Lots of Questions for DSM Guru's

[Tsmith]

I am going to start this off by saying sorry. I have looked at hours worth of posts and countless opinions on everything from fuel to tinting. I really cannot decide on exactly where to start with my car. 97 GSX Auto. Currently it has a Godspeed FMIC kit, Ebay 16g, Greddy RS BOV, and a 3" turboback exhaust with a magnaflow muffler and highflow cat. The only thing I have done to the car myself was the Exhaust. Everything else was done by the owner before the guy I bought it from. The guy I bought it from had no idea about anything other than the car was "really fast". Just before I deployed to Afghanistan the Turbo either took a crap or the wastegate is sticking. I don't exactly know which yet.

Anyways to the point of my issues. I am going to have about 4-5k that I can put into this car when I get back. I have already planned about 1k on things like a timing belt, waterpump, misc belts and hoses, differential service etc. etc... One of the other things I am planning on the maintenance side is to replace all of the engine seals i.e. Valve cover, head gasket, oil pan, transmission. My dad has been a mechanic for a long time and will be able to help me on my first engine tear down and rebuild. As well versed as he is on basic mechanics I don't know that he is very "performance savvy" when it comes to 4 cylinder engines. He has owned his fair share of domestic muscle but I don't think forced induction is something he knows very well.

Before I list my upgrade wants let me say I am looking to make this a street/strip car. Also, this is my daily driver so reliability is a good thing.

I want to start with fuel upgrades as I have been told this is a good starting point so I figured the following:
Walboro 255, In line High Flow Filter, Injectors (type and size I am open to suggestions), and AFPR (I understand what this does but is there another means to get the same result like DSMLink) High flow fuel rail (AEM or other)

Turbo: This is probably my biggest mental gap. No clue yet how to choose the right turbo for what my car is. My end goal is a HX40 but I understand that is a ways down the road. I have also been looking into the big 20g but just don't know if I have the right mod list yet for that. I would be fine with a REAL 16g but would like to push it to about 20 PSI if that is possible. I have read multiple articles on trim and housings and compressor and exducer wheels but honestly I have not been able to make a solid connection between all of the components and how they all affect (or effect) each other.


For the actual engine itself I know I would like:
Cams (again type and size I am looking for suggestions but probably 272's),
ARP Headstuds (though I don't understand why but I see every modded DSM has them, there is probably something else to mod in order to require these), Cam Pulleys. I know there are many more things I can probably do here so looking for suggestions for first mods while I have it apart doing gaskets.

Exhaust: Port and polish the stock manifold (or buy the FP racing one), External wastegate (HKS SSQV but dont know if I need a different O2 Housing), Cat delete.

Intake: New Intercooler with Short Route piping (custom piping not EBAY stuff) GM MAF with translator (can someone explain how this helps I have searched and all I know is it allows more air? I am a why person so I have no clue other than it helps) Either port and polish the stock TB or purchase a bigger one (apparently its a Ford TB but is it just a simple swap or does that require something else too?) and lastly a Venom (or other brand) Intake Manifold


That is my laundry list so far. I am trying to get more information where the gaps are. Stuff like "if you port and polish the exhaust manifold but the O2 housing stays the same you are defeating the purpose." or maybe "I have used both x and y and I preferred x because". If there are parts I have mentioned that don't make sense in an upgrade path please let me know.


Lastly thank you for your help in advance. I have lots of time while I am here to do all of my research and I think I am over my head already so I just wanted to straighten myself out before I go on seeing parts that I have to have but have no idea why. Also I am pretty thick skinned and can handle the random hazing of the new guy so feel free to gloat in your almighty DSM knowledge to a newer member. I already know that I know basically nothing about performance modding but I am trying to learn.

HAHA P.S. let the Automatic Transmission jokes begin.

