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robertmee
07-25-2011, 06:15 PM
What would you recommend as the next practical upgrade for my 03 Trilogy? The overall goal is to have a reliable semi-daily driver that performs in the low 12's, high 11's.

Current Setup as completed by previous owner:
Trilogy Supercharger
Stock Airbox
Flowmaster mufflers
Lidio tune
2500 Stall TC

Everything else to my knowledge is stock....

I've thought about going to 4:10s but before I do that do I need to upgrade rear drive train? 31 splines? Rear Sways? How to best transfer the power I have to the rears?

The other possibly obvious upgrade is a CAI...However, I like the stock appearance of the existing air box...I've looked at the top 3, and i guess the PHP setup comes closest to what I'd consider stock appearance...I don't like the exposed cone filter look.

Of course, I'll be doing at least the SS brake line upgrade if not larger calipers...No sense in going faster if you can't stop.

Then there's exhaust....Headers? Larger pipes? X-pipe?

I'd say budget is around 2K for now....

Zim Hosein
07-25-2011, 06:21 PM
I'm not an expert, but considering the current mods on your MM, headers followed w/ a re-tune of the ECU seems like the next logical step IMHO robertmee. Just my 0.02¢, hope it helps. :)

SC Cheesehead
07-25-2011, 06:28 PM
Headers, high flow cats, a larger mid-pipe and mufflers will set you back close to your budget, plus you're going to want a dyno tune after opening up that exhaust.

Also, keep in mind that mid-12's are going to require a good hook up out of the hole, I'd recommend you look at some aftermarket control arms from Sparta, or Metcos through Reinhart to help out with that.

fastblackmerc
07-26-2011, 12:22 AM
What would you recommend as the next practical upgrade for my 03 Trilogy? The overall goal is to have a reliable semi-daily driver that performs in the low 12's, high 11's.

Current Setup as completed by previous owner:
Trilogy Supercharger
Stock Airbox
Flowmaster mufflers
Lidio tune
2500 Stall TC

Everything else to my knowledge is stock....

I've thought about going to 4:10s but before I do that do I need to upgrade rear drive train? 31 splines? Rear Sways? How to best transfer the power I have to the rears?

The other possibly obvious upgrade is a CAI...However, I like the stock appearance of the existing air box...I've looked at the top 3, and i guess the PHP setup comes closest to what I'd consider stock appearance...I don't like the exposed cone filter look.

Of course, I'll be doing at least the SS brake line upgrade if not larger calipers...No sense in going faster if you can't stop.

Then there's exhaust....Headers? Larger pipes? X-pipe?

I'd say budget is around 2K for now....

I'd do the 4:10's and the 31 spline rear and axles.

You can add a K&N panel filter and I can modify your stock airbox to work more like a CAI.... at least we can get more air into it.

Front and rear Addco sway bars and upper & lower rear control arms would also help.

You'll spend more than 2k on headers and a complete exhaust system.

99SVT
07-26-2011, 01:37 AM
Control Arms will help a lot in the 60' dept, I dropped .1 60' consistantly while NA with stock tires, almost mandatory.

4.10's worth it for the 60' gain, but needs a sticky tire to take full advantage of it with an eaton. not necessary, but you won't need as much HP to get a better ET.

LT Headers, X-pipe, magnaflows and an appropriate tune gained me over 60hp and .8sec, well worth it.

CAI only gained me .1sec/1mph at the end of the 1/4 while NA, not necessary but not bad for a cheaper mod. I cut down a truck CAI that was given to me with the stock MM zip tube for a while, it performed well, but looked rather ghetto.

Sway bars limit weight transfer side to side as well as front to back, good for street driving and going around corners, not good for straight line performance. stick with the stockers.

Smaller blower pulley, worth it for the HP gain, but the bottom end durability is inversely proportional to the amount of boost you run, save your pennies for a built motor if you go any smaller than a 3.0" pulley, you'll be on borrowed time.

12's are doable with the stock motor and a few more bolt ons, I'd want to have a built motor, trans, rear if you're shooting for 11's. You can probably do 11's with the stock parts but they won't last that long at that power/traction level.

LANDY
07-26-2011, 03:58 AM
A front sway bar won't help you in the 1320.
Get control arms, LT headers from SW,rear sway bars, good sticky tires, a 3.0 pulley and dynotune.
Then high 11's shouldnt be a problem with a good driver.

robertmee
07-26-2011, 06:18 AM
Sounds like the consensus is Headers.....And SW is having a 10% sale so convenient....

It seems the SW sets come in a couple of flavors....

Headers w/ Cats

Headers only

Exahust system w/ Cats

For those of you that have gone the header route did you do the SW bolt up Exahust system with a set of headers, or did you have a exhaust shop roll our own? I have access to a good hot-rod exhaust shop that I've used in the past for my other vehicles and I trust them to do good work.

I assume that I would need to at least go Headers w/Cats to realize the full potential? That being the stock Cats are not high flow.

SC Cheesehead
07-26-2011, 06:23 AM
Sounds like the consensus is Headers.....And SW is having a 10% sale so convenient....

It seems the SW sets come in a couple of flavors....

Headers w/ Cats

Headers only

Exahust system w/ Cats

For those of you that have gone the header route did you do the SW bolt up Exahust system with a set of headers, or did you have a exhaust shop roll our own? I have access to a good hot-rod exhaust shop that I've used in the past for my other vehicles and I trust them to do good work.

I assume that I would need to at least go Headers w/Cats to realize the full potential? That being the stock Cats are not high flow.

PM 03mmmonroe, he went with a set of SW headers and a custom exhaust install on his car a year or two ago and can give you some good info.

sailsmen
07-26-2011, 06:52 AM
Temp/Hum can add .75 to your best time. If you want a 11.5 car on any given day it will need to run a best of 10.75.

If your car has not been dyno tuned find someone who has experience tuning S/C Marauders. There is a dramatic difference in what tuners can do today vs 2004.

Every Eaton that I can think of that has run on the first page of the time slip has had 4:10.

Stock plus Vortech/Eaton/PC S/C kit equals a best in the 12.9-13.3 range.

You can search for old S/C threads and the times you will see are 12.9-13.3.