhaust , but some people pay a fortune to listen to music well i payed big dollars to listen to my exhaust
 

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Hi Silver Streak,
I have done similar to you and obtained some 16mm underlay (sort of like the blankets removalists use) doubled it over and lined the spare wheel bay, then put another layer on top of the spare. It has removed the drone almost completely, but no change to the awful vibration on AFM activation. It feels like a rear wheel has thrown a balance weight. The mirrors shake, stuff in the glove box etc rattle, as soon as you accelerate, AFM cuts off and the vibration goes. At this stage I intend to have the AFM deactivated. There does not appear to be any other solution to this issue.
 

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Diff Upgrade (HSV GTS LSD 3.7) = $1900

As mine is auto if I were to do the diff again I reckon I would go 3.27, a massive jump from 2.92 > 3.7.

Hi Darren, doesn't the R8 and senator also have 3.7 diff ratios ? ( if not do you know what they are ? )

and i thought the calais 6L's had 3.04 diff ratios ?

I bet she fly's now with your upgrades:thumbsup:
 

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Slight delay but was just browsing through the HSV site a few minutes ago and remembered this thread:
HSV's look as though they have 3.7 in the Manual and 3.27 in the Auto.

As for the Calais having 3.04 not sure, from the calculations I did before / after (rev difference mainly) with the diff change I reckon 2.92 is what was in there previously, perhaps if it were LSD they perhaps put in 3.04s?

And yes it goes very nicely, still kicking myself for not going manual but that's another story.
 

FJJ

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Sorry for the late reply guys ive been away. but thanks for all the great advice on power mods. im going to get my exhaust done in the next week or so hopefully and im in WA, Rockingham area. Has anyone got some pricing on exhausts they have from Extractors, Racing Cats and 3" Xforce system? or does anyone know of a good place to get it done that doesn't over charge? I was quoted $3300 today for all of the above but feel that is way to much..
 

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Some fairly rough prices here
Xforce 3" system around the $800 mark
Racing Cats around the $500 mark
Extractors around the $1000 mark, keeping in mind you might need 2 oxygen sensors as they tend to be a pain to get out in the first place.
 
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