What would you do first? Which would see a better bang for the buck?

Assume the car in question has the supporting mods for both of these options (Intake, Headers, etc)

ZZP'* Full IC is around $1000, A cam package with everything is around $1000

The IC'd car will be able to run a 3.0" Pulley with full timing and no KR
The Cam'd car will be able to run a 3.2" Pulley with full timing and no KR

The IC seems easier to me. It may cost a few hundred bucks more (fuel rail modification, 42lb injectors for 2.9/3.0 pulleys) but it seems like it would give more gain.

Also will the full height IC fit in the 96-99 and 00-03 SSEis?

I'm wondering if you can elaborate on what is included in both the IC and the Cam packages for those costs. My understanding was that an IC cost much more for the full setup and from my own experience a cam is $300 + misc gaskets/fluids etc of about $50-$100.

An intercooler is not necessarily a power adder, it is an intake charge cooler and also would not necessarily support the amount of air moved by a 3.0 pulley without injectors etc. (I do not have hard information on if it will or won't support a 3.0, but believe it would not).

A cam does change the amount of air moved by the engine/heads. This does increase power.

Something else to consider is that increasing power is not necessarily about how small of a pulley you can run. As Todd from Intense has taught me, there can be a much greater increase in power from tuning and adding in timing than from adding more air by itself.

In your position I did a ton of research and found the combination I went with, knowing that at a later time an intercooler can be added. The needs for your car and driving style may depend a lot on your location and being at higher altitudes.

In short, if I had to do it all over again, I would of gotten an IC first. It'* not a power adder, but it allows you to maximize your current mods and helps put less stress on the motor. (I'd also highly recommend the GM pump and INTENSE heat exchanger instead of the one'* that come with most kits.. )

Before I got the IC, the car was VERY sensitive to daily temp changes (i.e KR). With the IC, I get more consistent performance over a wider variety of weather. (It'* nice for it to be 90* degrees outside and I'm still able to punch it to pass someone without gobs of knock.)

To echo what Bill said, "Something else to consider is that increasing power is not necessarily about how small of a pulley you can run. As Todd from Intense has taught me, there can be a much greater increase in power from tuning and adding in timing than from adding more air by itself."

Once you start getting in beyond the basic mods (pulley, intake, t-stat) you should invest in a tuner. IMHO, cookie-cutter flashed PCMs sometimes hurt more than they help.

Just my 2 cents.

P.*. I'd also recommend a trans shift kit once you start increasing horsepower. It will help with prolonging the life of your stock trans.

An intercooler allows you to run more boost which makes power. An intercooler by itself does not add power. Depending on the intercooler in question you may be able to add .1 to .2 tenths pullely size (1-4 lbs) with a short stack and more with a full size.

A cam on the other hand adds more power and not only under boost. It increases the powerband of the motor and broadens it. In addition to the power gain of the cam you can usually run a smaller pulley as well because the cam helps move the air. This is in affect the same thing as what an intercooler will do for you to an extent.

In my opinion there is no contest here. Cam the car and then once you get serious put a gen V on the car and get your intercooler then when all of the other mods have been done. If I had to do it all over again I would have done my heads first before the intercooler and done the intercooler last.

Shouldn't Hans address his exhaust (i.e headers or PEMs) before considering the next mods?

Yes of course but I was going with:

Cam. Hands down.

x2.

You will be happier with the cam.

Oops didn't see that. .


My vote is for the Cam.

Cam. More power under the curve.