New Stagea Owner - Some Q's

[ArdentEagle]

Howdy.

I'm new to the Stagea world.... My one is still on the water.

I got this vehicle as a down grade for my modded Evo VIII MR.... I mean downgrade in a nice way as I needed a car with plenty of room for my business I'm starting up but at the same time I like luxury and power. I found the M35 T fit the bill perfectly for me.

Just a couple of annoying newbie questions:

1.) My car will be coming with a TBE and airbox, with my previous car I was able to get my ECU tuned to give me about 230kw @ all 4 just with those mods and a boost controller. Can the same be done with the Stagea?

2.) The stock stereo, is it any good?

I'm a bit of an audio snob and like really nice SQ gear....... How hard is it to start changing things over, does the existing stocker have a separate amp and sub?

Cheers

Edited September 23, 2010 by ArdentEagle

[Dunc]

Im sorry, did you just say M35 TT?

[ArdentEagle]

Im sorry, did you just say M35 TT?

m35 shape

01 2.5 turbo

Force of habit as I used to have a TT Supra before my Evo

[iamhe77]

Gotta go, so excuse the quick reply...

1. Yes, but you won't get anywhere near 230awkw

2. Depends on the model. Clarion or Bose are you options. It is all replaceable if you wish to do so of course. If you have an RS it is easy to change, bit harder if you have the integrated units from the RX, ARX and Axis models.

[Dunc]

m35 shape

01 2.5 turbo

Force of habit as I used to have a TT Supra before my Evo

No dramas.

Right, well - on to your questions I have no idea what a TBE is, but if the car is stock - you wont be tuning it to 230 awkw. The ECU itself is an arse to work on, theres been some limited success with EManage Ultimate as a piggy back, but even then I dont think youre going to get that sort of power out of a stock car. A company in sydney is apparently working on remapping the ECU, but I've been hearing that for the past 6 months.

Sound system is okay, if youve got the factory 'upgraded' Bose system, it has a sub in the spare tyre hole, and is a bit better - but if youre an audiophile you may well want 'more'. I dont think, stock, they ever had amps from the factory.

[PetroDola]

Im sorry, did you just say M35 TT?

oh yeah baby.. VG30DETT fits straight in there

*keeps dreaming*

[PN-Mad]

Hi Ryan,

Welcome to SAU, and in particular the Stagea section! The stagea isn't going to be as easy as the evo, unfortunately. There are quite a few guys working on different ECU's around the place, but there isn't as much aftermarket support for VQ25det bits- compared to an Evo! But don't be discouraged. Plenty of guys have popped out good numbers without spending heaps, they really are a solid engine. (Jetwreck may well disagree at this point... )

As a wagon, Can't beat em! Thats why I got one!

I got no idea about the stereo, as I am a bit of the opposite, don't care too much. But depending on models, you might have the Bose stereo, which was an option on some cars.

Edit!- Phark... see what happens when you take a bit of time to reply, everyone else jumps in too!

Edited September 23, 2010 by PN-Mad

[dimi108]

The Clarion sound system (without the sub) sounds amazingly good for a stock sound system.

The bass is very rich. A couple of people have asked me if i have a sub in the car.

It was definitely one thing i liked when i first test drove the car

You won't be disappointed.

[PetroDola]

The Clarion sound system (without the sub) sounds amazingly good for a stock sound system.

The bass is very rich. A couple of people have asked me if i have a sub in the car.

It was definitely one thing i liked when i first test drove the car

You won't be disappointed.

My stereo sucked big ones when i got my stagea. Had some Shneider cheap head unit and lacklustre speakers.. no sub. speakers have been flogged by the previous japanese owners i believe with some of the doof doof.

Heaps of room for mods though.. amp would sit beautifuly on that parcel shelf above the spare tyre in an M35. as long as heat wouldnt be a problem and it was mounted on metal/wood.

Also heaps of room for custom side mounted boxes in the boot. for a 12 or a 15/18 if you wanna take up your whole boot space. (nothing gives out bass like a stationwagon and the stag is a big wagon).

My friend has a 18" with just mb quartz splits in the front of his wagon. you cant actually sit in the back the bass is that hardcore unless you like your organs moving.

Amps and subs are easy. get decent gold based circuit breaker and heavy duty power cable .. run it from battery through firewall to the boot lay it under carpets, and new speaker wire from speakers to your amp along the same paths and a set of nice RCA's from head unit to the boot .. bobs your uncle!

[ArdentEagle]

Thanks heaps to everyone for all the replys...

So it looks like I will be getting a new H/U and speakers, and amp.

Does anyone know roughly how much power I'll get with a Turbo back Exhaust, sports air-box, boost controller and after market ecu??

[andy65b]

Thanks heaps to everyone for all the replys...

So it looks like I will be getting a new H/U and speakers, and amp.

Does anyone know roughly how much power I'll get with a Turbo back Exhaust, sports air-box, boost controller and after market ecu??

Welcome.

I should be able to tell you after Saturday. Doing a dyno run to check the AFR with the Impul ECU.

About that.

Stock power is about 147kw at all 4.

[PetroDola]

Welcome.

I should be able to tell you after Saturday. Doing a dyno run to check the AFR with the Impul ECU.

About that.

Stock power is about 147kw at all 4.

that's all im missing! (minus turbo hiflow).

*swaps ecu's with andy while hes not looking*

[scotty nm35]

Thanks heaps to everyone for all the replys...

So it looks like I will be getting a new H/U and speakers, and amp.

