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'97 Grand Am GT 3.1, want more power.

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  • '97 Grand Am GT 3.1, want more power.

    Hello all,
    I've installed a custom, cold air intake and that got me a bit more power and a nicer sound when I open it up.

    How do I get more power without doing anything major? I've heard good and bad things about changing pulleys. I can't find programming info for the chip. Flowmaster has nothing on their web site.

    I have experience in electronics including chip programming. Can I reprogram myself? I'm not great with code so it would have to be something already written.

    Any suggestions?

  • #2
    Looking into a better exhaust is a good first step. 2.25 or 2.5" from the downpipe-back with a high-flow cat. Maybe even fabricate a new downpipe. You have an OBD2 computer which has tuning options. If you're not afraid of turning wrenches, grabbing the heads, intake manifolds, and thottlebody from a 3400 will give some gains too. That's the end of the "cheap" upgrades.

    If you're willing to spend a little more you can port and polish parts and get a billet 62mm throttlebody (65mm is available but pointless on a 3100). Spending even more you can get an aggresive cam and look into a turbocharger. A lot of this stuff can be found at WOT-Tech. There's also the option of swapping the 3100 out for a 3400 or 3500.

    There's a lot of debate on underdrive pulleys here. None of the available ones have proper dampening qualities and are suspected of causing pre-mature wear to the rest of the engine.
    1995 Grand Am SE

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    • #3
      Originally posted by Azrael View Post
      There's also the option of swapping the 3100 out for a 3400 or 3500.
      and there is the answer, if you're willing to put in the time and money.

      3500 is possibly the most cost-effective upgrade PERIOD outside of forced induction.
      1995 Monte Carlo LS 3100, 4T60E...for now, future plans include driving it until the wheels fall off!
      Latest nAst1 files here!
      Need a wiring diagram for any GM car or truck from 82-06(and 07-08 cars)? PM me!

      Comment


      • #4
        i don't see why the 3500 gets so much praise. maybe im just dumb or something but i really dont see. Its .1 liters bigger than the 3400. and yes i know its designed differently and some things are different. but is it THAT much better to justify a full blown swap. wouldnt a 3400/3500 hybrid suffice?
        2002 Chevy Malibu 3400sfi - Project Sleeper - Good night

        Boost - Coming soon to a malibu near you.

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        • #5
          i believe it actually costs more to make a 3400/3500 hybrid and actually delivers less power...

          and it's not the increased displacement that makes it so great, it's the massively improved headflow that can allow for even greater power gains from the same set of mods. the forged crank is nice as well.
          1995 Monte Carlo LS 3100, 4T60E...for now, future plans include driving it until the wheels fall off!
          Latest nAst1 files here!
          Need a wiring diagram for any GM car or truck from 82-06(and 07-08 cars)? PM me!

          Comment


          • #6
            okay

            3400/3500 hybrid = EXPENSIVE.
            3500 = less risk of fucking up something.
            Mike 60degree addict.
            Beretta 96 3500 - 14.981@ 93.32
            sigpic
            65MM thorttle body, Crank trigger 97 venture ECM and Dhp powrTuner

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            • #7
              well if your swapping a whole engine wouldn't there be more risk in fucking something up as apposed to changing it from the heads up to a 3500?

              and if its flow that makes it so much better wouldnt competition porting a 3400 make it to around a 3500
              2002 Chevy Malibu 3400sfi - Project Sleeper - Good night

              Boost - Coming soon to a malibu near you.

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by Rootie524 View Post
                well if your swapping a whole engine wouldn't there be more risk in fucking something up as apposed to changing it from the heads up to a 3500?

                and if its flow that makes it so much better wouldnt competition porting a 3400 make it to around a 3500
                he has a 3100, which 3500 heads won't work with. he would have to swap in a motor anyway for a hybrid.
                1995 Monte Carlo LS 3100, 4T60E...for now, future plans include driving it until the wheels fall off!
                Latest nAst1 files here!
                Need a wiring diagram for any GM car or truck from 82-06(and 07-08 cars)? PM me!

                Comment


                • #9
                  yeah i know what he has..i forgot to clarify i was bringing this up for me haha. i have a 3100 as well and im building a 3400. so im trying to find out info to decided whether or not to do 3400, 3450, or 3500.. and so i dont seem completely self centered ill offer my .02 on what he was asking to begin with.

                  if there is a dyno in your area get it tuned. it will be a few hundred bucks but if they know what they are doing they can squeeze about 5-12 hp out of your current set up without any mods just by throwing ignition timing at it. and if u want to learn how to do it yourself and have unlimited tuning capabilities at your fingertips get HPtuners. That's normally what most dynos will use to tune. and it will cost the same (at least for me it did..hptuners=$450...dyno tune=$450) only if u do that youll have to test it out on the road..you wont have the luxury of dyno testing it.

                  also like already mentioned..get a full exhust. 2.25 or 2.5 header back. they still have S&S headers floating around here and there..or pacesetter offers a decent alternative..get a hiflow cat and mandrel bends. and its up to u whether or not to delete the resonator. also ported UIM with a 65mm TB is good. you could also do LIM but thats a bit more involved. and if u decide to do LIM change ur tstat while it will be easily accessible. that thing is a beach to change. all that stuff is always a good start. thats what i started with and now im in the processes of building a complete 3400 from the ground up. high compression baby! if you're like me..once u get a taste of power u wont stop till u squeeze every ounce of power outta the damn thing.
                  2002 Chevy Malibu 3400sfi - Project Sleeper - Good night

                  Boost - Coming soon to a malibu near you.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    why i said that is because you won't have to open up the engine witch is where you might make a mistake. Take a low mileage 3500, a crank trigger and a 65mm throttle body and you have a recipe for one fast machine.

                    i did the 3450 and I advise against it. if you want to be different, Or you Already have en 3400 in your car, DO it, but for every other cars out there that you have to swap something in....go strait 3500. Superdave and Asylum are proof of what they are capable of.
                    Mike 60degree addict.
                    Beretta 96 3500 - 14.981@ 93.32
                    sigpic
                    65MM thorttle body, Crank trigger 97 venture ECM and Dhp powrTuner

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                    • #11
                      u have to reroute all the ac crap though. most likely it'd be better to just delete it if u live in a decent area. but besides that will a 3500 drop right in the engine mounts of a n-body? and they are from the 2004+ malibus that use a 4t45e, right?
                      2002 Chevy Malibu 3400sfi - Project Sleeper - Good night

                      Boost - Coming soon to a malibu near you.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        You have to do the SAME THING in a hybrid as on a 3500. NEW vacuum , and the CTS. the only thing different is the Crank trigger
                        Mike 60degree addict.
                        Beretta 96 3500 - 14.981@ 93.32
                        sigpic
                        65MM thorttle body, Crank trigger 97 venture ECM and Dhp powrTuner

                        Comment

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