[DarwinSays]

Warranty-Safe Mods

just thought i'd get some quick feedback on what some good warranty-safe performance mods for my '04 SVT w/24k...

everyone likes to rant and rave about my package, but i'm still one of the slowest of the bunch, hehe.
low-end torque would be nice...
thanks for any input,

-Paul

 

[OrangeSVTguy]

cold air intake and a cat back exhausta are good. just watch for the deep puddles lol

 

[DarwinSays]

yeah, if I go with cold air it'd be a convertible unit - plenty of puddles on MI roads =p

i'm plenty happy with the stock exhaust for now.

other mods i've been considering are an additional ground wire kit, some iridium plugs / (suggestions on plug wires?), strut tower bar, that *grumblegrumble* rear motor mount, and depending on how much the low end bog annoys me in the next ~5k mi i might just say forkit and swap the TB for dan's stage 2 (he's still making those, right?)

aside from the TB, none of those will affect the warranty, right?

 

[OrangeSVTguy]

i remember hearing something about ground wireing kit kills the warrenty but don't take my word for it. it all depends on how the dealership acts towards it. but really anything that they can prove caused the malfunction kills it but only if they can prove it.

 

[dannybohhy]

As far as warrenties go a dealership could give you the "finger" at any point for almost any mod. It really depends how accomidating your dealership is.

 

[focustech]

If you put on any mods besides a catback or ground wire kit, just make sure you remove them when you take it in for warranty work, there is not enough proof on a performance stand point on the ground wire kit to void a warranty, I personally think they should have a better ground system from factory, with the cai it can cause maf problems if it get over oiled, ford claims they also don't filter down small enough particles of dust and can damage a engine ie: pistion wall scoring, dusted turbos on diesels. I am not a fan of aftermarket plugs I would go with a copper ford plug WD40 has the part # on here somewhere I have seen platinum plugs melt the electrod out, seen the electrode porcelen insulator break-split down the middle and I guess the engine ate it, plug wires I would go with ford racing parts, the closer your car appears to stock the less hassle you will have at the dealer

 

[DarwinSays]

right on - thanks for the feedback guys. I guess I can just up and ask them before i do anything to it then, since the car is going in real soon for work anyway (TSB / soft clutch, heat shield, sunroon reprogram, and $sensors/filters$).

The dealership I go to handles a lot of sport vehicles, so it seems to me theres a good chance they'll be lenient. crossin my fingers in the meantime, heh.

 

[PIAAFocus]

As long as the part that you install does not cause any problems, it will not void your warranty at all. As for the CAI, I would HIGHLY SUGGEST a By-Pass Valve, which is only another $35-$40 and will save your ass. I had one on my 00 ZTS and went through a foot deep puddle, took in water and the bypass valve did not let anything through to the engine. On the other hand my friend with an LS swap in a Civic blew his motor by not spending the extra few bucks. Just my $.02

 

[DarwinSays]

As long as the part that you install does not cause any problems, it will not void your warranty at all. As for the CAI, I would HIGHLY SUGGEST a By-Pass Valve, which is only another $35-$40 and will save your ass. I had one on my 00 ZTS and went through a foot deep puddle, took in water and the bypass valve did not let anything through to the engine. On the other hand my friend with an LS swap in a Civic blew his motor by not spending the extra few bucks. Just my $.02

yes, I was aware of the bypass valve option, but a convertible unit is much more reliable in terms of protection from water...i'd put a valve in either way. good lookin out though =)