2G Would I be able to make 450-500 whp while still being reliable

[Tsuri]

I’ve got a bit of mods on my 2g Eclipse GST but, I’m not sure that it’s enough to make 450-550whp while still being able to daily? I know it sounds absurd but for now my Eclipse is the only car I have other than my brothers 03 Mustang GT (which is our drift car so it doesn’t really matter anyways)

I’ll list my mods down below and I would love some feedback and support on this. Also I would appreciate if anyone with a similar build would reply with what they’re making so I could get an estimate of how much hp I could possibly make with these mods.

Mods-
-REV9POWER 20G TD05 TURBO
-REV9POWER 4G63 TURBO MANIFOLD
-REV9POWER OVERSIZED INTERCOOLER WITH PIPING
-CXRACING ALUMINUM RADIATOR AND FAN SHROUD AND J2 6PLY HOSES AND ALUMINUM OVERFLOW BOTTLE
-VMS FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR AND GAUGE
-AEM 340LPH FUEL PUMP
-AEM FUEL RAIL
-FIC 850CC FUEL INJECTORS
-OBX HIGH FLOW CAT
-SRS DOWNPIPE
-SRS TYPER1 CATBACK BLUE TIP EXHAUST
-XTD STAGE 3 DUAL FRICTION CLUTCH AND FLYWHEEL
-PROGRAMMABLE ECU
-INJEN INTAKE

 

[Tigerinstincts]

You're not hitting 450hp on that turbo, let alone 500hp. The TD05 turbine wheel will only move so much exhaust and you're going to need a built engine (10:1 or higher CR, 272 cams, ect.) to actually generate the airflow required for 450hp with the 20g compressor, more efficient bolt-on mods, probably some nitrous, and be a tuning space wizard.
Only a select few in the community have put out some freakish horsepower number with small turbos, but just because they can doesn't mean it's easy or cheap.

Realistically, the TD05 20g can hit 420ish hp but there's no way you'll be able to do that without E85. Your 850cc injectors are no where near large enough to support 420hp worth of fuel flow while using E85, so you'll need larger injectors.
Even if you reach the limits of your turbo, I doubt you'd consider your car a reliable daily afterward. The torque spike would more than likely destroy the trans in due time.

I would suggest a larger turbo to support your goals and if you want your car to be reliable at your goals, you should go for a turbo that spools a little slower than you'd probably like. This is to save your transmission from the sudden torque spike once you get into boost. Another technique to lessen the torque spike is to keep ignition timing low during the turbo's spool up.

 

[Tsuri]

You're not hitting 450hp on that turbo, let alone 500hp. The TD05 turbine wheel will only move so much exhaust and you're going to need a built engine (10:1 or higher CR, 272 cams, ect.) to actually generate the airflow required for 450hp with the 20g compressor, more efficient bolt-on mods, probably some nitrous, and be a tuning space wizard.
Only a select few in the community have put out some freakish horsepower number with small turbos, but just because they can doesn't mean it's easy or cheap.

Realistically, the TD05 20g can hit 420ish hp but there's no way you'll be able to do that without E85. Your 850cc injectors are no where near large enough to support 420hp worth of fuel flow while using E85, so you'll need larger injectors.
Even if you reach the limits of your turbo, I doubt you'd consider your car a reliable daily afterward. The torque spike would more than likely destroy the trans in due time.

I would suggest a larger turbo to support your goals and if you want your car to be reliable at your goals, you should go for a turbo that spools a little slower than you'd probably like. This is to save your transmission from the sudden torque spike once you get into boost. Another technique to lessen the torque spike is to keep ignition timing low during the turbo's spool up.

Thank you for the feedback and support. By any chance would you be able to estimate what would be a reachable WHP number I would be able to reach with these mods?

I’m a broke highschool student so I can’t really afford much. This wouldn’t be the first Eclipse in our family though, my brother and dad had around 5 2g’s each in the past but I’m just trying to be the fastest Eclipse to reach my family. My dads red 2g was pushing 320whp.

Again thank you for the support

 

[Canadian_CD9A]

If you can't afford to do much, don't go modifying it for big power. I promise you'll do more harm than good if you cheap out on parts and half-finish things. From a person who has been there: keep up on maintenance as much as you can, fix every issue properly, and don't bite off more than you can chew. The parts list you have there is mostly Chinese/Taiwanese junk that will disappoint you, it's not going to make the car more reliable, and will cause breakages further down the line. What happens if/when you blow up the engine, how are you going to replace it on a high schooler's budget?

