My current plan with the MR2 is not to go over the top with mods, so I'm trying to figure out what the best use of about half a grand would be for performance and noise benefits.
Car is a 2000 model with gutted stock manifold.
Anyone got an opinion of my list?
Breast plate - £purchased (£70)
Che front member brace - £purchased (£64)
PPE cold air intake - £purchased (£100 - £20 'trade in' for K&N filter)
Cusco FSTB - £purchased (£92)
Tein S.Tech Springs - £purchased (£108)
Twosrus Drop Links - £88
= £502
I've seen the front member braces on flebay for good prices and they're possibly better than the Toyota ones.
I think Che might actually sell them too.
You're heading in the right direction imho with what you're suggesting.
dont forget the unichip!
Quote from: "Wabbitkilla"I've seen the front member braces on flebay for good prices and they're possibly better than the Toyota ones.
I think Che might actually sell them too.
You're heading in the right direction imho with what you're suggesting.
One for sale on here at a bargain price at the moment - a very worthwhile mod
Quote from: "Kool PT"Anyone got an opinion of my list?
Breast plate - £75
Che Front & Rear member Braces - £125
Markiii Pipe - £65
Che Manifold - £130
Tein S.Tech Springs - £105
Quality list and well thought out, but drop the Che manifold as you really don't need it, put the money towards a front strut brace instead. Will make the world of difference and you'll be able to drive that much quicker, too.
+1 on the FSB.
Thats a solid list you've worked up. Having driven both pre- and post-03 the biggie is in the bracing. Adding member and FSB to my '99 made a mountain of difference.
Personal preference is for the STechs over TTE aswell.
Whats your mileage? It may push you over budget, but ball/socket topmounts (no steering flibble!) and possibly new shocks could be good while you're fitting springs?
Less expensive.... I can also recommend the TwosRUs bushing kits (or equivalent) to replace tired rubber mounts. Droplinks make a big difference too (Whiteline or TwosRUs are common makes) .... but hang fire on TwosRUs ones until they've had a chance to appraise Nic's faulty one.
Quote from: "Kool PT"My current plan with the MR2 is not to go over the top with mods, so I'm trying to figure out what the best use of about half a grand would be for performance and noise benefits.
Car is a 2000 model with K&N air filter and gutted stock manifold.
Anyone got an opinion of my list?
Breast plate - £75
Che Front & Rear member Braces - £125
Markiii Pipe - £65
Che Manifold - £130
Tein S.Tech Springs - £105
?
- Che manifold & markiii pipe along with my current air filter to give about 145-146 bhp, and make a nice noise. Lightness of Che manifold should offset any weight gains from bracing. I have been told that Che can be a bit restrictive in fully modifying airflow but the general concensus is that on its own it's a pretty sound investment.
- S.Tech springs because they are the cheapest ones that people recommend, don't lower too crazily and will improve the look and handling of the beast.
Other possibilities = FSTB, short shifter, exhaust (would probably have to be 2nd hand)
I think you are expecting way too much from the Che manifold. The people who have got that level of power with one have had an ECU piggyback and remap + an aftermarket exhaust. People with similar setup on gutted stock manifold have made more power. The weight loss is noticeable if subtle.
How about ditching the manifold idea and getting the front and rear sway bars (or as we in the UK call them anti roll bars) from Che instead? As the springs you are going for are not stiff, the anti roll bar upgrade could make a big difference. You will almost definitely find the car much quicker A to B with the anti roll bar upgrade, but will be hard pushed to feel any difference at all with the manifold.
Front strut brace is a definite yes. Short shifter, having tried two, I would suggest the TRD one is well worth the money and the Ebay cheapy ones are not.
Chris
+1 on the manifold. The main reason for buying a che is to get rid of the precats. If you already had them gutted then not much point.
I'd definitely look at unichip if your looking for tangible speed increase. There is always Apexi or emanage as well if you want to play with tuning yourself. Unichip's failing being that a dastek licensed Garage have to tune it.
Phil
How hard is it to tune it myself? Are there 'maps' out there that I can download from other users etc?
Would a 2nd hand exhaust be a better mod? I think ecu management might be out of my budget
Quote from: "spit"+1 on the FSB.
Thats a solid list you've worked up. Having driven both pre- and post-03 the biggie is in the bracing. Adding member and FSB to my '99 made a mountain of difference.
