Doing mods is no easy task. Everyone wants the easy and straight forward answer. It’s never r easy, but knowledge and people you know or can meet can go a long way. Internet full of information. Its also who you get your info from is another. I hope my experience here will help many of you decide what level you want to take your ats 2.0 too. The higher to take your car to higher performance mods the more maintenance too. Sensors will need replaced more often.
Anyway zzperformance is a company that has great quality, and fast customer responses. I counted my emails and their must be 150 emails from me. Wow right. If you decide to buy performance parts then do it on Black Friday early( save 40-70% off. I did on some stuff but I wish I knew they had a sale on Black Friday because I bought my turbo a week before and could have saved $500 bucks. So wait until then and buy everything. You save a lot more then what I did. What’s even better is the shop will not have to fabricate anything, everything from zzp is bolt on. Easy stuff. ( except cams and valve springs) but still your save money their. If you go to a good shop they will charge you around 125 hr. Then the one tune if you go with my suggestion. I paid for two 500 each time. Some shops charge $200 retunes.
I started out just wanting my daily driver to have a few mods. I got the bug though and I keep adding things. Fist thing I would do is get the stage two mods from zzp. Skip the stage one, it’s not noticeable. Stage two you will save money by not be paying for a tuner twice. Even though zzp gives you a tune you still need someone to install it. Save 500 each time. Then find a reputable shop to due the work. Get the cold air intake, intercooler, larger throttle body, tune.
I would also get the cams and valve springs, downpipe, as well as, the nutral balancers ( I dropped a valve after my stage two kit (no catch can system) and the dealer covered it under warranty( I was lucky). A must is get a dual catch can system. I got the Mishi Moto pvc and cvc. It works I get around 4.oz of oil in the cans. If not right back in my valves. It keeps oil vapor off your valves. Direct injection bad when it comes to failed valves. Oil vapor gets in their and junks up and they fail. Not a single problem since I installed the cams. If you go with the stage two 3500 including install. I made 325hp and 370 lbs torque with stage two. I think most of you would be happy with stage two.
Also know what dyno will be used because their not all the same. They will very in hp but not so much in torque. Weird right. I had my guys worked checked twice( I was lucky some business due dyno days and you pay 100 bucks, some due it for fee. So it’s interesting to try different Dyno’s. His work was done right.
Then if you want to go further you can just buy a larger turbo you won’t need anything else. Just a $40 upgrade tune, if you get a larger turbo from zzp they have one, but in my opinion it’s a little too much. Now their a company that takes your stock turbo and upgrades the internals. It’s called Vermont tuning. If I did mine all over again I go with them. I spend 2000 just in the zzp zfr turbo.
My car making to much power for the pistons and rods now. I need to buy forged ones. So now I have to spend 1500 for parts and 4000 to pull the motor, all so I don’t throw a rod. But I know my car will have over 550 hp and twrq. It be very reliable. Wow right, but I didn’t plan on spending $5000 grand. And now another 5000 grand. When I install the forged pistons and rods I am going to change the compression to. And add more boost. I make 30lbs now. But still cheaper then a ats v and I feel I have something interesting kinda of a sleeper. I get a lot of attention. Everyone has a mustang or charger or Camaro. ( me too) movement. Not me. FYI the transmission and axles I was told by zzp many times can handle the 550 hp rear wheel power. But no one makes after market upgrade kits yet( yet- soon their be one) I be getting the first transmission kit for the 6l45 to upgrade it to high performance. I going to change the rear axle from stock 3.27 to a 3.42 or 3.55. The gear will have to be made though. I am getting drag tires for track days.
This new platform of GM 2.0 is an amazing motor. It’s like when the 350 came out and look how it dominates and is in so many cars. This 2.0 is going into many cars. The sonic, Camaro, cruze, trucks,vans. Just go around town or the track and talk to people and ask them where they do work. Don’t tell them what you want to do unless they ask you. Just find reputable contacts. Go to car shows. Stop in at all the tune shop and ask questions. You know bullshit when someone speaking. Lol.
I think I have you enough reading material here. I hope I helped. I really enjoy my finding and learn from my mistakes. I am going to wait until Black Friday sale from zzp and buy my rods and pistons. Lol. Save $$$.
Good luck man. Send me a pic. I have a YouTube channel ( nothing great but some cool stuff of my car on their. I will have a video of when I do the forged piston and rods and nurtural balancer. David’s Ats. My car running mid 12’s but I am getting drag tires. My tires spin a lot with all that power now. Drag tires will get me low 11’s or high 10’s. Will see right! I make 410 rear wheel hp 480 hp at the crank and 400 lbs torque.
