$1300 to spend!!!

[jcraw84]

I am looking at spending $1300 in the next week or so, i just want to make sure im doing it right (getting decent and the right parts). Here is the list.

 

IPR TMIC

GMS Catback

ERZ Catless Uppipe

Catless Downpipe

Perrin Short Ram Intake

GMS lightweight crank pulley

 

**I already have a Cobb AP so im on stage 1 and an Apexi AVC-R Boost controller.

 

Once I get these parts im going to go AP stage 2.

 

Does anyone see parts that i am missing or parts i should swap out to get something else instead?

 

Thanks for the help.

-Josh

[ktmrider]

Intake is a total waste of money, crank pulley is iffy.

 

EBC is also not needed for STG2 altho it sounds like you already have it.

 

Sell the AP and go open source ( Taxtrix cable ) unless you or your tuner is familiar with SP/AP mapping.

 

Enjoy STG2, I certainly do!

[jcraw84]

i dont have the ebc hooked up yet, im planning on holding on to it until i get my bigger turbo. (i got it for a good price so i couldn't pass it up) I haven't decided which one yet i have seen mixed reviews but i was looking at a vf52 but i heard it would be difficult to get 350whp out of it. any suggestions for a turbo? (ive read about vf turbo housing with bigger internals)

 

as for open source i dont know anything about it so thats why i went AP. is there a write up on open source? id like to know more.

[Kw521]

unless your engine is built id stay away from 350whp. thats about when engines and transmissions break. but if you still want that amount of power out of your car check out this website. He makes direct bolt on replacements for our cars turbos. http://bnrsupercars.com

[jcraw84]

well what would you say is safe? i am thinking possibly the 18g right around average 330whp. and i was a little confused when i was reading on the website. Do they require you to send the housing then the build the internals?

[05AWDGT]

I've always heard 400whp is about the limit for the stock 2.5 internals. Auto tranny will break before that though.

[Kw521]

from my understanding if you want the turbo rebuilt you have to send it in. but i believe you can buy the full on turbo for those prices.

[captainhook]

As others have stated . . . sell the AP and go open source, seriously. Tunes are far cheaper and the logging of OS is vastly superior. I once thought the AP was the end all be all until it took a shit on me and I switched to OS . . . I couldn't have been happier with the switch. The tune (the most important part of going stg 2) is oddly missing from your list. You're sadly mistaken if you think you're going to flash on the Cobb Stg 2 OTS map and be good to go.

 

Btw . . . going cat-less altogether will reek, bad, to the point most people won't want a ride in the car. It's also going to be ridiculously loud, particularly with that CBE choice. A friend of mine installed it and I would definitely classify it as full on obnoxious and a cop magnet compared to my old Cobb catted DP / SPT CBE setup. If you're ok with the exhaust stench and noise, go for it.

 

Also, skip the GMS pulley, I ran it for a year and there was little performance gain and it destroyed my serpentine belt. I called GMS about the damage it caused and they told me to more or less go f*ck myself. After that experience I wouldn't buy anything with GMS stamped on it, but that's just me.

 

Good luck with your build!

[LosAngelesLGT]

-Josh

 

mod ZERO - SELL AP and boost ctrlr

mod 1 - read more

mod 2 - meet up with members in your area and check out their cars

mod 3 - read more

mod 4 - sticky summer extreme performance tires

mod 5 - ERZ/CNT CATTED DP

mod 6 - GMS Catback

mod 7 - any catless UP (if you are 05-06)

mod 8 - front and rear sway bars

mod 9 - AN INFAMOUS1 PRO-REMOTE TUNE & A vag-com or tactrix cable

mod 10 - keep reading

 

(btw these are the most BANG for buck mods more or less in order bro)

[jcraw84]

With the 3rd cat still there will it still be really loud and stink? Those are 2 prob I don't really want, I want a good sounding exhaust.

 

LosAngelesLGT

I bought the AP cause my tuner shop knows how to tune with them, and I didn't know enough about OS.

The ebc was bought cause I got it for 80 and I figure ill need it here in the future.

I've met up with some people and there's maybe 2 lgts I've seen around here and I've never met them. The wrxs around here are running like 400 something whp.

 

And I've been doing a lot of reading,

 

The tmic is because I have read about lots of people going stage 2 and blowing the plastic collectors off.

 

The catless up I read it will help with faster spool times.

 

The pulley I have read good things about.

 

I was curious about wether catless or catted dp.

 

I dont want to come off as being an a** but these were my reasons.

 

Thanks for the help. I'm taking the catted dp into consideration.

[LosAngelesLGT]

With the 3rd cat still there will it still be really loud and stink? Those are 2 prob I don't really want, I want a good sounding exhaust.

 

Every cat you remove comes with an increase of volume, decrease of back pressure and increase of stink. I am very, very, very happy with a catless up, catted ERZ DP and a GMS exhaust (although I did get a resonated mid-pipe a'la cxlighting).

 

I bought the AP cause my tuner shop knows how to tune with them, and I didn't know enough about OS.

 

What you just told me was that you need to find a tuner that knows how to use OS to tune:rolleyes:

 

The ebc was bought cause I got it for 80 and I figure ill need it here in the future.

 

I'm stage 3 and after talking to Infamous1 (most experienced LGT tuner on the board) I saw no reason to waste the money for very little gain. The pills work great and the protune does a great job for me.

 

I've met up with some people and there's maybe 2 lgts I've seen around here and I've never met them.

 

Post up in your local forum looking to check out locals cars. Im telling you - GET A RIDE IN A SIMILAR SETUP TO WHAT YOU WANT! It is very educational. I went for a ride in a stage 2 car and new that was for me AND that I would want more so bought parts for more. (I have a FMIC and OEM turbo at one point).

 

The wrxs around here are running like 400 something whp.

