Car Modification

[GI Joe]

Okay so the more i read in the Modification Forum the more confused i am...

so im just gonna ask the masters to give me a hand...

okay ive got a stock R33 Series 2, auto, with the only mod being a HKS air pod...

what mod should i do first to improve the performance, but still legal and dont have to top up my tank every second day?

also what is a good exhaust thats good and not HEAPS loud?

and secondly, what is SMIC or FMIC?

Thanks so much!

[Evil34]

The biggest improvements you can make for little money are:

Turbo back exhaust

Front mount intercooler (FMIC)

Fuel pump

Decent set of tires and a wheel alignment

These are the first basig mods you can do.

SMIC = Side mount intercooler

[RubyRS4]

FMIC = front mount intercooler

SMIC = side mount intercooler

First mod would be to ground the black wire to the boost solenoid located on your strut tower

For an exhaust? Give Justin at Everlast a call to see what he has lying around.

I got my hi flo 3" system fitted for $650 all up and that was a BIG improvement.

[Tangles]

ok

FEW THINGS

go see Mike at MV Automatics in Blackwood, get the auto box serviced and a shift kit installed.

much better shifts for the auto

go find a decent FMIC and install it yourself, so far there goes a grand for the above 2 mods

get a decent cat back system, a hiflow cat converter, and a 3" dump pipe from turbo to cat converter, there's another grand

put in a $50 boost bleed valve, get a Apexi SAFC, take it to a dyno tuner, get it installed, the car serviced with 0.8mm sparkies, boost raised to 10psi, and dyno tuned. theres another grand

so far 3g and youve got a quick shifting auto box, plenty of cool air feed, good free flowing exhaust, freshly serviced engine, slightly tuned with the safc and say around 175rwkw.

[Krishy]

yeah mate do the basics first....it will cost you a bit but gives a good ground to work from in the near future.....get a full exhaust system......high flow dump pipe or aftermarket dump pipe with a highflow cat and 3" system all the way through....what you put on at the end is your choice......then get a front mount intercooler for $650-700 from autobarn a good Greddy kit.....they are good value for money...and there you go for about 2K you have a nice sounding and free flowing exhaust and a nice cooling system as well.......

If you wanna go harder then get a full service as tangles said.....bosch 040 or a nismo GTR fuel pump and an electronic boost controller.....with those mods and a service you could easily run 10-12 psi through it and get some decent power mate.....

goodluck with it all

[RubyRS4]

go see Mike at MV Automatics in Blackwood, get the auto box serviced and a shift kit installed.

much better shifts for the auto

Much better shifts FOR the auto, not FROM the auto ... so its better for the trans then? Not so much a better response FROM the trans?

I've got an auto and wouldn't mind looking after the auto box, but still wanna wind out about 180-200kw

[Tangles]

..... better / quicker / harder response

[dnbutts]

full exhaust first,

3" Front Dump Pipe

High Flow Cat

3" Catback System

good power gain, make your car sound fully sick too

[GI Joe]

Thanks guys!!!

um out of curiosity, one of my mates tell me to do a manual conversion.

Is that a good idea?

Mechanically, would that break the car in any way?

[Damo_R34]

Thanks guys!!!

um out of curiosity, one of my mates tell me to do a manual conversion.

Is that a good idea?

Mechanically, would that break the car in any way?

um, no, not break, just completely changes from auto to manual....

not sure on a 33 price, but when i looked into it for my s13 it was gonna be cheap at 1400ish, so id say around 2000-2500 for 33.

Edited April 22, 2008 by Damo_R34

[ted180]

as others have said, you want to do intake first, that is, get better flow through the engine.

so yeah, exhaust, cooler, intake. let the engine breath.

[Deluxe]

Much better shifts FOR the auto, not FROM the auto ... so its better for the trans then? Not so much a better response FROM the trans?

I've got an auto and wouldn't mind looking after the auto box, but still wanna wind out about 180-200kw

You could also get a transcooler....... I will be getting a shift kit and cooler once i put my FMIC on!!

[Krishy]

i wont be doing a manual conversion if i were you....but then again depends on what you like to drive auto or manual.....auto's are just as fun and just as good to drive as a manual.....and trust me they are good for city driving....i have a HD clutch and going through peak hour or a busy sat nite.....my god my left calf is bigger then my right

[nos man]

yes peak hour traffic!

but yeah there's nothing wrong with auto!

[ted180]

yeah it depends on the application.

if you want to drift like everyone thinks skylines/imports are for then manual.

but for comfort, and if you want to take it on the strip etc, worked auto is alot better.

one of my mates has got a blown v8 ute, every second person asks why its auto, but with slicks and a full custom auto box from mv that thing launches like you wouldnt believe, puts all the manual lovers in their place.

Edited April 22, 2008 by ted180

[Madaz]

Brendan i think you were being a bit conservative with 175rwkw with the mods you listed i would thing a mid 190rwkw

on my standard turbo standard ecu with FCD i made 185awkw @ 14psi i would think 10psi on rwd would be similar

[Matty 31]

manual conversion wont be cheap, as you wont find a good 25 manual box for under $1500 anymore.....and then ya need other parts (pedals, clutch master and slave cylinders, a good clutch etc)

[KISIN]

1. Buy the cheapest intercooler core off ebay - 600x300x76 with 3" in/outlets.

2. Get a custom made exhaust and intercooler piping at the same place.

3. Buy a boost controller (preferably electronic) - boost it UP TO 12psi (would go more on stock turbo if u want it to be reliable)

4. Tune

5. Enjoy it for week...maybe 2 before u want more power.

[KISIN]

sorry 4got to mention...u might wanna start saving up for a new clutch also

[writeoff]

Whilst others here have listed very good advice I think they missed the most important stuff.

To go fast in a Skyline you need stickers. Preferably Mines or Nismo but HKS & GReddy will do.

Next get some neons under the front bar, side skirts and rear bar and you will see your car pull out 2 lengths over a non-neoned WRX regardless of what engine mods it has.

Finally you need an amp and bass. Doof = db = killa whats... as in "What the f__k was that eh?"

After you have these things you need some 19" chrome rims with spinners.

***Disclaimer: It is late and I'm bored waiting to see if my off peak download time has been uncapped. You have plenty of good advice in the posts above***