2G Need advice on turbo & exhaust

[EazyLoc]

What's up guys. I drive a auto 95 Eclipse Gsx and it's completely stock. Today I took it to the shop to have some maintenance done and to have my exhaust checked cause I could tell it was leaking. So they check the exhaust and its leaking from multiple areas, they say I need the whole system replaced. That would cost around $1,200. Upon doing other maintenance they came across a very bad oil leak, they say it's cause the turbo is bad. To rebuild the turbo it cost $900. I trust these guys cause my dad was there manger till he found another job. I'm not much of diy person I would rather have the pro's take care of it. Now my dilemma is should I spend the money to keep it stock or just go ahead and start upgrading everything. What do yall suggest?

 

[NY 95 TSI AWD]

I highly doubt the turbo is bad and that is causing the leak. Typically a bad turbo will burn oil or have excessive shaft play. Sounds like your getting screwed. Leave it stock if you don't want to spend a fortune. If you want to get your hands dirty and learn something at the same time, replace the exhaust your self with an upgraded one for half the cost.

 

[nickfromfortfun]

I would say go after market exhaust as for the turbo that would be your own decision you have find some good evo 16g turbos around here that make the car a lot quicker but it would need supporting mods such as bigger injectors, fuel pump, recommend FMIC. As for the exhaust I have Thermal R & D exhaust with a matching downpipe and i love the sound of the car it has a nice low growl so it doesn't sound anything like a honda, and the metal is high quality so it wont rust on you as long as you don't park your car in lakes for a couple of years at a time .

Now this is all personal opinion so i recommend you research your options and decide what you want to do with the car keep it stock or make it faster and go from there. As for a good place to buy parts for the car i recommend Extremepsi I have been buying from them for the past 3-4 years and have yet to have even one issue with their shipping or quality of service or parts. Hope this helps!

 

[Chumpaumpalumpa]

Upgrade, especially exhaust. You're looking at like 3-400 for a fully custom 3 inch so why not? Also, if you feel insecure about the turbo and truly believe it's bad, talk to Justin on here he's the resident turbo builder and just overall excellent DSMer. He really knows his stuff so send it to him if you're having it rebuilt. Aftermarket parts are almost always cheaper that OEM.

 

[Chumpaumpalumpa]

Oh and seconded on the 16g upgrade instead on rebuilt little 14b.

Edit: T25, good catch 303_2G

 

[ajcavanah]

Megan racing down pipe $175. Megan racing cat back $475 and I second Justin for turbo rebuild. If you get a 16g turbo you will need fuel up grades and something to tune with to go more than stock boost.$$$$$$$

 

[303_2G]

Wow $900 to "rebuild" a T25. Contact Justin on here and for I would say $500 you can buy a great reliable powerful turbo that will blow a t25 away. Have you seen blueish smoke coming from the exhaust because I doubt the turbo is actually bad. And as for the $1,200 exhaust that is also a joke seriously you can get a great turbo back setup for less than that. I guess the only problem would be finding someone to install the new stuff although it is very easy. And he has a T25 not a 14B. You can get that turned into a T28 and those get down as much as a Evo 3 16G

 

[EazyLoc]

Was already thinking about a turbo upgrade, what turbo would yall suggest and what supporting mods would I need? I'm looking to get 350hp at the wheels on pump gas and keep it as a daily driver. As far as the exhaust system what entirely would I need?

 

[EazyLoc]

Smoke does come out the exhaust a lot. Will check tomorrow on the color but I'm pretty sure its white.

 

[Archer Fabrications]

Dont give them the $ it's too much, dealer asks 1500new for a t25 i laughed. A new used good condition t25 can be had for $100 on here. You can buy an exhaust from our vendors for under 600.

 

[2gmitsueclipse]

After tinkering with these cars for nearly a decade, I can offer you a couple suggestions.

• This car will get expensive fast if you don't try to learn to work on it yourself. It can seem intimidating at first, but it gets easier if you take your time and ask questions. There are MANY walk-through articles floating around this and other sites. Getting manuals is also very helpful. I can justify getting better parts by looking at the money I save by doing the myself.
• I would look at a Megan or similar downpipe new from vendors on this site. As many others have mentioned, cat-back systems are cheaper these days. If you want to save even MORE money, go with a used system. I myself have never purchased a new system. These can be had as little as $100 on CL and the like. Start local searches before thinking about shipping.
• You seem to be leaning toward a 16g family turbo. That is fine for your goals, but know that you will also need an install kit for when you factor in pricing. Check out extremepsi, STM, or other vendors on this site. Here is a guide to give to your mechanic should you choose not to try the install yourself: http://www.vfaq.com/mods/2G-16G.html
• You could also replace/rebuild your t25 if your on a budget. For an easier install, the t28 is often underrated as a street performer.
• At this point, you do not need all other supporting mods so long as you keep the boost at stock levels. I would recommend performing all maintenance and fix current issues before throwing performance parts at the car.
• Next, look at logging and tuning software so you can safely add power. Start with an aftermarket boost gauge, wideband o2 set-up, and some method of tuning. Since you have a 95, DSMLink would be an easy choice. You may already have an e-prom ecu which is desired for DSMLink. There are other choices as well.
• Now your are ready to add supporting mods and turn up the boost while safely monitoring what your car is doing. You can do your research at this point for tuning.

