custom 2gnt parts ???

[BigRand]

Okay so me and my mechanic having been working on my car for sometime now, and he's just starting to get his own shop going. He's looking for a small customer base with cars and get better quality stuff done, rather than cranking people in and out of his shop.

He was looking at my 2gnt car and wanted to know what kind of specialty parts that us 2gnt turbo'd guys would like to see made. He's not trying to mass produce anything, but is looking for quality products to make and dyno prove and sell to customers who need them but might not have the means of making it.

Things like custom bezels (like my Center vent e-01 boost controller screen), a vaccume box where you can tee one vac source and make a box on the fire wall and have anything else that needs a vac source go there.

Rigging presssures switches to do certain things at a certin boost level etc etc.

Anways anything that can be laser cut, tig welded, or whatever you think you'd like to have made at a reasonable price and that is dyno proven to work for our cars. If you got any ideas post them here, and my guy will give it a shot and see what he can turn out.

 

[GSGoinFast]

I would say he should look into making turbo manifolds. Seems to be a lot of people looking for them and not a lot of people making them. I still get requests to make them for people.

 

[DSMcrazy3]

Turbo Manifolds definitely. Especially if you think he could be competitors pricing or about $200, I bet he'd get alot of business at $150.

 

[VelocitàPaola]

Turbo Manifolds definitely. Especially if you think he could be competitors pricing or about $200, I bet he'd get alot of business at $150.

Let's not forget matching downpipes for those manifolds. I'm still looking for a good downpipe to upgrade to. I want Hahn's 3".... but $400? I can't do that.

I guess he would need a pipe bender though - so nevermind unless he has one.

 

[BigRand]

Actually he's got a pipe bender, so the downpipe wouldn't be a problem, I guess it just depends on what turbo setup your running.

He did talk about making turbo manifolds, he showed me the logs he would use to make them, and thought they might stick out more.

I'll have him make a one for me and my star turbo kit (t3/t04b), and find out cost and everything like that.

So
1. an 3" downpipe at a reasonable price (less than hahns, )

2. an exhaust manifold inbetween $150-$200.

 

[redeclipse7782]

Not just a turbo manifold, an equal length tubular turbo manifold.

 

[BigRand]

Yeah he we talked about tubuarl manifolds too, the first thing he brought up is that it needs to be supported big time.

 

[Ajax]

-6AN fuel rail adapter fitting, the vacuum box idea sounds nice. Do you have a pic of the E-01 bezel bc I want one really bad.

 

[BigRand]

For the fuel rails, I would definately want to try one, I just can't find my stock fuel rail to try doing the 6-an fittings with. So if I find one laying around then I'll give it a shot with him.

I'm gonna try to load a pic of the bezel, its kind of far away cause I took it from the trunk, with my cell.


.

 

[Ajax]

I will pay good money for one of those!!! Can he make me one???

 

[clipsit]

So
1. an 3" downpipe at a reasonable price (less than hahns, )

2. an exhaust manifold inbetween $150-$200

I would definitely get one of each. It looks like we may have the same setup when he is done making parts for yours and my cars Rand...

 

[BigRand]

I will pay good money for one of those!!! Can he make me one???

I'll ask him on monday, or the next time I talk to him. He'll probably have to make a mold of mine and have one laser cut. FYI; he used my old SAFC2 bezel to make the new one, but he made a mold of it and then used aluminum to fill in the sides.

I don't have a price for you yet, but I'll find out for ya asap.

 

[napkinthief]

where is this shop of his? I would be willing to stop by and have my car be a test subject

 

[BigRand]

Parkland/spanaway/lakewood area of WA on the west coast that is.

 

[99rs]

what about some i/c piping

 

[VelocitàPaola]

what about some i/c piping

That'd be really cool if he could make some decent IC piping for 2GNTs. The only problem is that making it depends on so many things. You need to take into account exactly how the turbo is oriented; how the intercooler is oriented; the piping route; etc. It's really hard to accurately take these measurements and have someone fabricate piping around it unless they have the car in their shop.

 

[Talon ESI-T]

Why in gods green earth would you want a 6an fitting for a stock rail? Lets think realistic here. The inlet to the fuel rail is about 4an. Thats like putting a 12an fitting on a 1/2" pipe.