Personal preference is for the STechs over TTE aswell.
Whats your mileage? It may push you over budget, but ball/socket topmounts (no steering flibble!) and possibly new shocks could be good while you're fitting springs?
Less expensive.... I can also recommend the TwosRUs bushing kits (or equivalent) to replace tired rubber mounts. Droplinks make a big difference too (Whiteline or TwosRUs are common makes) .... but hang fire on TwosRUs ones until they've had a chance to appraise Nic's faulty one.
MIleage is 86k...did consider new shocks but the cost is about 250 quid...add the price of the springs and you're getting pretty close to the price of coilovers...are aaron's still for sale? s:D :D s:D
if you have to ask how hard it is to tune then your not capable, at least yet
Quote from: "ChrisGB"Quote from: "Kool PT"My current plan with the MR2 is not to go over the top with mods, so I'm trying to figure out what the best use of about half a grand would be for performance and noise benefits.
Car is a 2000 model with K&N air filter and gutted stock manifold.
Anyone got an opinion of my list?
Breast plate - £75
Che Front & Rear member Braces - £125
Markiii Pipe - £65
Che Manifold - £130
Tein S.Tech Springs - £105
?
- Che manifold & markiii pipe along with my current air filter to give about 145-146 bhp, and make a nice noise. Lightness of Che manifold should offset any weight gains from bracing. I have been told that Che can be a bit restrictive in fully modifying airflow but the general concensus is that on its own it's a pretty sound investment.
- S.Tech springs because they are the cheapest ones that people recommend, don't lower too crazily and will improve the look and handling of the beast.
Other possibilities = FSTB, short shifter, exhaust (would probably have to be 2nd hand)
I think you are expecting way too much from the Che manifold. The people who have got that level of power with one have had an ECU piggyback and remap + an aftermarket exhaust. People with similar setup on gutted stock manifold have made more power. The weight loss is noticeable if subtle.
How about ditching the manifold idea and getting the front and rear sway bars (or as we in the UK call them anti roll bars) from Che instead? As the springs you are going for are not stiff, the anti roll bar upgrade could make a big difference. You will almost definitely find the car much quicker A to B with the anti roll bar upgrade, but will be hard pushed to feel any difference at all with the manifold.
Front strut brace is a definite yes. Short shifter, having tried two, I would suggest the TRD one is well worth the money and the Ebay cheapy ones are not.
Chris
anti-roll bars you say? Sounds interesting - will check Che's prices out. front strut brace is now on the list, and I was definitely thinking that the TRD over the Che/Ebay short shifters would be my choice.
Quote from: "markiii"if you have to ask how hard it is to tune then your not capable, at least yet
In that case it's a no-no
Quote from: "Kool PT"Quote from: "markiii"if you have to ask how hard it is to tune then your not capable, at least yet
In that case it's a no-no
definatley a no no, you'll need to tie info like AFR to fuel loads in a table that looks somewhat like an excel spreadsheet, get it right then you get more power, get it wrong and the engine goes bang and you scrap it
m http://www.prolex-uk.com/store/product_ ... cts_id=335 (http://www.prolex-uk.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=170_267&products_id=335) m
(http://www.prolex-uk.com/store/images/c-one%20front%20chassis%20brace.jpg)
Would this be a better option than the che front brace?
(http://i5.ebayimg.com/05/i/000/ca/27/b904_1.JPG)
looks like it'd be a bit stiffer with the diagonal braces, similar price and no worries about import duty. Have been sort of put off ordering from Prolex though - worth a try?
got the Toms version of that, works a treat s8) 8) s8)
it's out of stock on prolex and delivery's 25 quid, which makes it a fair bit more expensive than che. will defo consider it if prolex can get it in pronto though.
Bear in mind the possible insurance premium increase when you declare the mods. Just a bit of a cost to factor in s:) :) s:)
What tyres are you on at the moment? A good set can make a world of difference.
2 month old full set of Toyo T1-Rs, pretty happy with them and grip seems excellent in the rain which Aberdeen gets a lot of
Good stuff, was just trying to spend your money for you s;) ;) s;)
Trust me, there is no money to spend s:wink: :wink: s:wink: even the pathetic sum in this thread is going to have to be spread over a few months...
