Steps to have 0 issues
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 13,494
Likes: 71
From: Chiswick
Originally Posted by timg,May 29 2009, 08:06 PM
Step 1.
Don't go FI.
Seriously.
Sc kits tend to be less problematic. If the car has survived a few thousand miles in the hands of your builder/tuner, then it should be good to go. If it has only had a lap around the block, expect problems. If you want no problems, you better expect someone else to have and drive your car for at least a month.
If you still insist, there are steps you can take on your own, but it will take time, effort, and lots of money. If your tuner/builder does all of these, expect to double or triple your quoted price for a basic kit.
1. V-band everything you can. If not vbands, then another similar clamp that won't come loose. The higher the temperature of the part, the more critical this is.
2. On intercooler piping, make sure the edges are rolled.
3. Keep a stock or larger battery.
4. Make sure the tune has been done by a well respected tuner and includes cold start after sitting overnight in 0F weather.
5. Test for thousands of miles.
6. Use high grade properly terminated hoses.
7. If you go AEM EMS, use Modifry's ECT fix.
8. Upgrade the radiator with a Koyo or similar.
9. Upgrade the entire driveline with a PPG gearbox, Inline Pro diff, and nice clutch. Be aware that clutches which hold 400 whp tend to be very noisy and not streetable.
10. If at all possible, run an oil cooled/lubricated turbo. DO NOT run water cooling. The piping is one more point of failure. This means no Garrett GTxxR turbos.
11. Do not run a thicker headgasket.
12. Do not relocate the stock oil filter or mess with the stock oil cooler.
13. Run a filter on the turbo.
14. Go tubular. log manifolds are less prone to cracking, but bolts fall off more often.
15. Drive like a wimp and never race your car (or launch it aggressively)
16. Never turn up the boost beyond where the tuner set it.
17. Strongly consider a built motor if you go turbo.
18. Strongly consider a SC kit. They tend to be more reliable.
19. Make sure you have more than enough fuel system and a boost cut just in case.
20. Don't go FI.
Tim
Don't go FI.
Seriously.
Sc kits tend to be less problematic. If the car has survived a few thousand miles in the hands of your builder/tuner, then it should be good to go. If it has only had a lap around the block, expect problems. If you want no problems, you better expect someone else to have and drive your car for at least a month.
If you still insist, there are steps you can take on your own, but it will take time, effort, and lots of money. If your tuner/builder does all of these, expect to double or triple your quoted price for a basic kit.
1. V-band everything you can. If not vbands, then another similar clamp that won't come loose. The higher the temperature of the part, the more critical this is.
2. On intercooler piping, make sure the edges are rolled.
3. Keep a stock or larger battery.
4. Make sure the tune has been done by a well respected tuner and includes cold start after sitting overnight in 0F weather.
5. Test for thousands of miles.
6. Use high grade properly terminated hoses.
7. If you go AEM EMS, use Modifry's ECT fix.
8. Upgrade the radiator with a Koyo or similar.
9. Upgrade the entire driveline with a PPG gearbox, Inline Pro diff, and nice clutch. Be aware that clutches which hold 400 whp tend to be very noisy and not streetable.
10. If at all possible, run an oil cooled/lubricated turbo. DO NOT run water cooling. The piping is one more point of failure. This means no Garrett GTxxR turbos.
11. Do not run a thicker headgasket.
12. Do not relocate the stock oil filter or mess with the stock oil cooler.
13. Run a filter on the turbo.
14. Go tubular. log manifolds are less prone to cracking, but bolts fall off more often.
15. Drive like a wimp and never race your car (or launch it aggressively)
16. Never turn up the boost beyond where the tuner set it.
17. Strongly consider a built motor if you go turbo.
18. Strongly consider a SC kit. They tend to be more reliable.
19. Make sure you have more than enough fuel system and a boost cut just in case.
20. Don't go FI.
Tim
. I have personally gone through alot of what was said in that post and its true, you can't have reliability in the OEM Honda sense and go big power. I have almost 50k miles of FI miles and i've gone through 3 headgaskets and countless little issues like bolts coming off etc...
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 1,820
Likes: 1
From: LI, NY
i'm with tim and soulcoughing.
