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Here is a great list of some beginner bolt on modifications that will net you a little more horsepower but won't require you to dive into your motor elbow deep to tear things apart.
This list is a starter and will be updated and added to as needed as both the knowledge-base and aftermarket grows further. Anyone who would like to contribute to this list can post below and I will update the original post.
What: Cold Air Intakes - These are designed to increase cool air delivered to your engine resulting in more horsepower and overall efficiency. Well designed systems isolate the intake opening from the heat generated within the engine bay allowing only the coolest available air to be sucked into the engine. The best designed systems will take advantage of the cars forward motion and look to use a ram air effect where possible to help force the air into the engine.
How: Cooler air is denser air meaning it contains more oxygen molecules per volume. More Oxygen + more fuel + spark = more horsepower.
Some of the 2010-2011 5th Gen V6 Camaro Cold Air Intake kits available can be found through:
What: Catback Exhaust Systems - Designed to provide bigger tubing from the catalytic converter back to the muffler to reduce backpressure of the exhaust and thus create more horsepower. Catback exhaust systems will also give you a much more aggressive/louder exhaust note due to the less restrictive nature of the system. Well designed systems will use mandrel bent tubing to ensure the smoothest flow of exhaust gases to the tailpipe thus reducing backpressure as much as possible. Mufflers depending on manufacturer will be "tuned for sound through elimination or implementation of chambers or other materials used within their construction/design.
How: The quicker your car can expel the spent gases and fuel from your exhaust chambers, the faster and more efficiently it can burn more air and fuel creating more horsepower.
5th Gen Camaro Exhaust Thread for sound reference.
Some Catback exhaust systems for the 5th Gen V6 Camaro are:
What: Axle Back Exhaust and Muffler/Deletes- Designed primarily for sound replace the piping from your axle the back of the car and typically delete your muffler. Very minimal performance gains are seen with just an axle back exhaust and the sound will never be as throaty as a full exhaust system.
How: By replacing your pipes from the axle back and eliminating your muffler you'll typically save approximately 8-15lbs in weight while also eliminating minimal restrictions caused by the muffler by replacing them with pipes. Due to the bottle neck in exhaust gases up to the axle, very minimal if any performance gains are had with this setup.
Some axle back exhaust systems for the 5th gen v6 Camaro are:
What: Headers - Bolting to the heads of your motor headers are the first step in making it easy for your engine to expel exhaust gases from the cylinders. Just like the catback exhaust functions to reduce backpressure in the engine, the headers play a similar role, get the exhaust gases out as quickly as possible to allow for maximized combustion on the next stroke.
How: Each cylinder will have it's own tube in the header that it expels spent gases to. In the case of the v6 Camaro you'll have 3 tubes on each side that run into a single collector. Well designed headers will fine tune the collector and tube lengths to allow for scavenging of exhaust gases.
Some 5th Gen V6 Camaro headers are here:
What: Underdrive pulleys - Is when you replace your current crankshaft pulley with a unit that is smaller and typically lighter than the stock unit and functions to slow the rotation of the entire accessories system down and frees up horsepower.
How: By slowing the accessories down you reduce the amount of horsepower needed / lost in order to turn those accessories which translates to more usable horsepower being transmitted to the wheels. A lighter pulley also means less rotational mass. Less rotational mass means you'll have a faster revving engine. Do make a note however that when slowing the accessories down, cars that have big stereo setups may kill their battery much quicker due to the reduced output of the alternator at low/idle speeds.
Some underdrive pulleys for the 5th Gen V6 Camaro are here:
What: Throttlebody- Not much explanation needed here - a bigger throttlebody will allow more air into the engine at each crack of the butterfly and make for a snappier throttle response. Keep in mind that there is a point where you will see diminishing returns if the throttlebody is too big for your modifications.