Quote from: "spit"Less expensive.... I can also recommend the TwosRUs bushing kits (or equivalent) to replace tired rubber mounts. Droplinks make a big difference too (Whiteline or TwosRUs are common makes) .... but hang fire on TwosRUs ones until they've had a chance to appraise Nic's faulty one.
Are these easy for a garage to replace when new springs are fitted? If not, how much longer would it take to fit them to the strut mounts?
m http://www.twosrus.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=23_82 (http://www.twosrus.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=23_82) m
also, which ones am I supposed to be looking at?
By no means an original idea, came from someone on here, but some racing school lessons (I don't mean to imply racing on the road) may give a significant benefit. I did a Silverstone thing (birthday present) which changed the way I drove cars.
Fitted markiii pipe on Sunday. No big results but engine/exhaust noise seems slightly more bassy.
Update! got a good price on a PPE CAI as you might have seen on another thread, so have sold the markiii pipe & filter to claw back some funds.
I've been considering an intake for a while as a quick route to decent noise without splashing out on a new exhaust (250-300 quid for 2bhp & some nice noise could be much better spent on bracing for my car), but didn't want to compromise the stock power any more. The PPE by all accounts is supposed to sound awesome, and as it is one of the few models which gives power gains (+4bhp I read somewhere) it's perfect for my needs.
£415 remains to be spent on my little project. I've got my eye on Rachelle's Cusco FSTB but she's not responded to PMs etc so maybe it's no longer for sale.
£65 has just bought me a Che front member brace...comments will follow after installation
Short shifter is £20 on ebay and mine works a treat!
i know but i prefer my knobs to stick up straight, and che's one curves to the left.
anyone know if the che fstb is an exact replica of the cusco one and as such can be fitted over the plastics and not completely obscure the removal of the spare wheel bin lid?
Quote from: "Kool PT"i know but i prefer my knobs to stick up straight, and che's one curves to the left.
actually the B&M and cheapy ones are the nly ones that do go straight up
the stock one actually curves to teh right
weeeelll i want one that stays like the stock. besides, TRD one is readily available, not too expensive and is by all accounts overall a superior product. it just probably won't have a place in this particular plan. brass shift bushings in the meantime, i guess
Still got the money left for a Unichip s:bounce: :bounce: s:bounce: Probably won't see a better whooompf than that
Phil
a unichip & no bracing s:scared: :scared: s:scared:
i think i'd rather have a full set, 350 will almost pay for lowering & full bracing
however may consider it for the future...
reckon i'd get up to 150bhp with the unichip? ppe cai & gutted manifold should be good for 5-6bhp on top of stock power
I got 153 with the unichip on my old one, along with an A'Pexi and H&S exhaust - its not about the BHP though, don't get fixated on that.
Its about the torque..that's where you feel the difference!
that's very true. I just want to try and aim towards a sub 7 sec 0-60.
contrary to my earlier plan, i think i'd like to get involved in track stuff asap!
why not come down to anglesey in october
we have a variety of tweekd roadster there you could compare on track
I'd love to but it's a 905 mile round trip :S
Quote from: "Kool PT"I'd love to but it's a 905 mile round trip :S
Fly down ?
or stay over bring teh mrs and make a long weekend of it
Don't have the money or the time off work but thanks for the invite. Will no doubt make it along to a meet some day s:D :D s:D
Quick update for anyone who cares - markiii pipe and K&N filter are out, PPE kit is in, what a lovely noise but now my exhaust sounds rather piddly when engine breaking s:lol: :lol: s:lol: che front member brace is on its way.
Seriously considering just going with a full che set of bracing, then upgrading if better stuff is put up for sale in the future (ie Corky's stuff). It might not be the best, but apart from being cheap it's also available, most of the UK shops selling this stuff just get back to me saying that whatever I ask for's out of stock. Remember that i'm trying to establish an all round performance upgrade here, that would give me the biggest bang for my buck. there's nothing to say I won't upgrade from this stuff as time goes on.
Che's got a new rear brace coming out this month or next, so one of them, a breast plate, and front/rear strut braces (I know rear doesn't do a lot, but I've heard that they DO make a difference when the rest of the chassis is braced, and it's only another 60 quid...unless someone has a better idea?) should tie in nicely with my remaining budget.
just closing the deal on iMR2 breastplate, all being well it should arrive next week along with che front member brace
where can i buy Che stuff from such as a manifold? i've searched, but i cant find.
