help a newbie

[carter]

hey guys,

im new to both this forum and cars.
i've just bought a manual FTO gx and i would love to know how to get inside the engine. I have no experiance with cars what so ever, but i do know the basics of how an engine works.

i want to put some performance fuel injectors in, i thought it would be a sort of easy introduction into car engines. as i get better i would like to do things like changing the cams and flywheel. but thats a long way off.

[Shane001]

Welcome on board carter. My advice, spend half a day browsing this forum, you will learn lots about the FTO, and download the manuals that you will find linked to during your browsing

[vipfto]

the injectors only run at 60% BTW unless going turbo or some major work under the hood no real need to replace but it is a fairly easy task (just need to remove intake manifold look in DIY section for guide then rest is straight forward)


oh and WTTC

[carter]

ok so 60%

[bduffman]

60% meaning theres still another 40% that can run threw them but the engine dosent need that much fuel so in other words theres no need to upgrade the injectors unless your running more air into it

best options are cold air intake
headers and catback exhaust or full exhaust
piggyback ecu or standalone ecu

[carter]

ahh ok. does any one know how much a pre programed ecu would cost?

[vipfto]

mate would leave ecu till later if I was you

1. headers/hi flo cat
2. better leads/new plugs
3. larger throttle body and intake manifold
4. ecu

doing this way will get maximum gains from ecu and save having to be tuned after each upgrade

[carter]

cheers

[vipfto]

well after all that presuming you have a manual?

try a lightened flywheel with Heavy duty clutch (exceedy)
and a lsd if you dont have one

[carter]

yeah im thinking of doing the heavy duty clutch pretty soon. these stock ones on the fto's are surprisingly light. BTW, i really dont know much about headers. i have a custom exhaust on my car already. would this mean i would probably have headers on already? and if no, is it a job i should attempt? or should i leave it for the shop?

[vipfto]

yeah they are. then the suspension mods

sway bars front and rear
strut bars and undercar bracing
offset bushes and poly ones
coilovers or a good shock/spring setup with camber and damper adjustments
and some slotted rotors with good brakes and GPX upgrade if you have GR
finally some lightwieght rims and single biggest difference you can make is some good rubber like semi slicks or good street tyres

after spending a few $ you will have a nice nimble fairly quick car

[carter]

that sounds like along way in the future for me. im still at school so i really dont have much money. but saying that, all the money i get goes straight into my car haha. so with the headers, do u recon i already have them if i have the exhaust system, or no?

[vipfto]

not sure but chances are slim

post up a pic and will be able to tell you (of the why pipe where the two headers join)

[carter]

ok cool where abouts are they on an fto

[vipfto]

under car mate/ very front part of exhaust it connects to engine

[carter]

does anybody know how much a good header costs?

[bduffman]

not sure what the rpw ones are like but heres the link
http://www.rpw.com.au/shop/index.php?pa ... t&Itemid=1