JD's Boosted Australian GT86

[King Tut]

Originally Posted by JD86

What on earth are the data logger wires for? Do I need those if I'm just going to plug into my PC/AEM software for data logging through the gauge?

I think those are for use with other AEM systems like their standalone ECU. All you need to add is the green wire for an RPM signal and then it will log RPM, AFR, and vacuum/boost.

[King Tut]

Originally Posted by Sportsguy83

The dimmer switch does not work as a dimmer for gauges because it is not 0-12V signal. You need to run it to the ILL+ or ILL- cable in the back of the radio Headunit. @King Tut

I have heard this, but has anyone confirmed that it works yet?

[Sportsguy83]

Originally Posted by King Tut

I have heard this, but has anyone confirmed that it works yet?

I have it working on my car

[King Tut]

Originally Posted by Sportsguy83

I have it working on my car

Well damn man. We should have fixed mine then.

[Sportsguy83]

Originally Posted by King Tut

Well damn man. We should have fixed mine then.

I know.. I had forgotten about it completely.

[Pitman]

Originally Posted by JD86

Ok so I have my failsafe mostly wired in. It seems to be working right... But I haven't got it all set up through the computer yet. That's a job for later. For the moment I've left out the data logger wires for simplicity (yellow, white and brown from memory) and the tachometer (green). Plus I'm not entirely sure if I'm supposed to wire those in to a specific data logger. @Sportsguy83 feel free to chime in here.

For boost I've just run a T off the brake booster line on the same spot where you run the feed for the blow off valve. I have a vacuum manifold but I'm not planning on running anything more than the BOV and boost gauge. If that changes I'll plug the manifold in where the T is.

The red wire I've run into my accessories charger/cigarette lighter which is on whenever I have my keys in/ignition on. The grey wire I've run into the dimmer switch for dash board (but not overly necessary to use this one). You're right hand drive right? If you open the drivers side door there's a panel on the side of the dash that you can pop off. There's a steel plate behind that you can use as an earth. I've screwed the blue and black wires onto that.

When I find where the green one goes I'll let you know. Also when the sun is up I'll take some photos of where everything is spliced in.

To help I picked up a test light from my local auto store for not a lot of money. Basically it's a probe with a globe in it on and an earth clamp on the other side. Ground the earth, put the probe in where you think the wire should go and turn ignition/headlights whatever you're checking for on/off. If the light on the probe turns on/off or dims you've found your splice point. Hey presto even a novice like me can find the right spots to wire stuff in =p

Thank you very much - I really appreciate your taking the time to share the details with me. Yes, my car is also RHD, which is why I am so keen to learn from you. I am not sure what the differences are in the harnesses for our cars designed to be driven on the correct side of the road . If you can take some photos, I would really appreciate it.

Dave

[JD86]

Ok so I've been out driving for the last two hours. Conditions are cold and wet which always makes things fun.

Impressions of the car... It's going to take some getting used to and some dialling in before I'm happy with it.

I'll be the first to admit that because I've changed so much at once, the car feels completely different and behaves like a totally new car. I'm honestly struggling to find anything that behaves the same as before it went into the shop. Maybe the clutch? But I'm struggling with that as well for reasons listed below. The extra power and the different torque band has changed where the sweet spots are in the gears so I feel like I have to sit in entirely different rev ranges from NA. The car also isn't tuned properly just yet and I still have to settle into it so I'm not going to bag it out, but there's a lot of subtle stuff that I need to play with. Probably the biggest upgrade I'll have to do is to the driver

One thing that definitely is gone (at least for now) is the instant throttle response of the NA car. I must stress that I'm still adjusting to what feels like an all new car and it's not tuned and running low boost. However it feels like it's lost that instant jump the NA had up the rev range with a light twitch of your foot. It has power, way more than before the turbo went on. The pull up through the revs is blindingly quick compared to NA, but it just doesn't twitch with my foot movements like before. Hopefully when I get used to the sweet spots of the turbo and turn up the boost a little that feeling will go.