IM NOT SAYING DONT GO FI, but just be ready for all the work that's attached to it.
read through everyone's suggetsions, and do your homework. if you decide afterwards that you can handle all of this stuff, then do your thing.
if there are more than a couple of things here that you dont want to deal with, consider staying stock.
IM NOT SAYING DONT GO FI, but just be ready for all the work that's attached to it.
read through everyone's suggetsions, and do your homework. if you decide afterwards that you can handle all of this stuff, then do your thing.
if there are more than a couple of things here that you dont want to deal with, consider staying stock.
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 2,212
Likes: 3
I'm on the other side of the pond and definately want to go turbo, so this is interesting to read as reliability is very important for me.
I have no problem in saving, and i intend to get a laskey block & mase turbo kit, just a shame there's a lot of information in this section, but no kind of general, straight forward step by step on things.
Perhaps we can make a sticky to help those of us who want off the shelf solutions.
I have no problem in saving, and i intend to get a laskey block & mase turbo kit, just a shame there's a lot of information in this section, but no kind of general, straight forward step by step on things.
Perhaps we can make a sticky to help those of us who want off the shelf solutions.
Banned
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,696
Likes: 0
From: Buffalo Grove
No matter what you do, there will be some sort of issue. May bot be anything big, but there's always something with FI. If you go with an Inline kit and have them install it, you mind as well have them tune it too....
I'm using inline's turbo kit and relocation kit without any problems. I'm also boosting at 23/24 psi. No oil drips from the oil relocation kit and I've also never had any issues with the couplers or pipes popping off. Did you install the oil relocation kit yourself?
there is no such thing as NO issues with a turbo kit.
the inline pro kit is an excellent choice in terms of reliability but off the top of my head here are a few things that i have to keep up on with mine..
the silicone coupler off the turbo tends to melt every couple thousand miles.
the oil relocation can occasionally drip some oil here and there and require retightening.
i have on a few occasions boosted high enough to pop intercooler pipes off - even with t bolt clamps and proper silicone.
you must inspect your wastegate/downpipe/turbo bolts every so often to make sure they are not backing out on their own.
none of these issues are enough to keep me away from a kit like this. just be warned that this is what you should look out for
go for it!
the inline pro kit is an excellent choice in terms of reliability but off the top of my head here are a few things that i have to keep up on with mine..
the silicone coupler off the turbo tends to melt every couple thousand miles.
the oil relocation can occasionally drip some oil here and there and require retightening.
i have on a few occasions boosted high enough to pop intercooler pipes off - even with t bolt clamps and proper silicone.
you must inspect your wastegate/downpipe/turbo bolts every so often to make sure they are not backing out on their own.
none of these issues are enough to keep me away from a kit like this. just be warned that this is what you should look out for
go for it!
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 28,386
Likes: 107
From: Right Here.
ahhhhh... the old days of contemplating on fi or not...
welp.. let me tell you.. in my many years of turbo's and FI cars like my old eclipses n wat not, i wanted to go FI on my s2k... SO... sc? or turbo? i didnt kno much about SC.. so i've ridden in a couple of them.. one with no gears ap1 333 whp, and one with around 300whp with 4.77's ... i couldnt tell the difference... i mean i KNEW i was going faster but didnt feel it.. SO i went turbo.. TWICE lol.. first time was good.. but had the small issues like oil leaks and not using good stuff.. i kinda went cheap...
although this time i went with the same kit, i used different injectors, and wideband and misc stuff.. better oil relo kit as well..
now i have 330whp 230 tq 11psi... its not running with the top dogs like jonathan however, its plenty for me.
there is never gonna be such thing as ZERO issues..ever...
i'm so damn paranoid that i really do drive like a granny in my car when i'm FI.. when i'm NA Im balls out. its ass backwards but paranoia really does save.. you'll find yourself constantly checking for leaks.. i even do it everytime i go someplace and park the car, i pop the hood, i check all the usual spots, fittings and what not for leaks.. ALWAYS...