Quote from: "roadstermike"where can i buy Che stuff from such as a manifold? i've searched, but i cant find.
Have a look over on Spyderchat, and Ebay
Phil
Fitted che front brace, results not as noticable as i was hoping for - steering feels a little lighter and front is less rattly/wobbly. Should be fitting breast plate next weekend so will update next week once the two are combined.
Quote from: "evileye_xc"Quote from: "roadstermike"where can i buy Che stuff from such as a manifold? i've searched, but i cant find.
Have a look over on Spyderchat, and Ebay
Phil
yeah thanks i got it.
have now bought a cusco FSTB from a fellow club member.
iMR2 breastplate has arrived so will be fitting it on sunday. think I was a bit hasty with the front member brace comment earlier, i have noticed sharper turn in around corners but have to push it to feel the difference.
Seems this bracing lark is becoming critical, does it REALLY make that much diff?
Quote from: "uktotty"Seems this bracing lark is becoming critical, does it REALLY make that much diff?
In a word YES
and having taken the bits off and sold them (as i thought i was getting rid of the car due to first house purchase) difference is massive, so much so that im looking again.
only had a corky's breast plate and trd fsb and the difference is quite something
need to find another corky's somewhere that takes credit cards lol s:D :D s:D
the reason i set a small cap on my spending and created this thread was to try and define what mods could really transform the car to the greatest extent without spending any crazy money. my list has ended up being almost entirely down to bracing, based on input from everyone else, so I'm bloody hoping it's important!
I don't know how many others are fully braced but with no other performance mods (ok apart from 4-5bhp from the intake & gutted manifold), but I plan to write a full review once i'm finished.
I think that it depends on what your planning on doing with the car. If your going to race it, or increase bhp greatly over n/a levels then a lot of hardcore bracing will probably want to be on your shopping list. If your are an average driver who is just planning on adding a chip and some milder mods for example and go for the occasional weekend blat then I would think that front tower strut brace and breastplate would be enough.
In saying that I do have a post facelift car which is braced better as stock, but am also turbo'ed and have never had and issues with just ftsb and bp. I think lowering springs would be on my list after those 2 rather than anything else.
Phil
.
Quote from: "evileye_xc"In saying that I do have a post facelift car which is braced better as stock, but am also turbo'ed and have never had and issues with just ftsb and bp. I think lowering springs would be on my list after those 2 rather than anything else.
I went breast plate, FTSB, lowering then MSMB. Every time it got better, but to be honest the benefit of the £70 on the breast plate was much greater £ for £ than when I swopped it for MSMB. Still as Phil says, it depends on what you want (coupled with how much you've got to spend). Certainly go for BP now if you can't afford MSMB for a few months, but if you can I suggest you go straight for it.
bigger wheels upset my handling a little, the full brace kit i spent an arm and a leg on fixed it again. Back like its on rails.
/off topic
Woo hoo Ed your not leaving us after all s8) 8) s8)
/end off topic
/Philster
s:) :) s:)
Quote from: "markiii"Quote from: "Kool PT"i know but i prefer my knobs to stick up straight, and che's one curves to the left.
actually the B&M and cheapy ones are the nly ones that do go straight up
the stock one actually curves to the right
Are you sure about the B&M? I don't recall how the actual shaft curves, but the TRD is pretty much positioned where the stock is. The B&M moves the stick to the left, which is good for us LHD guys, but probably sucks for RHD.
I've had the stock, the TRD 5spd and the genuine B&M on the stock cage. Don't know about anything else.
front strut brace is fitted...it's good...but it's not amazing! have only driven around town so hopefully i'll notice a difference once i hit a few b roads. seems to have a tendency to understeer a little bit. also looking forward to breast plate & fstb combo
Quote from: "Kool PT"hopefully i'll notice a difference once i hit a few b roads.
Definitely comes into its own in "more spirited" driving, like on an airfield s:wink: :wink: s:wink:
Quote from: "Kool PT"front strut brace is fitted...it's good...but it's not amazing! have only driven around town so hopefully i'll notice a difference once i hit a few b roads. seems to have a tendency to understeer a little bit. also looking forward to breast plate & fstb combo
You are the first person I've read of to put the front brace on before the breastplate. I have just the breastplate and I am considering FSTB myself so I am watching this with interest - My budget is similar, ie very limited, and my mods have to be useful improvements fro the money, much like yours.
