Dear Turbo,
I was looking at getting the Invidia G200 cat-back exhaust for my 350Z (and eventually a DC header) but was wondering about smog and emissions. I live in California and want a system that I can use on the street that I won't get tickets for. I know the DC headers have the Executive Order number but what's the deal with exhaust? Do you know if this cat-back exhaust system will pass smog? How is it with noise? Any other information regarding laws on performance upgrades in California that you may know would help me out a lot. Thank you for your time.
Chris Paxton
Chris, the California laws regarding exhaust system states that no exhaust system can be louder than 95dB rating. There are only a select few manufacturers that offer exhaust systems that passes the 95dB rating. You might want to check with Invidia if their system passes the sound test. As for emissions, most exhaust systems on the market are catalytic back so the system does not affect any smog-controlled devices on the vehicle and should pass emissions. To be safe so you don't get hassled by police officers just stick to performance products that carry a CARB-exempt number and you should be fine.
Dear Turbo,
I have a '02 WRX that I installed a '04 2.5 liter short block into. I know I need to reprogram the ECU to get the engine to run to its full potential. The problem is I can't afford a $1,000 ECU at this time. Is there an inexpensive alternative? Everything else on the car is stock. Thanks for your help.
Chad Sprinkle
Well Chad, besides purchasing a brand new stand-alone engine management system like the ones from AEM or Motec, which cost even more than reprogramming your factory ECU the only other choice you have is to install a piggy-back fuel computer. The A'PEXi Super AFC has been the choice of many performance enthusiasts to control basic fuel duty.
But if you want more tuning parameters to chose from you might want to check out GReddy's e-Mange system. GReddy offers two different piggy-back computers: the basic e-Manage and e-Manage Extreme. Both systems have much more tuning points than the Super AFC and can also control ignition timing, which the A'PEXi unit can't perform. However, the GReddy unit is more expensive than the A'PEXi unit.
Dear Turbo,
Hello. I am writing in regards to your Project Celica car. I've got a '02 GT-S I'm getting ready to start work on (been in storage for three years now, overseas in the military) and I was thumbing through a buddy's old Turbo mag when I saw yours. I love the stance on yours with the 19-inch Racing Harts. What I wanted to know was with the H&R spring kit, do you have any rubbing issues in conjunction with that size wheel/tire combo? Also, are they standard offset, if not, then what? And lastly, what's the width on the wheels in case I decide to go with a different manufacturer (I'd still like to run the same size tire). Thanks for any info.
Adam Lohn
Okinawa, Japan (at least for another nine months anyways)
Adam, our Project Celica was the first to wear the Racing Hart Type-CR wheels in the U.S. and they look awesome on it. The ones we used were a prototype set from Racing Hart that were flown in from Japan for the Import Auto Salon. The wheel widths are 19x7 up front and 19x8 in the rears wrapped with 225/35 Yokohama Parada tires all around.
We had to go a little conservative in the offset due to the large Stoptech brakes we used. As for the current wheels we are running they are 19x8 with a +37mm offset in front and 19x8.5 with a +35mm offset in the rear with no rubbing. We are running staggered tire sizes as well with 225/35 in front and 235/35 in the rear. Hope that helps and good luck with your Celica.
Dear Turbo,
I was just wondering what brand of turbo kit is the best overall unit for my Civic. I am trying to produce anywhere between 275-350 hp, still with the daily driven capabilities. The only ones that I am aware of are: GReddy, Rev Hard and Cybernation. Which one is the best for what I'm trying to produce?
Now, currently, I own a Tsudo full stainless steel catback exhaust. Will it even be compatible with those turbo kits or will I have to upgrade with something else? I really do appreciate any advice you can give me. One more thing, with me trying to produce those numbers what kind of internal work will I have to do?
David Hampton
David, of the three kits you mentioned the GReddy turbo kit is the only system that is 50-state legal. So if you live in California and have the police breathing down your neck you might want to stick with the GReddy system. Both the Cybernation and Rev Hard system are fairly similar with both using Honda K-pro and utilizing a T4/T3 turbocharger.
We have yet to test out the Cybernation kit but we have done some testing on the Rev Hard unit. We were able to generate 300 horsepower to the front wheels at 10 psi with 91-octane fuel.
Although the kit is more than capable of generating more boost, the factory rods and pistons will have to be addressed. The stock rods were not designed to handle extreme boost pressure and have been known to break with increased boost pressure. Stronger rods are a must if you plan on generating 375 to 400 horsepower on a daily basis. The stock cast pistons are also weak and can crack so stronger forged pistons should be on your list of modifications.
Your Tsudo system should work with all three turbo kits as the downpipe should connect to your exhaust system.
Dear Turbo,
What's up? I am having a big problem with my car trying to find an engine management system for it. I have a '98 Neon R/T with a 2.4 liter out of a Stratus. I also have an SRT-4 turbo and manifold on it with basic bolt-ons such as cams, cam gears, underdrive pulley, bigger throttle body and an INDY intake manifold. I have an S-AFC 2 controlling the fuel now but its not getting the job done. I am planning on putting pistons and rods with a T4/T5 but I want a stand-alone first.
I've looked into Hahn Racecraft's Portfueler, but I want something where I can tune my ignition and fuel all in one, instead of having two or three different things to try and tune. Can you please help me with this big problem?Bobby Harris
Plant City, Fla.
Bobby, you are on the right track. Using one system to control everything is going to work better than using three different system trying to do three separate tuning duties. A stand-alone will be best but you will have to figure out how to make your factory gauge cluster work if you are still using it.
Your other choice is to use a piggy back computer that has more parameters than the S-AFC like a GReddy e-Manage or e-Manage Extreme. Both e-Manage systems will allow the tuner several different tuning points to control injector duty as well as control ignition timing.
Dear Turbo,
I've just got a 1999 Nissan Maxima from my parents as a high school graduation gift. Now I am going to start college and it is expensive! I want to start upgrading the performance parts but with college I am on a budget. I realized that the Maxima's engine has real potential to be faster and more powerful.
The first upgrade that I would like to do is the air induction. Due to my budget, I can only afford a short-ram and not a cold-air intake. My question is: Should I keep the stock intake and just get a performance drop-in filter? Or should it be a short-ram intake?
The problem is that the factory unit sucks in fresh air coming through the grille and I like that, but it is pretty restricted due to all the silencers. With the short-ram, my friends tells me that I won't get any power because it sucks in hot air from the exhaust manifold and radiator fans. So now I am stumped.
Is the fresh air from the stock intake going to make up for the restriction? Or is the direct flow of hot air going to interfere with performance? Any feedback for my breathing problems from you would be great. Thank you.
Quan
Via the Internet
Quan, as you may already know, a cold-air intake would work best on your Maxima. Between choosing a short-ram intake or a stock upgraded panel filter we would go with the short-ram.
Although the short-ram system will consume some hot air from the engine compartment, the increased temperatures should not hamper the performance gains from the system.
Secondly there are some companies that sell upgrades for people who purchase the short-ram and want to make it a cold-air. This way when you have some extra cash you can upgrade the system to a cold-air down the line.