For reference I've been driving my 03 WRX for the last ten days (anyone want to buy it? haha). That was a mistake, the cars both being essentially subaru boxers are very similar in behaviour, but very different as well. I am incredibly comfortable driving the rex, actually I learnt to drive in that very car once upon a time, and becase it's so close to the 86 I sometimes find myself driving the 86 like the rex when I shouldn't because it's a very different car. For instance the clutch feel in both is almost identical but the engagement point is at a different foot depression. That threw me when I swapped from the 86 into the wrx after I dropped the 86 at the workshop. When I swapped to the rex I was all jerky expecting the clutch to engage at the 86 point which is much closer to the floor but the rex is higher up, and it's been a pain in the arse going back the other way to the 86 today.

The car also handles completely differently. It doesn't feel like I've lost any of that instant bite the car had turning into corners. It's still very flickable thank god. It seems to hold a lot flatter than before as well. I hated the stock tires, they were a lot of fun but I'm... Shall we say aggressive with the throttle (average fuel economy before the turbo was up above 11ltr/100kms despite half the kms being on open country roads). The day before I dropped it off it was pouring down with rain and I was sliding it around every corner. That's a lot of fun but I was finding it way too easy. The new tyres give a lot more grip even on wet roads like tonight, but the extra grip and slower throttle response means the back isn't as tail happy as it was. This is probably a good thing with the way I fly around corners. The extra power definitely helps with the extra grip though. First gear just wouldn't hook up on the damp roads tonight with any sort of throttle. I was able to light up the tyres in first through to fifth in straight line pulls tonight (at the speed limit naturally).

The brakes are a sore point at the moment for sure. I have calipers on the way and they can't get here soon enough for my liking. I'm running a different brake spec from almost everyone on here. The aus GT spec 86 comes with 16 inch wheels as standard and so it has smaller front brakes to suit. I think the backs are the same as the BRZ/FRS/GTS8 (the back disks on the AUS GT86 are bigger than the front disks) but that just means that the balance isn't where I'd like it. With the amount of power the car is putting down the brakes just can't pull it up fast enough for me. What's more they're spungy and don't bite quickly... I could change this with fluid, pads, master cylinder brace etc... But given how pathetic the disks look against my wheels I think it's easier just to wait for the calipers and up the whole lot at once. I just pray they hold on for the track day on monday.

Anyways that's my impressions for now. It's definitely a lot of fun to drive, but now that I've done most of the wrench time for the install I'm going to have to spend a lot of time tweaking it to how I like it and establishing a relationship with it all over again.

[Pitman]

Have fun re-establishing the relationship! I will post up my impressions next Wednesday when I get my car back with the kit fitted.

A question, if you don't mind. How did you take the UEGO Harness (plus the vacuum pipe) through to the engine for the AEM gauge? Did yo have to drill a hole through the dash panel, or were you able to use an existing harness hole?

[JD86]

Originally Posted by Sportsguy83

I have it working on my car

Ok when you say you have yours working on the dimmer, what does it do? I have a daylight/night time mode on mine. With the headlights off the writing is blue and the LEDs look brighter, when I flick the headlights on the LEDs dim like the satnav screen and the writing turns white.

Also do you have back lighting on the gauge or is it just the colour band around the outside?

[Sportsguy83]

Originally Posted by JD86

Ok when you say you have yours working on the dimmer, what does it do? I have a daylight/night time mode on mine. With the headlights off the writing is blue and the LEDs look brighter, when I flick the headlights on the LEDs dim like the satnav screen and the writing turns white.

Also do you have back lighting on the gauge or is it just the colour band around the outside?

Writing blue?? I don't have that!

What I have is only brighter with headlights off, then when headlights are on, the whole display dims down.

I wouldn't say I have backlight, but the LEDs and middle display look brighter and dimmer depending on headlights.

[JD86]

Originally Posted by Pitman

Have fun re-establishing the relationship! I will post up my impressions next Wednesday when I get my car back with the kit fitted.

