FI choice validation

[CSG Mike]

Originally Posted by diss7

Very little supporting mods. At the time I had cheap tein coilovers, 17" volks, trd pads and fluid, trd panel filter, trd flywheel and clutch.

Quality issues were centre around the pulley not spinning true. We noticed it prior to installi the unit. Sprintex sent an entire new unit despite us telling them we located the problem; a poorly machined hub (it's about the size of large coin) that the pulley bolts to. New unit arrived, same problem. We phoned Bullet this time, he sent us a hub he pulled from a unit he had there. We received it and by eye the pulley looked to spin true, but using a dial indicator it was still out. So we had it machined locally.

Daily driving the tune was not great partial throttle. It could be quite surgey at certain rev/throttle points.

At the track IAT's were unacceptable. I had the intercooled kit. After 5 or so laps they were too hot. If I turned on the heater full blast it helped, but that wasn't exactly pleasant!

After that track day I'd had enough. With the dramas I'd had with the hub/pulley I had no confidence in the rest of the kit. Having to grind a bit of a bracket to install it, and it was a known problem, it was in the instructions to do it. I paid $5k for this kit, why don't you adjust your jig/mould, instead of asking me to file something because of your error. I've learnt since the surging could be solved by a tune. But yeah, too many issues. I voiced it all as it panned out in the owners topic.

One thing I will say is Tom at Bullet was good, and quite embarrassed by my experience. He even recognised I'd had enough and let me know there was a new larger sc about to be released. In other words, if you want to sell it, do it now. I sold it for $3800, without the ecutek licence and cable. Lost a few hundred but that's okay.

Ah, I see.

What kind of ambient temps were you seeing, along with the IATs? Do you have any datalogs that you can e-mail me? We'll be releasing datalogs for the Jackson Racing SC shortly from our time at the track this weekend.

[diss7]

Originally Posted by CSG Mike

Ah, I see.

What kind of ambient temps were you seeing, along with the IATs? Do you have any datalogs that you can e-mail me? We'll be releasing datalogs for the Jackson Racing SC shortly from our time at the track this weekend.

I don't sorry. I wish I did. I didn't know how to log at the time. We were looking at real time data, using the cable and my mechanic riding shotgun with his laptop. I'm sure he said 55 - 60 degrees. (Celsius) But I can check with him. Te issue was, it would get hotter as you're on the straights, but wouldn't cool back down enough in the twisties. So it would get hotter each lap. I probably exaggerated the 5 laps. That was about the point it needed the heater on. I still kept going. You could probably use it for 10 lap sessions at a stretch. I'm not happy to have a setup like that though.

Christchurch isn't excatly a hot place either. That day it was late Spring, 22 deg C give or take.

Yes we had the right fluid in the car. And we'd gotten all the air bubbles out of the system.

We went and talked with my tuner and he suggested trying a better pump and larger heat exchanger. But I was over it at that point.

[CSG Mike]

Originally Posted by diss7

I don't sorry. I wish I did. I didn't know how to log at the time. We were looking at real time data, using the cable and my mechanic riding shotgun with his laptop. I'm sure he said 55 - 60 degrees. (Celsius) But I can check with him. Te issue was, it would get hotter as you're on the straights, but wouldn't cool back down enough in the twisties. So it would get hotter each lap. I probably exaggerated the 5 laps. That was about the point it needed the heater on. I still kept going. You could probably use it for 10 lap sessions at a stretch. I'm not happy to have a setup like that though.

Christchurch isn't excatly a hot place either. That day it was late Spring, 22 deg C give or take.

Yes we had the right fluid in the car. And we'd gotten all the air bubbles out of the system.

We went and talked with my tuner and he suggested trying a better pump and larger heat exchanger. But I was over it at that point.

How noticeable was the power loss?

[diss7]

Originally Posted by CSG Mike

How noticeable was the power loss?

Definitely noticeable. I could quantify it though sorry, I'd only be guessing. If felt even worse as I was short shifting to try and help the system.

