$1000 To Spend

[R338OY]

Max boost on stock r33 turbo is debatable, plenty of threads on sau. I think the limit is about 10-12psi?

It can take 14psi, but it's risky.

12psi is safer but on stock ECU will likely hit rich and retard (esp. on cold nights) and kill performance.

10psi i'd recommend because it's safe. The car will also rev out in any weather and is better for boost spike scenarios.

Remember even on 1 BAR boost the turbo will be fine. It's just excessive heat that kills the compressor turbine i.e. during track days/hot days.

[BDC70T]

yeh i don't think i wanna up the boost anymore...

The actuator is holding 10psi and just from a quick search the word seems to be anything more than that would be reaching the limits of things, but i dunno if the fuel controller and tune would help that side of things any?

And look as far as spending the rest of the money on savings or taking the wife out to dinner ect, i appreciate the advise but that stuff is already taken care of...Hence the small bugdet. So incase anyone else wants to offer that sort of suggestion, before you post keep in mind, this money is for the car only.

[bnr#@]

To all those people who are saying that it won’t make a difference I would like to ask what drugs you are smoking? Really...

First you have taken a Jap performance car which is meant to run on 100 octane fuel and stupid cold weather and brought it to Oz with 98 octane fuel and stupid hot weather, so the tune is already out because it’s meant for Japanese conditions

Then you modify the engines breathing ability by changing the intake, exhaust and intercooler to more free flowing items. Then for good measure you force more air into the engine via more boost.

So in effect you have an engine that’s breathing much more air and running on worse fuel then it was intended to run on. The standard ecu simply can’t cope with this, it was never designed to and just dumps fuel in as it doesn’t know how to react. An safc is by no means the best thing but it works perfectly fine to correct all this mess as that’s what it was intended to do, I am yet to see/hear of a car that has not made a substantial improvement to power/drivability/fuel economy from touching up the fuel maps using an safc.

For whoever insists on a front mount, get over the wank factor. The best intercooler is the smallest you can get away with for the power goal, in this case the r34 side mount intercooler is perfect as its small enough to keep good throttle response but big enough to support around 200rwkw. Going any more will simply hurt throttle response and increase lag slightly as the turbo would have to fill a greater space of air before that pressurized air gets to the engine.

In my opinion BDC70T is a front/dump pipe, 12psi and tune with safc away from a perfect budget street setup. With these mods it will be fast, smooth, responsive, and still reasonably good on fuel

[R338OY]

The factory ECU will comfortably support 10psi. What logic is there in spending up to $800 ($300 SAFC, $500 tune) to run an extra 2psi?

[bnr#@]

The factory ECU will comfortably support 10psi. What logic is there in spending up to $800 ($300 SAFC, $500 tune) to run an extra 2psi?

Other then you missed the point entirely....

No, not to add more boost but to fix the air fuel mixtures. Sure the standard ecu will cope with 10 psi but it will cope with it by dumping fuel in to compensate for the increase in air flow through the engine. At the current price of fuel I would want the greatest efficiency possible. Being able to safely add 2psi is just a by product of the tuning which is always good, you dont have to add more boost if you dont want to. Who charges 500 for tune? 200 is max, wouldn't pay more then 500 complete for safc and the tune.

[R338OY]

Other then you missed the point entirely....

No, not to add more boost but to fix the air fuel mixtures. Sure the standard ecu will cope with 10 psi but it will cope with it by dumping fuel in to compensate for the increase in air flow through the engine. At the current price of fuel I would want the greatest efficiency possible. Being able to safely add 2psi is just a by product of the tuning which is always good, you dont have to add more boost if you dont want to. Who charges 500 for tune? 200 is max, wouldn't pay more then 500 complete for safc and the tune.

I haven't missed anything

A friend of mine has a 200kw R33 with a tuned PFC and can't get more than 460km to a tank. I have a 190kw R33 with a factory ECU at 10psi that holds him in a straight line and gets 500km a tank. My engine is older and has much less spent on it.

I agree with your point on a general note. What i'm getting at is a good cost vs. performance compromise.

[bnr#@]

Too many variables to compare car to car. The biggie is driving style then as no two drivers are the same... PFC tuned open loop or closed? O2 sensor good or old/dodgy? dyno/day/all sorts. $500 on safc is well worth it, it will clean up the fuel mixtures and give a very noticeably nicer driving car all round. It is by no means neccessary but its as good as can be had for the budget available.

Must say here that this is ofcouse all assuming that there is no problems with the car anywhere that need to be fixed.

Edited April 20, 2008 by bnr#@

[colossus]

Mate I am actually in the same boat as you except I have an R34 GTT - currently has cat-back (came free with car) and boost controller ($30) running 10-12psi. I also want to spend minimal money - My plan is:

Dump pipe - $199

Hi Flow cat - $160 (you already have this)

FMIC - $300 (not really needed but hey I like the look).

SAFC NEO - $250 (brand new delivered, buy from the USA dont get ripped off here)

Tuning for above - $100-200.

Thats $1100 for me or $649 for you (as you have cat, R32 wastegate (10psi) and dont need FMIC). Personally I think SAFC is a wise investment, these cars run sooo rich with exhaust...I get 350km to a tank driving normally, everything is serviced/new, which leaves the air/fuel tune.

I only have one rule when modifying and thats make sure everything you buy can be taken off and sold seperatly when you sell the car, i.e. KEEP ALL YOUR STOCK PARTS. End advice.