Dont ever get relaxed with it... it sucks.. but it helps...when you get your setup correct to the point you get comfortable... then thats when ISH hits the fan....
so go FI, enjoy it.. its SO much fun... And cool ofcourse, but know that your world will change and you'll always be doing maintenance on her...
if your fine with that, and living with paranoia wondering if something is gonna happen.. then do it..
if you dont want that trouble in your mind... stay NA.
welp.. let me tell you.. in my many years of turbo's and FI cars like my old eclipses n wat not, i wanted to go FI on my s2k... SO... sc? or turbo? i didnt kno much about SC.. so i've ridden in a couple of them.. one with no gears ap1 333 whp, and one with around 300whp with 4.77's ... i couldnt tell the difference... i mean i KNEW i was going faster but didnt feel it.. SO i went turbo.. TWICE lol.. first time was good.. but had the small issues like oil leaks and not using good stuff.. i kinda went cheap...
although this time i went with the same kit, i used different injectors, and wideband and misc stuff.. better oil relo kit as well..
now i have 330whp 230 tq 11psi... its not running with the top dogs like jonathan however, its plenty for me.
there is never gonna be such thing as ZERO issues..ever...
i'm so damn paranoid that i really do drive like a granny in my car when i'm FI.. when i'm NA Im balls out. its ass backwards but paranoia really does save.. you'll find yourself constantly checking for leaks.. i even do it everytime i go someplace and park the car, i pop the hood, i check all the usual spots, fittings and what not for leaks.. ALWAYS...
Dont ever get relaxed with it... it sucks.. but it helps...when you get your setup correct to the point you get comfortable... then thats when ISH hits the fan....
so go FI, enjoy it.. its SO much fun... And cool ofcourse, but know that your world will change and you'll always be doing maintenance on her...
if your fine with that, and living with paranoia wondering if something is gonna happen.. then do it..
if you dont want that trouble in your mind... stay NA.
Registered User
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 1,824
Likes: 0
In about a year I have went through numerous issues with my kit, but have gotten most of them fixed by now. Just yesterday I had my oil feed line work itself loose and cause a SMALL fire on the manifold, didnt hurt a thing. But this just goes to show even when you have stuff figured out you still have to pop the hood and check stuff out. I do all the time, just comes with having FI.
here is good advice for any kit you might get....
vband is your friend, so are metric 12.9's. Dont use cheap bolts
ARP manifold stud kit ( for an srt4). The stock ones break, replace them when the kit is installed.
Use heat wrap, wrap hot items ( manifold, downpipe )
Get a turbine blanket ( keeps heat in turbo, not in engine bay )
Change oil out @ 2000miles
-Andy
here is good advice for any kit you might get....
vband is your friend, so are metric 12.9's. Dont use cheap bolts
ARP manifold stud kit ( for an srt4). The stock ones break, replace them when the kit is installed.
Use heat wrap, wrap hot items ( manifold, downpipe )
Get a turbine blanket ( keeps heat in turbo, not in engine bay )
Change oil out @ 2000miles
-Andy
Banned
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,696
Likes: 0
From: Buffalo Grove
I don't know if it's that bad where you have to be period all the time checking every thing every second.
No one can make the choice for you and everyones going to tell you something different. I've put more then $10000 into the S since last May turboing her. Yes, I've changed several things wanting more and more. If I had to do it all over again, I would. Rather you decide to do it or not, one thing for sure is it's expensive. You many never have any "issues", but just remember something can go wrong and make sure your able to pay for any necessary repairs or can go a few months or what not without driving your car. My car's been down more then it's been drivable since I've turboed it. But then again, that is mainly due to never keeping her the same. Rather it's upping the boost, swapping bigger injectors, swapping turbos or using a different engine management system.
No one can make the choice for you and everyones going to tell you something different. I've put more then $10000 into the S since last May turboing her. Yes, I've changed several things wanting more and more. If I had to do it all over again, I would. Rather you decide to do it or not, one thing for sure is it's expensive. You many never have any "issues", but just remember something can go wrong and make sure your able to pay for any necessary repairs or can go a few months or what not without driving your car. My car's been down more then it's been drivable since I've turboed it. But then again, that is mainly due to never keeping her the same. Rather it's upping the boost, swapping bigger injectors, swapping turbos or using a different engine management system.