Proposed mod list, looking for feedback

[Flitzr951]

So I've spent the last week or so researching my options as far as modification are concerned and I think I have a pretty good idea as to what I'm going to do. Before I do anything, a complete timing belt/waterpump job is going to be done. I plan to complete phases 1 & 2 before I leave Italy and then finish the rest after I return to the states in the fall. The car is currently stock except for the exhaust which looks to be custom fabricated ~2.5in.

Phase 1:
- 190LPH Walbro Fuel pump w/rewire
- FMIC

Phase 2:
- 2G MAS/intake
- WB02 w/gauge (Innovate LC-1 w/ DB)
- MBC w/gauge (SBR MBS w/glowshift gauge)
- 2 smoked gauges mounted in center AC slot with black bezel
- ECMlink V3 lite
- 18psi of boost

Phase 3:
- 550cc injectors
- Full 3" SS exhaust
- 20psi of boost

Phase 4:
- Big 16G
- FP race manifold
- O2 housing

I'm under the impression that 300awhp will put me in the low 13/high 12 range. I'm hoping to do 16psi on pump gas for daily driving and hopefully making 300 to the wheels on race gas and 20psi of boost.

Any input is greatly appreciated.

 

[Dewayne Waldron]

Phase 2: you will need an AFPR for that 255lph pump and I would suggest a rewire.

 

[99gsxman]

Looks like a really solid plan man. You still running stock injectors?

 

[9!'clipseDOHC]

Are you planning on using the MAFT as your only tuning device? Is that why you are getting it so soon? I would follow the standard upgrade path listed here. Personally I wouldn't get the GM MAF/MAFT combo until much later in your build. This is the order I would get the parts you mentioned: (this is my personal opinion based on research and what I plan to do on my own car, but its your car so the decision is completely up to you)
1. Boost gauge, WBo2, MBC, full exhaust (w/manifold, o2 housing), and fuel pump. All the supporting mods you can do without having to tune. Free up the power you already have.
2. Some sort of tuner (dsmlink, etc) and a logger.
3. E3 16g, Injectors, FMIC, GM MAF

 

[motozachl]

Oops you forgot phase 0: Maintenance.....

 

[Flitzr951]

I meant to include 550cc injectors in phase 4 with the big 16g. I was planning on the MAFT being my tuner (the GENII, the one with the digital display, not the one with the knobs) and I thought it would be better to have tuning capability as early as possible. If I did the supporting mods before the GM MAF & MAFT would I be able to increase the boost on the 14b without a tune? If not, is there another perk to a MBC with these cars? The other reason I wanted to do the MAF/MAFT first was because everything works fine right now so I have a solid base to judge off of. When I did a similar conversion on my Porsche (after the supporting mods) it wasn't running right and it took forever (and a couple thousand dollars) to figure out what the problem was. So my thought was to get that out of the way first, knowing that there are no other variables and it would be there to maximize the potential gains as I went along. With the AFPR, do I need a gauge as well?

Oops you forgot phase 0: Maintenance.....

Before I do anything, a complete timing belt/waterpump job is going to be done

 

[9!'clipseDOHC]

With an AFPR, yes you would need a gauge so you could set your base fuel pressure. Most kits come with a gauge. You will only need the AFPR with a 255lph pump though; if you go with the 190 you will be fine.

As far as the MBC, you safely can raise the boost a few psi with no problems. You will need a logger to make sure you don't lean it out too much and aren't getting knock though.

You can use a MAFT for basic tuning; it depends on how far you want to go in the future. If that is all you are planning to use then that is fine but I sill wouldn't get it first.

 

[ifeelubu]

1st I would go with air intake and 3 inch turbo back exhaust system and upgraded exhaust manifold
2nd for 300hp I would go for an evo9 fuel pump and evo 560 injectors wideband and either safc or ecmlink lite
3rd a more powerful clutch and fmic then the final step is the evo3 16g

 

[Flitzr951]

You can use a MAFT for basic tuning; it depends on how far you want to go in the future

I thought I should mention my reasoning for waiting on exhaust, it has a larger setup already (~2.5in) and it costs a fortune to ship an exhaust setup to Italy, so that can wait until I'm back in the states.

I like the GM MAF just because it increases throttle response and also allows me to vent to the atmosphere if I decide that I want to down the road. So long as 300awhp can put my car into the 12's, that's where I want to end modding. 12.XX is a solid number for anything that is driven daily and on the street it takes an 11sec RWD/FWD car to beat a 12sec AWD car and I'm okay with that. (I've been on the loosing end of 11sec RWD vs 12sec AWD on the street).

