| 2003 Saturn ION: Spoiler Installation and Performance Mods |
| One of these pics is not like the other... can you guess which one is installed improperly? The one on the left is the original install, which has the winglets crooked and pointing backwards. For 8 months I thought this was the only way to install it, but then I disassembled it and put it back together correctly the second time. And I also ended up overspraying on the trunk so it cost me about $250 to repaint the trunk That's when I decided to just go with carbon fiber vinyl for now until I get a new spoiler. |
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| Original installation. As I thought it was NORMAL to have the winglets pointing backward, I installed the spoiler further up on the trunk because I didn't want it hanging over the edge. So much for Eastern products with no instructions. |
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| New installation. I had to disassemble the posts that hold up the spoiler to see how to do this right. Now the winglets are sloping the correct way and are straight. It's still time for a new spoiler hopefully, perhaps one off of a stock Neon that could fit. I am thinking about having it professionally painted silver fleck like the roof rails, or just black to match. For now, the Konig aluminum spoiler will have to stay. |
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| If you decide to install an aftermarket spoiler yourself, the following steps may help you. As every car and every spoiler is different, there is really no "universal" way to install one. So, these steps are meant as a guide to understand what's needed. 1.) Locate a proper place on the trunk to mount the spoiler. Check it out from EVERY direction to make sure it looks good. 2.) Mark the spots to drill with a grease pencil or washable marker. Lift up the trunk to make sure that the holes you will make will not be blocked by any metal in the trunk and that you will have enough room to screw the nuts on. 3.) Use smaller drill bit first to test the area, then use drill bit the size of the screws to go into the holes. 4.) Push screws through the holes you've made, preferrably in diagonal pattern (upper-left, then lower-right, etc.) Tighten nuts. |
| Minor Performance Mods |
| Spiral Max Exhaust Turbo Air Twister This product gets mixed reviews from me. I originally bought two of these for my air intake tube, but then began to notice some engine oil splashed back up on the engine bay. The techs at Saturn did not like this, and warned me about possibly voiding my warranty. I had already ordered the exhaust insert before I took out the intake inserts. Right now, I haven't noticed any more oil splashing, and less problems that I noticed when I had the intake inserts in. If you want to try these, visit Spiral Max |
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| These are the current modifications I have installed on my car. Although I have not done a dyno test, I would estimate perhaps 10-15 HP gain or so. I do notice greater pickup in 2nd and 3rd gears. Sometimes you'll do anything in pursuit of greater power, so this info is intended to explain how the real-world application of these products works (or doesn't work). |
| K & N Filtercharger replacement filter. This filter is very versatile and a good value for the money. Also, it is about 1/4 the price of a cold air intake system, while still offering many benefits. Cleaning is done at 50,000-mile intervals by reoiling, and this is very easy to do since all you have to do is open the stock airbox and lift out this filter. Most importantly, it turns out to be cheaper in the end to use this filter for the life of your car instead of replacing the paper filter every 6 months or so. For more information, please visit K and N |
| Supposed benefits of these products: More horsepower Better acceleration More miles per gallon Better throttle response More torque Less carbon buildup Longer car life See the websites listed for more info. |
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