I got a 93 FD about a month ago and have a question about my setup. I'm getting a reman put in with stock twins. The car has a downpipe, maybe a midpipe, catback, intake, a water intercooler, and stock ecu. Since my engine is be new I want to make sure my setup won't hurt my engine. I bought a boost and water temp gauge. I know I will have to get an ecu upgrade soon, but I can't afford it now. So I was wondering if I put a stock intercooler back on and a boost controller if my stock ecu will be able to manage. Also if I do have a midpipe I have to watch for boost creep right? With my set up is a hi flow cat recommended? Thanks in advance.

Victor

 

Find out what exhaust you have. If you have any more than 2 or 3 of these mods: intake, midpipe/high flow cat, downpipe, catback, then you CANNOT use the stock ECU safely or you'll pop the new engine. This is critical, or else your fuel supply will lean out and overheat the new motor. Don't start the engine even once until you're sure the exhaust / intake / ECU is matched correctly.

I suggest you go find out exactly what's on your car (digital pics might help if you can't identify) first.

Dave

 

Your car will be fine if you keep it @ stock boost levels of 10 lbs UNLESS you have a midpipe (the boost creep/spike will be unmanageable by any controller). I would recommend putting on the stock cat or a high-flow unit until you can afford an ecu.

 

That MP, along with your other mods, will without a doubt lean out your engine, and blow it. You should be able to easily tell if you have a MP. Just jack the car up, and take a look under. If you see the catalytic converter, then of course, there is no MP...if it's not there, and the pipe is straight back to your CB, you have a MP. Have you driven the car? or was the engine in poor shape when you got it? If you have driven it, you should be able to hear an open exhaust pretty easily.

Some guys have been able to get by on the stock ECU, with an Intake, DP, and CB, but you have to pay close attention to your boost levels, IE with that gauge and controller. If you can, I would try to get the main cat on their for now, until you can purchase an upgraded ECU, and have the car tuned.

 

Thanks guys, the car is in the shop and I bought it not running so have never started her up. I will ask them to confirm if it has a MP. Do you guys recommend taking the water intercooler off and putting a stock intercooler on also? Thanks.

Victor

 

Yes, for now. The stock intercooler will work fine with stock boost levels and stock turbo. You can put in the bigger IC later once you've got your setup more refined.

Dave

 

UH OH....just talked to the shop and they said I have one custom pipe all the way through and an open exhaust. Now I'm new to the rotary, but I know that's really bad with my stock ecu. I'm thinking I need to get a stock cat, DP should be okay, and a stock catback. Does that sound right? Thanks.

Victor

 

Just put a stock or hi-flow cat on the car. You will need a boost controller ($300 for an EBC, much less for manual) to control boost to 10 psi.

dgeesaman:

You are still under the 3-mod rule fantasy. It is false. The stock ecu supplies enough fuel to be safe for all the bolt-ons at 10 psi. Wade Langham and several others (including myself) have verified this with wideband o2 sensors.

The only issue that may be a slight problem is the timing of the stock ecu may be too advanced for BEST reliability, if you have all the bolt-ons.

Of course, I would NEVER run a midpipe or streetport on the stock ecu.