Have you noticed a reduction in scuttle shake from the front bracing?
I found this to be the most marked effect of the breastplate, followed by a more of-a-piece feel to the body, leading to more feel and more predictable behaviour approaching rear breakaway.
Can you be more detailed about what the tower brace is giving you ?
OK i have done a bit more driving, and I will definitely say that shake is greatly reduced at the front with this and the che FMB. Turn in is sharper and there is less body roll, and if pushed hard the front end seems more twitch than the rear as previous. I must say that I've not noticed steering feeling any more heavy, but I have not taken it round any sharp corners at a decent speed yet. I will reserve final judgement until the breast plate is on but I'm hoping that that's the missing link to tie it all together s:D :D s:D as it stands, I would probably not recommend spending £150 on these two mods if no other chassis bracing was to be done. stay tuned for BP update though.
intriguing I noticed a masive massive difference with these mods, maybe your not driving hard enough :-) :-) :-)
s:lol: :lol: s:lol:
i've not been out of town yet and my drive to work is primarily in traffic jams with a tiny straight stretch of dual carriageway. the weekend will give me a real idea of it, i just noticed no difference in steering feel at speeds up to 40mph and most people said it got really heavy. what's unmistakeably improved incrementally after member brace and much more so after fitting FSB is the lack of noticable wobble at the front. it feels very connected and planted to the road.
what you should notice is that cornering speed increase by 15mph or so (don;t go stack it just because I said so :-) :-) :-) ) and rough surfaces that would have your teeth fall out before now seem acceptable
Quote from: "markiii"what you should notice is that cornering speed increase by 15mph or so (don;t go stack it just because I said so :-) :-) :-) ) and rough surfaces that would have your teeth fall out before now seem acceptable
the latter definitely, the former, who knows, my testing has been limited to 'giving it large' on quiet roundabouts etc so far s:D :D s:D
after this lot i think i'm going to do catback exhaust, unichip & short shifter.
fingers crossed for BP installation on sun, might get a 2nd pair of axle stands and just do it on 'all fours'
Pfft, you can do the BP with the car just jacked up on the supplied jack-thing.
Very dangerous and I wouldn't do it again, but you don't need half as much room as you think you do.
Pffft again, I fitted 2 different BP's by just lying on the ground and sticking my arm under the car, the hardest part is clipping the pipe into the plastic clip
Ah, but you're somewhat skinnier than me s:oops: :oops: s:oops:
i was under the impression that a BP was something you wouldnt want to fit while the car was jacked up unevenly... i've got a pair of axle stands, kinda skint though, will I be ok with just them? for the record i'm not exactly rotund but not the skinniest bugger either
You should be fine if you put either the front or rear on axle stands. Like you say, ideally it would be fitted when the car's flat and even, but raised front-to-back shouldn't make any difference really.
I would have thought that if the car was jacked unevenly and there was some flex, the bolt holes wouldn't line up properly.
When I did mine on my last Roadster, I used someone elses driveway that had a convenient dip, just right for positioning the car over to get enough clearance without the need to jack it up.
Agreed, when we put Alex's on we didn't bother jacking, just got underneath laying on the ground
Phil
cool.
the other part i'm worried about is the cables - have seen some fitting guides but none of them make it exactly clear where they are and why you should bother unclipping them - are they attached to the stock centre bracing? i assume this will become clear when i get under there tomorrow..
took the car down the south deeside roads for some twisties today, as it was absolutely scorching for some reason. i even ripped the perspex out of the back so tha ti could fold the roof down...what a feeling s:D :D s:D
i think i was majorly skeptical to begin with about the FSTB because i didn't feel a difference in every day driving. i will say now that cornering feels a lot safer and i was comfortable attacking some of the twisties with a lot more gusto. i am NOW fully satisfied with this mod s:lol: :lol: s:lol:
s:scared: :scared: s:scared: snapped bolt fitting breast plate...is there any course of action other than drilling it out? if i were to tap it out with a screwdriver and hammer would I be any worse off? Where does it go once it's pushed in?
Stud extractor if you have one/know someone who has one/don't mind buying one.
Quote from: "Kool PT":scared: snapped bolt fitting breast plate...is there any course of action other than drilling it out? if i were to tap it out with a screwdriver and hammer would I be any worse off? Where does it go once it's pushed in?