How: More volume in the throttlebody = more air going into the motor
Some bigger throttlebodies for the 5th Gen V6 Camaro are here:
Wet Kits add an injector nozzle before the throttlebody to help with fueling requirements. A dry kit only injects nitrous through its jets leaving all fueling to come from the cars fuel injectors. Each type of kit has its advantages and disadvantages.
How: Heated nitrous oxide splits into oxygen and nitrogen molecules. When it is injected into the engine a rush of oxygen becomes immediately available for combustion - More oxygen + more fuel + spark = more horsepower. Typical nitrous setups have jets that range from 50 - 200hp.
Some nitrous kits that are available specifically for the 5th gen V6 Camaro is here:
This list is a starter and will be updated and added to as needed as both the knowledge-base and aftermarket grows further. Anyone who would like to contribute to this list can post below and I will update the original post.
What: Cold Air Intakes - These are designed to increase cool air delivered to your engine resulting in more horsepower and overall efficiency. Well designed systems isolate the intake opening from the heat generated within the engine bay allowing only the coolest available air to be sucked into the engine. The best designed systems will take advantage of the cars forward motion and look to use a ram air effect where possible to help force the air into the engine.
How: Cooler air is denser air meaning it contains more oxygen molecules per volume. More Oxygen + more fuel + spark = more horsepower.
Some of the 2010-2011 5th Gen V6 Camaro Cold Air Intake kits available can be found through:
- K&N Cold Air Intake 2010-2011 V6 Camaro
- AF Dynamic Black Cold Air Intake 2010-2011 V6 Camaro
- Amazon Special 2010-2011 V6 Camaro Intake
- ST Racing 2010-2011 V6 Camaro Cold Air Intake
- SLP V6 Camaro Blackwing Cold Air Intake 2012-2015
- K&N Cold Air Intake 2012-2015 V6 Camaro
- Ares Motorsports V6 Camaro Cold Air Intake 2012-2015
- Catinbow Cold Air Intake 2012-2015 V6 Camaro
- Volant 2012-2013 Camaro Cold Air Intake
What: Catback Exhaust Systems - Designed to provide bigger tubing from the catalytic converter back to the muffler to reduce backpressure of the exhaust and thus create more horsepower. Catback exhaust systems will also give you a much more aggressive/louder exhaust note due to the less restrictive nature of the system. Well designed systems will use mandrel bent tubing to ensure the smoothest flow of exhaust gases to the tailpipe thus reducing backpressure as much as possible. Mufflers depending on manufacturer will be "tuned for sound through elimination or implementation of chambers or other materials used within their construction/design.
How: The quicker your car can expel the spent gases and fuel from your exhaust chambers, the faster and more efficiently it can burn more air and fuel creating more horsepower.
5th Gen Camaro Exhaust Thread for sound reference.
Some Catback exhaust systems for the 5th Gen V6 Camaro are:
- Flowmaster American Thunder Catback Exhaust
- Borla Full Catback Exhaust
- Autozensation dual catback exhaust
- AFE Catback Exhaust System
What: Axle Back Exhaust and Muffler/Deletes- Designed primarily for sound replace the piping from your axle the back of the car and typically delete your muffler. Very minimal performance gains are seen with just an axle back exhaust and the sound will never be as throaty as a full exhaust system.
How: By replacing your pipes from the axle back and eliminating your muffler you'll typically save approximately 8-15lbs in weight while also eliminating minimal restrictions caused by the muffler by replacing them with pipes. Due to the bottle neck in exhaust gases up to the axle, very minimal if any performance gains are had with this setup.
Some axle back exhaust systems for the 5th gen v6 Camaro are:
- Gibson Performance Exhaust System
- MBRP Exhaust System
- Borla Rear Section Exhaust Kit
- Dynomax Exhaust System
What: Headers - Bolting to the heads of your motor headers are the first step in making it easy for your engine to expel exhaust gases from the cylinders. Just like the catback exhaust functions to reduce backpressure in the engine, the headers play a similar role, get the exhaust gases out as quickly as possible to allow for maximized combustion on the next stroke.