 

[97egl]

350 Horsepower is what you should shoot for if you want reliability without spending huge $. Once you get above that you will start breaking transmission parts and the car will live on jackstands while you try to source unavailable parts for the transmission or until you can pony up thousands for a dogbox set-up and then you have to find someone who can build one. At 350 horsepower you can still break the transmission if you are just going out and beating on the car.

 

[biglady112]

If you install eBay parts, you will have eBay results.

As stated above. You should get the car reliable and enjoy it. Once you can support your habit properly, then worry about taking the next steps with your car.

None of what you are asking are smart decisions. And trying to keep up with the family’s namesake at your age is a terrible decision. Drive it and enjoy it. Play when you can afford to.

 

[99dsmer4g63]

350 Horsepower is what you should shoot for if you want reliability without spending huge $. Once you get above that you will start breaking transmission parts and the car will live on jackstands. At 350 horsepower you can still break the transmission if you are just going out and beating on the car.

I completely agree with this^^. On black box, 850’s, walbro 255 on 93 with a cheap eBay 20g and matching intercooler and piping made 320 easily at 19lbs.

Car was bone stock and looking back I should of put that money and time into engine maintenance and other things that had nothing to do with hp.

I beat on it pretty good and the 20g lasted about 5,000 miles with the charger being over spun probably from the many boost leaks that 18 y/o me didn’t give a damn about because it ran “good”.

Also I never beat on it from a stop, always 2nd gear rolling into it. That’s just how I am though. Awd and don’t feel like breaking stuff.

-Daniel

 

[Thecarfixerguy]

At your age and experience level I would play around and learn, but reliability probably isn’t in the cards for you. If working on it yourself you’re going to break stuff and put stuff together wrong. Everybody does when they are learning. Everyone here likes to trash the EBay parts for hood reasons, but I would also suggest while learning how to build a race car spending big money on quality parts might not be a he best bet for your situation, and you will probably blow some stuff up anyway.

My suggestion is get yourself a cheap Honda or Toyota to get to work and school. Don’t work on the daily yourself. Take your eclipse and make a toy out of it. Build it up with EBay parts and learn some lessons. Once you’ve been to the school of hard knocks and are at a little later stage in life with more money and more knowledge build your race car.

 

[Tsuri]

If you can't afford to do much, don't go modifying it for big power. I promise you'll do more harm than good if you cheap out on parts and half-finish things. From a person who has been there: keep up on maintenance as much as you can, fix every issue properly, and don't bite off more than you can chew. The parts list you have there is mostly Chinese/Taiwanese junk that will disappoint you, it's not going to make the car more reliable, and will cause breakages further down the line. What happens if/when you blow up the engine, how are you going to replace it on a high schooler's budget?

I’m only broke atm cause I spent my money on mods, most of my mods I’d like to think are pretty reliable I’ve seen them in a lot of builds and most haven’t backed out.Only thing that backed out on me is my stock alternator looking to get one with more amps. But I guess your right I should’ve thought about that before anything.

At your age and experience level I would play around and learn, but reliability probably isn’t in the cards for you. If working on it yourself you’re going to break stuff and put stuff together wrong. Everybody does when they are learning. Everyone here likes to trash the EBay parts for hood reasons, but I would also suggest while learning how to build a race car spending big money on quality parts might not be a he best bet for your situation, and you will probably blow some stuff up anyway.

My suggestion is get yourself a cheap Honda or Toyota to get to work and school. Don’t work on the daily yourself. Take your eclipse and make a toy out of it. Build it up with EBay parts and learn some lessons. Once you’ve been to the school of hard knocks and are at a little later stage in life with more money and more knowledge build your race car.

Before this 2g I have now I had a 240sx se. Me and my brother built it to drift spec and it was pretty nice until we sold it since I wanted a more reliable car. It ran on all eBay parts but had to replace the turbo like 2 times.

I completely agree with this^^. On black box, 850’s, walbro 255 on 93 with a cheap eBay 20g and matching intercooler and piping made 320 easily at 19lbs.

