Best Bang For Your Buck - S2 Stagea Rs-four S

[Tommy G]

I got my 2000 model Stagea a few months back, but have got to say that after owning a 180SX previously, I'm finding the big rig a bit low in the mumbo stakes.

At this stage the car is stock standard (just turbo-timer). I am wanting to know what other people have done performance-wise (on a budget) to improve their power.

I was thinking;

* HKS Hi-Power Silent Cat-Back Exhaust ($1150)

* Hi-flow Calsonic Air-Filter (not pod-type) ($100)

* Cooling Pro Stealth Intercooler. ($550)

The above will net about $1800. I am reasonably handy - how hard would this gear be to fit yourself?

How much could I expect to gain? (10%, 20%?) Any comments or suggestions welcome!

[Tangles]

I got my 2000 model Stagea a few months back, but have got to say that after owning a 180SX previously, I'm finding the big rig a bit low in the mumbo stakes.

At this stage the car is stock standard (just turbo-timer). I am wanting to know what other people have done performance-wise (on a budget) to improve their power.

I was thinking;

* HKS Hi-Power Silent Cat-Back Exhaust ($1150)

* Hi-flow Calsonic Air-Filter (not pod-type) ($100)

* Cooling Pro Stealth Intercooler. ($550)

The above will net about $1800. I am reasonably handy - how hard would this gear be to fit yourself?

How much could I expect to gain? (10%, 20%?) Any comments or suggestions welcome!

Cooling Pro Stealth Intercooler looks the goods for $550, home install too so thats good, along with the $100 pod filter.

Grab a just jap turbo to cat dump pipe for under $300, a good highflow cat for $300 and a custom 1-muffler catback system for $500 from your local exaust shot

add in a SAFC-II or better an emanage ultimate and get it tuned, plus a $50 boost bleed T-valve

[BigDirtyJase]

definetly computer is good - since you've got a RS Four S, PFC is always a vaulable option.

I've got the Cooling Pro Stealth Intercooler and its good - just make sure your get the stagea one or possibly the R33 one the R34 (I brought) one the bottom tabs don't line up properly

pretty much at the end of the day it's how much your bank balance/credit card limit will allow you

Edited December 23, 2008 by BigDirtyJase

[wolverine]

if the key word is budget:

then just add a cheap boost tee. (i can post you one for $10 plus postage if you want)

if you can stretch a little further then turbo back exhaust is worthwhile and isn't much dearer while you are under the car so why not finish it per tangles post.

if you can stretch further then R34 powerfc is the next thing or Nistune or other tunable ecu option.

[KiwiRS4T]

I got my 2000 model Stagea a few months back, but have got to say that after owning a 180SX previously, I'm finding the big rig a bit low in the mumbo stakes.

At this stage the car is stock standard (just turbo-timer). I am wanting to know what other people have done performance-wise (on a budget) to improve their power.

I was thinking;

* HKS Hi-Power Silent Cat-Back Exhaust ($1150)

* Hi-flow Calsonic Air-Filter (not pod-type) ($100)

* Cooling Pro Stealth Intercooler. ($550)

The above will net about $1800. I am reasonably handy - how hard would this gear be to fit yourself?

How much could I expect to gain? (10%, 20%?) Any comments or suggestions welcome!

Lucky you having a manual! Best bang for buck is to bypass your boost solenoid - more boost, quicker pick-up nil cost.

Cat back won't do much - you need a 3in exhaust from the turbo right through (gut the cat or buy a high flow one). Full exhaust will give heaps more power. FMIC won't do much at this stage but if you're keen it will be necessary when you go for the big numbers. Since you have a manual I would go for a computer next so that you can gain full advantage of each successive mod (New Link or second hand PFC). Good safety measure to test or replace your fuel pump. If you get a computer that lot should get you up to around 200RWKW.

If you can't afford a computer you could buy an Apexi SAFC and SITC and then sell them later when you do buy a computer (both currently for sale on this forum).

[chef_stagea]

look for an exhaust... an r32 gtr cost me 200 to get fitted to my stag... dump pipe didnt do much for me to be honest... bash out your cat and a 3 inch cat back with a resinator... thats like 400$ or so... (30mins work to bash out cat)

safc2 works wonders hr and half to wire it in...