 

[pauleyman]

I see a list of parts, not a list of goals. What do you want the car to do?

http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/newbie-forum/421705-project-management-building-dsm.html

 

[Tsmith]

Thank you I knew I was leaving something out. I would like to run 12's at altitude (I live in Colorado). Most cars that run that stock here are around 350-400 HP. I plan on putting about 5k a year into the car when I get my tax returns every year and I know this will be a 3-5 year process when all said and done. However I want to do most of this work all myself. I even thought about buying a 4g63 block from someone just so I can have something to tear apart and put back together just to learn the ins and outs of everything.

Just read the link you posted. I want the acceleration factor. I would like the car to sound great, I like the sound of loped cams in a muscle car, I know that may not be exactly possible in a DSM but I have heard some cars on Youtube and thought to myself "that is what I want". Most of them are showing off their new 272 cams and exhaust. I also like the sounds a turbo car can make, I want people to know when I am getting on it. I am a fan of Atmosphere release, although I will never do that in my car because I now understand the consequences.

 

[Bo0sTdTsI]

Ive seen 1000cc injectors work just fine on a daily 1g with a 20g. With Link you cant go wrong as it will take almost anyone as far as they need to go to reach their goals. I would stick with the stock ported exhaust manifold but then the fp mani is a great choice. All depends on your preference. The 20g will get you in the 12s for sure, and buying a spare engine is never a bad thing to do i have 2 spares myself, thats how i learned how to build my motor. Are you leaning towards forged internals in the block or stock? For pistons theres wiseco which i use without any issues with eagle rods, arp rod bolts, clevite racing rod and main bearing, theres acl, mahle and many other companies from which to choose from. You have a set Hp goal? I didnt understand if 350-400 was the goal or slightly more. Also are you staying on pump gas or e85?

 

[spyderdrifter]

I'm gonna be starting a new engine build for auto cross racing. Just an idea.

 

[pauleyman]

Think about it for awhile. I'm opinionated like many others especially on this point. If the part doesn't accomplish the goal you want, it's the wrong part. I've seen too many people buy something that doesn't work or buy something they don't need. There are tons of options. I'd suggest driving a few if you can then make a plan. Over 20 years I've seen countless builds fail or owners disappointed because they didn't have a plan so they couldn't execute it or they put together a car with only a list of parts instead of a goal and plan and they hated the results or worse even hated the car because they didn't understand what they were doing. Get a list of objective things together then think about it for awhile.

 

[95talongirl]

From what I gather in the posts, you seem to want a driver car more than an all out race car. For this, the Evo3 16g turbo would be just fine. It gives you a good amount of air flow without a ton of turbo lag. Heck, I don't even notice the lag on my car.

What ever you do, when it comes to important components like turbos, fuel supply, and engine internals, stay away from ebay. Typically the ebay turbos are hit or miss and usually fail pretty quickly.

DSMlink V3 will let you run a GM MAF without a translator. You can use this MAF after turbo, which will let you also vent the BOV to atmosphere. What DSMLink cannot so is regulate the fuel pressure from the pump; this is what the fuel pressure regulator's job is that you mentioned. With a 255 pump, you'll need one.

FWIW, My car has a 16g, with a ETS intercooler, DsmlinkV3, 255 pump, 650cc injectors, GM MAF, 272/272 cams, upgraded springs and retainters (which you will need with the larger cams), ARP head studs, cometic head gasket, forged JE pistons, EVO3 exhaust manifold, 3" downpipe, and 3" Thermal RD exhaust. There's probably some other things I forgot, but that's the bulk of it. Car right now is running at 17psi, with hardly any timing up top. It traps 106.7MPH in the 1/4. Which is 12-sec range. I did not launch the car or shift it hard, so it was running 13's...... but really the point it you don't need a big turbo for what your goals are. The fun part of this is, the car is perfectly streetable, with a full interior.

