opinions on next upgrade please

[92bluetalontsi]

I bought my 92 talon tsi about 5 months ago (right before winter started here in wisconsin) and i haven't driven it all during the winter. I have been working and putting away half of my pay checks to put torwards my car but im not sure on what to exactly do to it. I bought it from a guy and he told me he sent the turbo in to get bored out ( i guess this makes it run more efficient?), and the car has a boost controller on it and K & N cold air intake system, and an exaust system. I want to get my car running faster and i would just like opinions on what i should spend the $2,500 that i have, also if you can please post the price of the mods or what i should be paying for them (so i dont get ripped off) that would be appreciate also. I also need to get everything installed by a shop as i do not know how to do these installs myself. Any help would be appreciated as i dont know that much about these cars and i am trying to learn as quickly as possible, thanks.

 

[Tsi_User]

Well it sounds like the previous oner ported the tubro, which is most likely a good thing unless they did a crappy job on it.

Check out this link:http://dsmtuners.com/tuning-guide/1gturbo/ that should keep you going for a while, that's basically the path you want to take to get your HP up.

Also before you start modifying the car, do ALL the regular maitenance on it so you have a good base to start with (hoses, belts, fluids etc...)

Check out vfaq.com for good info on your car, that's where alot of us start and it helps quite a bit. You shoud start modding the DSM yourself, you'll save alot of money and learn some new stoff on the way. O and also there's no such thing as a cold air intake on a 1g DSM, just an intake

 

[BlackbirdOfPrey]

Boost Guage. Don't even bother going to any other mods until you have one, and deffinately don't touch that boost controller, until you have an idea of how much boost you are running. (the factory guage isn't accurate). Costs you about $60-???? It is what you really need next. For the rest, just follow the 1g tuning guide.

 

[92bluetalontsi]

i have an aftermarket boost gauge and air fuel ratio gauge as well. sorry i forgot to mention that. i just am not sure if i have the high flow cat/straight pipe or high flow down pipe, does that all come with the exaust system? The guy didn't really tell me what kind of exaust system was on it. how can i find out if those pipes are on my car?

 

[BlackbirdOfPrey]

It could be either or. If he got a catback system, then the downpipe is still stock, and the cat converter will be the stock one. If he got a turbo back, then the downpipe will be replaced, and possibly the cat converter. Easiest way to tell is to look under the car. The cat converter should be a big oval bulge (well sorta, it sticks out, kinda hard to miss) about halfway through the exhuast piping. To tell if the downpipe is new or not, compare its condition to that of the rest of the exhaust (if one looks older or newer, or they look the same) otherwise you would have to measure the diameter to tell. If you have no oval in the middle of your exhuast piping and its all straight, you have a test pipe. You could always just ask the guy that sold it to you.

 

[GeneralChaos]

Not trying to be an a-hole here but honestly id just start reading up on a lot of things first.

I say this because its going to say you a lot of time and mistakes. search for anything and everything you have a question on, if you cant find it people will gladly help you or point you in the right direction. check out vfaq.com the best you can, and read many many posts here.

Get some repair manuals and book mark all the how to websites so when you get a new part you can just install it yourself, this will save you hundreds, if not thousands, in the long run....and that means more mods you get to buy


Get yourself educated and comfertable with the car and then purchase upgrades. Dont buy bad mods and then have to sell them later for what you really wanted, and dont break the car, but most of all have fun with it (no matter how much a PITA it is!

edit: but to answer your question in case you dont want to learn. id go with a bigger turbo and/or some fuel and tuning mods. then a front mount eventually.