"A fool will say that he knows much, but only a wise man can prove that he does." Words to live by. If we could add a line to that proverb, it would be, "Once he proves himself, a wise man can talk all the smack he wants." Eric Hsu certainly earns this qualification; Google his name, then send all questions to: questionit@importtuner.com and heed the voice of reason.
Zoom Zoom
Help! My brother and I are from Houston, but we both live in China. Two months ago, we bought an `08 (post-October model) Mazda3 2.0 liter (largest motor available for the Chinese market). After a month, we dropped it off at our local and trusted pro shop for rims, tires, exhaust, body kit, and an aftermarket turbo. The guys at the shop can't seem to get it dialed in after a month of everyday tuning and programming. The throttle body keeps slamming shut just as boost is about to kick in at 5,000 rpm, followed by backfiring and misfiring. Any advice you can give would be greatly appreciated. The car is currently running a Mitsubishi TD05 turbo and a piggyback.
--Duke
China
If you were to spend six hours a day in a five day work week and multiply that by four weeks in a month, that would be 120 hours of tuning. While piggyback tuning can actually take much more time than stand-alone tuning, 120 hours is just ridiculous for a bolt-on turbo system. The throttle body closes on the Mazda 3 because it is attempting to limit torque. The only way around this problem is to reprogram the ECU's throttle position vs. pedal position maps. Contact Ecutek or Cobb Tuning for Mazda reflash solutions. The other way to do it would be to wire in a stand-alone ECU like a Haltech, Autronic, or Link ECU.
Say What?
There's a lot of front-engine FWD cars, front-engine RWD cars, and rear-engine RWD cars, but are there any rear-engine FWD cars? If not, why?
--Anonymous
via importtuner.com
Because nobody is that stupid.
Boosted Tiburon
I have been reading 2NR for about a year and a half and own an `03 Hyundai Tiburon with the 2.0L four-cylinder engine. I plan on putting an aftermarket intake, header and exhaust on it. However, I don't know much about turbo systems or ECUs. Can you tell me the engine code for this specific engine? Would putting a turbo on the stock motor put too much stress on it and the transmission? I would be willing to save money, wait on making modifications to the car, and just build a new motor to drop in. I recently came across the final results of the Castrol Syntec Top Shop Challenge and read that 2NR built a badass SR20. Would an SR20 match up well in my car or would you recommend something else?
--Connor O'Neill
via importtuner.com
If you want some simple mods like exhaust, headers, intake, fuel computer, then go ahead and modify your Tiburon. But if you want to make big power gains I REALLY recommend you sell your Tiburon and buy something else similarly priced and much more aftermarket friendly. Many cars come to mind that are relatively low priced, fun, and rewarding to modify: 240SX, Eclipse GST/GSX, WRX, SRT4, early Supra Turbos, etc. The SR20 is not an easy swap into your Tiburon--don't even bother.
DOHC Power
I have a `90 CRX with a DOHC ZC swap that I drive from Michigan to Louisiana quite frequently. The car has an Si tranny, and I noticed that at 70 mph, the revs are at a constant 3,500 rpm. What tranny would you recommend for long trips like that, or is my 5th gear at 3,500 rpm OK? One other question: I haven't been able to find many aftermarket parts to squeeze some extra power out of the engine. What would you recommend: a B16A swap, or boosting the ZC?
--Derek Horn
via importtuner.com
You, my friend, have found the key to happiness that many other enthusiasts have not found: being content with your car the way it is and putting a smile on your face every time you drive it. I have met way too many "enthusiasts" who are building their cars so they can have a better car than the next guy. They forget to enjoy their cars. Anyhow, a Honda engine buzzing at 3,500 rpm is ok. That's very much like the 1999 Civic Si that buzzes at 3,800 rpm at 70 mph. If you're looking for better gas mileage and a lower highway cruising rpm, the easiest way to do this would be to increase your tires' rolling diameter (if you have space in the fender well and haven't slammed your car). Otherwise, you can get a DX or HF transmission for a longer Fifth gear and final drive ratio, but the longer final drive ratio will decrease the car's rate of acceleration. As for power, there aren't many parts available these days. You can use a header from an `89 Acura Integra and modify your exhaust. Maybe contact Web Cams in Riverside, CA for a set of custom camshafts, and Hondata for some custom ECU work.