Note: Even though this is mainly for 3rd gen tpi f-bodies, most of these steps can be performed on any car.
This is the very first thing anybody should do to a car. If you have never done these or it has been a while since you have, well then it needs to be done. To make any major mods work to their full potential, it is important that the engine is working at it's full potential.
Spark Plugs
These should be changed at least every 50,000 miles. Get a good quality plug and you will feel a definite improvement. There are many different types of plugs in many different price ranges. I have heard many reccomendations for Bosch Platinums. I prefer Rapidfires myself. They are about $3 and change each. Splitfires are definitely not worth it.
These should be checked every 50,000 miles. Just check to see if they are still in good condition. Some of the better wires will last 100,000 miles. There are many good brands out there. Make sure to get one 8mm thick or more. MSD is my preference at $65 for the 8.5mm. Other brands such as Accel, Mallory, and Moroso are great wires for anywhere between $30-$65.
These should be replaced every 50,000 miles. Accel makes a performance cap and rotor kit for $20. Hypertech also makes cap, rotor, and coil kit for $75
A few companies make direct replacement coils. Hypertech, Summit, and Accel all make good products that range between $40-$75. If you plan on changing to an aftermarket ignition system with an external coil then you might want to hold off on this until you do.
A K&N filter is definitely the people's choice here. They come in direct replacement form for all cars and trucks for about $45 each. One good feature is that they never need to be replaced. Just clean them every so often. K&N says to clean them every 50,000 miles, but I recommend cleaning them every 12,000. Especially if you have a ram air system.
I would suggest checking these every 12,000 miles just to make sure they are still at factory secifications.
This includes engine oil, transmission fluid, gear oil, anti-freeze, and brake fluid, and clutch fluid. I recommend using full synthetic as a replacement for all of these. Engine oil and filter should be changed every 3,000 miles. I suggest Havoline 10w-30 full synthetic. It retails for $3 a quart. Synthetic oil is not recommended in a new engine becaue it needs time to break in and the synthetic fluid does not allow that break in. Minor leaks are symptomatic of synthetic oil. The oil does not make the leaks, it only breaks down old oil clumps that had these minor leaks clogged up. Transmission fluid and filter should be changed every 12,000 miles. My suggestion here is B&M Trickshift ATF. I have had good results, like harder and sharper shifts, with this. Gear oil should be changed every 50,000 miles. I recommend Castrol Syntec for this. Anti-freeze should be checked about once a month. Make sure it is full with no rust. There are many additives to help stop minor leaks and rust problems. Brake fluid and clutch fluid (for manuals) should also be checked about once a month. Just make sure they are full. If any work is done to the brake or clutch then make sure to bleed the lines and replace any fluid. Redline makes some pretty good products such as synthetic engine oil, transmission fluid, gear oil, grease and assembly lube, cooling system treatment, and fuel injector cleaner. Most retail for $8 a quart. Do not trust any poducts with false claims for instant horsepower or make all that smoke go away. Most of the horsepower additives that go in with your oil are nothing but a really light weight oil and do nothing. Definitely do not use any of the "smoke-B-gone" or "smoke-no-more" products. They are a thick heavy weight oil that will hurt your car and most do not get rid of smoke. Also do not use any of the "Stop Leak" products that you will see. They are also nothing but a heavy weight oil that is supposed to make the oil in you car so thick and sticky that it will clog up those minor oil leaks. I tried this once on a Plymouth Laser. The day after I put it in the car felt like it weighed an extra 500 pounds. My first thought when driving it was that the brakes were locked up and holding the car. It was nothing but the now really thick oil creating so much friction for the little 1.8L 4-cylinder to turn, that in did not want to go. It did not even stop the leaks.
You might not need it now but, when you get some serious mods done to your car, a higer octane fuel will be useful. I use 93 octane myself. Also, I suggest an octane booster every other week. I have used many and I must say that NOS makes the best. Get the off-road formula. It can increase octane by 7 points. They also make a street formula and a racing formula. Run a fuel injector cleaner through your car about once a month. For this I suggest TL-3 fuel injector cleaner. It works. Stay awayfrom the additives that clame to add horsepower. They are usually a joke. I have used many of these products and had bad luck with them. Make sure to read the warnings and cautions on whatever products you do get. Some say that they are unsafe for cataclytic converters and O2 sensors.
Most cars come with 195 degree thermostats. I highly recommend replacing it with a 180 degree thermostat. They cost about $5 and $1 for the gasket. Your now cooler engine will thank you with better performance. Some people use 160 degree thermostats but I have heard that without a chip the car will mess up because of the open/closed loop stuff.
This should be checked periodically to make sure it has not gooten loose. If you have never adjusted it then it is time to do so. To know more see the article in my how to page.
