FTO AUSTRALIA

Thanks for all that info warrior, I wish I could've seen your bike! I was talking about Drag racing. There were some gorgeous ones last night. I'm a very competitive person but I realize that I probably won't win racing against Evo's, Skylines, Silvia's and Supra's. if I do race I think it would just be to have a bit of fun and get a feel for my at that I haven't been able to do.

Buuuuut I did just install my first mod (on my own too! Quite proud of myself) which is a pod filter. I used my phone to record before and after for the sound. It's quite a big difference actually sound wise, I can feel a bit of power difference too. This was just a cheap $40 filter I bought from super cheap. I am going to be ordering a K&M Typhoon cold air intake later on.

My friend who works at Supercheap suggested I put extractors on so I might to a bit
Of research into those to see what exactly they do and what not (I'm not extremely mechanically minded). He also said that if I install them, it looks like they will be hidden so if Mr Policeman wants to have a look under the bonnet, he won't be able to see them. Would this be the case? Have any of you guys done this?

And I would love to represent the FTO's at the drags. It's a shame they're not a popular car as I think they look much better than the cars listed above but I would want to see a few other FTO's on the night. Some of you boys must join me!

id be more worried about that pod rather then extractors. you no its illegal open like that right?

Also I'm sorry to say but a pod filter doesn't give you any more power. A larger intake pipe and throttle body will, but the filter doesn't do anything except sound cool.

And yeah, sadly they're illegal when less than 75% covered.

as said, pods MIGHT give 2-5hp on a car where its a restriction, but on most cars, they hinder performance.
Extractors arent illegal either, so you have no worries there. When you do them, make sure you change over the cat to a hi flow as well to get maximum gains. Siddz did this recently and you can definitely tell is has a fair bit more power/torque over what he had - probably the best bang for buck mod you can do on an fto.
Apart form that i wouldnt waste any more money on the NA 6a12, its just not worth it - the engines have already been taken to their limit almost, with little left to squeeze out of them.
If you want to go fast get a stock turbo car imo or swap out a 6a13tt etc

Taz wrote:When you do them, make sure you change over the cat to a hi flow as well to get maximum gains. Siddz did this recently and you can definitely tell is has a fair bit more power/torque over what he had - probably the best bang for buck mod you can do on an fto.

Compared to?
A worn out standard?
Tuners have proven the hi-flow gains are minimalistic on dynos, comparable to that of the common pod.
Save the funds.

Taz wrote:Apart form that i wouldnt waste any more money on the NA 6a12, its just not worth it - the engines have already been taken to their limit almost, with little left to squeeze out of them.

^This.
Though more to the point, full stop it's a waste of money.
The engines have more going against them than for them; like the Astron motor.

Want power? Get a different engine.

The FTO is balanced enough, if something wears out, replace it with an improved item.
But to chase ponys, well there are people on here who tried and proved the fact, don't bother.

Aza and Dwayne have the bigger numbers here, but on a strip you want torque which the FTO simply does not have.

In the end you'll do as you please, but realistically you may as well enjoy the car for what it is and not waste money chasing something it won't ever be.

Ah. Maybe I was a little bit excited and thought I felt a difference. Now im all embarrassed Daniel!

In regards to the cover - I know it is illegal to have no cover on it, but I played around with it to try and get it back on - ain't happening. Solutions? Cut the box to help it fit back on maybe?

I don't have to drive anywhere until Sunday. I still have the stock air filter so I can just pop that back on until I find a solution - thanks for the tip though.

I don't plan on putting a turbo and definitely not an engine change over. I think just the K&M Typhoon CAI, extractors and possibly a radiator upgrade?

Thanks for the input Taz, how much did the extractor job cost roughly?

Hey Tash.

One thing i found works well on the GPX as far as pod filters go is to relocated it to the front bar where it can have continuous air flow. I don't have the proof it can give you power gain, but did had better fuel economy. Just sure it's well hidden when driving on the streets.

Afaik, there is nothing illegal about having extractors on. (correct me if am wrong someone ). I have hurricane extractors on mine, and there are tons of members who have extractors on their cars. You will also need a good cat back. 200 cell metallic cat's are legal, 100 cells are not. You will feel a lot of difference with the hurricane/rpw extractors in regards to exhaust note, acceleration, fuel consumption.

You can get a cold air intake setup from the front of your car to the air filter box. and if you want to keep the pod, then you would have to find a way to isolate the hot air around the engine bay from the cold air sucked in from the front of the car, going through your air filter into the throttle body. The aftermarket 'chambers'/boxes are expensive. Easy option is to make one by yourself. I am trying to find a way to use the stock air box to have a pod filter inside it. If not, I will get some help in fabricating a box around the pod filter. The stock pipe connecting the pod filter to the throttle body is also a restriction.

Remember, an open pod filter, might sound brilliant, but is worst than having the stock box and panel filter. If you manage to have a good cold air intake system from the front of the car to the air filter box, and replace the stock intake pipe connecting the air filter and throttle body, then using a K&N panel filter would give you better results than the open pod filter. Having said that, I still run the podfilter open like you, and I love that swooosh sound Guilty as charged

Next set of mods would be brakes. Braided lines, better rotors and pads. There is a DBA/RDA rotor group buy on the talks, join that if you don't have good rotors. EBC Green/Red brake pads are nice. I use EBC Red. If you pick up braided brake lines, pick up HEL ADR approved lines. The FTO uses front brakes the most (85%+ approx), so change the rotors and pads for the front if you don't want to change them all together.

