Help On Future Mods For Gains

[suwidji]

Hey all,

Looking at getting some more power out of my ER34 by installing a TBE and FMIC.

I'm thinking a kakimoto catback + dump system, however I don't seem to know where to find it relatively cheap.

I'm looking for a system that has no drone, but a nice mean rumble at low revs, but roars up high, any other recommendations? I also like the look of twin tips, as opposed to big cannons.

Also, is a tune a MUST after install of the TBE? I understand it will be required to fully reap the benefits of the TBE, but will I be ok to run it without a tune until i get some more dosh for one? Will my fuel mileage go down quicker without a tune?

Thanks

[34GeeTeeTee]

You should look in the classifieds, you are sure to fins a system to suit! There was a HKS on ebay a while back and another HKS Super Dragger on here with Ricky... Cheap enough!

If you are not lifting the boost level and have a factory ECU there is not much you can tune at this stage.

[suwidji]

yeh i'm always looking around on the classifieds, hopefully will find one to my liking.

I'm just not too sure on what is good and how they actually sound. I've read around that the HKS one isn't very silent, and i don't want anything that'll wake up the neighbourhood or set off car alarms whilst just cruising lol.

I've upped the boost to 10psi with MBC (i believe that's the maximum safe boost for the stock turbo?). So i wouldn't need a tune for just the new exhaust?

[34GeeTeeTee]

Well i would be rechecking that boost level once you fit these items!

If you get an exhaust that has a centre muffler and a large oval rear muffler it is likely to be quiet etc, if you get one with a hot dog and cannon you are going to be a defect magnet!

I've never run the stock turbo, most say 12psi is fine but any higher and the factory ECU goes into R&R anyway.

I remember watching this when i first got mine SO SO long ago lol

[GTSBoy]

You won't need a tune. A tune would be a good thing, but you won't need it.

I currently have Neo with exhaust, cooler, improved turbo intake, running 11-12 psi on Nistuned ECU with the standard tune. The stock fuel maps only go up to a load of 160, and my load is currently running at 185 max. So that means my ECU is significantly extrapolating off the end of the fuel map. But that hardly matters as the entire top right hand corner of the map is set to 100+% duty cycle anyway. The effect is that I am running factory rich mixtures near the top of my load range and then leaning out as I go past that into extrapolation. But it isn't actually lean - the stock injectors are big enough to keep the mixtures OK at that sort of boost. Going higher would be a concern and wouldn't be attempted without a wideband (and preferably on the dyno). And that's without the concern that the turbo may crap itself if run to higher boost anyway.

FWIW, when I get my crap together the car is going on the dyno for a tune - mainly to make sure there is enough timing in the top end, more so that fixing the fuelling, and to try to improve the cruise economy. Getting better economy may be a bit hard given that the Neo ECUs run a VE map which controls that and it is apparently a bastard to tune.

[suwidji]

Re-checking boost as in... it'll pump up with a TBE?

Yeh i want it nice and silent around the streets and a beast when my foot's down lol, thanks for that info.

Are you able to recommend any well-known setup like the one you mentioned? My mate got his system custom made from Performance Exhaust, maybe i can go to them and see what they can do for me.

Tempted to watch the video, but I'm at work! grrr

[GTSBoy]

Re-checking boost as in... it'll pump up with a TBE?

Yes. You might gain as much as 2 psi.

[suwidji]

You won't need a tune. A tune would be a good thing, but you won't need it.

I currently have Neo with exhaust, cooler, improved turbo intake, running 11-12 psi on Nistuned ECU with the standard tune. The stock fuel maps only go up to a load of 160, and my load is currently running at 185 max. So that means my ECU is significantly extrapolating off the end of the fuel map. But that hardly matters as the entire top right hand corner of the map is set to 100+% duty cycle anyway. The effect is that I am running factory rich mixtures near the top of my load range and then leaning out as I go past that into extrapolation. But it isn't actually lean - the stock injectors are big enough to keep the mixtures OK at that sort of boost. Going higher would be a concern and wouldn't be attempted without a wideband (and preferably on the dyno). And that's without the concern that the turbo may crap itself if run to higher boost anyway.

FWIW, when I get my crap together the car is going on the dyno for a tune - mainly to make sure there is enough timing in the top end, more so that fixing the fuelling, and to try to improve the cruise economy. Getting better economy may be a bit hard given that the Neo ECUs run a VE map which controls that and it is apparently a bastard to tune.

I understand most of what you said, I'm not very technically in the know, but I'm learning

When you got your NISTUNE, did you not get it tuned up on a dyno?

Thanks for the help. Gotta find me a TBE now!

[GTSBoy]

I bought the ECU and installed the Nistune board myself*. Then installed the engine into the car, along with all the other conversion work**. Then I had to keep it completely standard until it went through Regency for (a comprehensive) roadworthy.