How: Each cylinder will have it's own tube in the header that it expels spent gases to. In the case of the v6 Camaro you'll have 3 tubes on each side that run into a single collector. Well designed headers will fine tune the collector and tube lengths to allow for scavenging of exhaust gases.
Some 5th Gen V6 Camaro headers are here:
- https://www.summitracing.com/int/parts/psm-70-2232/overview/year/2010/make/chevrolet/model/camaro
- http://stainlessworks.net/catalog/product/view/id/1690/?__country=CA
- https://race-proven-motorsports.myshopify.com/products/american-racing-headers-long-tube-headers-h-pipe-long-system-2010-camaro-v6
- http://pacesetterexhaust.com/2010-camaro-long-tube-headers.aspx
- http://www.bbkperformance.com/products/2010-15-gen-5-camaro-parts/10-15-camaro-v8-and-v6-exhaust-headers/2010-11-camaro-v6-long-tube-exhaust-header-systems-.html
- https://www.summitracing.com/int/parts/hok-70301302rhkr/overview/year/2010/make/chevrolet/model/camaro
- https://www.summitracing.com/int/parts/hok-70101314rhkr/overview/year/2010/make/chevrolet/model/camaro
- https://www.summitracing.com/int/parts/dte-338-c/overview/year/2010/make/chevrolet/model/camaro
- http://www.bcsauto.com/p-165-2010-2011-camaro-v6-scavenger-series-headers-by-flowmaster.aspx
What: Underdrive pulleys - Is when you replace your current crankshaft pulley with a unit that is smaller and typically lighter than the stock unit and functions to slow the rotation of the entire accessories system down and frees up horsepower.
How: By slowing the accessories down you reduce the amount of horsepower needed / lost in order to turn those accessories which translates to more usable horsepower being transmitted to the wheels. A lighter pulley also means less rotational mass. Less rotational mass means you'll have a faster revving engine. Do make a note however that when slowing the accessories down, cars that have big stereo setups may kill their battery much quicker due to the reduced output of the alternator at low/idle speeds.
Some underdrive pulleys for the 5th Gen V6 Camaro are here:
- http://www.slponline.com/product/100232A--2010-2013-Camaro-V6-Harmonic-Balancer-Underdrive-Pulley.html
- http://www.phastekperformance.com/2010-Camaro-V6-ATI-Underdrive-Balancer-918638-25-p/ati-camaro-balancer-918638.htm
- http://www.phastekperformance.com/2010-2011-Camaro-V6-SLP-Harmonic-Balancer-100232A-p/slp-camaro-balancer-100232a.htm
What: Throttlebody- Not much explanation needed here - a bigger throttlebody will allow more air into the engine at each crack of the butterfly and make for a snappier throttle response. Keep in mind that there is a point where you will see diminishing returns if the throttlebody is too big for your modifications.
How: More volume in the throttlebody = more air going into the motor
Some bigger throttlebodies for the 5th Gen V6 Camaro are here:
- http://www.bcsauto.com/p-88-2010-2011-camaro-v6-80mm-throttle-body-by-overkill-motorsports.aspx
- http://www.bcsauto.com/p-89-2010-2011-camaro-v6-76mm-throttle-body-by-overkill-motorsports.aspx
Wet Kits add an injector nozzle before the throttlebody to help with fueling requirements. A dry kit only injects nitrous through its jets leaving all fueling to come from the cars fuel injectors. Each type of kit has its advantages and disadvantages.
How: Heated nitrous oxide splits into oxygen and nitrogen molecules. When it is injected into the engine a rush of oxygen becomes immediately available for combustion - More oxygen + more fuel + spark = more horsepower. Typical nitrous setups have jets that range from 50 - 200hp.
Some nitrous kits that are available specifically for the 5th gen V6 Camaro is here:
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