It's often said that "experience speaks louder than words." Unfortunately, in the publishing industry, experience is often best expressed through words. Well . . . that and photos, but we've featured cars like the XS Engineering R32 that Eric Hsu built long ago. So, if you're stuck in a tuning conundrum which your experience does no good to solve, heed Eric's words. If you have no experience to speak of, you might be best to heed the words of another wise man: "It's better to be silent and let people think you're an idiot, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt."
questionit@importtuner.com-your shoulder to cry on.
SE-R, Yes Sir!
I am the proud owner of an '08 Sentra SE-R Spec V with aspirations of turning some wrenches on this project soon, but am lost on where to begin, since there seems to be no love for the SE-R in tuner magazines. Where would a newcomer to the scene find SE-R parts and information? Are there forums available for these cars and owners?
-Jon
Nashville, TN
You might want to check out some of the Nissan forums such as freshalloy.com or nicoclub.com, but if you want to check out some serious newer SE-R builds, check out motoiq.com.
20 Subie Questions
I own an '07 Subaru Impreza 2.5i, which is my first car and project vehicle, with intentions to make it as quick as possible around the track and on the street. I already have a Perrin lightened crank pulley, Perrin 25mm rear sway bar and end links, and H&R lowering springs. I am looking to spend $2,000 dollars more in additional parts, but have a few questions regarding which aftermarket products you prefer:
Ram-Air Or Cold-Air Intakes?
Since you live in Canada, where it's wet, you might want to stay away from the cold-air intakes that can suck up water and hydro-lock an engine. I'd recommend a Cosworth drop-in replacement filter for maximum flow and filtration.
Equal-length or unequal-length headers?
Equal, if you have the budget for more torque.
Exhaust piping size?
Probably 2.5 inches.
Any particular exhaust that won't rob me of power?
For a naturally aspirated engine, you'll probably want some backpressure. Ask the guys at Cobb tuning.
Are there any ECU programs that will boost my power which would be a good investment for what they return?
Visit www.ecutek.com or ask Cobb tuning.
Would a full brake kit be a good investment? Or should I just upgrade the lines, rotors and pads?
On a street-driven car, upgraded lines and pads are good.
Any other suspension parts that will help me shave time off laps?
A good set of shocks, anti-lift kit, and plenty of positive caster and a little negative camber in the front.
-Derek
Canada
Do The Four-Rotor!
I am in the Navy and am currently deployed to South America, working with our government to prevent drug runners from making their precious cargo of "booger sugar" reach the States. When I return, I plan to start building around my '94 RX-7 shell, but was wondering if the newer RX-8 Renesis engine, with its 9,000rpm redline and 200hp output would be a good swap for the FD3S? I really want to go the N/A route and not turbo the car. Should I just get a regular old N/A 13B and build it to my specifications? Do you think the old five-speed transmission that came with the FD will be compatible with the new engine, or will I have to get the six-speed from the RX-8? I'm not too worried about the price of the build, since I have been saving every penny from this deployment; I just want to know what your take on this build is.
-SN. Garcia, John
South America
First of all, the 13B Renesis from the RX-8 does not rev to 9,000 rpm in stock form. Second, you should first decide what you want from your car: do you want a loud cruiser that really doesn't go that fast? If so, that's what you'll be getting by dropping a Renesis into an FD. The RX-8 is pretty slow in stock form, so its engine wouldn't go much quicker in an FD. It sounds like you'd be backpedaling by dropping a 200hp engine into a car that originally came with 255 hp (and with some bolt-ons and good tuning, can quickly get to 350 hp). Naturally aspirated rotaries (or any other small displacement, non-turbo engine) are great in small, lightweight cars like the original R100s, RX-2s and RX-3s that weigh less than 2000 lbs, but a naturally aspirated two-rotor would flat-out suck ass in a 2,800lb FD3S. There just isn't enough torque and horsepower to propel an FD. A non-turbo, three- or four-rotor engine would be the ticket for an FD, and has been done in Japan, Australia and New Zealand . . . but will cost you big bucks. Don't do the Renesis swap. I would hate to see you waste your hard-earned money.
Suspended Sentence
I am stuck trying to find a good suspension kit for my '97 Eclipse RS. The stock shocks are worn out and it's time for an upgrade, but I can't seem to decide between the Tokico HPK231, JIC Magic FLT-FAS, or the Tanabe Sustec Pro S-0C to participate in track days about twice a month. Which suspension would you recommend, or would you know of other brands within these competitors' price range?
-Rene G.
via importtuner.com
The price range among your choices in suspension is pretty wide. The Tokico HPKs are a shock and spring replacement at $500, the JIC FLT-FAS are true coilovers at about $1,700, and the Tanabe Pro S-0Cs are coilovers based on a replacement shock cartridge at about $800. Since it sounds like the car will be a daily driver most of the time, I would probably recommend the Tokico HPKs primarily for the ride quality; for the minimal investment, you get a pretty good increase in handling performance. In other words, the Tokicos offer the best bang for the buck. In fact, I have a set of Tokico HPs and Tein Comfort Master springs in my '96 Maxima beater/parts grabber/super-low-pro grocery getter and I love the combination. With the Performance Friction brake pads and Hankook Ventus tires on stock wheels, the combo allows me to fly under the radar safely. I hate driving slow.