I do have a few videos of the car... so you can hear what this setup sounds like:
Turbo Blue - slight pull - YouTube

TrboBlu - Take 2 - YouTube

 

[Tsmith]

Ive seen 1000cc injectors work just fine on a daily 1g with a 20g. With Link you cant go wrong as it will take almost anyone as far as they need to go to reach their goals. I would stick with the stock ported exhaust manifold but then the fp mani is a great choice. All depends on your preference. The 20g will get you in the 12s for sure, and buying a spare engine is never a bad thing to do i have 2 spares myself, thats how i learned how to build my motor. Are you leaning towards forged internals in the block or stock? For pistons theres wiseco which i use without any issues with eagle rods, arp rod bolts, clevite racing rod and main bearing, theres acl, mahle and many other companies from which to choose from. You have a set Hp goal? I didnt understand if 350-400 was the goal or slightly more. Also are you staying on pump gas or e85?

I forgot to add link to my parts list . For now I am sticking with stock internals. I understand that limits what I can push but that is why I am asking the DSM community for what will and wont go. My HP goal is 400 hp. and I am looking to actually do a dual tune on both e85 and pump fuel. I have heard of dual tune with dsm link but I have been asking some guys about e85 and I think I understood that you cant just retune your car to run e85. There are actual parts that need to be replaced to run e85 effectively. I think the dual tune I hear about is like 91 octane for DD and 101 race fuel for the track or something like that.

Edit: I plan on buying a full 2.3 Stroker from Jacks Transmissions before I leave Colorado next tax season to reach my 400 hp goal.

DSMlink V3 will let you run a GM MAF without a translator. You can use this MAF after turbo, which will let you also vent the BOV to atmosphere. What DSMLink cannot so is regulate the fuel pressure from the pump; this is what the fuel pressure regulator's job is that you mentioned. With a 255 pump, you'll need one.

Thank you for the explanation. One question here. What is the upside to using the GM MAF over the MAF already in the GSX?

I understand why the BOV can be vented to the atmosphere with the MAF installed after the Turbo, and does that mean it would have to be installed between the BOV and the TB or can it be anywhere on the intake piping after the turbo?

 

[stacked1G]

i apologize in advance but im at work and sort of skimmed through.

but to me it looks like you want a very streetable car, with around 375-400hp that you can have a good time at the track with every so often.

i definatley think a big 16g will do you just fine, i personally feel its one of the best DD turbo's around. The 20g is also great though. i would just port the 2g mani, you can also port the 2g 02 housing, or purchase a tubular 02 housing, that is either recirculated, or dumped(the atmosph. dumped 02's are very loud under boost) Grab a wally 255, AFPR, 1000cc's and Link as far as fuel. a big FMIC, and around 19-22psi shuld get you into the 12s no problem. theres alot of info on cams for specific setups etc.. some 264/272s will do you fine.

It looks as if you have a slight idea of where you want to take this. just make sure you really take your time reading up before making decisions.

 

[Tsmith]

Thanks to all for the info so far.

95Talongirl your vid's are very close to what I was looking for my car to sound like. You have 272/272 cams and I hear that people mix the intake and exhaust cam sometimes. What exactly do you get by having a different stroke on either cam as opposed to both being the same?

Stacked 1G should I even think about a 20g before doing any internals? I was told by someone that a 4g63 could handle around 350 HP with stock internals but don't exactly know the restrictions to this.

 

[95talongirl]

Thank you for the explanation. One question here. What is the upside to using the GM MAF over the MAF already in the GSX?

I understand why the BOV can be vented to the atmosphere with the MAF installed after the Turbo, and does that mean it would have to be installed between the BOV and the TB or can it be anywhere on the intake piping after the turbo?

The GM MAf is larger than the 2g one. Also, there are two different GM ones, a 3" and a 3.5". Other than that, the "advantage" is that you can now vent to atmosphere. . As silly of a reason that may be, it is one. When it is set up after the turbo, it is run in the upper intercooler pipe. You'd still want it to be after the BOV. The whole reason venting to atmosphere does not work when the MAF is before the BOV is that the computer metered that air. If you have a vented BOV after the MAF, then it looses some of that metered air; hence why some cars just stall out.

Thanks to all for the info so far.

95Talongirl your vid's are very close to what I was looking for my car to sound like. You have 272/272 cams and I hear that people mix the intake and exhaust cam sometimes. What exactly do you get by having a different stroke on either cam as opposed to both being the same?

