reflex92

I wanted to start a thread getting everyones C32 performance upgrades and their thoughts about them. How much hp did it give you, how did it feel different, was it worth the cost/performance etc.

I bought my car with the pulley and ECU tune already on it so I don't really know what a stock C32 feels like and have nothing to compare to. I'm looking at upgrading but not sure what would be best. This could also help out for all the other C32 guys looking to make upgrades

I have a Kleemann pulley which is 178m correct? What kind of power am I losing by staying with that pulley vs. the 185mm??

Budget Baller

I have a fully stock C32 (I dunno I've always preferred OEM stock) and I have to say the car on it's on is very fast.

If you already have the Pulley and ECU tune, I suppose you could look at maybe headers and exhaust. I'm sure the real experts will pop in shortly and give you some better suggestions

ddtham

I was debating between 178 and 185. The benefit of 178 is that you can run stacked pulley with 178 and Code 3 SC pulley to give you similar boost to 185. I've read about this on Crossfire forum.

You will have to do a retune if you run stacked 178 and Code 3 SC though to make sure your afr is safe.

reflex92

Oooo stacked you say...please tell me more Where can I find a code 3 pulley? From the little research I did on the site it looks like they are hard to find. Anyone selling one or know where to find one?

jturkel

178 stacked with code3 is similar to 185. someone once thought that there is a chance that the 178 stacked combo MIGHT be better b/c it would be slightly less rotating mass on the crank and, with the code3 stacked, you would get the same boost level but, again, have less parasitic loss due to the lighter/smaller crank pulley. there is ZERO evidence for this, and there will always be a little more belt slip with a smaller s/c pulley, so i stuck with the tried and tested 185. very happy with it. i would recommend the NW PSK for anyone that gets it.

....for either setup, a tune is a MUST....as is a heat exchanger. you will not see anywhere near the potential max boost/power levels with either setup (or even a plain 178 for that matter) without an upgraded one.

....regarding the exhaust comment, once you've got a stacked 178 setup or 185 with an intake and tune, you'll likely only see 10-15whp MAX WITH a retune with headers. that is the only exhaust mod that really nets you some tangible HP/TQ. higher flow primaries, deleted secondaries, and resonator will, if anything, maybe gain you like 5whp AFTER doing headers and save you some weight and make it sound nicer

jturkel

code3performance no longer sells them. check the srt6 website. they might have them there

Newzchspy

You can also stack a Code 3 and a 181 as well. All the guys runing the 185 and Code 3 were throwing lights with or without a tune.

I'd say a Code 3 stacked to a 178 or 181 is probably the optimal way to go for pulley mods. Add a Tune and Quaife and you've got a legitimate 12.4-12.5 car .
and as Josh says, the cooling is very important............

reflex92

I was told that actually the 178mm with a code 3 pulley would creat too much boost and to just go with the 185mm

c32AMG-DTM

Kleemann pulley kit, Kleemann ECU tune, Kleemann LTHs w/ DPs, res delete, stock intake w/ K&Ns, EC HE, CM30. Happy with both the performance (quite noticeable over stock) and the reliability.

Would try the SL55 intake, but like having my front engine cover and don't want to hack it up to use it. I know, that sounds dumb.

reflex92

Nice....what kind of power to you estimate your making?

c32AMG-DTM

Me?

Kleemann doesn't tune as aggressively as some others - so I'm sure that leaves some output on the table. But, IIRC, last time I was on the dyno was around 330 whp or so? Stock was in the high 280's.

Gramma_Benz

Yeah, even with just my 185, I'm at the limit of my injectors...

gt4awd

At the limit of your injectors? They are good to nearly 500HP...

reflex92

Ya i thought the C32 injectors were good for 500+hp

c32///

i tried a 178+ code 3...it was NOT safe..i just did a 178+jerry tune and it runs strong

ddtham

Definitely do a tune if you decide to run 178+Code 3 pullies, or you can do 185+tune and call it a day and maybe sell your 178 separately.

