Originally Posted by mazdaspeed00

this is what u need for a 400 hp FD without modding the engine or twins.

-Downpipe
-Midpipe
-Catback
-Air Intake
-Pulleys
-9.5lb Flywheel
-Front Mount IC
-Upgraded ECU
-Boost Controler
-As well as other relilibility mods
-radiatior
-another oil cooler (if you have a touring)

and finally
-a well tuned car.
with all these mods your should be putting out around 350-400

Originally Posted by Red-Rx7

With what you have listed:

1) Boost gauge. You would be surprised how much diagnostic information can be attained from an accurate unit as this. This will give you an idea of your engine health, performance, and your 'looks cool' factor. There are many different boost gauges, and I recomend going to a digital unit. Stay away from Autometer if possible. Those tend to be off +-1.5psi. I recomend Greddy/Defi/Hks/Apexi etc. Go with a name brand. You can choose the face color, position, etc. This is a reliability and in your case, a looks modification.

2) Water/Coolant Tempature. I would put this in the same time as the boost gauge. Again, this gives you all the benifits as above. The stock gauge only has three settings: A) COLD B) OK C)SCREWED. Your car wont run correctly in two of those settings. Its nice to have some sort of information, unless you have a money tree in the backyard and don't care.

3) Vacuum Hose. This is a frustrating task, but one well worth it. Those damn black snakes that cover your car can cause some leathal bites if one decideds to be mean. Since you noted you are a 'body/looks' guy, this is a great chance to pick up some color silicone tubing to customize your engine bay. Use zip ties! Also buys some worm clamps, and dump the stock ones. Use zip ties to hold the silicone on the nipples. Doing this mod will provide reliabilty.

4) Air Intake. I recomend a custom one. You can fabricate two pipes leading off your inlets with a K&N Filter on it. This is the cheapest way to go, and provides flexability. If you want to be more elaborite, you can fabricate some cold-air induction unit where the oil-cooler would normally reside on the 'R' models. This will open up your breathing for your engine. This would also be a good time to remove your airpump. Doing this will add power.

5) Downpipe. I recomend this as your second, if not first step. This is considered a 'safty' mod, but does add power. Depending on how many miles your car has, these precats tend to clog up, causing all sorts of problems; primairliy heat exchange. Dump the stock downpipe, and pick up a downpipe from either HKS (199), Pettit, or someone. They all usually run in the same category. This will add power and reliability.

6) Catback. Removing stock exhaust is always a good thing when considering power additions. There are many routes to go on this one, but it all depends on what you are looking for. You noted you were a 'looks/body' guy. Are you a 'sound guy' too? One of the best flowing HP exhausts would be the Apexi GT. Your decision here. At most, you are looking at a minimal rwhp between the different setups. This will add power.

7) ECU. Some people may note that I am throwing this into the equation too soon, but I would do this early in the game. You have MANY options here. Since you commented that you are a 'body/looks' guy, rather than 'tuner/mechanic'; I would recomend you stay away from these: Haltech, Wolf, PowerFC, TecXX, Motec or anything that is somewhat of a stand alone system. With that out in the air, I recomend you do not get a Peter Ferrel PMS unit either. What I would recomend, is Pettit's unlimited ECU. Simple plug and play, and allows you to run boost up to your map sensors capability (17.5 psi). Doing this modification will provide reliability and power.

8) AST Modification. Now would be a good time to remove the stock (plastic) Air Seperator Tank. These things are prone to becoming brittle due to the heat & pressure. Last thing you want is to be racing and having this thing bust on you. Go with Pettit's AST. Great choice. Doing this mod will provide reliabilty.

9) Grounding Straps/Battery Relocation. You should do this now, since the next two steps will be most difficult if you don't.