You need anything let me know. I enjoy helping. Or ask zzp customer service( send them your questions) they respond with in a day or two.
Hope this helps anyone thinking of modifying their Cadillac ATS 2.0t
Anyway zzperformance is a company that has great quality, and fast customer responses. I counted my emails and their must be 150 emails from me. Wow right. If you decide to buy performance parts then do it on Black Friday early( save 40-70% off. I did on some stuff but I wish I knew they had a sale on Black Friday because I bought my turbo a week before and could have saved $500 bucks. So wait until then and buy everything. You save a lot more then what I did. What’s even better is the shop will not have to fabricate anything, everything from zzp is bolt on. Easy stuff. ( except cams and valve springs) but still your save money their. If you go to a good shop they will charge you around 125 hr. Then the one tune if you go with my suggestion. I paid for two 500 each time. Some shops charge $200 retunes.
I started out just wanting my daily driver to have a few mods. I got the bug though and I keep adding things. Fist thing I would do is get the stage two mods from zzp. Skip the stage one, it’s not noticeable. Stage two you will save money by not be paying for a tuner twice. Even though zzp gives you a tune you still need someone to install it. Save 500 each time. Then find a reputable shop to due the work. Get the cold air intake, intercooler, larger throttle body, tune.
I would also get the cams and valve springs, downpipe, as well as, the nutral balancers ( I dropped a valve after my stage two kit (no catch can system) and the dealer covered it under warranty( I was lucky). A must is get a dual catch can system. I got the Mishi Moto pvc and cvc. It works I get around 4.oz of oil in the cans. If not right back in my valves. It keeps oil vapor off your valves. Direct injection bad when it comes to failed valves. Oil vapor gets in their and junks up and they fail. Not a single problem since I installed the cams. If you go with the stage two 3500 including install. I made 325hp and 370 lbs torque with stage two. I think most of you would be happy with stage two.
Also know what dyno will be used because their not all the same. They will very in hp but not so much in torque. Weird right. I had my guys worked checked twice( I was lucky some business due dyno days and you pay 100 bucks, some due it for fee. So it’s interesting to try different Dyno’s. His work was done right.
Then if you want to go further you can just buy a larger turbo you won’t need anything else. Just a $40 upgrade tune, if you get a larger turbo from zzp they have one, but in my opinion it’s a little too much. Now their a company that takes your stock turbo and upgrades the internals. It’s called Vermont tuning. If I did mine all over again I go with them. I spend 2000 just in the zzp zfr turbo.
My car making to much power for the pistons and rods now. I need to buy forged ones. So now I have to spend 1500 for parts and 4000 to pull the motor, all so I don’t throw a rod. But I know my car will have over 550 hp and twrq. It be very reliable. Wow right, but I didn’t plan on spending $5000 grand. And now another 5000 grand. When I install the forged pistons and rods I am going to change the compression to. And add more boost. I make 30lbs now. But still cheaper then a ats v and I feel I have something interesting kinda of a sleeper. I get a lot of attention. Everyone has a mustang or charger or Camaro. ( me too) movement. Not me. FYI the transmission and axles I was told by zzp many times can handle the 550 hp rear wheel power. But no one makes after market upgrade kits yet( yet- soon their be one) I be getting the first transmission kit for the 6l45 to upgrade it to high performance. I going to change the rear axle from stock 3.27 to a 3.42 or 3.55. The gear will have to be made though. I am getting drag tires for track days.
This new platform of GM 2.0 is an amazing motor. It’s like when the 350 came out and look how it dominates and is in so many cars. This 2.0 is going into many cars. The sonic, Camaro, cruze, trucks,vans. Just go around town or the track and talk to people and ask them where they do work. Don’t tell them what you want to do unless they ask you. Just find reputable contacts. Go to car shows. Stop in at all the tune shop and ask questions. You know bullshit when someone speaking. Lol.
I think I have you enough reading material here. I hope I helped. I really enjoy my finding and learn from my mistakes. I am going to wait until Black Friday sale from zzp and buy my rods and pistons. Lol. Save $$$.
Good luck man. Send me a pic. I have a YouTube channel ( nothing great but some cool stuff of my car on their. I will have a video of when I do the forged piston and rods and nurtural balancer. David’s Ats. My car running mid 12’s but I am getting drag tires. My tires spin a lot with all that power now. Drag tires will get me low 11’s or high 10’s. Will see right! I make 410 rear wheel hp 480 hp at the crank and 400 lbs torque.
You need anything let me know. I enjoy helping. Or ask zzp customer service( send them your questions) they respond with in a day or two.
Hope this helps anyone thinking of modifying their Cadillac ATS 2.0t