Just upgrade the rail for 120.00

Vacuum distribution block have been tried for 35.00 and failed to sell. Tim97rs started making them and they were very nice but 35.00 still didnt sell them. I can make them out of scrap alum fuel rail I have but most people are just too cheap or a hassel to deal with. Seems to go with the 2gnt mentality.

Log manifolds would sell good at 150.00 but its not practical to sell them that cheap. You guys have no idea how much work and welding goes into a manifold to make it reliable. A tubular manifold doesnt need to be massively supported if you use the right type of stainless steel; however by the time you are done you are lookign at 500.00 just in material alone + labor.

I do fabricating and Megsquirt building in my spare time and I will be the first to tell you that your mechanic better enjoy doing it because the money just doesnt justify your time.

My .02:

Best bang for production
IC pipes
Test Pipes...although he cant legally sell them with receipts ect
Fuel Rails
Interior bezels....depends on design simpler are easier

Less bang for production
Turbo Manifolds
Intake manifolds....would require a lot of R&D
Star turbo kit 3" Downpipes.................to my knowledge i am the only person making them


Terry

 

[Ajax]

Yeah I have a tubular manifold from fastfabrications which costed a pretty penny. The reason for the fuel rail fitting is long, but short answer, had to replace my fuel supply line so I figured I would go with 6AN incase I upgrade my rail later but I had no way of hooking my new line up to my exsisting rail. I ended up welding a -6AN bung on.

 

[BigRand]

My .02:

Best bang for production
IC pipes
Test Pipes...although he cant legally sell them with receipts ect
Fuel Rails
Interior bezels....depends on design simpler are easier

Less bang for production
Turbo Manifolds
Intake manifolds....would require a lot of R&D
Star turbo kit 3" Downpipes.................to my knowledge i am the only person making them


Terry[/QUOTE]

Hey thanks for the info on what you think works and what doesn't, that way we can see if during the process of making one or two of them, if it really is worth it to sell.

The bezel for the emange is going to be a little pricey (as least as far as bezels go) Were talking like $80 because he's not mass producing them. Its not like that many people around here are running the emange anyways. Also if you wanted anything thing else put in the vent location (aside from the things that are already sold, guauges, SAFC 1&2) then hit me up too.

Intercooler piping.....well I'd could see what we could do with that.

It just be a matter of making the kits for the most common turbos that are used on 420a's (t3/t4 from turbonetics, t3 turbo from garrett, hahn's 16g possibly 20g, and the stock t25/14b from the 4g63's.)
There are probably others, and like it was stated earlier their are a whole bunch of other determining facts.
We'd probably flange the BOV's for the greddy type S/R/HKS standard.....the HKS SSQ, and the 1g crushed.
Basically my tech guy is looking to make shorter intercooler piping in generally.



I also want to assure you guys that I am in no way seeing or going to be seeing any money from any kind of transaction you might do with my guy "Brian" I know they're are a lot of other smart and knowledgeable people on this site (thats why I joined) and they could probably make a lot of this stuff themselves. But For those less fortuneate people, who don't have a smart person with all the tools in the world living not but 20min away from you, it might be hard to get custom stuff done. And while you could find local places to do it (like I did), My guy is now looking to make a better product for a lot of the parts for our cars, and if he can't do it then he won't take the time to make it and sell it. If its not superior to something we might already have, then he wont' bother to even make it to sell.

I just don't want anyone to get it twisted and think that I'm working for him, I still pay him just like everyone else would, but while he was working on my car noticed they'red be a lot of stuff he'd like to change.


Sorry for the long post.

 

[clipsit]

I also want to assure you guys that I am in no way seeing or going to be seeing any money from any kind of transaction you might do with my guy "Brian" I know they're are a lot of other smart and knowledgeable people on this site (thats why I joined) and they could probably make a lot of this stuff themselves. But For those less fortuneate people, who don't have a smart person with all the tools in the world living not but 20min away from you, it might be hard to get custom stuff done. And while you could find local places to do it (like I did), My guy is now looking to make a better product for a lot of the parts for our cars, and if he can't do it then he won't take the time to make it and sell it. If its not superior to something we might already have, then he wont' bother to even make it to sell.

