This will come as a bit of a revelation here and go against most of what you have read. But you dont have to do a single to get power. You can do a small sized single that moves the same volume of air as the twins, simply as a means of simplification, heat reduction, and reliability. You start off with a brand new turbo this way, and a single kit costs the same as new/modded twins. You run the single at low boost (6-8psi) and you can use all the other stock parts that the twins would have used and you make about the same power that you would have with twins and equivalent mods/boost.

When you go with a LARGER single that moves MORE AIR than the twins would have and run more boost, then obviously that is where the power comes in, as well as the supporting mods for that power and airflow. Of course...everyone here goes with a larger single as that is usually their goal. But a single can be a reliability/simplicity mod.

I believe there are a couple small single kits out there that allow you to keep the airpump and emissions. I had an XS engineering t04E kit on an FD for a while and it appeared that the airpump could probably be retained with it.

 

Problem is, the single won't pass visual in Cali. The BNRs will.

 

Dale gave you some good advice. One thing I haven't heard anyone mention is a NEW set of 99 twins. RX7.com has them at a similar or less price than the upgraded BNRs. I've been running them for years and have been very happy with them.

Honestly, the FD is plenty fast even with some minor bolt ons such as adam's modified air box, down pipe and exhaust. With all the traffic, its really hard to take advantage of extra power.

 

I'm building an FD with similar goals only would like to keep it sequential.
Dale is certainly helping me out I've decided to follow his advice word for word

 

Hello all. I have some customers that have stock ECU's, pretty much stock cars running the 3's. Usually their plan is to eventually upgrade their cars. I tell them to keep the boost to stock levels and they should be okay with the stock components. The Stock ECU is good on AFR side, but the timing map is too aggressive above 11 psi. A PFC is the best route to go with the FD. Once you have all the bolt ons and are ready for tuning, call up one of the big tuners on the board and get it tuned so the car will be a monster . You can also have all the right upgrades and still be driving a grenade! When you make 400 RWHP or more from a 13B, everything must be set up just right or else you will be starting from scratch.

Bryan@BNR

 

Would a car with BNRs, intake, intercooler, dowpipe, high flow cat and exhaust still be safe when restricted to 10psi? Or would flows mods need to be closer to stock to add some restriction?

 

When you put it like that, single sounds so sweet, because really I read so much about people who want big rwhp numbers and go single, but I'm happy with the FD being around 300-320. With the exhaust I have, thats not too hard.

But, like GoodfellaFD3S said, it won't pass visual in Cali, which I will check up on, i.e. search for ways around that .. because I can't believe that every FD with a single turbo is getting their registration in Cali from Santa

To moconnor, I would say get your wastegate ported, unless Bryan says it's not necessary.

 

Wastegate porting is not required on an FD with a cat in place. I'm more interested in what the AFRs would be at 10psi with a stock ECU with BNRs and all the flow mods.

 

Speaking of AFR's ... I found this little guy from another thread somewhere:

http://www.3barracing.com/product_3.htm

I'm considering to get one and test it out.

 

If you were to do a small single which allowed you to keep the airpump, and then use a modified/custom CAI, I'll bet they won't know the difference on a visual inspection. Just don't polish/chrome everything.

 

How small? this small - http://www.rx7store.net/product_p/gt35r%20kit.htm - not bad for $2,700.

or smaller?

Hah, I wonder if anyone has a small-mid sized turbo with the air pump attached, I doubt it...

 

That turbo would work, but I don't know if you'll fit the airpump in as well. The Apexi turbo, while much more expensive, will work with the airpump in the stock location.

 

As mentioned previously, a gt35r or a t04e kit would be ideal for your purposes. Keep boost in the 6-8psi range and it would be fine running on stock stuff, be less complex and generate less heat and exhaust restriction. The apexi rx-6 kit would also work, but Im not sure that it is still available.

When shopping around you just need to ask if the kit allows you to keep the stock airpump.

As for visual inspection, just black out all the intake components and make a large metal shield for the whole turbo side of the engine, so that all you can really see is the exhaust pipe in the back, the intake and IC pipe in the front, and you would probably be okay. I dont know much about Cali inspections, but I kinda doubt they are allowed to start unbolting parts from your car to check out what is underneath. Plus the airpump would be blocking much of the turbo. Hell, you could probably hook the turbo inlet into the stock airbox with some creative piping/cutting, and if they don't see a big round air filter or polished FMIC they won't say anything about the rest and probably won't know.