Stacked 1G should I even think about a 20g before doing any internals? I was told by someone that a 4g63 could handle around 350 HP with stock internals but don't exactly know the restrictions to this.

Are you talking about how some people run a 264/272 combo? This was done before because it was always thought that the 272/272 combo was too aggressive of a cam for a small frame turbo. However, it's been proven that it'll run just fine with a 272/272. It does have an effect on the low end.... Noticed that my car's low end performance could be better. But from 2500-redline, the car screams. It has great mid-upper range. So I'm thinking the advantage to running a 264/272 os that you'd get some more of that low end performance, as well. While this may bug some people, I have no issues with it. Love the direction this car is taking, and can't wait to get into tuning it more. There's some minor things I need to take care of first beforehand.

 

[pauleyman]

I was told by someone

This is what forums are all about but did that someone blow it up or did he hear from somebody else etc etc. Real world people have gone alot further. A reputable shop can tell you what is what from a "been there done that" sort of perspective that you may or may not get on a forum. Point is take what you read with a grain of salt including what I'm saying. I personally believe alot of folks should just start with a properly running car and mod conservatively learning as they go. Unless you already know what a 12 sec car is and feels like jumping right to that may or may not be the best idea. Don't forget drivetrain health also. Just because the car drives doesn't mean it's healthy. Unless it's' new you may need to check. I've changed dozens of cluches (no exaggeration) and found input shafts with 20, 30 thou of play or more. There aren't necessarily any symptoms to some problems.

 

[grothe3297venge]

You should do the 5-speed swap!!! This is obviously after you build your motor and figure fuel and what not out!

 

[Tsmith]

You should do the 5-speed swap!!! This is obviously after you build your motor and figure fuel and what not out!

Haha I knew I would get at least one.

Pauleyman, I understand where you are coming from. I do want this to be my DD but I understand that doing this many mods to it will come with a lot of hiccups. Actually that is why I am also thinking about buying a 2g TSI (5 speed for those of you that care ) to have unmodded until I get the GSX running reliably. I got my GSX for 2600 and I am sure I can find a TSI for somewhere in that price range if I look hard enough and be patient.

The GM MAf is larger than the 2g one. Also, there are two different GM ones, a 3" and a 3.5". Other than that, the "advantage" is that you can now vent to atmosphere. . As silly of a reason that may be, it is one. When it is set up after the turbo, it is run in the upper intercooler pipe. You'd still want it to be after the BOV. The whole reason venting to atmosphere does not work when the MAF is before the BOV is that the computer metered that air. If you have a vented BOV after the MAF, then it looses some of that metered air; hence why some cars just stall out.



Are you talking about how some people run a 264/272 combo? This was done before because it was always thought that the 272/272 combo was too aggressive of a cam for a small frame turbo. However, it's been proven that it'll run just fine with a 272/272. It does have an effect on the low end.... Noticed that my car's low end performance could be better. But from 2500-redline, the car screams. It has great mid-upper range. So I'm thinking the advantage to running a 264/272 os that you'd get some more of that low end performance, as well. While this may bug some people, I have no issues with it. Love the direction this car is taking, and can't wait to get into tuning it more. There's some minor things I need to take care of first beforehand.

Thank you for all your information. Cleared up quite a bit.

 

[95talongirl]

No problem! Good luck with the build!

 

[russ96gst]

Quote:External wastegate (HKS SSQV but dont know if I need a different O2 Housing), Cat delete.

A HKS SSQV is a blow off valve (mounts to upper intercooler pipe), not a external waste-gate (which is what would mount to your O2 housing) and yes to run a external wastegate you would need a different O2 housing

 

[H@xtGSX]

I am from Denver and live just south of you now, and I will say that altitude air density does make a difference in how you approach your build. Your results aren't going to match someone living near sea level. When sizing your turbo, you need to take into account that at 5000ft, the standard barometric pressure is 85kPa (639 mmHg). This means that there is 84% of the oxygen available at sea level. You'll have to run higher pressures or a bigger turbo than you might expect to have to use to hit those same HP numbers. One thing that does help with the charge density is water/meth injection. It isn't increasing the potential energy of the fuel, as the oxygen content of the air is still the same, but it does boost the thermal capacity of your charge air, which can aide in retaining some of the heat to propel the turbine.

