1.8 Upgrades

[arctic1250]

I'm trying to figure out what parts I need for my 1.8 to give it decent street power and still not do too shabby at a showdown. It has 204,000 miles on it. Should I do a complete rebuild, or just some bolt-ons?

 

[Dr Funkenstein]

I really don't know too much about the 1.8Ls. My advice would honestly be to just use the 1.8 as a DD and find a GST or GSX to mod.

 

[Tanro]

The best your gonna get out of that 1.8l is gonna be a few bolt-ons. One good thing about it is you could probably weld the hood shut and drive it another 100k miles.

 

[arctic1250]

It was given to me by a friend I met in college, and he passed away in April. I was going to do what I could to the car in his memory.

 

[bane3d]

Well, as mentioned, it's a reliable car. Just know that you'll probably have it for quite a long time and everytime you get in it, you'll think of your friend. I think a 1.8 is the gift that keeps on giving. Just enjoy your DSM, put a small pic of them on the rearview mirror and keep up the maintenance.

d

 

[Dr Funkenstein]

Yeah, what I would do is just maintain it as much as possible. Keep her stock and well maintained and she'll be around for a long long time.

 

[9!'clipseDOHC]

A good upgrade for the 1.8 is a 2.0.

Seriously if you are going to keep it and you want to make "decent street power" then you need to swap a 4G63t into it. Otherwise you are wasting your time and money. I know from expirience, even with the 2.0 n/t.

Good luck, hope this helps!

 

[arctic1250]

How hard would it be to swap to a 2.0 non turbo and where might I locate one?

 

[9!'clipseDOHC]

How hard would it be to swap to a 2.0 non turbo and where might I locate one?

DSMtuners classifieds, junkyards, ebay, craigslist.

It would be the same amount of work to swap in a 2.0 turbo so I would recommend that. My Eclipse was originally a 2.0 non-turbo and I did the full turbo swap (engine, trans, ECU, wiring harness). You would need all of that stuff even just to swap from the 1.8-2.0 so you might was well go turbo while you are doing it. You can check out my blog to see what was involved when I did my swap. The biggest thing is planning and acquiring all the parts. The actual swap isn't that bad.

Hope this helps!

 

[arctic1250]

If I did the swap, could I still keep it fwd or would I need to convert to awd?

 

[greyspyder117]

you could keep it fwd.. awd is taking it to the max on the thought of a swap but i have everything you need from a car i stripped down to the bone let me know if you need anything and we'll talk prices

 

[jaydubb1988]

You could keep it front wheel drive and if I'm not mistaking couldn't Ýou keep the n/a trans in their nvm its a 1.8 probably not u can bolt the 4g63 n/a trans to 4g63t right?

 

[9!'clipseDOHC]

If I did the swap, could I still keep it fwd or would I need to convert to awd?

FWD. An AWD swap on a 1g is not usually something that you can do on your own.

 

[jjrock5]

Engine Upgrades to my old 1.8:

FULL Preventative Maintenance
MSD 6A ignition
Unorthodox Underdrive Pulley
8mm MSD wires
short ram intake

 

[arctic1250]

Thanks. I think I'll just keep it stock for now. Funds (of any kind) are extremely limited at the moment I'll keep your advice in mind. By the way my trans is the 5m22r.

 

[9!'clipseDOHC]

Engine Upgrades to my old 1.8:

FULL Preventative Maintenance
MSD 6A ignition
Unorthodox Underdrive Pulley
8mm MSD wires
short ram intake

And what were your results?

 

[jjrock5]

I never dynoed it. I felt a much better acceleration and I could keep up (and beat) 420a's and dumb Hondas (d-series) all day and other equivalent cars, which is not saying much but I alwaus tend to mod anything I own.

 

[9!'clipseDOHC]

By the way my trans is the 5m22r.

The 1g FWD turbo manual transmisson is the F5M33.

The 1.8 and 2.0 non turbo share the same transmission, the F5M22.

 

[TSI from Hell]

If I did the swap, could I still keep it fwd or would I need to convert to awd?

No need to convert to awd; you will want/have to swap your trans. thought. Using one from a GST... Converting a 1.8l to a 4G63T awd would be a huge waste of time and money. You should probably just keep the 1.8l in memory if your friend (just make it as clean and reliable as you can) and if you want more power buy a TSI/GSX.

 

[skatershawn]

1.8 conversion to 2.0t is actually very simple.. main things you will need to make it fit are: Driverside motor mount from a 2.0t and swap the cross member off the 1.8 with one from a 2.0t then it will drop right in!
Then you will need to swap the ECU out with the one for the motor you will have along with the ECU wiring harness and the CV Shafts from a 2.0t and thats about it!
Its not as hard as many say it is!
I have one.... look at my pics! Sadly i didn't get any of the being done on it but its a Talon DL (1.8L) with a Laser RS 2.0t in it!!
Freaks peoples minds sometimes.. its so awesome!

 

[9!'clipseDOHC]

1.8 conversion to 2.0t is actually very simple.. main things you will need to make it fit are: Driverside motor mount from a 2.0t and swap the cross member off the 1.8 with one from a 2.0t then it will drop right in!Then you will need to swap the ECU out with the one for the motor you will have along with the ECU wiring harness and the CV Shafts from a 2.0t and thats about it!
Its not as hard as many say it is!
I have one.... look at my pics! Sadly i didn't get any of the being done on it but its a Talon DL (1.8L) with a Laser RS 2.0t in it!!
Freaks peoples minds sometimes.. its so awesome!

I have been trying to find this out! Thanks Shawn! I knew you did the non-turbo to turbo swap but I didn't know that yours was originally a 1.8L.

 

[DSM1G90]

I have a 1.8 auto with 199k miles that I use around town when I go to work.

Sure, definitely a gas sipper compared to my Turbo Laser and don't miss dumping the clutch all the time between our short lights. Just miss the power though when the lights turn green...

But when I have to hit freeways, I'm in the Laser for sure.

 

[and1chewy]

theres not many parts for the 1.8 think pretty much the only bolt on parts they make is a cat back and a k & n filter charger..... think a swap would be a better idea as well but i think time consuming and expensive think all the mounts are the same others may have a better idea than i do ### i was always unsure on this issue but would you have to buy a new hood since the 1.8 doesnt have the hood bump on the driver side i was alway told was for the timing equiptment? im not sure about parts availablility on the 2.0 blocks and everything but if you can get ahold of one at a swap meet you might as well rebuild it while its out for the few extra buck if its a high mile car. keep your buddys memory around even longer (noble cause) good luck bro.

 

[arctic1250]

First, thanks for all the tips. Second, I realized that I fudged the tranny model later that day. It is a 5m22. I'm going to leave it stock for the time being, and maybe do a swap later.