Recommended cheaper power gains mods
 

Hey all,

I'm loving my 86, but as many know the power kinda sucks, I want to feel a bit more scared in the car, I know it's not fast in a straight line too. So where I live I can't turbo/supercharge the 86 or else I may run into cop trouble (because young drivers in Australia have restrictions until 21). My 86 is stock as hell and I'm generally a minimalist, but my mates are picking up some cars with serious competition and we may go to a track day soon, some of them driving the new Golf R Mark 7. Now I've been a Japanese fan since I've been little and I thoroughly believe my 86 baby can catch up with some mods.

Currently I'm considering doing these mods for performance gains (I heard they even help shed a 0-60mph/0-100kmph from 7 sec to 5.5)

- Tires (Bridgestone Potenzas)
- Wheels, possibly something nice and light
- ECU
- Full exhaust
- Coils

Any recommendations of mods or brands would be helpful, or any other tips on increasing power

Also if I do go ahead with the ECU I'm seriously considering e85 but I want it to be practical so I don't have to carry a Jerry can with me

I wouldn't get too hung up about the lack of power as a car is only as fast as its driver. However a bad driver can drive quicker in FWD as they are easier to drive at max than a RWD in the same hands.

None of those upgrade with give you more actual power,but to free up more power,so to speak,the first thing that should be upgraded is intake and exhaust.

Suspension,lighter wheels and wider tires definitely won't give you more power,but they will make you quicker,that is if you know how to drive.

I don't know what your definition of "cheap" is,but all of these upgrades together can get pretty pricey.The only "real" way to actually increase power is to either drop a new motor in it,or go turbo/supercharger.

If you have never been to a track I think your "stock as hell" 86 would surprise you.

You should focus on how to improve your skills as a driver, not trying to catch up to your friend's more expensive car.

Should have bought a 2nd hand WRX for the same cash. :)

BRZ isn't a 0-100km monster, it's a take corners without braking monster. I've chewed up and spat out a modified XR6 turbo in my stock BRZ on a twisty road. It will be great on the track too.

*edit* don't change anything on the cheap - get quality components.

Before you do anything to the car, go on the track first. You'll be surprised of the car's abilities, given you're an experienced driver that is capable of driving this car hard (practice makes perfect, no better place to practice than a track).

If it still isn't enough on the track, then you can look into some mods.

Sorry but there's no way you're going to keep up with a Golf R without spending serious cash on FI.

Maybe not in a straight line, but on the track driver mod is king. :thumbsup:

Save your money and buy quality upgrades don't try and cheap out and think you have made "improvements".
Do it right. Do it once.


Loads of info here:
http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=96158

If you wanted to be scared should bought a stang or camaro, or turn the nanny controls off and attack some twisty road. That's as Scarry as my GT was it was all you and you better know how to control it
Same with your car. But this car isn't made for passing vettes on the freeway

Smash out your cats and remove your air filter for free power gains.

gears and a carbon driveshaft... on the track that'll do wonders... @emishor86

4.55 FD with sticky tires.

Learn to drive the car fast on the track in stock form first. Then after some practice/experience, decide for yourself what mods need to be done to make the car faster for you.

For tracks, stickier tires are always the best and first upgrade. Bolt-ons might add tenths of a second for the meager power increase. Sticky tires will drop seconds, if you know how to drive the car at its new grip limit.