Just a few things to think about in the future.

 

[hiwinder]

One additional benefit of using the GM MAS over the stock MAF is that boost leaks in front of the GM MAS, no longer affect the fuel ratio, Assuming you use the GM unit in a blow thru setup. In fact, I have driven mine with the intercooler pipes disconnected, and it will run fine, but with less power,aka no boost.

 

[H@xtGSX]

Put it right before the throttle... That basically gives you free reign on everything before it without consequence.

 

[Tsmith]

Quote:External wastegate (HKS SSQV but dont know if I need a different O2 Housing), Cat delete.

A HKS SSQV is a blow off valve (mounts to upper intercooler pipe), not a external waste-gate (which is what would mount to your O2 housing) and yes to run a external wastegate you would need a different O2 housing

Yep knew that I was just having so many things in my head at one time. Thanks for the clarification.

I am from Denver and live just south of you now, and I will say that altitude air density does make a difference in how you approach your build. Your results aren't going to match someone living near sea level. When sizing your turbo, you need to take into account that at 5000ft, the standard barometric pressure is 85kPa (639 mmHg). This means that there is 84% of the oxygen available at sea level. You'll have to run higher pressures or a bigger turbo than you might expect to have to use to hit those same HP numbers. One thing that does help with the charge density is water/meth injection. It isn't increasing the potential energy of the fuel, as the oxygen content of the air is still the same, but it does boost the thermal capacity of your charge air, which can aide in retaining some of the heat to propel the turbine.

Just a few things to think about in the future.

Roger and Snow Performance is somewhere west of Colorado Springs right? I figured I would eventually go with them since I can go straight to the shop.

 

[Chevy2g3]

When you get back from Afghanistan hit me up. I'll be here until the end of the year then I'm off to Ft Huachucca.

 

[Tsmith]

When you get back from Afghanistan hit me up. I'll be here until the end of the year then I'm off to Ft Huachucca.

Will do but if you are leaving this year I wont be back until the end of it.

 

[WES_393]

A lot of this has been explained very well, especially by talongirl, but here's my thoughts on your list of possible upgrades.

Fuel: Walbro 255 is a good thing, same with high flow filter. The AFPR is to adjust the fuel pressure since 255's can overrun the stock FPR at idle causing the car to run rich. I would suggest an Aeromotive or Fuelab AFPR, preferably with DSM install kit. I would keep the stock fuel rail though, it's good for more horsepower than the Walbro 255. Not to mention those AEM fuel rails are $$$$$. I would go with 1000cc injectors if you can foot the bill. They are small enough to maintain easy fuel control, but large enough to run E85 in the future.

Turbo: I would start with something small, but still able to pack a punch. Small 16g's are good for around 350hp and the Big 16g & Evo3 16g are good for over 400hp. Nearly bolt on, fairly cheap used, and can be used with the stock manifold, intake pipe, O2 housing, etc. With these turbos, you can stay with the internal wastegate. You can run an external gate if you like, but it usually requires some pretty heavy mods to the turbo and exhaust and all you will gain is a solid boost control since the 16g's like to creep. Holset is also a very good choice, but requires some careful oiling, some custom work to the downpipe and O2 housing, and a new turbine housing to bolt up to a DSM flanged manifold. Boost also does not what makes power, flow is the deciding factor on this (this is why turbo's are rated in lbs/min). So the goal is to get as much flow as possible with the quickest spool.

Engine: Cams are good, but keep in mind they will shift your powerband upwards. If you still want some good low end torque (which these engines already lack), 272's would be the biggest I would go. The ARP head studs that people use are to keep the head from lifting under high boost. When you lift the head, you start pushing compression gasses into the cooling system. Obviously this is very bad. Using ARP's will let you run high boost with the stock head gasket safely. Also one thing to look into is the engine itself. The stock 7-bolt engine (pistons/rods/crank) won't handle much more than 450hp. So if you ever go bigger than something like an HX35, you will start to push the limits of your engine. However, with a 6-bolt engine swap you could handle over 600hp with the reliability of a stock engine. Either that or look into building the 7-bolt.

