Need some advice on engine guys!

[nikitopo]

About the other comments on the OFT Stg 1, I've been tempted to install it too. My biggest concern is that this family of engines are very knock sensitive and with a more aggressive AFR (leaner mix) you'll have to use the best available fuel that exists on the planet! Personally, I have an experience modifying the predecessor of this engine (the FB20), when this engine didn't exist. Things are a bit better with direct injection, but still this engine belongs to the same family.

Keep in mind that in such mods they also make the throttle pedal more aggressive. Some people have a tendency to believe that the car is faster, because they have to press the pedal less. Such changes are mostly "feeling" mods, than actual changes ...

[FR-Sky]

OFT E85 stage 2 with some bigger rim and tires, u are good to go.

[why?]

I'd start with the lightweight stuff first, it makes a difference and a lot of taking out weight is free.

Originally Posted by PMok

echoing what others have said above. you need to ask yourself what you want. You said you don't want FI, so the way I see it you have two or three options.
Do you care about remaining (or at least appearing) CARB legal? If yes, your options are limited. The two easiest things you can do to add power is to get the OFT so you can reflash the ECU, and switch to E85 fuel. That will net you about +20hp and make the car feel a lot peppier. There really isn't much downside to the OFT other than cost, and the inconvenience of running E85 without a full flex-fuel setup is a consideration. That latter part is what made me move on to FI.
If you don't care about CARB then on top of the OFT, add catless headers, overpipe and front pipe (or run a high-flow cat in the front pipe) and run OFT stage 2 tune. Running on 91 you will get about +20hp (same effect as staying stock and running E85 fuel above), add E85 and you will be making about +30hp. If you have more money to spend add a flex-fuel setup. At this point you will have done all the best-bang-for-the-buck mods for power.
Pulleys, throttle body mods, drivetrain mods like lightened flywheels and driveshafts, and anything else in that category... won't do much. They are expensive and won't net you much power, but maybe they look nice and could help you win shows or the admiration of your peers as part of a comprehensive mod list if you care about that.

Sounds like you haven't driven car with a carbon driveshaft and lightweight flywheel. I'd rather go lightweight and not have to worry about cops then get a cat and happen to be the guy the judge decides to throw the book at.

Originally Posted by finch1750

Shorter final drive would probably fit the bill. Slower top speed for faster accel. And all carb compliant still. The OFT would be a good choice also.

Proper wheel will help a bit too. Not a whole bunch of weight to cut on the car without going extreme (hood and trunk are aluminum so even the CF stuff is heavier unless its dry carbon which is $$$). Google weight reduction on the site and there is a master thread on part weights or @Anthony crazy build thread

Anthony's build is a great first place to start. He kinda went extreme, but he doesn't daily his car either. Less weight benefits everything.

[PMok]

Originally Posted by why?

Sounds like you haven't driven car with a carbon driveshaft and lightweight flywheel. I'd rather go lightweight and not have to worry about cops then get a cat and happen to be the guy the judge decides to throw the book at.

No, but I tried a lightened pulley for a while. It made a slight but noticeable improvement and I'm sure these other parts will too. But on a dyno, they are not going to give you +20hp like the "bang-for-the-buck" mods I discussed. I'm not knocking the advantages of weight reduction but they are incremental nuanced changes that might be better saved for later after you've already tackled the low-hanging fruit. Guess we're talking different strategies, there's no right answer.

[why?]

Originally Posted by PMok

No, but I tried a lightened pulley for a while. It made a slight but noticeable improvement and I'm sure these other parts will too. But on a dyno, they are not going to give you +20hp like the "bang-for-the-buck" mods I discussed. I'm not knocking the advantages of weight reduction but they are incremental nuanced changes that might be better saved for later after you've already tackled the low-hanging fruit. Guess we're talking different strategies, there's no right answer.

A dyno is not the real world. Not everyone wants 400+ hp. And not everyone is comfortable with the chances of being the first guy to have the book thrown at them for removing cats. At some point that is going to happen.

Weight reduction is not a straight line, but it adds up. Pulleys are the smallest change. The difference in how a car revs with a lightweight clutch, carbon driveshaft, and lightweight wheels can be stunning. Anything that rotates sucks up hp.

But if you are someone that wants to go forced induction you are right, no need for lightweight anything. I'm not really a fan of the bolt on mods for making more power. For me it doesn't seem worth the price of admission for 20 or 30 more hp. But as you said everyone is different. And more importantly, everyone has a different use for their cars.

[finch1750]

Originally Posted by why?

A dyno is not the real world. Not everyone wants 400+ hp. And not everyone is comfortable with the chances of being the first guy to have the book thrown at them for removing cats. At some point that is going to happen.

Weight reduction is not a straight line, but it adds up. Pulleys are the smallest change. The difference in how a car revs with a lightweight clutch, carbon driveshaft, and lightweight wheels can be stunning. Anything that rotates sucks up hp.

But if you are someone that wants to go forced induction you are right, no need for lightweight anything. I'm not really a fan of the bolt on mods for making more power. For me it doesn't seem worth the price of admission for 20 or 30 more hp. But as you said everyone is different. And more importantly, everyone has a different use for their cars.

Whatever you do do not put a lwcp and a light flywheel on the motor. Boxers (EJs at least, dont think anyone tried on an FA/FB yet) do not like both ends losing weight like that

I still say to stay carb and just feel faster (ie acceleration) and new final drive would be the best bang for the buck

[dsteezy86]

Thanks for everyone's opinion. I've actually learned a lot. And I think I've decided to go the lightweight route. I don't want to take the chance on the cops haha. I baby my car a lot. And I know going forced induction cost a lot more than what I probably think it cost.

[why?]

Originally Posted by finch1750

Whatever you do do not put a lwcp and a light flywheel on the motor. Boxers (EJs at least, dont think anyone tried on an FA/FB yet) do not like both ends losing weight like that

I still say to stay carb and just feel faster (ie acceleration) and new final drive would be the best bang for the buck

Except every case has been fi. If you plan on going fi, then I agree you don't need lightweight anything.@Anthony has been running both for quite a while now and I am sure he would have said something if something went wrong.

We need to stop this everything is bad in every case idea. That just is not how the world works. It all depends on what you are doing with your car and how you drive it. Someone who is going to boost the crap out of his car is going to do things differently than someone who dd's his car and probably won't ever even see a show or a track.

[Jajanken86]

In the case of our oem crank pulley though, it is also a harmonic damper (dampener? Whatever the word) so reliability may be a concern when switching that to aftermarket

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[misooscar]

If it fits you, strip the interior...it won't bring any attention from the cops...it's free...Besides labor it won't cost anything...Anthony on this forum has a detailed DIY

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