I am a newbie when it comes to this stuff but I will soon be getting a 2013 Evo X MR and am interested in modding but don't know where I should start. I want to start small and work my way up to larger mods.

My overall goal with the car is to achieve around 350whp and use it as my daily driver/have fun with it and just have a faster car than all my friends lol

I understand most mods will recommend if not require a tune, so what mods can I get away with without getting a tune right away? Some of the things I was looking at getting first was maybe a Cobb AP, ETS Intake and an upgraded exhaust + tune. Are these good first steps in the right direction? If not I would love to hear some experience opinions on what the first set of mods to a stock 2013 Evo X MR should be.

Thanks

 

First off, enjoy the car and get a feel for it.
I'm not heavily modded but this is the route I took and I'm pretty happy so far. If you want to get an cobb ap and use an ots tune make sure you get a intake that cobb supports. Such as an injen or cobb sf. I went with a hks panel filter first. Then got a catback. Both require no tune. Then after that a cobb ap and stage 1. Will be getting a test pipe real soon and run stage 2. No need for a downpipe on our cars till a bigger turbo comes in to play. Too high of a cost for too little of a gain.

 

You can use the ETS intake without a tune. It uses the stock MAF housing so you dont really need a tune to run it.

My suggestion would be to do all of your mods at once and get it custom tuned. A cost effective way to do this would be a panel filter, catback, testpipe, uicp and 3 port. You dont really benefit from a full intake but most people seem to do it including me, so its up to you.

 

What sort of money will you be investing? Doing this at a shop or on your own? Here's my setup:
AMS Intake
AMS Front Mount Intercooler
AMS powder coated upper intercooler piping
AMS powder coated lower intercooler piping
AMS Widemouth downpipe with cast turbine discharge pipe
AMS High flow car using steel cat core
GrimmSpeed Boost Control Solenoid
Cobb Access Port
AMS Custom flash on Dyno

All work done at the AMS dealer. Ran me just over $5K. The car dynos at over 327hp, 331 ft-lbs at the wheels

I wanted the stock look/sound....so that I passed emissions and didn't receive any unwanted attention from the police. The car is not obtrusively loud, and still pulls fantastically!

 

^^ Nice setup!

I just got my 2014 MR a few weeks ago and have similar questions as OP.

I got a Cobb AP and am running the stage 1 map which is stock everything. I picked up a coswroth drop in panel filter as well.

My question is if I get a CBE exhaust OTHER than a Cobb product will I run into any issues? I was looking at a Ultimate Racing CBE or Burschur CBE instead of Cobb.

Are the Cobb OTS tunes made specifically for Cobb products?

Thanks

 

Cobb will say that the maps were created and tested using cobb products. But many have ran cobb maps with "other than cobb" products. Myself included

 

What it all breaks down to is the map is a generalized map based on certain elements. They are able to test their own products, such as a down pipe, and accurately map the difference in fuel consumption needed, air being induced to the system, back pressure, etc etc. Almost every down-pipe manufactured will have a different flow, thereby necessitating very small differences in the map. Will it work? Sure. Will it be perfect? No. Will you still see gains, and be better off then without? Most likely.

 

OP,

I reached my current hp/tq numbers by spending about $3800. This price included a Cobb AP and a dual protune, as well as my listed parts. But I am on E85. I was at about 340hp on 93 octane.

Also all of my parts were purchased new.

 

Yea I called Cobb SoCal and that's what he stated. Also, their website does mention engine damage may occur using parts other than Cobb so you can see my confusion here.

I can't tell if Cobb is saying this to "scare" people into buying all Cobb products, but I also don't want to risk blowing my brand new engine because I didn't follow their recommendations.

So, you have had no issues huh? I feel so torn


I suppose I can always get a custom tune after I get all the parts I need. Which leads to my next question, will I be ok with a TBE and ETS intake BEFORE I get a custom tune?

I at least know not to get an EBCS until I get a custom tune.

Thanks for all your help thus far guys!

 

The first mod I did was the Cobb AP. I ran the stage 1 map on an otherwise stock Evo. The stage 1 really woke up the car. The biggest thing I notice was acceleration all the way up to the redline.

After that I put on a CBE. Then I put on the ets intake. Then I put on the ETS IC and UICP. All this was with stage 1.

I then had the downpipe and test pipe installed and switch to stage 2 on the cobb device. At this time I also had my gauges installed and realized my car was running lean when in full throttle. I guess this explained the knock I was getting.

It wasnt much longer after, that I had my protune done. Right before the tune I installed my fuel pump. I had the tuner install the injectors and the 3port and then had a dual E85/93 tune.

In all I probably only had mods on with the cobb tune for a couple of months. But I know someone local to me that ran with the cobb ap tune and ets intake and cbe for about a year with no problems.

If you plan on it being awhile before you get a protune, I would do the mods but recommend installing atleast a wideband and possible a boost gauge. This way you can atleast monitor what you need to.

 

This is very helpful advice and exactly what I was looking for. Thank you very much!

 

350 hp is easy in the MR thats where i am at on a stock turbo at 30psi and stock clutches....
here is my mod list to kind of guide you
ETS intake
ETS UICP
ETS 4"intercooler
CNT Racing turbo back exhaust
Grimmspeed EBCS
Synapse BOV
GSC S2 cams retainers and springs
FIC 1100 CC injectors
DW 265lph Fuel pump
E-85
COBB AP Tune (ENGLISH RACING)

 

OP, sent you a PM.

Let me know if I can offer any advice or be of assistance in any way!

 

Here is a list of First set mods.

Bar ends..done
Two brothers black series done
Hot bodies winscreen..done
Ta
Rear sets..... Done
Blockoff plates done
Quick shifter done
Pc 5 done
Bmc carbon fiber Wheels
520 conversion chain
Sprockets
Wave rotors braking
Bmc air filter done
Carbon air box
Ohlins megatronic rear shock ordered
Ohlins internals
Ohlins mechatronic steering dampner upgrade done
Crg brake clutch levers...done
Velocity stacks
Puig rear hugger done
Integrated tailight done
Tail tidy done
Core brake lines installed
Secondary fuel module done
*** radiator guard on
Frame sliders protectors done
Brembo rear brake ordered
Red screw fairing kit
Brake socks ... Done
Driven oil plug. ..... Done
Yoshimura grips. .... Done
Blinker flash relay upgrade..... Done.

 

my advice. pick a direction you want to go. buy all the parts. install them get a tune and enjoy.