Exhaust: I would keep the stock manifold until you get a turbo that needs something more. Even Holset users like to keep the stock manifold for ease of install while still making good power. Port and polish the manifold, port or upgrade the O2 housing, and get a full 2.5" or 3" exhaust. Since we live in a city with zero emissions or safety inspections (thank god), just get rid of all of it. I'm basically running a 3" straight pipe and have had no issues with safety violations.

Intake: New intercooler is good, the ebay will work fine but not as well as a Punishment or VRSF street core. For piping, I'd stick with ebay, maybe a short route kit. Just get some good T-bolt clamps and maybe some better couplers. But a pipe is a pipe, regardless of price or manufacturer. As for intake manifold, I would suggest either porting the stock one or going with an Evo intake manifold. The racing manifolds are an absolute killer of low end torque. Most are designed for airflow above 5K RPM. The NT 1g throttle bodies are huge compared to the stock 2g throttle body and, when coupled with a ported 2g or Evo manifold, would give some great flow to the engine. Like said before, the GM MAF is really just a convenience item. It is good for a bit more power than the stock MAF, allows you to vent to atmosphere, and makes boost leaks virtually non problematic. It's a great way to increase reliability with a DSM.

A few other things to consider:

Tuning- You will need a way to control all these mods. I would highly recommend DSMLink V3. You will need to convert your 97 ECU to EPROM or find a 95 ECU to use. But it's well worth the price and easily the most important part of your entire setup. You will also need a wideband to safely crank up the boost. For a wideband, I would suggest the Innovate MTXL. You will also want a boost gauge and oil pressure gauge, these are essential since the factory gauges aren't very accurate at all.

Transmission- I would look into getting the trans at least serviced with new end clutches, a good flush, etc. Lucky for us, we live right next door to one of the best DSM transmission shops in the country: Jacks Transmission.

Here's some links to check out:

Jacks Transmissions LLC — Welcome

STM: 90-99 DSM PERFORMANCE PARTS

Modern Automotive Performance - Redefining fast.

Visual Frequently Answered Questions - Home Page

MTX-L Wideband O2 Digital Air/fuel Ratio Gauge

Homepage Fuelinjectorclinic

http://dsmlink.com/

And lastly, if you ever need any help just let me know! I'll be in the Springs for the next 4 years of college so anytime you need a second pair of hands just let me know.

 

[Tsmith]

A lot of this has been explained very well, especially by talongirl, but here's my thoughts on your list of possible upgrades.

Fuel: Walbro 255 is a good thing, same with high flow filter. The AFPR is to adjust the fuel pressure since 255's can overrun the stock FPR at idle causing the car to run rich. I would suggest an Aeromotive or Fuelab AFPR, preferably with DSM install kit. I would keep the stock fuel rail though, it's good for more horsepower than the Walbro 255. Not to mention those AEM fuel rails are $$$$$. I would go with 1000cc injectors if you can foot the bill. They are small enough to maintain easy fuel control, but large enough to run E85 in the future.

Turbo: I would start with something small, but still able to pack a punch. Small 16g's are good for around 350hp and the Big 16g & Evo3 16g are good for over 400hp. Nearly bolt on, fairly cheap used, and can be used with the stock manifold, intake pipe, O2 housing, etc. With these turbos, you can stay with the internal wastegate. You can run an external gate if you like, but it usually requires some pretty heavy mods to the turbo and exhaust and all you will gain is a solid boost control since the 16g's like to creep. Holset is also a very good choice, but requires some careful oiling, some custom work to the downpipe and O2 housing, and a new turbine housing to bolt up to a DSM flanged manifold. Boost also does not what makes power, flow is the deciding factor on this (this is why turbo's are rated in lbs/min). So the goal is to get as much flow as possible with the quickest spool.