Edited April 20, 2008 by colossus

[WPN-O33]

wow how enlightening! thats some great advice!!!

thankyou i thought so too.

Maybe you could speak to toshi & he can retune your factory computer. Works well with other SAU'ers, just a thought.

[rev210]

tell us more bout the exhaust cam. haven't considered it b4 and im curious. $125 inc labour? or does that come under tuning?

retarding the exh-cam on non-neo engines broadens the power band. Neo's appear not to benifit.

Typically on a factory ecu you will not require a tune to gain some benifit, except to ensure the timing is set correctly. It does have an effect on AFR's however that mean tuning will give more benifit again.

The process is to bung it on. Get the S-AFC or similar and then get the tune done. The 4 deg setting will not require alteration in this config as there are plenty of examples that have resulted in the consensus around the degrees to set it.

On the other posts so far a few comments;

* A word on the JJR dump pipes; From my own experience they are crappy, typically you need to take to them with a die grinder to fix the careless welding and alignment of flanges.

* As mentioned the FMIC at this stage isn't required. You may like to go a bigger turbo in the future of course but, decide on the intercooler once you are certain of the rest of the setup. Down the track you may change your mind. You may start off thinking hiflow and street but,may end up T88 and drag.

* 10psi is as much as you need to be running on the turbo.Although the factory ecu copes with that but, an adjustment to fuel mixtures is going to capture the greatest benifit.

* 1 bar is a sure way to end the turbo life as it corresponds to increased turbine shaft speed and load once the airflow increases. Like a few people I have been a member of this forum since it started and the "1 bar is safe" idea is well and truely shot to peices based on the history of wrecked factory turbos. Remember that ceramic dust can get into the motor when the turbine fails so you lose more than just the turbo if you are unlucky.

I think you have some good ammo to go start buying parts now. Happy hunting

[FATAZZ]

how bout gettn a FMIC and help that catback of yours breath a bit better with front/dump pipes.

50kw gain i rkn

my favourite part of this thread.... 50kw gain from FMIC and combined dump & front pipe.

but seriously, i'd go for the combined dump & front pipe to finish off your exhaust $249 s/s from justjap

$22 manual boost controller (forced induction thread)

Bass Junky silicone inlet pipe(bout $100 i think)

I've got a safc,but now that remaps are so readily availible,id suggest you see Toshi for 1.

cant remember but you might want a new fuel pump.

this exh cam gear sounds like a goer.

[bnr#@]

Do tell us how you go with whatever you decide on doing

[Basti]

retarding the exh-cam on non-neo engines broadens the power band. Neo's appear not to benifit.

Typically on a factory ecu you will not require a tune to gain some benifit, except to ensure the timing is set correctly. It does have an effect on AFR's however that mean tuning will give more benifit again.

The process is to bung it on. Get the S-AFC or similar and then get the tune done. The 4 deg setting will not require alteration in this config as there are plenty of examples that have resulted in the consensus around the degrees to set it.

cheers for that. its raised a lot more questions (ie: new camshaft or adj camgear or can this be done on a stock setup). search time methinks

Bass Junky silicone inlet pipe(bout $100 i think)

this exh cam gear sounds like a goer.

that is also a good idea. its a bitch to install tho. japs have small hands . theres a few ppl selling the pipes on here.

[black33gtst]

Mate just to show some real world results for you.

When i bought my r33 it had cat back 3 inch kakimoto exh apexi pod walbro fuel pump that setup achieved 145 rwkw.

I added

r34 smic

hi flow 4 inch magnaflow cat

jjr split dump

safc2

retuned with turbo set at 10 psi acheived 171 rwkw and so much nicer to drive

[nizmonut]

one thing that all rb motors are going to need at one stage or another is a overhauled ignition system, wheather you go for replacement direct fire, or go for a wasted spark system, this is just as good as putting a free flow exhaust manifold.

you notice the difference.

you'll have money left over to buy a programable rom for your ecu.

[R338OY]

If you add all the advised mods it runs just a tad over budget.

Gotta love Skylines

[DECIM8]

Start a savings account at 10% and lock it for 6 months, constantly wack in about 20 - 50 bux a week get it out and you can buy some nice mods.

If you want a SAFC ill have one for sale soon, a neo..

Wack in a electronic (or a gfb one if on a budget) boost it up to 11psi daily and you'll have more power. for now your be fine cause its winter but best to get a FMIC before spring.

And the safc as well.. that what I basically run and its great.

Edited April 21, 2008 by DECIM8

[rev210]

one thing that all rb motors are going to need at one stage or another is a overhauled ignition system, wheather you go for replacement direct fire, or go for a wasted spark system, this is just as good as putting a free flow exhaust manifold.

you notice the difference.

you'll have money left over to buy a programable rom for your ecu.

Although it's true that as these cars are getting old, there is no point replacing coild and things till it's showing signs of being rooted.

The stock setup is mint. certainly good enough to punt you well past 350rwkw, the factory coils are as good as you get when working. There is absolutely no benifit in terms of power if the exsisting stock system is healthy.

[Douse]

Slightly off topic, just got a query about the Toshi remap.

Is a Nistune ROM and remap essentially the same thing?

Hyperdrive in W.A say they can remap it and tune it for $800.

Is that reasonable?

Also, i have heard that remaps are better then a SAFC and tune, but i have nothing to base that on.....

[wolverine]

the remap should allow changes to ignition timing. this would be the advantage over SAFC.