PontiacBonnevilleClub.com

Ok, so I've had my '01 SSEi for about 3 years now and after finally getting over the initial thrill of driving this bad boy (my first car was a '90 Volvo, dont ask...) I've decided its time to do a little modding. However, being fairly new to this sort of thing I happened across your website of Pontiac enthusiast and decided to ask whats the best and easiest way to gain a little more power? Keeping in mind my baby is bone stock. Thanks, I appreciate any help you guys can give me.

a fenderwell intake from intense racing, a 180* thermostat, and depending on how much you want to spend, a step smaller supercharger pulley (without many supporting mods, a 3.5 might be a good choice)
open up the exhaust a little (downpipe, headers/ported manifolds) and drop another pulley size.. along with colder plugs

check out the level 1 performance package
http://www.intense-racing.com/Merchant2 ... ory_Code=P

And to make sure it is tuned up and running well before you start modding.

Thanks guys for the quick replies.

Yeah, make sure your car is in top condition before you even think about modding (plugs wires fluids and filters)

and if you havent already, if you have dex-cool coolant GET IT OUT!

Yeah I pretty much figured the car should be running solid before trying to mod it. By the way, I'm curious about whats bad with dex-cool and what should it be replaced with?

Dex-cool.

http://www.pontiacbonnevilleclub.com/fo ... =39&t=1668

In short it eats away at the intake gaskets.

Yea, thats an eye opener.

does dex cool come stock from the fac. in an 02 se ?????

Yes, it came factory in all Bonnevilles from 96-97+, IIRC, along w/ all other GM models. It has been reformulated at some point, however.

If you have any questions about what should be replaced and when as far as maintenance goes, hopefully this will help.

• 1987-2005 Bonneville / Buick 3800 Maintenance List
  
  Brand Suggestions are in the parentheses.
  
  Run Seafoam through gasoline and intake every 5,000 miles. One pint of Seafoam in a half tank of fuel is a good mix. The intake is optional, but recommended.
  
  Grease: Ball Joints, Tie Rods Every 8-10k (Green Grease recommended) http://www.greengrease.net/
  Air Filter Every 15k (Amsoil EaA, Purolator PureONE)
  PCV Valve Every 30k
  MAF Sensor Element Cleaning/TB Cleaning Every 50k http://www.pontiacbonnevilleclub.com/fo ... =48&t=1661
  Fuel Filter Every 20-25k (Purolator, AC Delco, WIX)
  Spark Plugs Every 30-50k (NGK TR55 or Autolite 605) (Never Bosch)
  Ignition Wires Every 30-50k (Napa Belden, AC Delco, Autolite Pro, NGK) (Never Taylor or Bosch)
  Oil & Filter Every 5-8k or Every 6 months (If using Amsoil, refer to their website) (Mobil1 or Amsoil)(Mobil1, Purolator PureONE, Amsoil EaO or WIX) (Never Fram) http://www.pontiacbonnevilleclub.com/fo ... f=45&t=214
  *Conventional Oil Every 3k/3 months(Pennzoil with a WIX (Napa), Delco or Purolator filter)
  Transmission Flush Every 20-30k (Always make sure filter is changed when flushed)
  *Transmission w/ Oversize Aux Cooler* 30-50k
  Cooling System Flush Every 25-50k or Annually (Peak or Prestone Green Coolant Only) (Never Dexcool)
  Oxygen Sensor Every 85-100k (30k for non-heated) (AC Delco or Denso) (Absolutely never Bosch) http://www.pontiacbonnevilleclub.com/fo ... f=48&t=794
  
  *Special Considerations*
  All 3800s, LG3, LN3, L27, L36, L26, L67 & L32, especially important on vehicles factory installed with orange Havoline Dexcool Antifreeze/Coolant: http://www.dex-cool.net/
  Lower Intake Manifold Gasket Replacement, every 80-100k (ignorance of this can allow coolant to enter your engine oil, this happening can cause irreversible lower engine damage, requiring replacement of subject engine)
  
  Series II, Naturally Aspirated, RPO:L36:
  Upper Intake Manifold Plenum Replacement, every 80-100k (ignorance of this can allow coolant to enter your intake manifold, possible damage to occur can be hydrolock, irreversible damage to emissions devices, misfires, etc. Most times, engine replacement is required if ignored long enough.) http://www.pontiacbonnevilleclub.com/fo ... =53&t=1061
  
  Rev 2/19/09

Good Advice! I'll start working my way through it here within the week.

wow! Thanks 4 the tip... What do u recommend i replace it w ? obviously the green stuff butt is there a certain brand u'd go w?

FLUSH it completely by purchasing an inexpensive flush/fill kit. That's covered in Techinfo, link at the top of the page. The DEX Techinfo ( www.dex-cool.net ) covers what to replace it with. Green is fine, or 'mixes with any'. NOT DEX compatible. There's a difference.

Prestone Mixes w/ any color is reccommended. Normal Ethylene Glycol coolant makes a wonderful sludge w/ dex that will clog up your cooling system. Make sure it says mixes w/ any color coolant.

If you know your flush is complete, there will be nothing for the green to sludge up with.

Treu, but better to play it safe.

bonnevillain wrote:a fenderwell intake from intense racing, a 180* thermostat, and depending on how much you want to spend, a step smaller supercharger pulley (without many supporting mods, a 3.5 might be a good choice)
open up the exhaust a little (downpipe, headers/ported manifolds) and drop another pulley size.. along with colder plugs

check out the level 1 performance package
http://www.intense-racing.com/Merchant2 ... ory_Code=P

the compny u sent that link for only seems to do kits for 1997 on. i have a 94? any help?

94 is Series 1, 97 is Series 2. You are limited on what you can do compared to a Series 2, but the Series 1 has other benefits.