Engine: Cams are good, but keep in mind they will shift your powerband upwards. If you still want some good low end torque (which these engines already lack), 272's would be the biggest I would go. The ARP head studs that people use are to keep the head from lifting under high boost. When you lift the head, you start pushing compression gasses into the cooling system. Obviously this is very bad. Using ARP's will let you run high boost with the stock head gasket safely. Also one thing to look into is the engine itself. The stock 7-bolt engine (pistons/rods/crank) won't handle much more than 450hp. So if you ever go bigger than something like an HX35, you will start to push the limits of your engine. However, with a 6-bolt engine swap you could handle over 600hp with the reliability of a stock engine. Either that or look into building the 7-bolt.

Exhaust: I would keep the stock manifold until you get a turbo that needs something more. Even Holset users like to keep the stock manifold for ease of install while still making good power. Port and polish the manifold, port or upgrade the O2 housing, and get a full 2.5" or 3" exhaust. Since we live in a city with zero emissions or safety inspections (thank god), just get rid of all of it. I'm basically running a 3" straight pipe and have had no issues with safety violations.

Intake: New intercooler is good, the ebay will work fine but not as well as a Punishment or VRSF street core. For piping, I'd stick with ebay, maybe a short route kit. Just get some good T-bolt clamps and maybe some better couplers. But a pipe is a pipe, regardless of price or manufacturer. As for intake manifold, I would suggest either porting the stock one or going with an Evo intake manifold. The racing manifolds are an absolute killer of low end torque. Most are designed for airflow above 5K RPM. The NT 1g throttle bodies are huge compared to the stock 2g throttle body and, when coupled with a ported 2g or Evo manifold, would give some great flow to the engine. Like said before, the GM MAF is really just a convenience item. It is good for a bit more power than the stock MAF, allows you to vent to atmosphere, and makes boost leaks virtually non problematic. It's a great way to increase reliability with a DSM.

A few other things to consider:

Tuning- You will need a way to control all these mods. I would highly recommend DSMLink V3. You will need to convert your 97 ECU to EPROM or find a 95 ECU to use. But it's well worth the price and easily the most important part of your entire setup. You will also need a wideband to safely crank up the boost. For a wideband, I would suggest the Innovate MTXL. You will also want a boost gauge and oil pressure gauge, these are essential since the factory gauges aren't very accurate at all.

Transmission- I would look into getting the trans at least serviced with new end clutches, a good flush, etc. Lucky for us, we live right next door to one of the best DSM transmission shops in the country: Jacks Transmission.

Here's some links to check out:

Jacks Transmissions LLC — Welcome

STM: 90-99 DSM PERFORMANCE PARTS

Modern Automotive Performance - Redefining fast.

Visual Frequently Answered Questions - Home Page

MTX-L Wideband O2 Digital Air/fuel Ratio Gauge

Homepage Fuelinjectorclinic

ECMTuning, Inc.

And lastly, if you ever need any help just let me know! I'll be in the Springs for the next 4 years of college so anytime you need a second pair of hands just let me know.

Awesome info tyvm. I do have a 95 EPROM already that I took to Jacks to get socketed. I also have the boost and oil pressure gauges. I have an a/f ratio gauge but its either not working or I have an issue somewhere causing it to always stay pegged to the right side (its one of those with the green and yellow bars instead of actual numbers) I think the right side means lean. I also built my own BLT from the youtube video, my intercooler had a 1/4 inch crack in one of the fins and almost every coupler needed tightened. Just gonna go through it all completely when I get back and have that 2 week vacation.

I will definetly look you up when I get back. I have hung out a couple times at the Shell and the Sams Club to talk with some of those guys and met a couple DSM owners there.

 

[WES_393]

No problem. Yeah, that A/F gauge is just a narrowband, it's not much help anyways so no loss. Sounds like your on the right track though, definitely let us know when you get some work done on it.

I used to hang out with those guys, just got tired of the "800hp NT Civic" crowd down there. So I just cruise with the Toyota guys now.