200 250 for the unit.. and like 200 to get tuned (instal your self)

intercooler kit for a rb25... 3 hrs solid work if you have an idea. 500 would see you threw i think

and upping the boost i guess. but i wouldnt do that till its flowing better... cant push more in if you cant pull it in/push it out better!

once you start upping your power things like coil packs and 'rich an retrarding' will be come your biggest issues (split fired and safc2 wll fix this for you!)

[_Ryan_]

before you purchase you exhaust, come and listen to mine. cost me 770 made on the car

those HKS's were too loud for my liking, and i doubt there would be a power difference. With the money saved(both are mild with SS muffler/s) you could get dump/front/cat from JustJap

I have an apex panel.

Cooler seems like a good idea.

[lachlanw]

mine has a HDI front mount . bashed out cat . and a decent cat back . and 11 psi . certainly woke it up . now pulls hard all the way through as oppesed to feeling flat once on boost . kinda like a non turb 2JZ . you know pulls hard but doesnt pull exponetionally vurses revs . now it feels like it shpuld . gonna get it re tuned tho coz it is rich and has a flat sspot hen the nvcs turns off

[pintaline]

Lucky you having a manual! Best bang for buck is to bypass your boost solenoid - more boost, quicker pick-up nil cost.

as talked about in another thread around here somewhere, manuals run 10psi all the time so bypassing solenoid doesn't do anything. ( i can confirm this as i have a manual and have tried it)

in the last few months i've put on a turbo back stainless 3" exhaust, a highflo panel filter and splitfires. cost me about $1400 for brand new coils, justjap front pipe, filter, highflo cat and second hand cat-back exhaust (i'm a good bargain hunter!). car still needs to be tuned but it's much much better and is ever so slightly faster than my mates R34gtt. with a good tune ill have him eating dust

D.

[Tommy G]

as talked about in another thread around here somewhere, manuals run 10psi all the time so bypassing solenoid doesn't do anything. ( i can confirm this as i have a manual and have tried it)

in the last few months i've put on a turbo back stainless 3" exhaust, a highflo panel filter and splitfires. cost me about $1400 for brand new coils, justjap front pipe, filter, highflo cat and second hand cat-back exhaust (i'm a good bargain hunter!). car still needs to be tuned but it's much much better and is ever so slightly faster than my mates R34gtt. with a good tune ill have him eating dust

D.

That's really interesting about the manuals running 10psi - I have never really been able to tell what pressure mine's at. The factory gauge indicates around -7mm/Hg at idle and about +3mm/Hg under hard boost. (Would be heaps easier to read if in psi or bar)

You sure got a lot of gear for your money - good hunting. How loud is the big exhaust when upgraded with dump pipe, highflo cat etc? We do a lot of interstate driving, so a loud, droney exhaust is going to be a no-no. (thus the suggested HKS 'Silent' : )

What sort of 0-100 and quarter mile time would you estimate you get from your setup, D?

[Raysboostin]

as talked about in another thread around here somewhere, manuals run 10psi all the time so bypassing solenoid doesn't do anything. ( i can confirm this as i have a manual and have tried it)

D.

i don't know about that. do u mean 10psi over the entire rev range or just above 4500rpm?? i tried the solenoid bypass on mine and it picked up a heap of power in the low to mid range, but nothing more above 4500rpm. i didnt leave it bypassed though, a couple of times it pinged its a$$ out at 3500rpms so i changed it back straight away. it could have just been bad fuel but i didnt wanna risk it.

for the record all mine has is a cat back 3inch and splitfires. i got a pwr intercooler laying on the floor here im gonna put in her one day.

[KiwiRS4T]

That's really interesting about the manuals running 10psi - I have never really been able to tell what pressure mine's at. The factory gauge indicates around -7mm/Hg at idle and about +3mm/Hg under hard boost. (Would be heaps easier to read if in psi or bar)

You sure got a lot of gear for your money - good hunting. How loud is the big exhaust when upgraded with dump pipe, highflo cat etc? We do a lot of interstate driving, so a loud, droney exhaust is going to be a no-no. (thus the suggested HKS 'Silent' : )

What sort of 0-100 and quarter mile time would you estimate you get from your setup, D?

Clearly you are not running 10psi "all the time". If your guage is reading 3 (x100)mm hg then that is equivalent to about 6psi. I guess people who say that their car runs 10psi "all the time" really mean that 10 psi is the maximum with or without the solenoid. Obviously at some point they are running nil or negative boost and between that and 10psi there must be a boost building time. I find it difficult to believe that the solenoid, if it is in working order, does not inhibit that build up. If the solenoid is correctly bypassed then I am sure you will find that you will gain quicker acceleration. You may or may not need to alter the size of the restrictor (which should have been moved to the line running to the bov return pipe and I have replaced that with a needle valve so that I can alter the size of the restriction at will), thus increasing boost to 10psi (or about 5 on your guage) or if you have an SAFC you could go to say 6 on your guage (which would be just under 12psi).