A question, if you don't mind. How did you take the UEGO Harness (plus the vacuum pipe) through to the engine for the AEM gauge? Did yo have to drill a hole through the dash panel, or were you able to use an existing harness hole?

Haha oh yes... That. Getting that harness and vacuum line into the car was a PITA! I wound up poking the wires through where the sound channel thing goes into the cockpit (where you put the TRD coloured sound tubes). The resonator thing obviously got deleted with the turbo kit. There's a rubber gasket there and I poked the skiny end of the UEGO harness and vacuum pipe through there (they give you heaps of wire on the harness but not much vacuum hose, so you'll want some spare tubing for that). That gasket will get you through behind the dash and then you can run it up to where ever you're mounting the gauge. I had to cut a slight notch out of the vent where my gauge is to get the wires through, but nothing major.

Did you wind up going for the dash pod or are you mounting in the swivel vent? I found a vent mount the other day that might interest you... I considered this one when sourcing mine but it gets really hot here (45c regularly in summer) so I like that vent pointed at my face... Particularly with helmet/racing suit on so that's why I chose the window vent. http://www.kamispeed.com/ATi-60mm-Ve...ti-vpod-72.htm

I dropped my car in for a detailing and ceramic pro coating (super waxing/protective coating basically) today so I can't snap any photos for you. When I get it back I'll show you where I have everything wired.

Fore warning... I'm not familiar with the English spec of the car, you may have slightly different wiring from mine. The GT is closer in spec to the FRS then then the euro spec cars. But I'll get you close.

[JD86]

Originally Posted by Sportsguy83

Writing blue?? I don't have that!

What I have is only brighter with headlights off, then when headlights are on, the whole display dims down.

I wouldn't say I have backlight, but the LEDs and middle display look brighter and dimmer depending on headlights.

Haha! So I might have stumbled across something you don't know about finally

Yes my centre number display turns blue so it is easier to read with the headlights off in daytime. Then when I switch them on the writing goes white and everything else dims down like the sat nav screen.

I have a whole bunch of videos to do when I get my car back from the detailers tomorrow. I'll make sure I get one of that for you.

[JD86]

More credit where it is due... I was an early adopter of the AVO kit. It might not seem like it given that I'm only just bolting it on now, but I was actually in the first run of kits produced. I actually would have had the first in my state and would have run close to the first in Aus if work hadn't gotten in the way and slowed my build down.
Anyway I had a couple of minor issues with the kit, specifically there is an exhaust leak in my headers, and it was suspected that being one of the early ceramic coatings that it would flake off over time. During the install yesterday S-Technic (my workshop) noticed the leak, got a hold of AVO and they offered to replace the headers for free, which also means I get a new ceramic coating. I thought there would be a little delay getting that out to me, but AVO has just rung me up and told me there is one on a truck from Melbourne headed my way now. I'll change that over when I plug in my boost controller next week!

Sorry just to clarify... The AVO kits had issues with the ceramic coating on the first run. They sorted it out but a couple of the early adopters found that the ceramic coating flaked off in spots. I have not experienced this myself, and should skip it all together with the replaced headers. New customers should not experience this at all, and if you do AVO has been very good about fixing the problem for those that have issues.

[JD86]

Originally Posted by nix

I found after doing sways & coilovers the doors really do squeak a lot over bumps so the stabilisers are worth it.

I'm wondering if the STI shifter will have any rattle/vibration with the engine & gearbox mounts. Interested in your feedback on that. Although it could be my flywheel/diff mounts contributing to that also.

Ok I remember you asking this... and after my burn last night I can say the following. Either A) There's no noticeable difference in NVH with the STI trans mount/shifter on my set up, B) My exhaust rumble is too loud to notice it or finally C) I was having too much fun to notice. It didn't seem to be rattling or noisy though.

I am still running the stock clutch though (and I don't think I'm going to lighten my flywheel at this point).

Do you get wheel rub on hard lock inside your front tyres? I'm getting some wheel rub when turning into my driveway or manoeuvring in car parks. I'm running -2 degrees camber all around.