Increasing the Horsepower in a 1G Turbo DSM
So you want more power out of your 1G turbo DSM? Make sure you learn a few things before making some common "noob" mistakes. DSM's have a reputation of going fast for cheap. But they're regularly neglected and have gained an unfair reputation of being unreliable. Most "noobs" want to spend all their money on go-fast parts and put no money or effort into maintenance. Don't be one of those people. Do your maintenance and don't start modding until all the necessary maintenance is done. Otherwise you're just asking for trouble. These cars are old, and many have been hacked up pretty badly.
The first thing you need to do is a complete tune up. Replace all worn belts, including the timing belt and balance shaft belt. If the timing belt/balance shaft belt haven't been replaced within the last 60k miles, or you're not sure when they were last changed - change them now. If they break, you'll be paying for a cylinder head rebuild. You'll also want to change out all filters, fluids, worn hoses, spark plugs/wires, and worn/leaking gaskets. Check the compression, do a leak-down test, check your ignition timing, etc. Basically, do all of the checks that your repair manual tells you to do - you do have a repair manual already, don't you? If not, pick one up now before moving forward with any modifications. All of this is covered in the DSM Maintenance Guide.
Once you've gotten all of the necessary maintenance out of the way, you can start with the modifications. We've broken it down into a couple common power levels below to help you achieve your goals gradually. These formulas have been used by the top DSM tuning shops/racers in the industry for years, though we've included some more recent trends too. Before you start shopping for big turbos, intakes and headers, read our article on the common mistakes and misconceptions by newbie DSMers.
Required reading before you start modding:
A few things to keep in mind when you start modding:
So you want more power out of your 1G turbo DSM? Make sure you learn a few things before making some common "noob" mistakes. DSM's have a reputation of going fast for cheap. But they're regularly neglected and have gained an unfair reputation of being unreliable. Most "noobs" want to spend all their money on go-fast parts and put no money or effort into maintenance. Don't be one of those people. Do your maintenance and don't start modding until all the necessary maintenance is done. Otherwise you're just asking for trouble. These cars are old, and many have been hacked up pretty badly.
The first thing you need to do is a complete tune up. Replace all worn belts, including the timing belt and balance shaft belt. If the timing belt/balance shaft belt haven't been replaced within the last 60k miles, or you're not sure when they were last changed - change them now. If they break, you'll be paying for a cylinder head rebuild. You'll also want to change out all filters, fluids, worn hoses, spark plugs/wires, and worn/leaking gaskets. Check the compression, do a leak-down test, check your ignition timing, etc. Basically, do all of the checks that your repair manual tells you to do - you do have a repair manual already, don't you? If not, pick one up now before moving forward with any modifications. All of this is covered in the DSM Maintenance Guide.
Once you've gotten all of the necessary maintenance out of the way, you can start with the modifications. We've broken it down into a couple common power levels below to help you achieve your goals gradually. These formulas have been used by the top DSM tuning shops/racers in the industry for years, though we've included some more recent trends too. Before you start shopping for big turbos, intakes and headers, read our article on the common mistakes and misconceptions by newbie DSMers.
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Required reading before you start modding:
A few things to keep in mind when you start modding:
- Set a goal/budget before buying any parts. No plan = more money later.
- Be realistic with those goals and plans. What will your car be used for? Road racing will require different parts than drag racing.
- Be aware of the emissions laws in your area before choosing parts.
- Make sure the parts you buy will work together well. Aggressive cams don't make sense with a small turbo.
- Usable power under the curve is important, not just overall horsepower numbers.
- Used parts can save you some money, though it's a big gamble in some cases.
- Free Mods for HP Bump
For the people with no budget for mods. - Parts List for 275-350hp
Modest increase in horsepower. Expect to spend a couple thousand on parts, and even more if you need a shop to do the installs. A big turbo isn't necessary. - Parts List for 350-450hp
A bigger-than-stock turbo will be needed, but nothing crazy. Expect to spend a few grand on parts, and more if you need a shop to do installs and tune the car.
**Disclaimer -- This is copied from the site's "Tech Guide: Upgrade Paths" section; I am not the author of this information.**
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