I will comment though, that I was running the stock radiator and no oil cooler. I had ordered the robispec system a few months earlier, but I got sick of waiting for it to arrive. (It still hasn't! 6 months so far)

I think the robi rad would've helped, well maybe I don't know to be honest. Mechanic said he thought it would. I don't see how as it was the IAT that was th problem. But that was affecting the water temps as well, which I'm guessing is what he was getting at.

The Jackson has a FMIC. I think that'll be a big advantage.

[SkAsphalt]

Originally Posted by protpibe

I appreciate the insight.

Unfortunately, I live in Winnipeg (Canada) where there are probably no more than a dozen BRZ/FRS. On top of that, I can almost guarantee that there aren't any that are boosted. Hence the reason why I'm relying so heavily on what random people are telling me on the internet

I considered an EvoX before pulling the trigger on a BRZ and found the response to be adequate. If the AVO kits are more responsive then I would be happy with it.

I would say the AVO kit is more responsive than a modified Evo X (at least the ones I have driven) and probably just a responsive as a stock STI would feel, the boost kicks in around 3,200 rpm, the car normally has little power at that rev range anyway, so it is quite nice. I will have to let you know how it is come this spring

[AVOturboworld]

You can call it a good sign that almost all the AVO owners are out enjoying their cars and not in the forums posting all the time.

[R2]

That's actually a really good point. Some of the other kits have a fair amount of discussion around issues in various threads here. In contrast there is less for the AVO kit from what I have seen. Would you be able to provide us the number of kits you have sold so far, or at least a ballpark number?

Originally Posted by AVOturboworld

You can call it a good sign that almost all the AVO owners are out enjoying their cars and not in the forums posting all the time.

[CSG Mike]

I think a large part of it is that the Greddy and AVO kits require the owners to get their own tuning, so the owners tend to be a bit more savvy too, and can address any smaller issues on their own, or know if it is a mechanical (kit related) issue or not. More often than not, it's not a kit issue.

[AVOturboworld]

We finished up the 140th kit two weeks ago, with all kits sold out and orders pending. The factory is working on the next set of 20, but there will be minor delays due to the holidays. Technically, I'm on holiday but I'm using this quiet time to catch up on the company web sites in Japan and Australia.

[SkAsphalt]

Originally Posted by CSG Mike

I think a large part of it is that the Greddy and AVO kits require the owners to get their own tuning, so the owners tend to be a bit more savvy too, and can address any smaller issues on their own, or know if it is a mechanical (kit related) issue or not. More often than not, it's not a kit issue.

Well the AVO kit does come with a base map tune, just requires people to have an ECUtek license+cable to install said tune

[CSG Mike]

Originally Posted by SkAsphalt

Well the AVO kit does come with a base map tune, just requires people to have an ECUtek license+cable to install said tune

It is only available if you purchase directly through AVO.

[protpibe]

Originally Posted by SkAsphalt

I would say the AVO kit is more responsive than a modified Evo X (at least the ones I have driven) and probably just a responsive as a stock STI would feel, the boost kicks in around 3,200 rpm, the car normally has little power at that rev range anyway, so it is quite nice. I will have to let you know how it is come this spring

We can compare notes, hopefully I'll have one installed by then lol

PS: Borla UEL header for sale. Installed and ran maybe 10 minutes total. Like new! PM

[AVOturboworld]

Originally Posted by CSG Mike

It is only available if you purchase directly through AVO.

Actually, no, I provide basemaps to all kits sold through our distributor network. The thing is, a large distributor on the east coast handles a large amount of our kits, and they don't always remember to pass that information on. I'll see about getting that added to the kit instructions.

Part of the problem may be that we are selling the kit in many different markets, and who will be taking care of your base maps will differ depending upon that. And some of our international dealers take full care of their regional customers.

[OjiGeorge]

Originally Posted by AVOturboworld

You can call it a good sign that almost all the AVO owners are out enjoying their cars and not in the forums posting all the time.

^^This^^

There have been a lot of these kits sold. One of the local guys up in Vancouver seems to be happy with his, but I don't want to speak for him.

I'd really like to go SC for transient response, but the current options don't seem to leave much headroom for future upgrade...Which most will probably want at some point in the future. Most of us enthusiasts don't have as deep pockets as many shops running these kits do. We want to buy the right kit, the first time, and go from there.