I just don't want anyone to get it twisted and think that I'm working for him, I still pay him just like everyone else would, but while he was working on my car noticed they'red be a lot of stuff he'd like to change.

That's cool Rand I got you. I would like to get in on being another test-subject for Brian. I will definitely like to get some better IC piping, manifold...ect. on my car too. Let me know.

Rand is a good man people...so I hope no one actually gets this impression about him...especially b/c he has been on the forum a while and b/c I know him personally. Just thought I'd put my 2 cents in about that, to go along w/ Rand.

 

[GSGoinFast]

Log manifolds would sell good at 150.00 but its not practical to sell them that cheap. You guys have no idea how much work and welding goes into a manifold to make it reliable. A tubular manifold doesnt need to be massively supported if you use the right type of stainless steel; however by the time you are done you are lookign at 500.00 just in material alone + labor.


Terry

I can vouge for that. My manifold supplies were only $90 but it was a lot of work to make it. I'm sure if he made a lot and got used to it, it might not be so hard, but it took many hours to make mine.

 

[BigRand]

I can vouge for that. My manifold supplies were only $90 but it was a lot of work to make it. I'm sure if he made a lot and got used to it, it might not be so hard, but it took many hours to make mine.

Well thats good to know, This brian guy I'm talking about is all about numbers...time a materials...he won't cheat anyone, and infact he left another shop because that kind of stuff was going on.

Can anyone else think of things that the 4g63's might have that we dont' have and would like to have?

Also this just came to me as I'm typing, but has anyone really tried to tinker with the 420a ECU on the inside...possibly getting rid of the 7200-7500 rev limter, and making it 8200, or chaning the maps for a turbo setup, or just to make more power N/A.
Don't get me wrong I can see a lot of reasons why you shouldn't do any of that, but I was wondering if anyone has tried anything of that sort.

 

[VelocitàPaola]

Also this just came to me as I'm typing, but has anyone really tried to tinker with the 420a ECU on the inside...possibly getting rid of the 7200-7500 rev limter, and making it 8200, or chaning the maps for a turbo setup, or just to make more power N/A.
Don't get me wrong I can see a lot of reasons why you shouldn't do any of that, but I was wondering if anyone has tried anything of that sort.

I just read a post about this on 2GNT. Terry (Talon ESI-T) has probably seen it. The consensus there was that it was too difficult.

Physically, the ECU is encapsulated in a gel coat that makes interfacing or socketing of any kind virtually impossible.

As for the actual code... well, so far, as you know, only AF/X has an ECU upgrade available. Apparently no one else knows enough about how these things were programmed to make significant changes. It would require extensive reverse-engineering to develop ECU upgrades for the 2GNT.

Dino also kept talking about a "check sums" system it uses. He said if everything doesn't add up correctly (i.e. from improper reprogramming) the thing just won't function.

 

[Talon ESI-T]

Yes i have seen it, this has been discussed completely on a private board I am on. the Gel coat is rather difficult to remove but it does come out. The issue at this point is financial means for testing and monitoring the ECU communications and how the DRB-III communicates with the processor. I dont write code so i couldnt explain that to you.

The Megasquirt code is written in C+ i think and I can understand it enough to alter Megatune to look and appear different but the code used in the Chrysler processor i couldnt even begin to explain.

AF/X is a different story, the person reflashing the ECu is said to work for the subcontractor that originally wrote the ECU code for the factory. It is also claimed he has access to the computer used to program these ECU's. There is more to the Rumor but that gives you the idea.

 

[napkinthief]

In clueless about the ECU, but I wanted to chime in on the IC piping.

If your guy is making the manifold, the turbo would be in the same place on every 420a, therefore, you would only need minor modification for different turbos, like a custom J pipe, or some kind of flexible tubing.

Also, I had this idea a long while ago when I was thinking about turboing my car, and before I actually got into turboing my car. Maybe making some type of flange thats bolted to the 420a, to make the exhaust manifold from a 4g63 bolt up. I am not sure how this would work, maybe having a 1/2" flange, drill out the 420a exhaust holes, and drill 1/4" of the flange out so the bolt would sit inside the flange, I will try to draw a picture to explain this I know it seems confusing. I was going to try this, but I lack tools to do any metalwork other than a dremel for light cutting and a cordless drill . Ill make a pic and post asap.