10) Radiator. Some may say "go with the midpipe!!", while others may have said "You should have gone with a radiator 1st!", I believe responcibility is the key. By this point, you will have the technical information infront of you to be a safe (for the car) driver. Before jumping into the next few steps, it is a good point to continue with the reliabiltiy. Most everything else from these next few points will start adding horsepower, while knicking your reliabiltiy. Grab a good radiator, don't be cheasy. I would recomend Fluidyne. The mounting location depends on what decide to do on number 8. Use watter wetter with your coolant as well. Doing this modification will provide reliability.

11) Intercooler. Well, here is a chance to define how you want your car to be. What do you do primarily with this car? Is it a weekend warrior/drag racing killer? Or is it an AutoX or RoadRace car? The difference is which intercooler you go with. An upgraded Stock-mount or CWS intercooler is best used with a RoadRacing/AutoX scenario. In these types of usage, you want the radiator to be up front collecting that cool air first. For street warrior/drag racing, grab a front mount intercooler. Which brand depends on what you are doing. If going with a stock-mount intercooler, I would recomend Peter Ferrels unit. It works well. As for a FMIC, in your case, I would go with an Apexi unit. Don't be confused in buying the 'biggest of the biggest'; meaning, don't buy a Greddy 3 row, since your boost will be 16 and below. These intercoolers are for high-boost scenarios.

12) Piping Because your redoing your intercooler configuration, now is the chance to clean up some of those bottlenecks/weird bends. I would recomend going with a greddy elbow (even one with a BOV flange), and an Efini Y-Pipe. Then, get some nice 3" or 2 - 2/3 piping fabricated to the sections. Buy some matching/contrasting silicone piping connectors.

13) BOV Since you have the flange for it now, it would be a good turbo saver on unwanted backlash pressure.

14) Turbo timer Ok... here is the deal on this one. Get one, but don't use it for a turbo safty application, rather an engine application. In all reality, if you drive your car hard you should drive some cool off laps. But, in the cases you cant, use the timer. Take notice: The stock turbos are oil cooled, and water cooled; therefore the turbo timer really doesn't help as many people think they do.

15) SparkPlugs. Again, I would recomend changing your plugs to some 'racing' plugs by this point. It never hurts (except maybe mpg economy.. But thats not what we are here for is it?) and offers safty. I would also recomend you go with some thicker plug wires while your at it. Stay with NGK plugs. Doing this would be a reliability and power gain (not much power, but it helps!).

16) Fuel! As you start to reach into the heavy power delivery, fuel upgrades are recomended. At the mininum, I would at least get a new fuel pump. Upgraded injectors/rails depends on you. If you do go with upgraded injectors/rails you will have to decide how you want to control them, in which this relates back to the ECU you choose. Remember, you can always buy a fuel controller seperatly, but I recomend against it. This will enable you to run more power reliable.

17) Fan Mod. I would do the FAN mod at this point to provide you with that extra tad bit of cooling. Basically, this modification forces your fans to run in high-speed mode all the time, vs the other speeds. Doing this mod will provide reliabilty.

18) Thermostat Change This depends on your car. You may not need it in the region you are in. But, if you drive the car hard, its recomended. Go with a colder thermostat, or drill yours out. This will push the coolant through earlier in the game. Doing this mod will provide reliabilty.

19) Mid-Pipe Hang-on baybee! Thats what you will be thinking when you take your cat out of the car and put a straight through pipe on the car. If you do each piece individually, this will be the component that you will recognize the most power gains. Watch the boost creep! Doing this modification is a power gain, and -1 off on reliability.

20) Boost controller. With open exhaust and intake, your boost is going to start to creep and spike upwards. There is a lot of controller units out there on the market. Depending on what your goal is, decide on the product. I will let you do the research here. Basically, if you are looking for something to completly tune every 500 rpm increments of boost, delays, etc go with the Apexi AVC-R. If your looking for a good twist and turn go type, grab a Greddy ProfecB.

21) Pully kit. Well, we are getting down to the little things that are needed. A Pully kit will give you a little hp. But anything works. Do some research on this, and choose the appropriate kit.