On my Series I after I got the thre inch exhaust I got 10psi before I bypassed the solenoid but afterwards I got quite a bit more zip (although I regulated the maximum to 10 psi)

You shouldn't ask people to "estimate" their 1/4 mile times! Ask to see the slips!

[pintaline]

http://www.skylinesaustralia.com/forums/10...4s-t228872.html

my exhaust is a silent something, cant remember right now... it's got a very nice note but is no way annoying or loud on long trips. easily consealed by quiet music and my noisy diff!

dunno what times she'd get and probably never will, it's not something im fussed about really... and canberra has no track/strip to do it properly. i did buy one of those ecu consult display thingos tho, it has a timing feature so i may give it a go one day after a tune.

side note - if anyone else has one of those ecu display things, where did you put it??

D.

[Tommy G]

Thanks so much to everyone for all your advice. Just two questions;

1. Regarding air-filters...

Is there a noticable power/intake difference between a full-on 'pod' setup and just using a factory-fitting high-flow panel? I'd like to keep the engine bay looking fairly clean (and be able to get it through inspections!) I know pod-filters sound cooler, but would they really 'suck' twice as much air as the factory airbox with hi-flow panel? Has anyone done any dynoing to compare?

2. Dump pipe...

I can get a 3" pipe through Just-Jap for about $180. I'm not planning on doing any major mods to the car (planning on keeping the factory turbo and just upgrading intercooler and computer). Would installing a dump-pipe be necessary in my circumstance? (i.e should I just get a hi-flow cat and muffler) or would the dump pipe be really worthwhile?

[_Ryan_]

Thanks so much to everyone for all your advice. Just two questions;

1. Regarding air-filters...

Is there a noticable power/intake difference between a full-on 'pod' setup and just using a factory-fitting high-flow panel? I'd like to keep the engine bay looking fairly clean (and be able to get it through inspections!) I know pod-filters sound cooler, but would they really 'suck' twice as much air as the factory airbox with hi-flow panel? Has anyone done any dynoing to compare?

2. Dump pipe...

I can get a 3" pipe through Just-Jap for about $180. I'm not planning on doing any major mods to the car (planning on keeping the factory turbo and just upgrading intercooler and computer). Would installing a dump-pipe be necessary in my circumstance? (i.e should I just get a hi-flow cat and muffler) or would the dump pipe be really worthwhile?

1. I personally dont see the point of a pod, if i want noise and hot air i can just take my air box lid off.

2. I would do the exhaust i as previously mentioned. JJR Dump/Front/Cat and a Custom catback for 800$ or less. The money saved on the HKS catback easily covers the dump and most of the cat, and it is quieter.

-Ryan

[KiwiRS4T]

Thanks so much to everyone for all your advice. Just two questions;

1. Regarding air-filters...

Is there a noticable power/intake difference between a full-on 'pod' setup and just using a factory-fitting high-flow panel? I'd like to keep the engine bay looking fairly clean (and be able to get it through inspections!) I know pod-filters sound cooler, but would they really 'suck' twice as much air as the factory airbox with hi-flow panel? Has anyone done any dynoing to compare?

2. Dump pipe...

I can get a 3" pipe through Just-Jap for about $180. I'm not planning on doing any major mods to the car (planning on keeping the factory turbo and just upgrading intercooler and computer). Would installing a dump-pipe be necessary in my circumstance? (i.e should I just get a hi-flow cat and muffler) or would the dump pipe be really worthwhile?

Agree with Ryan

Forget the pod get a Pipercross PP128-MX or equivalent for your standard air box.

You need a bigger exhaust all the way from the turbo back. HKS catback looks expensive.

If you have a series II you can get the Nistune tunable chip for your ECU (cheaper than a PFC and adequate for what you want and invisible. If you change your mind and want 300RWKW you can sell the Nistune and buy the Link 4 (Vipec).

[_Ryan_]

Vipec goes straight into the standard casing and works with S1 and S2... its on my list haha.

Apex`i drop in panel filter from access autoworks in vermont(trade place, opposite koni place)