2001 Chevy Camaro Z28 - Camaro Performers Magazine

The first thing we wanted to do was get a baseline power pull on our Camaro. Looking back in our files, the Z28 was rated at 310 hp at 5,200 rpm and 340 lb-ft of torque at 4,000 rpm, but in experience we've found this is generally underrated. Still, we were pleasantly surprised when the 110,000-mile Camaro put down 314 hp and 311 pounds of twist to the rear wheels. This was corrected to SAE.

The first thing we wanted to do was get a baseline power pull on our Camaro. Looking back

The thrill of getting a new ride to mess with is only surpassed by seeing that project ratchet-up in performance. Sometimes gearheads get a new and relatively stock ride, then dive in with big-league mods. But if you're short of time, cash, or both, then chances are you're going to take a more incremental approach to making your Camaro performance vision a reality.

Our new (at least to us) 2001 Chevy Camaro Z28 is painfully bone stock. Rather than tackle big-ticket items first, we wanted to start with something a little more basic. Two of the most popular "first mods" for fourth-gen LS-powered Camaros are air intakes and handheld programmers. The intakes help more air get into the engine, which equates to more power, while the programmer performs a plethora of tasks from tuning to adjusting for tire sizes. In the grand scheme of things, they both fall into the "affordable and easy-to-do" category, which is never a bad place to start.

Performance in the Palm of Your Hand
Ever since engines were mated to computers, gearheads have been figuring out ways to tweak the code to induce more performance. Unfortunately it's way easier to get it wrong than it is to get it right. For those of us without the mad skills needed to make sense of the raw programming code there's a solution: the handheld programmer. You can't get as deep into messing with your ride's computer as you can with PC-based programmer, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. This is because it's unlikely you'll end up turning your engine to slag since the handhelds come pre-loaded with tunes that have been dyno tested and proven safe.

But there's more to them than just the tuning tweaks they provide. They can also remove top-speed limiters, adjust for aftermarket tire sizes, change gear ratios, and even remove the dreaded Computer Assisted Gear Selector (CAGS). If you have an automatic, there are more benefits to be had in being able to adjust your transmission's shift points. All of this is in an easy-to-use, menu-driven format. What's not to love?

Here are the main parts of K&Ns FIPK induction system. This kit has been out for years and our tech editor Rupp ran this on his '00 SS Camaro.

Here are the main parts of K&Ns FIPK induction system. This kit has been out for years and
While removing the factory airbox, we found that a seal had failed and had let debris in past the filter. The MAF screen caught most of this. A spray can of MAF sensor cleaner easily cleaned up this mess.

While removing the factory airbox, we found that a seal had failed and had let debris in p

With the pads in place, the panel was then bolted down using the supplied fasteners. We really need to detail the Camaro's engine bay.

With the pads in place, the panel was then bolted down using the supplied fasteners. We re
The corrugated OEM bellows was replaced by this silicone version that came in the K&N kit. To this we secured our now sparkly MAF sensor.

The corrugated OEM bellows was replaced by this silicone version that came in the K&N kit.
The stock induction system is big, cumbersome, and restrictive. While the silencers and baffles help lower noise levels, they do nothing for performance, which is why tossing on a lid is one of the first mods almost every fourth-gen owner does. For our tests, we removed the K&N filter that was in the car and replaced it with a paper version.

The stock induction system is big, cumbersome, and restrictive. While the silencers and ba

The two rubber pads were transferred from the factory panel to the new one in the FIPK kit.

The two rubber pads were transferred from the factory panel to the new one in the FIPK kit
We then secured the other silicone hose piece to the carbon-fiber K&N filter. We also inserted the factory air temp sensor into the filter housing.

We then secured the other silicone hose piece to the carbon-fiber K&N filter. We also inse
The small breather for the emissions system was secured to the bottom driver side of the FIPK shield.

The small breather for the emissions system was secured to the bottom driver side of the F

Voila! Mark this project as done. Total install time was under 30 minutes, and about as easy as anything can be.

Voila! Mark this project as done. Total install time was under 30 minutes, and about as ea
Scratch that, the project really wasn't done until we put the all-important (at least to those of us in California) California Air Resources Board (CARB) certification sticker in place. Now we can rest assured that we won't be offending the smog police.

Scratch that, the project really wasn't done until we put the all-important (at least to t
Our Z28 had already thrown down some pretty healthy power numbers, so we were curious what gain we would see from our rather simple filter install. After a few warm-up pulls, we nailed down 326 hp and 323 lb-ft of torque. That's a rather healthy gain considering the little effort expended.

Our Z28 had already thrown down some pretty healthy power numbers, so we were curious what

With only six buttons to figure out, programming doesn't get any simpler than this. We plugged it into our '01's OBD-II port, flipped on the key, and started following the menu prompts.

With only six buttons to figure out, programming doesn't get any simpler than this. We plu
The SCT X3 handheld tuner (PN 3416) is completely menu-driven. It comes with pre-programmed tunes, but also has the capability to store up to three custom tunes that can be loaded by any of SCT's custom tuning dealers.

The SCT X3 handheld tuner (PN 3416) is completely menu-driven. It comes with pre-programme
To keep things simple, we chose the pre-programmed 91-octane tune. The stock tune was then uploaded into the X3 handheld tuner for safekeeping before the new tune was downloaded. This way it's easy to go back to stock whenever we want. Like the sign says, it's critical that the unit is not unplugged, or the power cut during the programming process.

To keep things simple, we chose the pre-programmed 91-octane tune. The stock tune was the

This is the part where we need to say, "your results may vary." Depending on the car and its current state of tune, you may get a large gain or a small one. Our Camaro was already running pretty good, so our gains were only a couple of horsepower. In addition, since the programmer was stacked on top of the K&N filter install, the law of diminishing returns came into effect. We're pretty sure that if we had done the programming on the stock air intake, the gains would have been larger. These numbers are corrected to SAE and not our standard, more generous STD factor.

This is the part where we need to say, "your results may vary." Depending on the car and i
To us, the other aspects of the X3 handheld are even more important than the engine tuning. With this unit we're able to record our Camaro's PCM data and review it on either the X3 handheld screen or on a laptop PC using SCT's free datalog software, LiveLink. Also, if we ever had a check engine light pop on, we would be able to diagnose the problem and clear the light, without heading to a dealership.

To us, the other aspects of the X3 handheld are even more important than the engine tuning
There was much rejoicing when we found that we could change certain parts of our Z28's programming. The first to go was the annoying Computer Assisted Gear Selector, more commonly referred to as CAGS. This annoying feature tries to force you to skip a gear while shifting. We also ditched the top speed limiter. In the future we will be able to adjust for new, 18-inch rollers, and raise up our rev limiter when we bump up the camshaft a bit. If this were an automatic, we would also be able to set the shift points and firmness. That's a lot of functionality for a unit small enough to fit in our glovebox.

There was much rejoicing when we found that we could change certain parts of our Z28's pro

SOURCE
K&N Filters 1455 Citrus Street Riverside CA 92507 800-858-3333 www.knfilters.com	SCT Performance 976 Florida Central Parkway Suite 136 Longwood FL 32750 407-774-2447 www.sctflash.com

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2001 Chevy Camaro Z28 - Incremental Increase

The First Steps Are Taken To Up The Performance Of Our '01 Z28 Project Car