The bolts go into welded on set nuts on the floorpan. If you tap it out with a screwdriver, it will end up floating around under the carpet below the seats, but you still need a nut to secure the breasplate. Best bet if you can is a stud extractor. Alternatively, you could take out the seat on the side affected, lift the carpet and try and get it out from above, possibly even drill it out and helicoil.
They do not need a great deal of torque, 28lb/ft IIRC.
Chris
yup 28lb/ft is what i was aiming for, i did a couple of turns and it seemed to be creeping up from 10ish then it went clunk and the bolt head fell off! i really am an idiot when it comes to this sort of thing, but no better way to learn than to f*ck up a few times s:wink: :wink: s:wink:
sigh...might try and get my hands on a bolt extractor. in the meantime, any issues running with 5 bolts? all 4 corners are secured, it's just one of the middle ones that's gone. i presume it's perfectly safe, i just won't be feeling the benefits...
Cant see it being a problem running with one bolt missing, but would get the last one in as soon as I could just in case.
Chris
took it to a garage i trust and they said to just leave it in as it'll be more trouble than its worth to try and extract it. i wonder if I could maybe have it welded to the chassis? what are those cables that run above it anyway? hopefully not the clutch & brake lines
in other news, my tein S techs are here. come payday I'll get my droplinks & get them fitted and so will end stage 1 of my mod list and hopefully a good representation of what mods should take presidence if one is on a budget or wanting to limit modding to a few basic improvements. it might not be exact to the pound, but the purchases I made should all have been at a fairly realistic price...some may pay more, some less for what I bought.
I also wanted to try and exclude stuff that I am replacing that will be worn after 8 years and 88k on the clock. so at some point i will probably get a hold of the entire 2srus bushings set and brass shift bushings too...things that a brand new 2 would barely benefit from, if at all. some would-be modders may have 2005 plate cars with 10k on the clock, some may have older and higher mileage 2s. so to keep focused on the stuff that will affect all 2s, i've not included them in my plan.
will get thread 2 started with stage two...i'm thinking something along the lines of che rear member brace (he's got a new one for sale shortly with a cross bar instead of the two seperate braces that comprised the old product), che rear strut brace, short shifter and maybe che manifold & a decent 2nd hand catback. as always, i will welcome all of your ideas & feedback.
Well done on completing stage 1, well once it's all fitted s:wink: :wink: s:wink: You've covered the basics with lowering springs, breastplate and FTSB. If you have a gutted Manifold already on I don't think you really need a Che one to replace it. You won't feel any difference on Butt Dyno. Also the Rear Tower Strut Brace is found by most to make the very least difference. I have a C-One RTSB and didn't feel it changed things a great deal, very slightly but not much. I can imagine the Che version being a bit less substantial so making less, if any difference. It might be an idea to add the money you would spend on a Che Manifold and combine the two and buy a 'Big Name' RSTB if you think that is the way to go. Shortshifters are a good cheap mod combined with the speedsource bushes add that bit of pleasure to your drive. Catbacks come up on Ebay from time to time as well as on here. More of a noise and appearance mod than giving you extra performance but still very worthwhile doing. And altho I've said it before it would really be worth it to add a piggyback chip during stage 2.
Phil
shhh, save it for the next thread s:wink: :wink: s:wink:
Quote from: "Kool PT"shhh, save it for the next thread s:wink: :wink: s:wink:
My lips are sealed!! s:| :| s:|
So the bolt on the brace, did you replace it? I'm assuming it is one of the main fixing bolts.
Its not terrible to sort by the way, just needs careful drilling out and retapping the thread for a new bolt.
I did one on mine last weekend where a really nasty ramp had ripped the head off one of the fixing bolts on my TTE mid brace.
nope see above it's just left unfastened. the four corners of the brace are fixed, but only one of the 'middle' ones is done. it may be something i try when i have my own means of lifting it properly onto ramps or a pit or suchlike.
front and rear droplinks ordered from 2sRus - should be getting them & tein springs fitted the week after next
dyno run booked for 27th oct...will see what the engine is putting out with the gutted manifold & CAI. i'll be happy as long as it's equal to or above stock figure...if not then nothng I can do about it!
dyno run cancelled, getting springs & droplinks fitted instead a week today
Stage 1 complete:
Thoughts on springs...not feeling amazingly positive about them, to be honest. Cost 300 quid to get them fitted and wheels aligned, bringing the cost of springs & links & fitting to over 500 quid. Looks wise I'm really pleased, definitely feel slightly less body roll on corners, but rattles have increased. The ride is strange...some bumps that used to feel like I was getting booted up the arse have improved, others feel much more bouncy which were fine before. I would definitely say that the overall ride quality has suffered...maybe just down to having old shocks (although the garage said nothing about shocks being worn, and the push down-bounce up test doesn't indicate any excessive play).
