On my 2006 SS.

I'm fairly new to this here forum, and I've been asking a bunch of questions figuring out what all I want to do to my Monte (named Victoria). So I have some plans scribbled out for intake, exhaust, tinting, stereo, paint, etc.

What can I do to my motor? To make it faster, to make it more efficient, to make it generally awesome, what do I do to it?

Let me know what you've done and what you plan to do or what you think I should do and give me a general price range please.

Then maybe this time in 2 years or so I will be Monte of the Month winner!!

 

Unfortunately there aren't many things for your LS4 engine right now. There is an intake that you can buy, a new throttle body I believe, Magnaflow makes an exhaust system.

There is a company making headers for your car right now, you missed out on the cheap prices but you can still make an order.

Check out LS1Tech.com there should be more members with the LS4 and upgrade options.

 

I agree with Chibi. I got my CAI K&N intake and for my b-day in May I'm going to get Magnaflow's because the dyno doesn't lie. It produce's more WHP than the FlowMaster's.

As for the header's don't feel bad I missed out on the cheap price too but I'm sure I will find some SOON.

My next mod is going to be my intake manifold. I was going to go LS6 but decided to pay the extra cash for a WILSON INTAKE MANI. They are "semi" new company but their number's are AMAZING.

My friend with a fully built LS6 S/C going into a C4 has it and MAN! It already come's with a lil slot or tube thingy for when your ready to NOS that bish lol

 

http://ls1tech.com/forums/ls4-front-...2005-2009-108/

TONS of good info.

 

I've got a GP GXP, but its basically the same thing. I did the K&N intake on it and a DMH exhaust cutout in place of the resonator. Honestly, I'm not real crazy about the K&N, just like every other K&N I've seen- its just a thin steel heat shield with no insulation that does not fully block the filter from the engine bay (ie there are fist sized gaps in some places). I bought mine because I found one used with low mileage for cheap and it was the only CAI I could find at the time, but if I were to do it again, I'd either build my own CAI box or do a FWI instead.

I love the cutout- I can open it varying amounts from screaming loud, dumping all the exhaust- to barely cracked and slightly louder than stock. I'm sure the horsepower gain is virtually zip with it, but its fun to play with and way cheaper than doing a full catback. Plus, if I've got a headache sitting in slow traffic, I can shut the exhaust off to stock so it doesn't irritate me.

As for mods out there, there are two CAI setups (plus custom setups you make yourself)- obviously you can do anything in the catback, Hogan makes downpipes for them, and Doug Thorley makes headers for them (obviously you don't buy both- its one or the other). There are places on LS1 tech who can port your TB and intake manifold, but the LS4 intake manifold is by far the worst of all the LS engines. You can swap it out for another intake like an LS2, LS6, FAST, etc- but I've not seen a nice complete 'kit' sold by anybody (granted I haven't been on LS1 tech in a couple months)- so you're gonna have to research over there and figure if you want to do the custom work to make the new manifold fit or not- they're definitely not a bolt on and go thing like they are for the RWD guys.

The big power adder right now is the cartuning turbo kit- its like $5500 but will just about double your stock power (you'll also want to figure buying a built trans if you go that route).

I know ZZP has 1.9 modded stock rockers for the LS engines, not sure if they work on the LS4's, you'd have to find out- and obviously there are full roller rockers (although the LS engines don't beneift as much from higher ratio rockers as the 3800's because they have a higher factory ratio).

Thats about all I can think of off the top of my head. Its definitely not an easy bolt on engine like the L67's are, and many of the regular LS parts fit - some with and some without modding (ie cam, ported heads, etc).

 

wow theres a drag video of an 06 silver ss with that carbine tubo kit. holly sh**, it looks like it makes the stock underpowered LS4 fit in with the rest of the LS family of engines.

my suggestion is to get a set of good tires to actually be able to use the ponys you pick up. high powered front wheel drive cars are an oxymoron.
i mean monte carlo

 

Not sure what kind of tires he's running (I assume they've been replaced since its an 06)- but honestly my GXP had the factory Potenza RE050A's 255 wide in the front, and it actually hooks really well. I mean you're not going to got WOT out of the hole, but I'm still easily able to nail it in upper 1st gear.

In the case of those 500whp cartuning turbo'd LS4's, there isn't much you can do short of running slicks or aggressive DR's on the street to get any traction down low.

 

i dont think the ls4 is underpowered,and the turbo kit is way overkill for a daily driver. the ls4 fits in fine with the ls family motors its just not underrated like the ls1 was. if i wasnt making payments on mine and didnt want to void the crap out of my warranty the first thing i would do is get an ls6 intake, headers and a tune. i think with that it would be a more then fair match up against an ls1 car. the gxp tires are definitely better then the monte or impalas tires. if hes talking about the guy with that monte that went mid 11s with it it was on a full slick.

 

The cold air inductions intake for the 06-07 Monte's is probably the best one out there you can buy for our cars. www.coldairinductions.com

 

I wish more of them popped up on ebay or used ones for sale... It looks like a nice system.