Then comes suspension and handling. Front and rear strut bars will help you have a rigid steering control/body frame around the corners. If you use your car daily, use Springs and Shocks setup instead of coilovers. However, I did sit on Phil69's FTO which has Tein fully adjustable coilovers and they felt real nice.

Make sure your car is properly serviced and maintained. Change your fuel filter if you haven't already. Regular change of all the fluids. Put in iridium/platinum sparks front and rear so you don't have to go through the hassle of changing spark plugs for a long time. Changing the rear plugs are a pain in the ass job.

I stay far away from most cosmetic mods, including doof doof sound systems. Comfortable and a good drive is all my focus for the FTO. I won't be putting turbo or changing engines but will be going through more or less these mods which I listed in this post. And that's to just enjoy the car, it will in no way be ready to enter drag/track competitions. That needs tons of more work.

RPW Extractors cost some $545 now. A high flow cat installed should be some $200-$300, forgot how much I paid. Get a friend or someone to install the extractors for you so you can save some cash.

Astron_Boy wrote:

Taz wrote:When you do them, make sure you change over the cat to a hi flow as well to get maximum gains. Siddz did this recently and you can definitely tell is has a fair bit more power/torque over what he had - probably the best bang for buck mod you can do on an fto.

Compared to?
A worn out standard?
Tuners have proven the hi-flow gains are minimalistic on dynos, comparable to that of the common pod.
Save the funds.

Hmmm i once saw a clip with Tarzan and another GT racer (forget the name) who were arguing over straight through vs hi flow, and on the dyno there was a 1hp difference between no cat and a hi flow - and we all know no cat is a definite gain :shrugs:

Im assuming siddz went from a half collapsed stock cat if this is the case, but taking a drive in it before and after, there was a definite difference in power, quite surprisingly tbh with what he had done.

Either way, for the money involved and the likely state of most members cats if they have never been replaced- while its at the shop getting it all done you might as well replace it - siddz paid something like 200 for the cat + installation

plus welded brackets on the pipe for the connectors

The RPW extractors/y-pipe has the cat with it, right?

no, no cat supplied.
and to be honest, the last two sets ive fitted for people have not aligned up 100%
they are a few mm off and in the end ppl had to take them to an exhaust shop to get it aligned properly. The Y pipe also doesnt come with the exhaust hangers (two little tubes of steel the rubber exhaust mounts poke through) and have to be put on as well. By all means people can do the hard work and get the extractors and pipe on but to finish it theyll inevitably have to take it to a shop.
At least in my experience anway - so might as well get a hi flow on while its there

bjk wrote:The RPW extractors/y-pipe has the cat with it, right?

nope. It does come with the flexi pipe and connector though which bolts straight to the cat.
http://www.rpw.com.au/shop/index.php?pa ... t&Itemid=1

@Taz, I think the new sets come with the hangars. That's what it shows in the picture.

Ooooo theyve changed the design, didnt used to have the hangers near the back (which still look wrong - dont they bend up and back, not just flat and back?) and the back down pipe used to be a tighter bend to the flexi - now its more gradual - cheaper too

Nice warrior! I do have a sports exhaust on my car but absolutely no idea what type it is. Maybe if you came to the drags you could be a gentleman and have a look? regardless, thanks for the tips and ideas for performance mods

Taz wrote:Hmmm i once saw a clip with Tarzan and another GT racer (forget the name) who were arguing over straight through vs hi flow, and on the dyno there was a 1hp difference between no cat and a hi flow - and we all know no cat is a definite gain :shrugs:

Im assuming siddz went from a half collapsed stock cat if this is the case, but taking a drive in it before and after, there was a definite difference in power, quite surprisingly tbh with what he had done.

Either way, for the money involved and the likely state of most members cats if they have never been replaced- while its at the shop getting it all done you might as well replace it - siddz paid something like 200 for the cat + installation

standard vs hi flow on a factory based engine on a typical given day will yield next to no results.
Ultimately it is the same for a pod for that matter.
Any mods that yield minor improvements are often hindered by real world conditions.

Unless you jump the hp up significantly and then do those mods on top, it's a moot effort.

Case point proven in Azas car, factory exhaust system and pulling those kinds of figures with a proper intake a piggy back tune.
He even returned to a standard cat from a 'race cat'.

Again, money spent better elsewhere, a replacement rear muffler alone without touching the cat will yield more of a benefit than touching the mid exhaust section all together.
Standard cat, straight through rear muffler, proper cai and some good tyres and suspension.

Beyond that it's ecu work.

Wouldn't even bother touching this engine bar adding a turbo (hks style) or supercharger (rob).
As you said Taz, the engine is short for gain.

Is there more gain if you de-cat your exhaust? Or does a hi-flow cat help produce more power?

Aza and Dwayne have the bigger numbers here, but on a strip you want torque which the FTO simply does not have.

Stock FTO is 100KW ATW. Mine is 133KW ATW. Thats intake,exhaust, extractors, Haltech Interceptor. And mine now will out accelerate a GTI Golf without too many issues. You wont get much more than that out of it though without going for a different setup/unit as said above.

@Toby - yes there is gains to be made with no cat because its less restrictive. Having said that, it's illegal. A hi-flow cat will give negligible gains compared to a standard one.

To bother, you would have to do a full exhaust setup and tune simultaneously. Just having a hi-flow cat won't do sh*t on a standard exhaust.