I'm going to continue with bracing in stage two, and hopefully the rear member and rear strut brace will help to calm down the rattles some more. Then I need to figure out at some point in the future whether to replace the shocks (best price £240 for a set of 4 from camskill) or go down the coilover route (400 odd quid minimum? not sure - could probably get a few quid for the s.techs with low use too). I presume that the fitting cost would be the same again for either option...or would it be cheaper with coilovers?
To sum up this thread, i'll hopefully be able to get a dyno run booked soon, just for fun and to see what gain or loss the gutted manifold & ppe intake have given to the car.
what spring did you go with?
is everything tightened properly?
tein s.tech on 89k stock shocks. what sort of things do you think might not be tightened properly? I wasn't present during the installation, a local garage that I trust did the work.
things to check
1) 2 massive bolts holding hub to strut bottom
2) 3 at the tope of each strut holding them to teh car (ones you see under teh bonnet/engine lid)
3) and teh centre nut holding teh strut to teh top mount
if it's crashy my money would be on 3) as tehy are a pain to torque, should only have teh nuts used once (they are nylocks) and I've seen this behaviout before
I'd also check if teh springs were mounted teh correct way up, and wether teh bump stops were put back on teh strut. Though these may need replacing on 89K struts anyway
lastly 89K struts are probably pretty stuffed anyway
Gimme £40 and I'll tell you what your dyno figure will be. Oh go on then I'll do it for free. It's virtually the same as stock, at the very most 141bhp.
Whenever you change your set up it's going to change the rattles you hear within the cabin. Some of those you know and love will be replaced by new and strange noises. Wait til you start with engine mounts or dampers!
£300 seems excessive for spring fitting. I know a local place was quoting around 100 quid all in on ebay. Saying that rumour is that they have gone out of business so maybe that's why hehe!
Phil
ok, so to replace the shocks am I right in thinking that I will have to pay for the same fitting process, as the shocks will need to be replaced and then the spring 'sheathed' back into it? if so, would complete coilovers not be a doddle to fit in comparison as the spring is already fitted on? the garage justified their time as an hour per spring, plus wheel balancing.
I will probably get the camber/balance checked at its 90k service as a matter of course so will check those fittings at the same time.
phil I am aware that I will have bugger all power increase but as a point of reference for n00bs (which is sort of the reason I made this thread) it can't hurt. I'm also going to be doing a before and after when fitting my catback & doing the emanage tune so it would be nice to see if there are any incremental changes whatsoever. Most importantly though, I have no idea if my car even had stock power/torque to begin with, so i'd like to know what it's putting out regardless of any minor airflow mods.
most people fit springs until their shocks give up and then sell teh springs to fund full coilovers when teh shocks do go
fitting coilovers is at most 30 mins per corner work and yes is easier than springs
as for wheel balancing, there is no reason that needs to be done, the only thing they have done is remove a wheel and refit it, big deal s:flame: :flame: s:flame:
yeah I thought that was a bit extreme. slow workers then, and not the cheapest labour rates in town either. I have had work done there before at a good price but think I'll avoid em in future. prob is i'm really not savvy enough to argue about this stuff with a garage mechanic! I think i'll run these into the ground then and go to the coilover route next year - seems like a logical step anyway as I really want to hit the track once it gets sunny again. i'm thinking BCs.
tbh it's really easy diy job
well that would be even better. i'd never even changed a car's oil until i got this one though, so what is considered an easy diy job by some might put me a little out of my depth. you never know what i'm going to pick up between now and then though s:D :D s:D
(http://img135.imageshack.us/img135/7326/dsc00487et5.jpg)
PT's roadster with stage 1 mods fitted. would like to get new headlamps & a new set of number plates, the old ones are rusty and dingy
you are the first bloke I have ever seen with rusty number plates!
i know shameful aint it...i'll probably get a new set the morn