I Need Opinions

[captinsane]

well.. i get up to Townsville, and a Guy offers me a muffler for free, and another guy wants to palm me off his FMIC for $150, and another guy is selling his highflowed GT3540 or something for $600... so i have hit upon the dilemma... What priorities should i place on modifications to the stagea...

All i wanted to do to start off with was get some better sound quality and bass in there and fit a turbo timer...

then suspension, seats, exhaust, FMIC and mangament...

But what are your experiences and priorities (in hindsight or presently)? Please only post your priority opinions..not huge extensive mod lists.. there are other threads for that, but decifering the order the occured in is a pain in the arse.

Thanks in Advance

Edited January 3, 2007 by captinsane

[MrGTST]

Depends on what you are looking for I suppose....

To me the first mod should be a full turbo back exhaust with high flow cat... I reckon thats your best bang for buck upgrade... and if I ever have spare money its what I would do first to my car

[Mr. Keets]

Ahoy Capt

Sounds like you are on the right track. Be true to your original plan. It all depends on what you want to do with your Stag. As for management, I'm assuming your talking engine management. Alot of ppl use the forum use the Apexi power FC, me included, and it should be one of the first if not the first mechanical mod you get. It will give your tuner the ability to extract more HP reliably from your ride.

get a plan, a budget, search these forums for info then search for parts

[Silverback]

IMHO there are a couple of things that should be prioritised if you want to enhance the performance of the Stagea and build a base for any future mods. They are very simply:

Exhaust

Intake

Engine Management

The RB engines respond especially well to fitting a decent sized exhaust. On the Series 2, its 2.5" standard. I opted for a good 3" system with a split dump pipe and high flow cat. The engine revs smoother, and will maximise the addition of other mods.

The intake can be relatively cheaply improved too, with either a high flow filter (K&N etc) to fit the existing airbox, or a pod filter setup. These should assist with throttle response & economy.

Engine Management is another source of relatively easy to access power improvement. A piggy back system (like a Jaycar Independent Electronic Boost Controller - IEBC) can help you bring on boost earlier, resulting in more torque earlier in the rev range. Of course, this should be coupled with a Digital Fuel adjuster to ensure that the fuel/air ratios are optimal through the rev range.

Following (or before) that, consider a larger intercooler (FMIC are popular) to keep air cool to the plenum intake and increase horsepower.

The list of mods is really endless, but this should start you in the right direction. Hi Flowing the Turbo has been covered in other forum topics, but is of limited use (can be a bit laggy around town) if you havent at least upgraded your exhaust and intake.

Of course, everyone will have different paths that they have chosen, but this will provide you with a good base if you wish to crank out more power.

Hope that helps.

[Ska]

Yeap, no point in having a big arse turbo with no supporting mods, get a good exhaust and intake and look at all the other things these wise guys have suggested, I mean look at all the mods mine has and I reckon it's about ready for bigger injectors, z32 afm and a big arse turbo.

[captinsane]

lol yeah definately too early for a new turbo... the sane part of my username can tell me that. THe point is that this place is nuts for second hand parts going way cheap if you know what i mean. I love this town!... You blokes are probably right...just stick to my guns and go the sound, suspension route...and then get exhaust>PFC (or alternatively Momo or other engine management) > and FMIC... then trundle along from there... like you said before Cy. the real expensive stuff has to come first before you can have major play time.

[GoldZilla]

lol yeah definately too early for a new turbo... the sane part of my username can tell me that. THe point is that this place is nuts for second hand parts going way cheap if you know what i mean. I love this town!... You blokes are probably right...just stick to my guns and go the sound, suspension route...and then get exhaust>PFC (or alternatively Momo or other engine management) > and FMIC... then trundle along from there... like you said before Cy. the real expensive stuff has to come first before you can have major play time.

Don't forget that the PFC is for manual cars only, and seeing as you've got an s1, it'd need a manual conversion, like mine or Cy's...

And Momo engine management? Huh?

[qikstagea]

Brakes???????

[Stinky Rooster]

Brakes???????

How very apt, Rob!

[captinsane]

How very apt, Rob!

lol..

...Didn't know the PFC was only for manuals...damn. Maybe i wil ahve to just go SAFC... any replacment Engine Management systems for auto's insteading of hacking the stock computer (or getting Greddy thing which will kill me and drive me insane)?

[EGA41T]

lol..

...Didn't know the PFC was only for manuals...damn. Maybe i wil ahve to just go SAFC... any replacment Engine Management systems for auto's insteading of hacking the stock computer (or getting Greddy thing which will kill me and drive me insane)?

haltech

[fcruz3r]

i'd suggest exhaust, engine management and a boost controller as the most basic mods...reason being ..exhaust mods will pose a lesser restriction on gas flow....better turbo response..and bang4buck power increase...should see ur boost go to about 8psi ...still no fun if u ask me...so a boost controller to raise this to 10psi (heard the $25 ones work fine for this)...then prolly a safc to see ur car doesn't R&R under increased boost.

[captinsane]

i can piggy back a PFC and just leave the old ECU to change shifts can't I?

[AlexCim]

We are not sure, no one has tried that.

As far as one of the first mods, swaybars make the car 100% more bareable.

[captinsane]

We are not sure, no one has tried that.

As far as one of the first mods, swaybars make the car 100% more bareable.

a few of the Townsvillians have got PFC's running in auto GTR's etc...

as for the swaybars... I have already earmarked them for my attention pronto...possibly even before the subs go in.. the body roll and understeer is getting to be quite pain in the arse! espescailly with townsville being really wet at the moment, and there being a roundabout every 150m to negotiate!

got some tuff splits the other day which are making lovely sound... no ear splitting bass but i can get that later...

30Hz @ 88db from a 6" woofer [i'm sure it can go harder too:)]is fine for me

for now

[Terminal]

a few of the Townsvillians have got PFC's running in auto GTR's etc...

Not possible, someone has been telling you porky pies. GTR's don't come in auto, and can't be converted to auto.

[captinsane]

Not possible, someone has been telling you porky pies. GTR's don't come in auto, and can't be converted to auto.

sorry...R33 GSTST M spec or something like that

...I'm not thinking again.. I havn't seen it yet but the bloke is reputable... done a lot of work with RB's, and has done about 4 silvalines so i trust his word for the most part

[AlexCim]

Not possible, someone has been telling you porky pies. GTR's don't come in auto, and can't be converted to auto.

Now now, they can be converted to auto.....but we are talking powerglides and the such.

[Terminal]

ah sorry... i stand corrected.

[stasis]

yea diffenitely get a full exhaust system done including a high flow cat. then the intake. Thasts wat the biys in this forum recommended me when i first joined the forum