I also highly recommend checking the belts, wires, and hoses periodically. If they start to look old and worn then replace them. It is good to replace them before they break and be better safe than sorry. Wires should have wire looms on them. If any rub marks are noticed on the wire loom then investigate and fix before a wire gets rubbed into. I recommend painting wire looms and hoses. Not only is it an easy wasy to make the engine bay look good but you will quickly notice if something is wrong. I try to keep everything clean so a leak will be more detectable.
Your car should feel like it just came off the showroom floor and you should be tearing up the roads like never before. Now that you have it in good shape, you should work to keep it that way.
You will now begin to feel some definite power even though these are just stepping stones to where the real power is. Keep in mind that these most of these mods are custom. In other words, they will not cost you money but, they will cost you some time and labor. I highly recommend that anyone with TPI get a copy of "TPIS Insider's Hints" book.
This is first because I feel it is the most popular mod and is a real power adder. Simply use some sort of ducting to catch air from the front of the car and route it into the intake. I used 6" plastic flex pipe for mine. I ran it from behind the foglight into the air filter box. There are many sights with detailed instructions on how to do this. Depending on what materials get used this could cost anywhere from $5 to $15 dollars.
This mod is completely free unless you mess up. Then it will cost you a boundle for a new sensor. Definitely remove the screens, file down the cooling fins, and file down the inside a bit. This will allow for a good deal more airflow. Some people say not to remove the first screen because it smooths out airflow making it easier for the sensor to read. I have not heard anyone say that they have had a negative performance with removing both screens. It is possible to remove the sensor from it's housing and relocate to a bigger one, but this debate is still going on. Some people say this and some say that, but I have seen no proof either way.
There are many ways to do this, but every car can be done. It does allow more air flowand makes a noticeable difference. I own a Trans Am and to do mine I cut the plastic off the top of the box and drill many holes in the bottom of it. I also replaced the plastic box thingy with some 3" pvc pipe. I have never done a Camaro, but I know that they cut off the box below the air filters.
These can be adjusted for better performance. I am do not currently have the specifications for all of them at this time. I do know that 8 degrees timing is a good starting point. Depending on if you run a supercharger or nitrous this may need to be changed. I suggest playing with all of these settings while at the track to see for yourself what works with your car and combination of mods.
This is one of those "every little bit helps" mod. It is really easy to do. Just diconnect the heater hoses from the throttle body and connect them together. Some people say this adds 5 horsepower some say it adds nothing. The only reason someone should not do it is if they live in a very cold climate. I feel this will make the incoming air a little cooler and cooler air is better air. I have heard an idea about running another heater hose from the throttle body to the front of the car and attaching a small funnel there so that it will pick up air and run it through the throttle body to cool it more. I have been contemplating using a small 12volt pump to circulate cold water through the throttle body to cool it considerably. This should also help keep the intake cool.
I have seen people make throttle body spacers from cutting boards and some actually buy phenolic plasctic to make them. I have seen phenolic intake spacers for other cars, but never a thirdgen. The idea is to put a spacer between the intake and engine to stop heat transfer keeping the intake cool.
This basically cuts out some parasitic drag on the engine. On circle track cars there is a switch between the alternator and battery. Flip the switch and the alternator is nothing but a free wheeling pulley. On hei cars this can cause a loss in power because the ignition would be running on 12 volts instead of the 14.4 the alternator usually supplies. There are ways around this but they are not free. Look for more on this in my how to section.
Wire your electric fan to a switch located inside the car so you can manually cut it on if you choose. This way you can keep it on to get the car as cool as possible before you run it and then cut it off when it comes time to race. You will want all accesories off so that all power can go to the ignition and the alternator will have as little drag as possible.
You can simply disonnect the belt from the smog pump to cut down on parasitic drag or go all out and remove the pump and all pertaining lines to make the car lighter and really clean up the engine bay a good bit. Also the catalytic converter can be gutted or removed and a pipe welded in its place. Also any muffler can be gutted for that loud ass old truck sound (Its free horsepower).
The formula is that for every 100 pounds that your car loses, you will gain a tenth of a second in the quarter. Removing the spare tire and jack are easy ways to lose weight. Some people have gone as far as removing the a/c. This loses weight parasitic drag and cleans up the engine bay. Keep you car clean. It will run and look a lot better without the 15 pounds of trash in the floor boards and 65 pounds of mud in the fenderwells. Also if you have a subwoofer box, do not take it to the track. Nobody there wants to hear it. If you are going out cruising on a Friday night, then take your music along. If you are going out looking for some street racing then I suggest leave it at home. Some people go sa far as removing seats, carpeting, interior panels, and power accesories just for that little bit of an edge. It is up to you how far you want to go.