22) Ignition Amp. I recomend you go with a unit that DOES NOT REQUIRE splicing into the coil harness. Some units do, and this is a nono in my book. It seems that once you start cutting into the resistance of the wire, bad things COULD happen. Either way, my recomendation is the HKS Twin Power. Easy bolt on. This will give you more power.

23) Removing the AWS. Removing the Accelerated Warmup system should be done next. I recomend you should cut the butterflies in the manifold out as well. Since you are disabling this, the butterflies sit in there in an 'open' state. Removing these, and capping the holes has actually shown RWHP gains. Coincident? Maybe. But, anything to remove turbulance going into the engine must help. Doing this mod may provide more power.

24) Short Shifter kit This would be a good time to start doing the driveline/other sections of the car. Go ahead and get a short shifter. Everyone needs one! heh

25) Clutch. Your going to need a clutch real soon with all these modifications. Remember though, we are only running at 12 psi max right now. Why? So your damn car doesn't fall apart. Grab a good clutch. ACT/BONEZ is an excellent clutch that will last you a good period of time. I would recomend staying away from centerforce. Some people have had good things to say, but most I talk to don't. I didn't. Also, you don't need a clutch that is 'on/off' either, unless you want to look like a fool driving around town lurching everywhere.

26) Lower weight flywheel. Any recipicating mass that you remove helps. This happens to bring your RPMS up a little quicker too. As you will start to notice, we are just about done with performance. Now we are getting into the little things that do make a difference.

27) Suspension kit. If you are making 397 rwhp with the stock suspension, throw a suspension kit on there. You will then make 397 afterwords, yet your car can be faster. Suspension tuning can counter the horsepower blues. Have fun playing!

28) Beefy rear end!. Throw a KAAZ 1.5 LSD in there. This will help on those 7k launches. Trust me, it is no fun braking the pumkin in two. Its very costly I might add.

29) 4.33 gears Well, changing the gearing always improves some sort of time. Generally, people that have changed to these gears don't notice a 'speed' increasement, but rather the 'correct' rpm in racing. Depends on your application.

30) Upgraded power plant frame. Mazdaspeed sells a nice one. Its red too.

31) Upgraded axles. No one likes a week link in the equation, and your axles will be it. Grab some nice chromoly ones. Hope you have some money left over.

32) Weight Reduction. Again, if you are at 397 rwhp, take some weight off and stop eating the McDonalds breakfast. This will make the car seem as though it has 410 rwhp. But in your case, it will just bring the car down to the weight before you added all the body kits.

33) Pay mike for typing. I am tired of typing now. good day.

34) oh yeah.. turn up the boost to 17 psi add some gas, make a few 400 rwhp passes.

35) replace engine .....
mike

Originally Posted by RXASSASIN7

yeah thanks Ramy i know all that i know my motor is good ask brandon . thank you for the list to 400hp. i do already have all safety upgrades just really want to know other power adding bolt on upgrades.

Originally Posted by FDNewbie

400's been done, on stock twins and stock internals at 17/18psi, and a real good tune on the PFC

Originally Posted by FDNewbie

That's good to know. Just coverin all the bases. Oh and yea, that list rocks.

~Ramy

PS...Do I know you/did I meet you before? (Bad memory). I know a lot of the RX7Trix guys...

Originally Posted by matty

best mod u can do is painting that hood.

also i dont think that mod list will get u too 400rwhp...maybe 360 at best.

Originally Posted by RXASSASIN7

will you come paint it for me?....with your blood!!! ahahahah just kiddin no i like the look of carbon fiber.

Originally Posted by RXASSASIN7

i am sponsered by rx7 trix and i USED to be the logo for rx7trix before my car fell back in getting all the NEW stuff on it and you and rodney took over the home page at rx7trix

Originally Posted by RXASSASIN7

yeah good post i didnt know that the AWS should be removed

Originally Posted by NoMiEzVR4

that list needs to be 'stickified'... Excellent post