Do\'s and don\'ts for tunning an FD

[leeroy_25]

Hi guy\'s as I am new to this I woud like to tkae precautions and have some valuable inforamtion from those of you with experience!

I am working on my project FD3 and thinking about tunning options.. don\'t want to go crazy.. but maybe get the best from it that I can on stock turbo\'s. May do this a bit at a time. presuming for now I do not rebuild the engine (if I choose to rebuild it later I may well port it) what can I do without having a power FC? I have been told that anything other than a stock setup could risk engine damage without mapping correctly. How true is this. at the moment I have a decat pipe and an induction kit. Looking at getting a better SMIC and possibly a downpipe. I also have an HKS boost controller. What boost can I run safely on stock turbo\'s and injectors? My ECU looks to have been re-mapped in Japan, I woud guess probably while running a CAT? with an induction kit..

How much do I have to do to get to around 350-400bhp gross power?

Thank you
Lee

[clive]

Hi Lee,

Your ECU probably won\'t let you run much more that 0.9 bar anyway but get a good boost gauge and make sure you are not getting any boost creep also while your on twins you won\'t need the boost controller,

I would say don\'t run a front mount until you get a PFC and then you can get it mapped to run up to 1.1bar if you want but be warned the turbo then will have a limited life span.  

To get the power your looking for you will need to look at upgrading the fuel system from the pump to the injectors and use a single Turbo, or if you stay with the twins to get the same you still need to upgrade the fueling and you are looking at pulling the engine out and getting it ported  


Hope this helps

[leeroy_25]

how come I don\'t need a boost controller? How do I control the boost? What is the factory ECU set to run? Will it have a negative impact running the boost controller? I would probably only go up to 1.0bar.. don\'t like runnig things at their limit.. asking for trouble!
So am I safe with a Decat pipe and induction kit without a remap. what about a downpipe?

Cheers
Lee

[elford_tim]

The PFC or another replacement ECU will be able to control the boost. I wouldn\'t trust a Japan-mapped ECU due to the fact that they can get 100 Octane fuel and a lot of cars seem to be mapped for that. Running an FD in the UK on a Japanese map is a good way to empty your wallet at your closest rotary specialist for a rebuild, especially if you don\'t have any idea as to what the ECU is and how it\'s been mapped.

Also, I would not raise the boost unless you have explored all other avenues. Stock twins don\'t like much more than the .9 bar that clive already mentioned, plus this isn\'t a piston engine that\'d happily run on 1.5-2 bar. Bumping up the boost also raises the risk of detonation, which again will get you acquainted with a specialist.

If you\'ve already got a performance exhaust and some form of uprated induction, I\'d buy a PFC first and get it mapped by someone who knows rotaries well - don\'t just go to your local "we screw up maps for all japanese cars equally well" outfit.

For your target power I\'d seriously consider taking out the engine and getting it ported, I doubt that you can get that kind of power out of a non-ported engine without going silly on the boost, which isn\'t that good an idea...

[leeroy_25]

Chaps thank you very much for the information.. It is quenching my thirst nicely!

My engine is out as I am doing a project car which I bought with no engine! I found a low mileage lump which I think against better judgement I am going to gamble putting straight in the car and running as standard. My main reason for tis is I want to get the car on the road to see if I like it and can drive it in relative comfort. I am 6\'3" and having to mod the steering boss and seats just to get in it! If al goes well I plan to get a second car and sell my GTR then I will probably start getting extra bits and once it\'s all collected look at taking the motor out and rebuilding and porting it myself. I was kind of interested to see where I can safely take my stock setup efore needing a map.. which sounds like not very far! I presume I am safe to leave the induction on and run my CAT without any problem? would it be unwise to put the decat pipe in without it all being mapped?

We will see what happens..

Lee