So i am new to imports, but not new to cars just look at my other rides. im am not used to the whole ECU thing yet. ive built a few motors but didnt have to worry about engine management (obviously), but i have a few ?'s. i just got my MR and i was wondering what i can do to get in the 300's with hp and ftlb WITHOUT reflashing (just dont feel like having the car down for more than a day right now). Ive been reading all over this place that doing an intake or BOV will kill power without a flash which totally makes sense. also what is the driver mod hopefully i dont look stupid for asking, but i couldnt find the answer ne where. Thanks.

 

Itll be harder to get to 300 with basic mods without some sort of tuning. You can wait for Al from dynoflash to come around you and drive to him, this way you don't have to mail in your ecu and wait for it to come back. He does custom reflashes and they are worth the price. I made close to 300 with basics and cams on his reflash.

 

Are there any tuning shops around San Diego? You should check out www.SoCalEvo.net I'm sure you can find some there so that you can reflash your car wtihout having to send the ecu out for a few days. A 3" downpipe, 3" highflow cat or testpipe, and 3" catback exhaust is typically a pretty good start. If you can find a local shop on socalevo.net to reflash, that should bring you to 300awhp or so.

 

Welcome to the dark side, Adam.

A cat-delete with cat-back exhaust, and MBC (with gauge and very conservative setting) is about all I can think of that will give you gains without the absolute need of a tune. However, I think you should reconsider incorporating a tune as you go down your modification path. After all, the factory tune in your ECU leaves much to be desired just by itself...let alone adjustments after you make modifications. It's just a fundamental part of the process. Perhaps you can pick up an extra stock ECU and have it flashed so you have minimal downtime.

 

It only takes 2 days to do a mail-in flash to Dynoflash as long as you use overnight shipping, but if you don't want to have any downtime, then you can flash it yourself by doing the following:

1) Purchase flashing cable from Tactrix.com
2) Download and install free flashing software from openecu.org
3) Pay Dynoflash $49 for an E-flash
4) Download your current ROM from your ECU, email it to Dynoflash, he changes the parameters, then emails it back to you
5) Load map into your flashing software, then flash the ECU with it

In all, you pay less than $150 to get your first flash, and then you just pay $49 for subsequent flashes when you do more mods. You also can get custom tuned in person when he comes to your area while getting multiple maps created and given to you for your personal use and self-flashing whenever you want.

Click on the link in my sig to see the proper mods for attaining 300whp on basic mods and a flash. It takes a little more to do it on Cali 91pisstane, but these mods get you started in the right direction.

 

Haha, i'm glad to see you finally came to your senses.

"Driver mod" is being a good driver; Learning at the track to perfect your technique. Everyone thinks they are a good driver until they go to the track and run worse then stock times.

Your not going to make any power without a ECU tune of some sort. But your car doesn't NEED to be down for a day if you get a flash, in most cases there is a tuner close enough to drive to that will do it in a few minutes; worst case scenario is you buy the ECUflash solution.

Really the only way to add power without tuning is exhaust.

Now going faster without a tune is way more possible. Clutch, exhaust, restrictor pills, weight reduction, etc.

 

thanks to everybody so far. yeah pretty much lovin the dark side so far. its nice to actually take a corner with out squeelin wheel and have a car that has more use than light to light.

 

Warrtalon: Al can do it for IX's now too? I have'nt been keeping up on the E-flash forums lately. So I just grab the cable, download the ROM, then email it and paypal him, then wait for his email back and just upload right?

 

It's not a matter of Al being able to do it - it's the guys who created the software. They are working on the IX version and should be done soon. It's worth waiting a month or two rather than going with some other method. His only other choice right now is to get an EcuTek flash from a local tuner, but then he'd not be able to use EcuFlash and would pay $650 minimum.

Your sequence of events is valid except that you need to download and install the software there at the beginning, but that's pretty simple.

 

gotcha, thanks warr

edit: sorry for hijacking your thread, Adam. But yeah, I'd say it's worth it to just wait a couple months or so till the software comes out for the IX's for ecuFlash. It'll save you more money, you wont have any down time, and you get a good flash. For now, if you're itching to buy stuff for your car, you can get a sway bar and some other little stuff to make the car more fun to drive in the meantime. Evo's are'nt as fun in the straights as they are in the turns anyways

 

Normally, I had a p0300 code flash from the dealership and didnt know about it, I mailed mine off Mon. and got it back Fri.

Not complaining, just saying sh*t can happen so be prepared for the worst, or just use E-Flash.
But Al squared my ecu away and everything is running pretty. Should definatly consider the flash even if it takes a couple more days, its worth it.