*Actually, there is a lot to that story. Some of the various installations*** were done by Matt from Nistune on his workbench at his place, some were done by me. It is easy enough if you're good with electronics, but there are plenty of ways to stuff it up, so don't take it as read that it is trivial to install a Nistune board.

**So of course there's more story here, in that I did a lot of the work, but of course I had a lot of help from people who know what needs doing and how to get it done.

*** Matt and I had some problems early on with a batch of boards that had a faulty chip. Caused us to go through a few installations to work out what the problem was.

Edited July 5, 2013 by GTSBoy

[MatthewT85]

as people have said, your boost may rise a touch from an exhaust, mine has gone from 7 up to 9psi just with exhaust, FMIC and pod.

the HSK super dragger is a pretty exhaust, but is a cannon

[suwidji]

I see,

Yeh I'm not too good with electronics, when i get to that stage i'll get a pro to do it for me

I just had a quick read up of NISTUNE. For a 34, would i need a new ECU, or can the stock r34 ECU be used? Also, approximately how much would it be for the install + tune? Just for future reference since I'm still at the TBE + fmic stage lol.

[GTSBoy]

Nistune can be installed into your existing ECU. It will cost you ~$1200 to get it put in and a tune done. I wouldn't bother unless you were were going to a different turbo and bigger injectors, unless you really want to stretch the last 10rwkW out of the stock stuff at sensible boost levels.

[suwidji]

Nistune can be installed into your existing ECU. It will cost you ~$1200 to get it put in and a tune done. I wouldn't bother unless you were were going to a different turbo and bigger injectors, unless you really want to stretch the last 10rwkW out of the stock stuff at sensible boost levels.

Yeh I'm not looking at getting it done anytime soon.

Cheers for the help everyone! Much appreciated

[Dose Pipe Sutututu]

HKS Super Dragger by far is the most quiet exhaust I've heard on a Skyline.

It consists of 1x resonator, 1x mid muffler and 1x rear muffler. It might be huge, but it's quiet. It's more quiet that the HKS Hi Power Silent, etc...

I recommend for you:

- JJR dump pipe (cheap as shit)

- Venom Cat 3" pipe / 4" body

- 2nd hand Japanese, JASMA catback

Won't need a FMIC for 0.8 bar of boost. The R34 SMIC is more than sufficient.

[34GeeTeeTee]

as people have said, your boost may rise a touch from an exhaust, mine has gone from 7 up to 9psi just with exhaust, FMIC and pod.

the HSK super dragger is a pretty exhaust, but is a cannon

Actually it is a muffler just in a round cannon shape! The big body on it muffles sounds really well.

[suwidji]

HKS Super Dragger by far is the most quiet exhaust I've heard on a Skyline.

It consists of 1x resonator, 1x mid muffler and 1x rear muffler. It might be huge, but it's quiet. It's more quiet that the HKS Hi Power Silent, etc...

I recommend for you:

- JJR dump pipe (cheap as shit)

- Venom Cat 3" pipe / 4" body

- 2nd hand Japanese, JASMA catback

Won't need a FMIC for 0.8 bar of boost. The R34 SMIC is more than sufficient.

I've heard the HI Power Silent isn't even that silent lol. I'll probably watch some videos on how each system sounds before i decide.

So the JJR dumps are reliable for $200?

Just saw some x-force cat back systems on justjap, curious if anyone knows how they perform and sound?

[34GeeTeeTee]

I've heard the HI Power Silent isn't even that silent lol. I'll probably watch some videos on how each system sounds before i decide.

So the JJR dumps are reliable for $200?

Just saw some x-force cat back systems on justjap, curious if anyone knows how they perform and sound?

The Hi Power Silent is not silent!

Just like my Apexi Super Megaphone is dead quiet!

Japan...................... You are doing it backwards!

[AngryRB]

I'd get a second hand Jap system from the wreckers, that's what I did, The HKS mufflers ive seen are basically a big hollow cannon with a restrictor inside, I have a fujitsubo muffler that's identical gives the same sound for sale, there quiet down low but get angry on WOT..

I think what your after is either a Jap system/ muffler with restrictor or a proper oval muffler on the end such as an Xforce,

Edited July 5, 2013 by AngryRB

[Dose Pipe Sutututu]

I've heard the HI Power Silent isn't even that silent lol. I'll probably watch some videos on how each system sounds before i decide.

So the JJR dumps are reliable for $200?

Just saw some x-force cat back systems on justjap, curious if anyone knows how they perform and sound?

yeah man just a simple flange with a pipe welded to it.. nothing fancy.. save the rest of your coin on a new turbo or ecu

[34GeeTeeTee]

yeah man just a simple flange with a pipe welded to it.. nothing fancy.. save the rest of your coin on a new turbo or ecu

Lol you said flange!