Some people mentioned CEL blinking for running 185 with no tune. I did run 185 without a tune for a week and had to keep my rpm under 5K, that was the hardest week for my right foot

I would also do a dyno run to check for your baseline. But some of the faster C32s runs the following mods for maximum hp:
1. 185 mm pulley
2. ECU tune (dyno tune preferably)
3. SL55 Intake (y-pipe and snorkels) + K&N filters
4. Shorty headers (LTH is very expensive)

And our cars are prone to heatsoak and other things, so the following are required to ensure performance consistencies, increase reliability and get the most out of your mods:
1. Heat exchanger
2. IC pump
3. Intercooler separation kit
4. Needswings Pulley Saver Kit
5. NGK one step colder plugs
6. Resonator delete (better sound)
7. Secondary cats delete
8. R-compound tires

I am sure I am forgetting something, but that's all I can think of now. My car dynoed 297 whp/298 trq when I was stock on a Dynojet and a hot 100F temperature to give you an idea. I still need to do another dyno runs to see where I am at now.

Newzchspy

+1, cept for # 1 above. There are some very strong running C32s with the Code 3 pulley and other mods you list. It may not give the pure boost of the 185, BUT I have never heard of anyone having to worry about throwing a CEL with it either. I have never thrown a CEL with mine BUT C32 Used has thrown many a CEL with his 185.

loungn14

yup, I would do it on a daily basis...

On the pulley size. I was the only one running a 185 and c3 pulley stacked. I had new injectors, and upgrading fueling. Remember I also was gasket matched through the plenums and sc, as well as ported everything.

Do a c3 or a 185 (and tune) and call it a day......

ddtham

Newz,

I agree, I guess I should say it depends on where you live whether you'd throw CEL with 185 or not I live 5000 ft above sea level and has never thrown any CEL with my tuned 185.

I was thinking that perhaps the thin air was pulling on the timing, thus the 185 is not giving full boost even in 25 F temperature.

gt4awd

Agreed, I'm in the same high altitude conditions and know for sure I'm not getting max boost. Which I would say is to be expected. I've seen 19PSI MAX boost in my area.

c32AMG-DTM

I don't know that the thin air would lead to a pulled-timing condition... you'd have to datalog to verify. What it does do, is lower your max boost pressure on a S/C'd vehicle vs. sea level, and also would make it unlikely that you'd run lean at high load/high rpm. The same reasons that alititude lowers your non-corrected hp/tq levels are the reasons you have greater safety margins as well. The most-stressful conditions for the M112K fuel system to keep up with an overdriven S/C would be cold, dense, dry, sea-level air. Those conditions see the highest output, best track times, and most popped motors, for any make/model, in my experience.

That makes sense. Whereas 185-pullied cars at lower altitude routinely see 22+ PSI max. Just the nature of the beast, when dealing with supercharged systems driven mechanically off of crank rpms. As I understand it, modern turbo motors don't suffer to quite the same extent, as the turbos can be driven relatively harder at altitude to meet the boost targets and lambda values the ECU is looking for.

Apox

What kinda price are we looking at for some of these mods, with installation?

ddtham

I stand corrected. The higher altitude and thin air caused the SC to have less dense air to force into the engine. I was thinking about how high IAT causes the car to pull timing.

1. 185 mm pulley, EC had a special before for $1100 I think for both pulley and mail-in tune plus maybe $150 (1.5 hr average) for pulley installation
2. ECU tune (dyno tune preferably)
3. SL55 Intake (y-pipe and snorkels) + K&N filters, $350 for 55K intake from parts.com plus $90 for K&N
4. Shorty headers (LTH is very expensive), I heard that headers are a pain to install but figure $700 for shorties or $1300 for LTH

And our cars are prone to heatsoak and other things, so the following are required to ensure performance consistencies, increase reliability and get the most out of your mods:
1. Heat exchanger, $400 ish+$200 installation
2. IC pump, $150+$100 installation
3. Intercooler separation kit, $50
4. Needswings Pulley Saver Kit, $230+install it at once with your crank pulley
5. NGK one step colder plugs $85
6. Resonator delete (better sound) $45
7. Secondary cats delete (tried to do this, but no local shop is willing)
8. R-compound tires

Newzchspy

I am more talking about stacked pulleys throwing CELs than a 185 or a Code 3 alone. Even the guys running stacked are prone to throw CELs. If I were looking for ultimate performance, I'd go like Jake except using a 181 and a Code 3 stacked with a tune. That way fuel delivery should be fine as boost will remain within limits.

Newzchspy

Code 3 (if found) , 181 or 185 crank with Tune, less than a thousand bucks.........EC has a special on them and no one knows the C32 like Jake from EC.........(he had one)

Again, if you go with 181 or 185, you need a Needswings PSK for it too or you'll overdrive everything