Best bang for my buck

[need4speed129]

I love my 05 Elantra but it just doesn't have enough power. When I pull out in traffic I want the low end torque to get me going and not have to worry of the guy behind me rear ending me. So if your on like a $1,000 budget, what would get me the most bang for my money. The options I've seen so far is:

- CAI or SRI
- Catback exhaust
- Bigger throttle body
- New plug wires
- Re-programmed ECU

Which of those would you guys chose? Or are there better things out there. Try and keep in mind that I don't know much about cars so won't be able to modify too much.

[03SilverBullet]

Intake and a catback

[jeffv1970]

Intake and a catback
Plus the TB, havent seen much gains considering the money spent on a re-program ecu.

[ricerrx7]

Intake and exhaust usually lose torque though. I would suggest underdrive pulley, cam gear (with dyno time), throttle body coolant bypass, and then save more money for a superchager.

[Cypher]

why do dyno time with the cam gear? ford showed 2whp and 4 lbs torque gain at 4 degrees advanced

[ricerrx7]

It's just best to do it yourself. Who's to say that it's going to react the same with different mods?

[fgummett]

why do dyno time with the cam gear? ford showed 2whp and 4 lbs torque gain at 4 degrees advancedI don't think you can do the cam timing changes with the '05.. isn't it a CVVT?

[ricerrx7]

oops, sorry, wasn't paying attention...

[korai9989]

don't reprogram the ECU, cause you'll have to do it again, after the other mods...

[05xd]

Nitrous!!!!!!!!

[slow 2K2GT]

yeah nitrous would be a good route but then you need to keep paying for refills, its hit and miss with that. Heres what I would do

Tib Sway
Cold air intake
Lowering springs
Underdrive crank pulley
2.25" Exhaust

I know you said that you know little about vehicles but im sure you know someone who does and all the above mods are fairly easy, well minus the exhaust which you wont do anyhow just go to a shop and have em bend one. Crank pulley well thats just a bolt, off with the old on with the new...plus the belts, but im sure youve changed a belt once or twice in your life...and well if you havent than add this to the mod list.

Shop manual for your car (2001-present will work minus the VVT for XD2 of course)

Good luck man!

[XDGT03]

Dave, where are you on this? I thought you were the Ninja?

[pjc6281]

Intake and exhaust usually lose torque though. I would suggest underdrive pulley, cam gear (with dyno time), throttle body coolant bypass, and then save more money for a superchager.


I dont think you will lose torque with the intake alone. Just dont go over 2.75 in diameter and you will have the best of both worlds. And for exhaust he has to use a muffler that is chambered like the aero chamber by hooker.

[ricerrx7]

I lost low end punch with both an SRI and CAI. Technically the max torque numbers increased, but in the lower rpm's i lost some power.

[quickfingerz]

If you have an automatic, I don't think it matters. 1st gear in the auto is a long, slow gear. The manual is almost a full second faster to 30 mph.

[pjc6281]

Yea i noticed when i had the 2.5 diameter cai on my auto it was alot sharper than stock or bigger sized cai's. I did it with and without the ecu reset to compare and it stayed the same

[Need4SpeedXD]

A CAI and Catback will definatly decrease your low end torque.. How do I know? I have both, but Highway driving is much much faster... For max low end torque the stock setup is unfortunatly the best in my opinion. If you want leave the stock exhaust and try a 2.25 inch CAI. I have 3".

[2loud2k2xd]

Dave, where are you on this? I thought you were the Ninja?

sorry, im slipping scott
one word....can yoe guess what im going to say?

nitrous.

the end :D