I want to reduce knock retard and my engine temps.

I know i should go with a tstat, im thinking 180 but would 160 be too low? and why?

also, im going to start running premium gas also to hopefully get some more power out with the tuned pcm and lower that knock.

currently, im running fully synthetic oil, im using castrol, is there a better brand at a similar price?

can a better oil filter help? if so which brand?

also, are there any brands of coolant that tend to be better than the other?

sorry for all the questions, just trying to prove performance as much as possible, and starting with the little things that should be changed to begin with =] thanks everyone.

 

Just get a 180 t-stat, a 160 is too cold for my setup lol. Using a colder range spark plug helps as well, you could probably benefit from Autolite 605's. Do you know for a fact you have KR? If you haven't scanned the car, you don't know if you do have KR.

The best way to reduce KR is to mod the motor. Headers aren't that expensive and help KR quite a bit, if you have it of course.

 

I would think high octane will make a bigger difference then anything else. Cold plugs are cheap. A lot of people hate Dexcool, but I think its fine - just don't leave it in for the 5 years they say you can. Try adding a bottle of WaterWetter.

 

x2, do you even know you have KR?

 

A 180 Tstat is plenty, 160 is just to low for a basically stock engine.

With your PCM, I would think Premium gas would definitely help, aren't you supposed to be running premium with a tuned PCM??? (assuming its tuned for premium, but I would think if you are going to tune the PCM for power, it would be tuned for max power, using higher octane gas)

Dexcool is ok, just treat it like regular coolant (change every 25,000 miles), the Prestone All Make All Model coolant is also good.

I am a firm believer in Fully Synthetic motor oil, personally I use Mobil 1, and always have in my car. Pretty much any major brand synthetic is good oil. But IMO you can't beat the Mobil 1 synthetics. Mobil 1 is choosen by more manufacters than any other synthetic oil as the OEM oil, including GM (in their cars that require synthetic).

As for an oil filter...Stay away from the Fram Extra Gaurd, & AcDelco (E series)...(there are others, but those are the most commonly found crap filters).

Good filters are: Mobil 1, K&N, Fram Xtended Gaurd, Wix, Napa Gold, Bosch.

 

This is somthing Ive been interested in for a while now so Il try to hlep you out with what I know. The higher octane gas is what you're gonna see the highest improvment from (on your list). The T-Stat, you have to remember, you're gonna have some shty heat in the winter, and in my opinion, it sucks to change. I have found that syntec is the best oil I have tried. Now that may not be the best, but its what I have stuck with and Im happy. As for the oil filter, you can use the filter for the newer V8's (I think, make sure before doing so) I dont care what Mike said, you should have been running premium to start with, with his PCM. I forgot to fill up with it the first time, and used 87, my car didnt wanna go to fast (for lack of a better way of putting it) If you dont have the money for the headers, you can rap them, just make sure no moister gets in there. Also, rap your crossover.
And somthing you could think about doing, and this is what Im in the middle of trying right now, find somone to tune your PCM properly.

 

Hey, you say to stay away from the delco oil filters? Would you be talking about the blue ones?? I hope Im not fkn anything up.

 

The NEW Ac Delco filters (the blue ones) have been totally redesigned, and suck. They are labeled as the PF47E. Like the Fram Extra Gaurd, the filter media is capped with cardboard, and they use a plastic filter support, plus the gaskets are thinner.

And FYI, Castrol Syntec is by far NOT the best synthetic oil out there. Yes I am biased toward Mobil 1, but of all oils to choose from in the synthetic department, Castrol Syntec is crap IMO. (Castol Edge on the other hand IS a great synthetic). Years ago there was a law suit against Castrol for the Syntec oil because it is NOT a TRUE full syntheic motor oil. Castrol managed to get Syntec marketed as a Fully Synthetic motor oil, when in reality, its a group III-IV oil (high grade dino). The Castrol Edge IS a Full Synthetic oil, made from PAO. Mobil 1 is and always has been a PAO synthetic.

 

ACDelco E series. Look at your filter name, if it ends in -E then it's a crappy version.

The last one I had on my car, the gasket to the oil filter actually broke off

 

Okay, it doesnt end with "E" its just the PF47, so Im safe right? And after reading about the oil im using, Im kinda pissed. Will it affect (badly) if I switch to a true fully synthetic?