So many questions... such little room to ask. Eric Hsu is down to answer nearly every question you have for him, but not all at once. Pick a good one, try real hard to figure it out for yourself, then send it to him, via questionit@importtuner.com. You might not get the reply you were looking for, but trust us-it'll be the one you need.
Honda Powered
I just finished building a Dart B20, packing a GT42 turbo that's tuned to 975hp to the wheels on high boost. With that said, I'm sure I'll need to upgrade the transmission, but don't know where to start. I drive the car daily and, yes, it's my only car. I know everyone wants to know what it takes to make monster power, but I already know that. What can I do to hold it all?
-Anthony "Bald Turbo Freak" Franciosa,
Via importtuner.com
You got balls man. Typically, the piston-to-cylinder wall clearances required in an engine to live at 975whp are too large to be daily driven. I mean, you can drive the engine daily, but don't expect it to live long. Anyway, here's what you need to find: a straight-cut, dog-engagement gearset and a high strength ring and pinion. You'll want to do both the gearset and the ring and pinion together. If you do one or the other, the stock components will break. Three companies come to mind that offer the parts you need: KAAZ (kaazusa.com), PPG (ppgearbox.com.au), and MFactory (teammfactory.com). The straight cut, dog engagement gearset will be loud as hell on the street, but then again, so is your engine.
Check Yo' Self
What's the easiest way to change the EGR valve on a '92 240SX KA24DE?
-Anonymous,
Via importtuner.com
Get yourself a service manual and follow the directions. If you are cheaper than you are lazy, then download it off the web somewhere. Did you want me to teach you how to use a ratchet, too?
Turbo Upgrade
I am looking to upgrade my turbo on my EVO IX MR, but there are so many options out there that I don't know which one would give me the best performance in terms of street driving and road racing on the weekends. I was looking to target around 400 whp with good response, but want something with good top-end power, unlike like the factory turbo. Do you have any suggestions? I have the basic package right now: exhaust, intake, and a reflash.
-AnonymousVia importtuner.com
I would recommend an upgraded Full Race intercooler, intercooler hard pipes, some RC Engineering 750cc fuel injectors, a high flow fuel pump, Cosworth M2 272 camshafts, and a Full Race twin scroll GT30R turbo. Of course it all needs to be orchestrated by a professional tuner. DO NOT go for the mail order flash bullshit.
Boost It Up!
I have recently bought an NC Mazda MX-5 Miata; the 1.8 ICON version. I'm interested in finding out more information about a turbo or supercharger setup. Can you advise?
-Keith,
Via importtuner.com
I only have experience with the AVO Turboworld MX-5 turbo system (www.avoturboworld.com). It is a complete bolt-on turbo system and provides huge gains in reliable horsepower. Otherwise, I have seen good results with the old Jackson Racing supercharger system. I have never used it first hand, though.
Built To Perfection
I'm writing to seek advice for a staged build on a '95 Toyota Supra Turbo with the six-speed Getrag transmission, 2JZ-GTE engine, and only 30,000 original miles. My goal is to have an 800-900 whp street Supra, and I'd like to do this as a staged build over a three year period... but where do I start? There are so many facets to cover when building a car like this-building the bottom end and head, suspension, weight reduction, drivetrain, turbo upgrade with the appropriate components, engine management, electronics, tuning... I want to realize my goals without spending unnecessary funds or backtracking. Where do I start? Where do I end?
-Josh,
Canada
Where do you start? First of all, set a budget for yourself and figure out what you're willing to spend. Then start with the basic power upgrades: downpipe, exhaust, intake, front-mount intercooler, boost controller, and-ideally-a standalone ECU (you'll never have to upgrade/replace a good one). These mods are good for about 400whp... which you'll probably get bored of in a couple months. You seem to have an idea of what else is necessary for big power, so just start shopping for parts. Some good places to start would be Titan Motorsports in Orlando, FL; Boost Logic in Austin, TX; and Full Race in Phoenix, AZ. The most important piece of advice: whichever ECU you choose to go with, make sure you have it professionally tuned, by someone who has experience with that ECU. Professional service may be expensive, but it's insurance for your investment; you wouldn't go buy a $20,000 raw diamond and have some hack amateur working out of his house cut it, would you? You would go to a professional. It is no different with a fully built engine and ECU tuning.