Advice from RPW

Jamie · Post by **Jamie** » Fri May 30, 2008 10:11 pm

Hi guys.
Just wanted to get some opinions on some recent advice I recieved from Racing Performance Works.

I have a 1997 Gr FTO and want a mild performance upgrade. I asked RPW about lifting the performance of the 6A12 and asked if a rebuild would be necessary as the car has travelled 130 000kms. The only requirement I asked of them is to keep the engine naturally aspirated. This was my reply.

"To be honest you dont need to touch the engine internally, I would just suggest doing good mods around the outside and regular 5000km oil changes and the engine will handle anything you can throw at it.

I would recomend mods wise to do extractors, exhuast, intake, piggy back ecu, intake manifold, throttle body, and a FPR unit with a fuel pump upgrade. This package will retain driveability, economy but hefty HP improvement and make it accelerate harder."

I have my doubts about the FPR and the fuel pump upgrade without changing the injector size however I may be wrong.

Opinons please......

Post by **I8A4RE** » Sat May 31, 2008 12:35 am

No that sounds about spot on. The standard injectors only run about 60% so upgrading fuel pump and FPR will give it a good increase especially if you install a piggyback. I cant recommend emanage enough, great product.

Jamie · Post by **Jamie** » Sat May 31, 2008 3:59 pm

Cool, thanks for the info. Just didnt want to waste money on unnecessary mods. Has anybody else carried out these mods or similar and if so, what sort of gains were achieved?

Post by **aza013** » Sat May 31, 2008 5:58 pm

you could be looking at a 30 + kw addition with all the mods.

Post by **I8A4RE** » Sat May 31, 2008 10:55 pm

yeah between 25 and 35 extra kw would be round about where id be guessing

Post by **Bennoz** » Sun Jun 01, 2008 10:05 am

Yeah scrap the fuel mods. I run a 160kws with nitrous on & I've never needed to upgrade a pump or injector.

Post by **I8A4RE** » Sun Jun 01, 2008 10:31 am

Bennoz wrote:Yeah scrap the fuel mods. I run a 160kws with nitrous on & I've never needed to upgrade a pump or injector.

You got a FPR though, dont you?

Post by **Bennoz** » Sun Jun 01, 2008 11:09 am

True! Forgot about him

khunjeng · Post by **khunjeng** » Sun Jun 01, 2008 11:40 am

you might see a good 110kw atw from 95 atw on a real dyno run with all of that, which given the cost is pretty crap really.

Jamie · Post by **Jamie** » Sun Jun 01, 2008 7:09 pm

Thanks for everybodys help. Yeah I was leaning towards the fuel mods not really being necessary.

In regards to the fuel pressure regulator, I was under the impression that it was only really requied on force fed engines. Is this correct?

The cost doesnt worry me too much as extracting HP from naturally aspirated engines is always a difficult and expensive task to under take. I understood that when I choose to buy the FTO. ( However I believe there is a difference betwen spending my hard earned and wasting it. LOL)

A 30-35kW gain should be fairly noticible and hopefully give a little more low down tourqe which in my opinion is much needed.

One last thing. In my response from RPW they stated replacing/modifing the intake manifold. A search of their website did not reveal any aftermarket intake manifolds. Does anybody know of one or where they may be purchased?

Post by **I8A4RE** » Sun Jun 01, 2008 7:39 pm

No fpr increases fuel. more fuel = more power.

As for intake im pretty sure hes refering to boring out the intake plenium and throttle body

khunjeng · Post by **khunjeng** » Sun Jun 01, 2008 11:33 pm

hi mate

your best bet is to perform the following mods - in this order

Step 1:Getting Ready
Change all oils
Change Oil, Air and Fuel filter
Change Plug and if you feel like it, new plug leads
Chnage and Check all Brakes, suspension
Get tappets adjusted

Step 2: Engine Mods
CAI Stage 1- upgrade intake pipe and pod with shield or just K&N hi-flow panel filter
CAI Stage 2- Better and less restricted feed to the Pod or Airbox form the front
Exhaust Stage 1- High Flow Cat and NewMuffler
Exhaust Stage 2-Extractors and downpipes from RPW
ECU - Install Emange Blue + Tune

Step 3: Suspension & Tire
Upgrade shocks and springs
Make sure u have good tires
Replace all old and busted bits - droplinks and bushes
Upgrade swaybars

Then your car will be nice.....I would not worry with all the other mods mentioned until these have been done first.

Mitsiman · Post by **Mitsiman** » Sun Jun 01, 2008 11:47 pm

If I recall, when you contacted us you advised you were going to be racing the vehicle as well as street duties.

With that in mind though

The FPR unit I recommend as it allows you to effectivly increase the accelerator pump value on the vehicle which cannot be done with a piggy back ecu.

The piggy back will allow you to retune the fuel/ignition curves for sure.

Once you do some exhaust mods especially the extractors this will lean out the fuel curve on acceleration and induce a flat spot, especially when combined with air intake and most especially if you go for an upgraded manifold and 65mm throttle body package. This is where the FPR unit becomes necessary.

Fuel pump only because you are racing, and it is something that is the heart of your fuel supply.

Also especially if your racing, the thermo block gasket kits to reduce heat soak into the intake manifold. These are mods that have been out there for the FTO owners for at least over 5 years so nothing new here

Jamie · Post by **Jamie** » Mon Jun 02, 2008 7:39 pm

Thanks for the information. The fuel pressure regulator makes a lot more sense to me now.

Now that you mention it, I have noticed a flat spot in acceleration at around 2500-4000rpm. I installed a custom cold air inducton into the standard airbox and a Jasma cat back exhaust. Could that be related?

If this is only going to get worse I think the FPR may be one of the first mods I perform.

Yeah the FTO will be seeing track time hopefully begining of next year. The missus and I bought a 2008 Jeep Wrangler so I will still have wheels while I take the FTO off the road. Everything going to plan the work should be done at the end of year.

Post by **I8A4RE** » Mon Jun 02, 2008 8:14 pm

The emanage will also get rid of that flot spot. Mine has some really nide excelleration now especially when it starts to get into mid range

eThix · Post by **eThix** » Mon Jun 02, 2008 9:47 pm

lol you could buy a 2nd car with that amount of money

Post by **Bennoz** » Mon Jun 02, 2008 10:48 pm

eThix wrote:lol you could buy a 2nd car with that amount of money

Like an S15, traitor boy?

eThix · Post by **eThix** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 10:14 am

Bennoz wrote:
eThix wrote:lol you could buy a 2nd car with that amount of money
Like an S15, traitor boy?

ahahhaha

sif i'm gonna get my gf to get a fto

Delvance · Post by **Delvance** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 11:44 am

eThix wrote:
Bennoz wrote:
eThix wrote:lol you could buy a 2nd car with that amount of money
Like an S15, traitor boy?
ahahhaha sif i'm gonna get my gf to get a fto

Why not ?!?

jonowong · Post by **jonowong** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 12:31 pm

im trying to get my little brother to get one