 

And you can watch them sit on the side of the road when they blow up.

 

And I've been doing a lot of reading,

 

Not enough. NEVER ENOUGH! Keep reading:p (I've been lost over at ROMRAIDER lately trying to educate myself about tuning a little).

 

The tmic is because I have read about lots of people going stage 2 and blowing the plastic collectors off.

 

If you only want stage 2 you can use the TMIC with JB weld while you decide if you are going to go bigger turbo or not. If you but a TMIC that is LGT style you are going to get stuck with a LGT style turbo (BnR which is not exactly stuck, or VF52 which is an overpriced option in the face of BnR).

 

The catless up I read it will help with faster spool times.

 

I am 90% sure after testing a catless aftermarket up was proven to flow more air but spool slower than a gutten oem. Either way, if you have a pre-turbo cat - its got to go and not for performance reasons. The cat can disintegrate after 60-70k miles and destroy your turbo and even send chunks into your motor ruining it.

 

The pulley I have read good things about.

 

Sure $50 or even $80 for 1hp sounds like a great deal when there are so many other things that actually MAKE a difference.

 

I was curious about wether catless or catted dp.

 

Catted. No stinky. Unless you like having your hood popped and car towed when a cop who hates imports pulls you over. At least thats how it is where I live in smog-nazi Cali.

 

I dont want to come off as being an a** but these were my reasons.

 

You don't sound like an ass, just like you need to get some perspective by getting rides in others cars. I was probably looking at the parts the way you are right now before I got some mods and met a bunch of ppl. I learned as much about what I DONT want (maybe even more about what I dont want) than what I want. That was very powerful for me and saved me a lot of money in the long run.

 

The reality is that you should be looking at (1) tires, (2) swaybars, (3) Hawk HPS brakepads (4) DP (5) UP (6) Catback (7) tune. Whats power without control?

[scoobydoobie]

$1300?

 

-Good tires

-Springs (Epic/Eibach)

-Sways

- CNT DP

-Infamous tune.

 

Bam. Done. Possibly with money to spare if you shop for some things used here on the forum.

[SCSpecB]

With the 3rd cat still there will it still be really loud and stink? Those are 2 prob I don't really want, I want a good sounding exhaust.

 

 

I'm running with a single cat, no stink at all and its mildly deeper sounding than before...also have a resonator.

[mustangendsley]

Hell if i had 1300 laying around i would pay extra on bills and credit cards.

[ClimberDHexMods]

This thread delivers

[joeblow]

I'm catless, but have a resonated midpipe, it isn't too loud and it definitely smells different. I wouldn't go so far as to say reek, because it isn't some sort of foul odor, just a different scent. But I'm also in Indiana where they couldn't give two s**ts less about exhaust and emissions (the only state law is that you must have a visible muffler).

 

But here's my set-up; all bolt on. Don't have the dyno chart but its around 260whp, 270wtq on stock turbo and IC. I think stage 2 power and handling is a solid place to be:

Up Pipe- $100 (I have an 08 which came stock with a catless UP, so this might be a little high)

Downpipe- $300 catless; $450 catted

Tune- $150

Catback- $600

Front and rear sways + endlinks- $450

Springs- $210

High Performance Brake Pads- $150

*all prices approximate and new form vendors on this site, although I won't tell you which ones

 

So you'll probably break the $1300 mark to get everything, but $2000 will get it taken care of. And if you go with used parts from other forum members, you can definitely get it done for $1500 or less. You can mix and match parts from the list, but as LosAngelesLGT pointed out its better to start with handling and then add the go fast bits.

[Kw521]

I've notice you all don't like the AP. What is wrong with being tuned on one vs open source?

[jcraw84]

How reliable is the jb weld thing? Is there a thread for it? Cause ill prob do that and buy brake pads, and sway bars. I don't want springs cause I'm planing on coilovers. And I think I'm going to get the catted dp with the money I save from the pulley.

[ClimberDHexMods]

I've notice you all don't like the AP. What is wrong with being tuned on one vs open source?

 

$$$$, and accessibility

[ClimberDHexMods]

How reliable is the jb weld thing?

 

If it blows, it blows.

[rtbrjason]

How reliable is the jb weld thing.

 

Didn't work for me and I did a really clean application of it after sanding and prepping the surfaces etc. It started cracking almost right away and continued to get larger. It was still holding together when I put an IPR unit on, but it wouldn't have lasted much longer imo.

[jcraw84]

I'm running with a single cat, no stink at all and its mildly deeper sounding than before...also have a resonator.

 

So you have no smells in the car? That is my main concern, I was planning on keeping the mid pipe cat. And how much louder? (Like loud enough that every cop would want to follow you)

[joeblow]

The volume is more dependent on your cat back (muffler size and midpipe resonator) than the lack of a cat in the DP. With a catless DP, you'll hear more turbo spool when you get on the gas. I'm running an Invidia Catless DP and a Megan Racing CBE and its very deep from idle-3.5k RPMs. It doesn't get loud until you get up in the RPM range.

 

You won't smell anything inside the car unless you have the windows down. I can't smell anything when I'm on a road trip with the AC on and windows up. The only time I ever smell it is when I'm at a stop with the windows down.

[jcraw84]

So the only tie id really draw attention to myself is if i was getting on it, is what you are sayin? Cause im stationed here in Charleston and there is no emissions or inspection so im not worried about that.

[joeblow]

Again, it depends on your exhaust. A blitz nur spec will draw attention no matter what because its loud as heck. Its noticeable that I have an aftermarket exhaust, but not attracting attention 3 blocks away. I've gone WOT (up to the speed limit) near cops and not had anything happen or the cops follow any further than they were already going to. Don't drive like an idiot and the cops will leave you alone, drive like a ricer and they'll harass you.