Ok Im in a dilema. My car has its original, stock motor with 77k miles and no reliabilty mods were done by the previous owner. He did however, get some new turbos installed from the dealer at around 60k so thats a plus. So far I ordered a downpipe, an AST, a boost guage and silicone vacuum hoses. I haven't checked the compression but will do so when I get the car back from the bodyshop. I have around $800 saved and will get upto around $2-3k by the end of the summer if I keep saving.
My question is do I go ahead and buy a PFC right now and add some bolt-ons as the summer goes on, or hold my walnuts in one basket and get the reman/streetport for a safer engine? If I go with the streetport I will have to get a PFC anyways no? Give me some insight as to which way I should take this please. Any info appreciated.

 

With the street port the PFC or standalone is some what needed. "Maybe" you can get a piggyback but the street port would not be in the use of full potential.

(if getting the PFC)
It's really up to you on which route you go. I guess better yet, find out the shape of your motor, then decide.

If drving the car everyday is not an issue then go get the PFC and save up for the motor. while doing so, play with computer alittle bit. see what does what and when it's time to put in your new motor, you don't have to second guess youself.

You will see alot of people having to troubleshoot standalone on the forum and you don't want to trouble shoot and wait with your new motor.

So pretty much, i feel that getting a ecu now and playing with it with a bad motor is a good choice even though there might be a car down time.

-joe

 

Get the compression check first. There may be absolutely nothing wrong with your engine.

Getting a PowerFC is a waste of money unless your mods justify it. What bolt-ons do you plan on getting later?

 

LetsGO7, thanks for the advice. This will be my daily driver so I'm more worried about the engine lasting rather than gaining hp. Compression check is first do do on my list. Oh ye, also I'll need a tune up I almost forgot.

SpeedKing, for boltons, I'm thinking about the basic stuff such as the fuel pump/injectors, midpipe, and smic. I bought a M2 intake but am deciding whether I should put this on before or after the PFC. I also ordered a Greddy Ti cb and this will go on the same time as the downpipe, hopefully there wont be too much boost spike. I will also upgrade the radiator later but this is probably more for reliabilty than performance.

 

After the compression check and if the engine comes up healthy, the next thing I'd do if I were you is get a boost gauge.

You should be fine on the stock ECU with a downpipe and exhaust only, but when upping the boost with the addition of a bigger IC, injectors, mid-pipe, and intake, I'd go with the PowerFC at that point.

 

Check your boost pattern before doing the vacuum hoses, if it ain't broke don't fix it

 

I'd do the reliability mods like vac hoses, t stat, rad hoses, belts, change all fluids at 90k, spark plugs, fuel filter. Than also do DP, and possibly a catback. With DP and CB, you'll get another 30+ hp w/o compromising reliability. No PowerFC w/ these 2 mods if that's all you have.

 

I agree with djantlive. Do the basics, keep your eye out for problems. Get the boost gauge. Either linearize or get an aftermarket temp gauge. Downpipe - ceramic coated is not a bad option. And keep an eye on those coolant lines!

Save your money, do improvements slowly, and ENJOY THE CAR. If this is a daily driver then you definitely want to keep it off of jackstands for extended periods of time.

Remember, this is a 10-12 year old car we are talking about here. No matter how clean it looks, there is quite a bit on wear on it. Because of this there will always be little projects that will keep you busy with the car, esp. if you do all the work yourself. (I do - partially because of the lack of good mechanics who are FD-savvy). For example, I have a mostly stock '94 w/ 68k miles on it. It looks like one of the @&#&$! end tanks on the radiator cracked this week.[*] Well, it's off to pick up a $350 Koyo replacement and drop it in.

If this were my wife's Audi, I would drop it off at the shop for an afternoon and have someone else worry about it. I enjoy working on the FD. But while I like wrenching on the FD, I like driving it more.

So my $0.02 is that you keep it fairly stock (at least for a while) and use this time to make sure that car is healthy. Drive it and enjoy it for a while. Then think about where you want to go from there.

Heck, save your money and go invest in a nice track weekend. Your car will thank you. :-)

Good luck,

-bill
[*] I *hate* plastic end tanks. I have the endtanks crack on 2 other radiators in the past couple years on american cars.

 

A Radiator would be a good thing.

 

No offense, but with the state of your income, I would install the downpipe, AST, and boost gauge (add a water temp gauge!) and leave the car along, powerwise.

At that mileage, there is no shortage of things that need (or shortly will need) to be replaced on the car.

Just 2 cents from the logical side of the fence....

 

I was sort of thinking the same thing rynberg. Put on some reliability mods, drive it and enjoy it. You figure rebuilding the motor, PFC, bolt ons, those can easily get you over $5k quick.

I bought the car for $8k + bodywork/paint + parts = already around $10k so far. If I start modding it I'll put in more than $15k in it easliy, but since it has a salvage title if I go to sell I will only get around $10k, 11k or so back. I think I'll just drive and enjoy this first FD of mine and see what it brings me later on.

 

i didnt think about a rebuild and i went up to 135k original strong, then all cause of those damn 104 degree temps s.cali had it finally overheated and now im rebuilding

 

Exactly why I said a radiator should be one of the first mods. I think the best 2 or 3 mods to get first would be a downpipe, radiator, and AST. Replace all coolant hoses along the way.

 

I agree with rynberg. If you are going to want this car to last as long as possible, keep it as stock as possible (aside from the reliability mods). If you street port it, get straight exhaust, up the boost, etc., you will put more strain/variables on the motor, which could cause pre-mature failure.

How did you overheat in 104F weather? Was your cooling system not functioning properly?

 

sitting on the 57 freeway at 5 p.m. my fans were on, everything seemed fine then all of a sudden the temp gauge just started shooting up