So based on the input I have so far (which has been fantastic, thanks guys) I have a couple more questions:

- will the GENII MAFT handle my tuning needs for a 300awhp application?
- will a 190lph pump handle 300awhp or do I need the 255?
- do I need datalogging if I have a WB02 inputting to the MAFT?
- if yes, what's the cheapest way to go? I don't have a PDA or any interest in buying one.

 

[9!'clipseDOHC]

So based on the input I have so far (which has been fantastic, thanks guys) I have a couple more questions:

- will the GENII MAFT handle my tuning needs for a 300awhp application?
- will a 190lph pump handle 300awhp or do I need the 255?
- do I need datalogging if I have a WB02 inputting to the MAFT?
- if yes, what's the cheapest way to go? I don't have a PDA or any interest in buying one.

Yes a MAFT will handle 300 hp, but it doesn't have as many parameters as say dsmlink.

A 190 lph should handle your goals and even though the 255 is the same price, you won't need an AFPR so it will save you some $$.

Yes you will need a datalogger. A wbo2 is a good tool but it won't tell you knock or anything else besides your AFR. You can get a brand new datalogging kit for about $150 with a pda or search the classifieds, used ones usually go for $50-$100.

Also a 2.5" exhaust will support your hp goals, of course 3" would still help, maybe 20hp increase. You will still need an manifold and o2 housing though.

Hope this helps.

 

[Flitzr951]

Thanks, that's exactly the feedback I needed. The MAFT/DSMlink decision is still up in the air, I think it will just come down to which one I can get a better deal on seeing that my end-goal is rather mild. Does V3 of DSMlink (now ECMlink) do data logging? I read that it does "logging" but is that the same type that I would otherwise need a seperate application for? Do the data loggers plug right into the ECU?

 

[spooling 1g]

Yes dsmlink logs.

 

[Flitzr951]

Yes dsmlink logs.

cool, but I need to have my ECU socketed in order to use it, correct? Is a WB02 necessary for datalogging with DSMlink?

 

[9!'clipseDOHC]

cool, but I need to have my ECU socketed in order to use it, correct? Is a WB02 necessary for datalogging with DSMlink?

Yes you need to have your ECU socketed. When ordering v3 its a $95 add on. I would still recommend having a WBo2. You can connect the wbo2 to dsmlink and it will log it for you. Plus you still have the quick reference of the gauge. Check out this site. I personally have not used dsmlink but I have been researching it and plan on running it after my turbo swap this spring/summer.

 

[relicwelding]

Looks like a solid plan. I'd suggest maintenance first like a couple of the other guys. Can't go wrong with a good foundation to build from. Good Luck with everything

 

[Flitzr951]

I'm considering a change: 2g MAS and intake with ECMlink V3 lite...once I order V3 lite, can I change the injector size later on?

 

[9!'clipseDOHC]

I'm considering a change: 2g MAS and intake with ECMlink V3 lite...once I order V3 lite, can I change the injector size later on?

Yes you can! You can change everything, thats the beauty of it! Keep in mind that you are going to need to get your tuner before the 2g MAS or injectors to compensate/adjust your Air-Fuel Ratio. The 2g MAS flow significantly more than the 1g MAS and will lean out your AFR too much for stock injectors without a tuner. With what your looking for, my stage list would look something like this:
0. Timing belt, water pump, ARP headstuds
1. Boost gauge, WBo2, MBC, 2g/E3 manifold, 2g/E3 o2 housing, Walbro 190 w/rewire
2. v3 lite, 680 Injectors, 2g MAS
3. E3 16g, FMIC
I'd keep your 2.5" exhaust for a while, I personally have the same thing because my car was/is non-turbo. I'm doing a full turbo engine/ecu/wire harness swap in the next few months but I will retain the 2.5 Hi-flow cat and back pipes and just upgrade to a 3" downpipe.

 

[Flitzr951]

Based on the excellent feedback I got in here I updated my mod list. I have one question left, is a WB02 necessary for tuning?

Phase 1:
- 190LPH Walbro Fuel pump w/rewire
- FMIC

Phase 2:
- 2G MAS/intake
- WB02 w/gauge (Innovate LC-1 w/ DB)
- MBC w/gauge (SBR MBS w/glowshift gauge)
- 2 smoked gauges mounted in center AC slot with black bezel
- ECMlink V3 lite
- 18psi of boost

Phase 3:
- 550cc injectors
- Full 3" SS exhaust
- 20psi of boost

Phase 4:
- Big 16G
- FP race manifold
- O2 housing

 

[95burgundyesi]

Yes, a wideband is needed for logging with link. You are asking for trouble without one.

 

[KYNDL7]

Yes, a WB02 is necessary for tuning on any engine.

 

[Flitzr951]

That's what I thought, thanks guys...time to start sourcing these parts.

edited again, just realized I need V3 lite to run the 2G intake/MAS