Need Serious Thoughts Please

Most of you know who I am, but anyways. I am coming home this summer from college and will be making some good money. I'd like to put some into my car, so here is what i got so far in my car.

Dr Speed Stage 3 Cold Air Intake.
Custom Vortech Exhaust System
8 mm MSD Spark Plugs

You can view my car here:
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/286152

Right now my best 1/4 Mile time with those mods are 15.4

My questions is this, I am looking to gain some HP as we all are. Especially in my RPM's right after 1st gear.
Here are my thoughts on what I am thinking to get. Whats your thoughts and suggestions? Do you know a better place to buy other then PFYC. Let me know. I can get all of my stuff installed for free, my uncle is an automacanic.

Mod Thoughts:
Digital Horsepower PCM - Alero on PFYC for 99.00
RSM Lightweight Alternator Pulley on PFYC for 80.00
RSM Lightweight Crankshaft Pulley on PFYC for 160.00
And finally getting a new K&N Filter, mine is 3 years old for 50.00 at Pep Boys.

Any suggestions, thoughts, or comments? I am serious about these buys.

[-Alero-]

if your making GOOD money, look into more serious stuff as well, like headers, cylinder heads, cam, P&P intake manifolds, new TB.

also an oil cooler is always nice for your motor, as well as an aftermarket tranny cooler.

your tranny is your weakest link, especially when hot.

also about the PCM, if your willing to pay for high octane gas, with prices now feel free to buy it, but i put of buying the PCM until gas prices go down.

Sorry, I am looking to make good money, but not that good to afford those. Maybe some but 800 bucks for headers is too high. I am looking at 500 bucks max

[battistoni21]

many people told me not to get the crank pulley without getting the alt pulley.....

i would def go with headers like alero said..... you have your exhaust and intake.... headers will make your car breathe even more.....

just my .02.....

[14alero]

You dont have to run High octane gas on a pcm Ive ran Cam 2 and regular 87 octane it doesnt make a difference

[alerored04]

I have the fast forward performance underdrive pulley, i noticed quicker revs from it but im not sure if it is worth what i paid for it, im pretty sure its cheaper than the rsm one and i have heard that it is more effective. I retrospect i think i would have put that money towards somthing else, but it is fun how quick it revs so its hard to pass judgment on it. i have heard good things about the 62mm tb from rsm or maybe a donkey punch performance polished one, its stock size but smoothed out pretty nice. Check out www.donkeypunchperformance.com for some ideas, i have his heads, intake manifolds w/ ls1 valve springs and the tb, i love them all, amazing how much more power comes from a little polishing. I also have the dhp pcm and i love it, well worth the 100 bucks and extra 10 cents a gallon, one of the better mods out there, you will enjoy this one. other than that i havent got much to add. Hope this helped.

I appreciate the suggestions and comments, it looks as though many ppl can agree on the PCM. Now whats your thoughts on those pulleys?

[alerored04]

its been a year since i put mine on so i really dont remember how the car behaved without it, i do remember being pleased with it when it went on. I do suggest if you want to do them that you look at the underdriven and lightened one from ffp i have heard on gagt.com that it is better than the rsm lightened only one.

[Wildman]

HEADERS HEADERS HEADERS

They are the building block you should put in place before you do anything else. Look at it like this.... The combined money you spend on other mods will not add up to the HP gains you will get from spending the same money on headers. Headers, then get a PCM. Or vise-versa. Eitherway, do them at or near the same time for best results. Let your engine breath and the rest of your mods afterwards will enhance all fall into place.

[Wildman]

Oh and also, as far as not wanting to pay for premium fuel because gas is expensive now...... Maybe I'm doing the math wrong, but lets say low grade regular fuel is $0.99 like the good old days. That means premium is about .20 (average) higher than the cheap stuff, so that puts us at $1.19 per gallon for premium. After a 10 gal. fillup (to make the math easy) that means your spending $2.00 more by filling up with premium than regular. Now then, lets say today gas is $2.99 and premium is roughly, again around 0.20 more per gallon, making it $3.19. After a 10 gallon fillup, its still only $2 more than filling up with regular fuel. So its always going to be about the same extra cash to fill up whether its $0.99 a gallon or 5.99 a gallon. Thats how you have to look at it. It's really not much difference for the most part.

[Cliff8928]

I have the FFP crank pulley on my 3400 too ( http://www.fastfwdperformance.com ). I can't really say how much it improved anything because i never drove it with the stock pulley on it.

Originally posted by -Alero-@May 9 2006, 03:30 AM
also an oil cooler is always nice for your motor, as well as an aftermarket tranny cooler.

your tranny is your weakest link, especially when hot.

Quoted post

is there a tranny cooler kit for the alero? if so... where to buy?

thx
ron

Anyone have suggestions on best place to buy headers, company, and price? price is everything!

if i had the cash i would do the ecm upgrade, and the underdrive pully.

[-Alero-]

Originally posted by RoninKouga+May 9 2006, 02:40 AM--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(RoninKouga @ May 9 2006, 02:40 AM)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--QuoteBegin--Alero-@May 9 2006, 03:30 AM
also an oil cooler is always nice for your motor, as well as an aftermarket tranny cooler.

your tranny is your weakest link, especially when hot.

Quoted post

is there a tranny cooler kit for the alero? if so... where to buy?

thx
ron

Quoted post

[/b][/quote]


you gotta shop around on summit racing and find kits that you can adapt to your car. not too hard to find but harder to install.....

Ok i am getting headers lol. Now what after headers, PCM?

[-Alero-]

Originally posted by Orion@May 9 2006, 11:14 PM
Ok i am getting headers lol. Now what after headers, PCM?

Quoted post

that'd be nice and pullies too. but once you get that crank pulley go to a stealership and ge ta crank case relearn, and be sure to tell them not to reset your PCM just relearn the crankcase.

The Pullys on PFYC's site the right ones, from RSM?

not too hard to find but harder to install.....

and that was my prblm w/ this summit ones. how to adapt. there must be one kit especially for the alero somewhere out there ...?

[BlackJack]

headers will probably be your (single item) highest HP gain.

Pulley - FFP underdrive, not the RSM lightened.