Stage 1 car Tuning

You will often hear tuning companies and car tuners going on about stage 1, 2 and 3 mods. What are these different stages and what do they mean?

We hate to shatter the illusion but they are, in the main, fairly meaningless terms if applied to power gains and cannot reliably be used to explain how much power a modification adds. There is no consistent difference in part makers between their classifications of stage 1 stage 2 and stage 3 mods.

There are however some points that one should bear in mind that differentiate between a "typical" mod in each stage.

De-mystifying the Stage 1, 2 and 3 tuning mods. The tuning industry use these terms but what do they mean and what can you expect from each of them?

Stage 1 modifications.

A stage 1 modification can be added in isolation. This means that a true stage 1 modification part does not require any other engine modifications to get it to work. Whilst other mods can help to raise the power gains and realize the full potential of the mod they are not mandatory. These are at the bottom end of the tuning scene in terms of the overall benefits you will get.

Stage 1 mods are generally a straightforward DIY fit and should work on a standard engine that is in good condition.

Some examples of stage 1 mods include, induction kits, panel air filters, sports exhausts, fuel pressure regulators, a simple engine remap or timing changes, blow off valves/diverters and the like.

Stage 2 modifications

These stage 2 mods offer larger power gains than stage one but will usually require additional work or other parts if you want them to work reliably. Some of the examples listed in stage 1 can also be regarded as stage 2 mods if they are extreme in their ambition.