I hope this helps.

 

[EazyLoc]

Yea def looking for 16g I don't plan on turning up boost level right away. Maintenance is def the first thing. I've been on this sight since I got my dsm about a year ago. So I've done lots of research. Should I do the exhaust first?

 

[2gmitsueclipse]

That would be something you need to prioritize. In would have to see the car to make a determination. You should find where exhaust leaks are to determine if immediate attention is needed. You have also mentioned oil leaks. I would tackle the oil leak issue first if the exhaust can wait.

 

[EazyLoc]

Going to get the oil leak fixed first. When getting the exhaust what about o2 sensors? I've read that with out cat cel would appear, is there anyway around it without have a cat?

 

[2gmitsueclipse]

Do you have emissions testing?

DSMLink can take care of this.

This item works well. You will only need the single version. I had one of these on a car trouble free many moons ago.
http://www.3sx.com/store/comersus_viewItemBundle.asp?idProduct=769

The other solution is to just get a cat.

 

[EazyLoc]

No emissions testing. Car blows white smoke, already looked up on 1000 already asked questions, could be a bad deal on turbo or blown head gasket. But it doesn't smoke all the time after engine is warmed up it usually goes away

 

[BishNasty]

as for upgrading your car, have you looked up the 2g upgrade paths? It gives you an idea of how to prioritize your mods and how to do them on your own.

 

[EazyLoc]

Yes have looked at the upgrade path quite a bit. So I can put a 16g in my car now with no supporting mods as long as I don't turn up boost?

 

[2gmitsueclipse]

• At this point, you do not need all other supporting mods so long as you keep the boost at stock levels. I would recommend performing all maintenance and fix current issues before throwing performance parts at the car.
• Next, look at logging and tuning software so you can safely add power. Start with an aftermarket boost gauge, wideband o2 set-up, and some method of tuning. Since you have a 95, DSMLink would be an easy choice. You may already have an e-prom ecu which is desired for DSMLink. There are other choices as well.
• Now your are ready to add supporting mods and turn up the boost while safely monitoring what your car is doing. You can do your research at this point for tuning.

I hope this helps.

 

[303_2G]

Yes have looked at the upgrade path quite a bit. So I can put a 16g in my car now with no supporting mods as long as I don't turn up boost?

Yes but you will need to use a J-pipe and couplings to attach the outlet of a 16g to the stock 2G Intercooler setup. However if you go to a FMIC relatively cheap (if you look in the right places) it would be much easier and better overall.

 

[303_2G]

And as for a catalytic converter you can get a system that has a place for a cat to be installed and you can just use a test pipe or switch whenever you want. And you can still run 2 o2 sensors also.

 

[Supra Mario]

If you opt to go with an aftermarket exhaust, and you don't need emissions. A quick, cheap and easy thing to do is the trick with spark plug non-foulers. (Drill one out, thread the drilled one into the other, place your 02 sensor in and screw it back to the exhaust bung) But these days, you can search "O2 sensor spacer" in ebay and pretty much get the same deal as one piece that is ready to go. This spaces the rear 02 from exhaust gases, and the ECU thinks the cat is still there. Worked for me at least. Then I used ECUFLASH to clear the CEL.

I would definitely address the smoking problem. Look for a blue tint within the white smoke. Check your oil and coolant levels first and make sure neither are burning away.

You could check the shaft play to see the condition of the turbo. It's not too hard to do at all. Just make sure the turbo isn't hot now.

If you go with a 16g, I would recommend Extreme PSI's 16g install kit. It comes with the oil lines and excellent piping. Made me one happy guy.

My DSM was my first car and I once knew nothing about working on it. Researching and teaching yourself is a great thing to do. Any questions just ask!

 

[Chumpaumpalumpa]

My DSM was my first car and I once knew nothing about working on it. Researching and teaching yourself is a great thing to do. Any questions just ask!

Amen to that fine sir!

 

[EazyLoc]

Going to take care of this oil leak first then do my exhaust. Anyone use a srs setup? This dsm is my first car also