Where do I begin

SnipeRA · #1 04-01-2010, 06:10 PM

I bought my 09 RA a few weeks ago and i would ike to know where to begin with tunning/upgrading my RA. I dont have piles of money laying around the house and i am expecting a baby in Nov. Any suggestions for less expensive (but effective) upgrades?

MikeW-RRE · #2 04-01-2010, 06:54 PM

Assuming you will stay with a stock turbo because of your limited budget and it being a brand new car:

Axleback exhaust/muffler
Used stock EVO X Intercooler
Custom dyno tune

Here are RRE that would all run you about $1100 total installed and net you reliable stock EVO X HP and keep your tranny/clutches all in one piece.

Mike W

SnipeRA · #3 04-01-2010, 07:04 PM

Well as for the future i would like to do a complete EVO X swap. From what i have fouond in this forum it seems that to get basic things such as intake and exahust it is best if you get a ECU flash or AMS tune.

Thanks for the input Mike

TheBlackBeast · #4 04-02-2010, 07:30 AM

I was in the same spot and time frame as you last June. All I can say I'd that you better get it done before that baby comes! Expensive little things they are! I went the route mike listed and couldn't be happier with the job they did!

hackerrei · #5 04-02-2010, 11:19 AM

I wanted to know after all the things listed are done what is the max HP - Torq?
I talked to HBSPEED they told me for $800.00 they would tune, dyno, and put boost pill to give me a total of 260WHP 297 FT/lb Torque at 26 PSI.

Makes it a hard choise since you can have a manual boost controler and cobb tune for under $600 and you get to pick your own boost level with no other upgrades that should put you at the 260 to 280 mark with 26 to 29 psi.

Our go with a evu 8 or evo X turbo swap and tune with no other mods to put you in the 280 to 300+ hp range.

But I am not shure if you would need a new manifold with the evo8 turbo?

What do you guy's think?

TheBlackBeast · #6 04-02-2010, 12:20 PM

Someone from gst motorsport posted the whole parts list you would need for a turbo swap. It's long and could be expensive. Yes to needing a manifold, plus lines, washers, brackets, etc. You can do the other options too but what would their long term use do for the reliability of your ride? I went the route I did because I need this to last a while. After it's paid off I'll have more money to do major upgrades like swapping a turbo from a X or perhaps a new and better solution will be available by then. Until that time comes though, I have the stock power of an evo X along with the reliability too.

SnipeRA · #7 04-02-2010, 01:00 PM

Which axel back exahust did you go with? Is there one out there that is the best all around: sound, quality, etc.?

hackerrei · #8 04-02-2010, 01:49 PM

Yeah those are just some of the options that are out there.
I found a lot of evo 8 turbo's for around $100 and evo X for $400+ so just wanted to know.
But if I could get to the 300 hp 328 torq thats what I'm looking for in power.
But every thing I see is always 240 - 260 hp 290 - 300 torq so just woundering what I need to have done to get there.
What do you think of manual boost controler or boost pill whichwould work better?

A lot of tuning places use boost pills but dealer's mostly go for the boost controler.

Also for every one to know where is the best place to have our cars tuned in the socal area?

MikeW-RRE · #9 04-02-2010, 06:51 PM

You see 240 to 260 hp quoted the most because that is where the stock turbo calls it quits. That is just all the air flow it can push.

EVO 8/9 turbos have nothing in common with the newer EVO X/RalliArt and will not fit at all on a RalliArt. You are looking at an EVO X turbo, manifold and various parts only for an upgrade. The turbo is only about 1/2 to 1/3 of the cost of all the various parts that you need to complete the swap.

We make our own axle back here at RRE. We can use stock tips, stocker than stock no tips or phat tips. Several people here have them.

My $1100 price breaks down like this:

Used EVO X stock I/C $200-$300
Install $100

RRE/Magnaflow Axle Back $350 installed

Dyno Tune $400

To use an MBC you need to have the boost spike pretty high to get it to hold something decent up top.

If you are getting it tuned, then using your factory installed boost control system with a pill installed it basically free. The pill just allows some additional leeway in using the factory boost control system when custom tuned and re-flashed.

Mike W

hackerrei · #10 04-02-2010, 08:35 PM

what type of tune do you offer with that setup is it cobb stage 2 or some other tune type?