Does anyone know roughly how much power I'll get with a Turbo back Exhaust, sports air-box, boost controller and after market ecu??

The restriction will still be the turbo, it is very small for the size of the engine and will need to be upgraded to see anything over about 180awkw. The exhaust wheel is ceramic so it doesnt handle over boosting for long, they seem to fail around the 100,000k mark if serviced poorly in Japan anyway. Once you highflow the housing, anything is possible...

There are no tuneable aftermarket ecu options as yet. Mine runs the Emanage Ultimate p1ggyback to allow tuning, the only successful way I have seen to dyno tune so far. Hopefully it wont be too long before a reflash pops up.

Got any pics???

[JayM35]

M35 rocks for car audio, so much options and so easy to install too.

I'm planning to go full aftermarket once I throw my slushbox and vq25 away. Link ECU will mostly likely be the choice.

Congrats on the new car, I can understand the downgrade, i've driven a Evo 7(not quite an 8 MR) but yeah I see how you'd feel haha

[ArdentEagle]

Welcome.

I should be able to tell you after Saturday. Doing a dyno run to check the AFR with the Impul ECU.

About that.

Stock power is about 147kw at all 4.

Cool. I'm looking forward to the results.

It sounds as though the audio will be easy enough to install. Its not about big bass with me more hi fidelity and imaging/spacing ect.

Depending on Andy's results I may have to buy an ECU and have the turbo hi-flowed, the ceramic turbine replaced with a metal one and get a boost controller, probably a fuel pump too. Sounds like about 3-4k's worth of work. I'd want a 12 sec car for that..... I hope

[PN-Mad]

I'd want a 12 sec car for that..... I hope

Go Buy a VL commo then....

Just remember your in a 1700kg Wagon and you'll be sweet as a nut.

As for the turbo's blowing up... I woudn't know! (thats kinda why I bought mine) Looking forward to seeing what Andy gets on the Dyno. I think i'll be getting on the same dyno, so we can do a bit of a comparo!

[PetroDola]

Go Buy a VL commo then....

Just remember your in a 1700kg Wagon and you'll be sweet as a nut.

As for the turbo's blowing up... I woudn't know! (thats kinda why I bought mine) Looking forward to seeing what Andy gets on the Dyno. I think i'll be getting on the same dyno, so we can do a bit of a comparo!

I dunno , I'm thinking by the time were all finished with turbo and ecu mods.. will be in the high 13's bracket also. (gearboxes perhaps).

Scott certainly isnt far off it. and after his recent dyno i reckon hes getting good for a high 12 soon!

and jetwreck when he gets his new engine in!

andy Iain's , Cam and duncs probably be good for 14's now. ?

everyones slowly getting up there

Edited September 25, 2010 by PetroDola

[Daleo]

I dunno , I'm thinking by the time were all finished with turbo and ecu mods.. will be in the high 13's bracket also. (gearboxes perhaps).

Scott certainly isnt far off it. and after his recent dyno i reckon hes getting good for a high 12 soon!

and jetwreck when he gets his new engine in!

andy Iain's , Cam and duncs probably be good for 14's now. ?

everyones slowly getting up there

Mine did a 14.9 bone stock. Most of these guys are mid 14's now.

When you see the difference half a sec makes in distance over a quarter mile, you'll realise just how much work Scotty in particular has done.

Also, the availability of ecu mods has not changed in the last two years despite an enormous amount of effort and expense from a number of people on this forum. I wouldn't be holding your breath waiting for a cheap, easy ecu remap. There is no "Nistune" style solution. When you get to that point, it's going to require a strong will and an open wallet.

Not trying to put you off by any means, you just seem to be talking as if it's going to be a walk in the park. Remapped stock ecu's are rare and/or expensive. One very cluey tuner (possibly two) has a handle on them, courtesy of Scotty and Jetwreck and a not inconsiderable sum of money. Still, if keen people didn't push the envelope, we'd still be living in caves, trying to keep warm at night.

[PetroDola]

Mine did a 14.9 bone stock. Most of these guys are mid 14's now.

When you see the difference half a sec makes in distance over a quarter mile, you'll realise just how much work Scotty in particular has done.

Also, the availability of ecu mods has not changed in the last two years despite an enormous amount of effort and expense from a number of people on this forum. I wouldn't be holding your breath waiting for a cheap, easy ecu remap. There is no "Nistune" style solution. When you get to that point, it's going to require a strong will and an open wallet.

Not trying to put you off by any means, you just seem to be talking as if it's going to be a walk in the park. Remapped stock ecu's are rare and/or expensive. One very cluey tuner (possibly two) has a handle on them, courtesy of Scotty and Jetwreck and a not inconsiderable sum of money. Still, if keen people didn't push the envelope, we'd still be living in caves, trying to keep warm at night.

sorry forgot to mention you Daleo!

money isnt really a big deal in that dept.. whats 2k over 1k for a ecu mod. much of a muchness...and its already gotten to that point and the will says keep going.

quite true though.. half a second as it gets down there gets alot harder to achieve.

Edited September 25, 2010 by PetroDola

[scotty nm35]

Performance mods are the same no matter what car, a little harder due to the lack of space on the m35, it all comes down to being able to tune it...

With the amount of new m35's coming into the country it will hopefully be a matter of time before a remap is developed and all these imported ecu's and even the emanage will be redundant. I proved the power can be made and the engine can take it like a man (so far) the rest is patience and hard work.

Supporting those that are investing time and money developing performance parts will improve the chances of everyone seeing their goals and there are a lot of goodies in the pipework.