Daily driver dyno and modifications review (Raceseng pulley update)

[Fofofawcett]

Hi everyone! I've been lurking on these forums for a long time now, and would like to give back to everyone here that provided so much information.

I bought my manual Galaxy Blue BRZ back in Summer 2012 sight unseen. Getting in and driving it for the first time was a revelation! Over the years, I've called an old box wagon Volvo, a massive red Ford Windstar minivan, a Acura Integra sedan, and most recently a Acura TSX as my cars. I've always enjoyed driving no matter what I was in. That being said, I now know why people talk about the "purity" of small, lightweight, RWD sports cars.

I thoroughly enjoyed the BRZ to and from work and the occasional back roads throughout the past fall, winter, and spring. My first impressions still stood, but I felt the BRZ needed a bit more...a bit more noise and a bit more oomph.

Now, this is my primary car, so I wasn't interested in anything too drastic. I felt that too much noise would get annoying over commutes and road trips, and too much power would be too expensive, maintenance heavy, and would ruin the "purity" I enjoyed. Besides, my wife's car is a Mazdaspeed 3...if I wanted brute turbo power, I can just drive that one instead (highly recommended vehicle...you'd be surprised at the gas mileage, power, and versatility).

After way too much time on these forums, and the comfort of knowing Brady at Pure Automotive was on top of everything BRZ/FRS, I was ready to get some modifications done.

First was a K&N drop in filter. This was simple enough to do on my own, and seemed like a cheap/easy way to start. I'm not mechanically inclined (just ask my wife about my IKEA building skills), but I was able to delete the sound generator (the intake noise was not really the best sound) and change the filter on my own thanks to the people who posted about those things here. The change was surprising. I wasn't expecting anything noticeable, but, the car felt smoother, and didn't feel like it was almost chocking at low RPMs. Now, that may also have been a function of some leaves (a whole one) stuck on the original filter. I was pretty happy with the change.

Second was an exhaust system. I spent a while looking at videos trying to gain some insight on how various exhausts sounded in and outside the car, and what, if any gains there would be. Eventually, I settled on a Perrin resonated catback, and a Perrin catted front pipe. Most everyone seemed to agree that this would be a nice step up from the stock exhaust without too much cabin noise, rasp, or drone. In addition, the high flow cat would allow for a bit more flow and power. It just so happened that Pure Automotive had the pieces in stock, so I called up Brady to order and install. Brady was great, he invited me back to watch the install and walked me through the entire process. Attention to detail is his forte, I think he spent about half the install time making sure everything was properly bolted, and most importantly, the tips were aligned.

The exhaust pieces were AWESOME! Great quality, but most importantly, they were exactly the sound I was looking for. It's deeper than any of the videos you see on youtube, etc. It sounds refined and strong at any RPM and load. Plus, when you are not loading up the engine (cruising), it seems to almost step out of the way. Perfect! In terms of added power, I felt a bit more, but nothing I would notice unless I focused on it. The sound alone, however, added drama and just plain fun to everyday drives.

I was thinking about a tune as well, but Brady told me to enjoy the exhaust for a while first...and then come back for a tune once it all became routine. I'm glad I waited...because I was able to get my car live tuned by John Visconti on Pure Automotive's new dyno during the latest meet.

It was hot and humid afternoon (someone turned the thermostat to 'southeast Asia' in Baltimore), but there were plenty of people at Pure Automotive. I was there around 2, and walked around a bit before I had some other things to attend to. The cars there were impressive to say the least! Thanks to UncleFester, who discussed his experience with headers. They sound great...but I think it may be a bit much in terms of sound for me right now (maybe someone will eventually convince me otherwise?).

My turn came up after some massive supercharged runs, and I was excited. John had a "blank canvas" so to speak...I had to unlock my car for ecutek right there. Like Brady, I feel that John is a stickler for details as well. He did 8(!) runs, and took up every bit of the hour scheduled for the tune. For 100F temps and swamp-like humidity, the results speak for themselves. For those wondering, this is on 93 pump gas from the local Costco...it's a daily driver after all.

However, numbers are, in my opinion, a small part of the story. I believe this car is all about FEEL. It's how the car feels when pushed, how the road feels beneath you, and ultimately, how it makes its driver feel. The tune is easily the best modification made to my car. It feels like it got a summer job in construction and put on some working muscle. You feel the gains everywhere! 1-3k RPM daily driving feels smoother and stronger. It no longer feels like I am taxing the car to drive around town. Highway cruising no longer requires preparation to pass without a downshift. It's not dramatic, but you always know its there. The car simply feels more confident. The torque dip is reduced, and feels like a non-issue for me. At 4k+, after Visconti's noticeable cam phasing, the car flat out MOVES! It feels quick with a capital Q. In all honesty, the car never really felt that fast to me, but the tune has changed that. This is the "pure" sports car that I always felt was inside. Thanks to Brady at @Pure Automotive, @PERRIN for making awesome parts, and @Visconti for unlocking what this car should feel like from the factory!

Short version: daily driver, k&n drop in, Perrin catback and catted front pipe, and Visconti live tune equals a damn near perfect car!

[Fofofawcett]

Just a bit of "coming attractions." My last post was a bit heavy on text, and nothing on pictures. I got in on the Raceseng pulley sets groupbuy and purchased a Revo S2 set. It has the crank, water, alternator, and 2 idler pulleys. I happy with the power I have and wanted to drop some drivetrain weight. Unfortunately, all I have are pictures for now (Pure Automotive is a bit busy at the moment, and I won't be able to install these until the week after next).

The build and quality of these pulleys are amazing, and I can't wait to see how it feels on the road. A review will follow after installation.

[Fofofawcett]

Crank pulley

[Fofofawcett]

Close up of water pulley

[Fofofawcett]

Water pulley

[Fofofawcett]

Idler pulley

[Fofofawcett]

...and alternator pulley

[suffelch]

The baseline in your graph is with mods installed. Then the increase is mods plus tune?

Sent from my HTC6435LVW using Tapatalk 2

[Fofofawcett]

Yes, the baseline is with mods installed. The increase is due to the tune.

[Anthony]

Those are some sexy pulleys you've got there.

[Fofofawcett]

haha, thanks. Didn't you order a set as well? I'll write up a quick review once I get them on in a week and a half.

[Frostyman]

yeah, that pulley set looks really nice. I might have to grab a set soon to dress up my engine a bit.

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by Fofofawcett

haha, thanks. Didn't you order a set as well? I'll write up a quick review once I get them on in a week and a half.

Indeed I did. I ordered red, but even though I haven't seen them yet, I bet black will still look the best.