I think a lot of us here should put aside piping size for just a second and think about other factors such as road condition, driving habits, and perhaps other modifications. Obviously for someone with a bone stock car they are not going to realize much more gain at the top end even with a 2 1/4 or 2 1/2 piping. For a stock setup, a 2 inch cat back might actually be your best choice as it doesn't destroy your low end as much. However, for someone who has done camshaft, valvetrain, and ECU upgrade, and can rev to the moon... Then a larger piping size may be warranted.

Big picture guys... Big picture...

 

hey listen the whole premature valvetrain problem is based off paper not experience. i only beleive what i read in books which may explain the problem. besides i made sure to say that it MIGHT happen as in one of the risks. the ecu is in fact the result of the flatspotting but geting a new intake is a lil cheaper than flashing the ecu. they're just 2 diff solutions for same problem.

EDIT: i think stock piping is 1 3/4 whcih is perfect for the 120/130 power ratings, but as soon as you put more air into the cylinders you need more exhaust to come out as well. when you have lots of exhaust coming out with no free flow coming in, the engine loses power in the low end before the combustion really starts going (3000+ rpm?) at which point more air is taken into engine. proof of this is any dyno chart, power and torque USUALLY peak in high rpms.

 

right after i bolt on my Greddy..i can feel gains on my top end...i love it that way.... the losses of the low end didnt really bother me at all...cuz on the freeway fro 60-80 and 80-100 it felt like its really fast..but when i doing 0-60..its still sorta slow...

 

Another thought has come to mind, all the people *****ing about loss of power and what not have no way to monitor and adjust their mixture. Intake, header, test-pipe, catback belive it or not signifcantly leans you out. My afc setting for my low RPM's are pretty high, mostly for the mas-hack stuff but Im pretty sure I would have to add to compensate for the freeflow without that. Anyone care to agree or disagree with my A/F theory?

 

How exactly are you monitoring your AF?

 

Autometer A/F gauge wired to the signal for the front 02 sensor at the computer.

 

So if I just want to run on intake and exhoust, what will be better cai or sri and waht size on the exhoust

 

Are the front O2's any good on the Lancers? From what I've seen most of those O2 won't tell you much and your AF gauge is as good as a christmas tree... Bosch wide band O2 sensors are rather expensive.

 

A lot of people dog the stock 02 sensor because it looks like a lot of blinky lights on the A/F gauge, but once you get used to how the sensor displays the mixture you get good at reading it. I was skeptical of my "christmas tree" readings initially, but i know what Im looking for now and it tells it true everytime (at least within .05V anyways, close enough).

 

Enter the AEM UEGO. Very affordable wideband.

The stock O2 is fine unless you're heavily modded, in which case you're going to want something that's 1. more precise and 2. can handle richer air/fuel mixtures.

 

Two of you mentioned putting the first cat back on with the header. How do you do this? I am going to need to do this when I get a header, but I'd like to know what is involved in doing so?

And Adam, hopefully you will get enough of your low end back with the ecu upgrade. That is what I am counting on it doing for me, since it's getting below 3000 rpm in autocross that I have problems with.