Car was bone stock and looking back I should of put that money and time into engine maintenance and other things that had nothing to do with hp.

I beat on it pretty good and the 20g lasted about 5,000 miles with the charger being over spun probably from the many boost leaks that 18 y/o me didn’t give a damn about because it ran “good”.

Also I never beat on it from a stop, always 2nd gear rolling into it. That’s just how I am though. Awd and don’t feel like breaking stuff.

-Daniel

I’m not planning on beating on it, or atleast everyday, maybe a few races every now and again but I would never build a daily car to beat on, Unlike my old 240. Also the fact that before I had bought it car it sat for 3 years sitting at 60k miles.

350 Horsepower is what you should shoot for if you want reliability without spending huge $. Once you get above that you will start breaking transmission parts and the car will live on jackstands while you try to source unavailable parts for the transmission or until you can pony up thousands for a dogbox set-up and then you have to find someone who can build one. At 350 horsepower you can still break the transmission if you are just going out and beating on the car.

I wouldn’t want to beat on a car i would daily. The most I was planning was to race probably every weekend once or twice

 

[pauleyman]

I wouldn’t want to beat on a car i would daily. The most I was planning was to race probably every weekend once or twice

That is the definition of beating on it. You're fooling yourself with that ebay list.

 

[bastarddsm]

Those are all bottom of the barrel parts that will give you bottom of the barrel results.

IMHO if you think you want 450-500 that's pretty easily doable and maintain reliable. Save up $10k. ditch the bolt on crap.

 

[SixBolt_16G]

We've all been through what youre trying to do when we were younger, but we have to let you find out for yourself, its a good "right of passage" thatll teach you a lot about life for the future. Youre thinking about this the wrong way.

Modified 500hp 20+ year old cars dont fall into the category of reliable regardless of what parts you have on it. Can it be? Yes, but itll cost you time and money... Will it be? Probably not, with an astronomically high chance of probably not. The truth is, keeping an older car running reliably cost more money just to maintain than you think it does. Those vacuum hoses you didnt think about replacing are now cracked where you cant see it, so are the couplers for the intercooler.(Not saying they really are, just an anecdote for "some general maintenance that people tend to be missed/overlooked" before people start throwing parts at their cars ). Ball joint, seized caliper, front seal leaking all decided to gang up on you at the same time and now you have to decide which 2 youre gonna fix and which one youre gonna let ride for a while. Worst thing people do is continue driving a car that they know isnt healthy because these cars can be forgiving, but will eventually make you pay dearly. Then you decide to run more boost on E85 through an already suffering system. The guy that pulled up next to you at the light is the reason your engine goes boom on the way home or broken clutch fork leaves you stranded and riding bi*** in your moms minivan to drop you off to hang out with friends is the new reality. Weve all been through something similar in the past.

Best decision I ever spent my money on was a beater Toyota that was way more reliable and freed me up to do whatever with this car. Sure it was a setback to what I wanted to do with my car, but At least i didnt have to worry about it affecting my livelihood as a daily driver. Even now that i have plenty of money to do what I want with the car, I still keep it pretty modest because theres nothing worse than watching everyone else go out cruising and your car is constantly broken at home. Trying to move too quickly before your car and your funds are on point is the most common reason why Eclipses are up on blocks for months/years. Those parts arent going to get you where you want to be. You can do this the right way or you can gamble your way to your goal. Make sure your car is healthy, your funds are secure and you have all your responsibilities in life covered before you proceed

Before this 2g I have now I had a 240sx se. Me and my brother built it to drift spec and it was pretty nice until we sold it since I wanted a more reliable car...

A 240 to an Eclipse is more of a lateral move in reliability, not an upgrade.

I’m not planning on beating on it, or atleast everyday, maybe a few races every now and again but I would never build a daily car to beat on, Unlike my old 240.

Think about this realistically. When you have a 500hp car, you dont decide when to race it... it pulls the strings on your ego and it decides for you...Most likely, itll be daily racing for a good while when you run into other cars or show off for friends etc.

Also the fact that before I had bought it car it sat for 3 years sitting at 60k miles.

Unless it was properly stored under good conditions, a car sitting around for years isnt always good thing, even tho miles are being preserved...Some degree of wear and tear is still going on.