Hi,
I have just started to autocross and with my current mods I am in SM class.
I curently have
Xede
3in dynomax muffler
testpipe
I am wondering what mod i can do to make my car faster in autox. I am limited to a budget of $500. I am most intrested in the vishnu SMART system or the WORKS springs and roll bar. I also realize that tires and seat time will make me faster, but I am allready in a class where you can go with unlimited mods. Any advice is apreciated.
Thanks

 

Tires will help more than anything if you are still running on a non R compound. ... other than seat time. Just hold out, save up a little more and get a set of R compounds.

jeff

 

Is the XEDE controlling boost? If not, you belong in ESP, not SM. There is a thread in this forum (maybe a sticky at the top?) about prepping an Evo for SM. Lots of good info in there.

 

The xede does controll boost, timing and AFR. I think the SMART upgrade will give me more tourqe at partial throttle openings.

Im wondering if I put my catalytic converter back on, will that put me into STX. I think this class still allows suspension and computer mods, as long as they dont effect emissions. Does this sound right?

 

No, the Evo is illegal in STX. It's class is STU. I don't think you're allowed to alter boost in STU. If you're running just local region events I don't think you'd get protested running in ESP...afterall boost control may be allowed in SP classes next year anyway.

 

If you turn off the boost in the Xede and replace the test pipe with a high flow cat you'll be good to run in STU ... If you are ultra competitive and don't like losing then I suggest dropping down a class because pretty much by the time you hit SM anything goes ... that is you will be competing against fully preped race cars ...

Actually a good place to start learning is the stock class. You can put your stock cat back on and take off the Xede when you get there while leaving the 3' muffler on (catbacks are allowed in AS) and compete and learn that way ...

If you still want to compete in SM, get a set of race tires .... Hoosier A3s04 or Kumho V710 are some of the best auto-x tires ... and possibly add a down pipe .... as I said if you don't have the funds or the experience I don't recommend racing in SM ...

 

I think I am going to put the cat back on the car. The xede is pretty easy to remove, I think Ill save my money for some good tires. I am hearing good things about the falken 615., but do they make a 235/45? I only saw 245/45 at the last event. Would it be better to get a 245/40, wouldnt this give me a stiffer side wall?

 

go with 245/30 (do they make them in that size?) if u want a stiffer sidewall.. 245/40 will be a higher profile than stock. I went with a 245/45 and it was a huge difference from the 235/45's

 

Drive what you want to drive on the street - if you're going to change something change it at the event: tires, sway bar.

I don't want to give up what I drive on the street just for a more favorable class finish. I run 3"TBE, Works' P2 flash, springs, rear sway in SM and occasionally do well (even a first) in my small region. I don't give a damn, I just wanna run what I brung and see how I do ... *shrug* ... regardless - good luck!

 

245/40 is a lower profile than a 235/45.

Here is how you calculate side wall height:

245 x 0.40 = 98mm tall

235 x 0.45 = 105.75mm tall

Hoosier makes a DOT autocross compound tire in 245/40/17.

The Kumho V710 comes in 245/45/17, which will be taller than stock.

 

The #1 thing to make you faster is experience and becoming a GREAT driver. Befriend an OG (old guy) autocross racer and learn everything you can from him. If you find someone who is willing to share their knowledge and you are a fast learner, you can make some huge and almost immediate improvements here. If it wasn't for my mentor, Andy, I would be not nearly at the level I am today. And I have been at it for less than a year now.

#2 is Tires - you can fit four 285/30/18 Hoosier A3S05 under and EVO with some work and careful planning. Subarus can't even come close to that. Alot of Mustangs and Vettes can't even match that.

#3 is suspension. The cheap off the shelf coilovers (Omnipower, Tein, etc) are better than stock, but pale in comparison to a fully custom set of coilovers built specifically for autocross. But be ready to spend the $$$. YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR.

#4 is power. You want midrange power first and foremost. A 700 hp drag EVO with a GT40 will SUCK at autocross, because for 80% of the run it will be making the same or less power than my car. When that power hits it will be out of control.

Nationally, there are 600HP EVOs running in SM class with an almost unlimited budget. There are 300hp 1600 pound Hondas running in SM with an almost unlimited budget. At the local level, though, I dominate SM with my current mods (see my sig). The Falken Azenis RT--615 is the absolute best tire going right now if you want one tire to race on and also use for daily driving.

AS (A Stock) will be the cheapest class to be nationally competitive, followed by ESP and then SM. No one around here runs STU, so I don't know anything about it.

Take a look at the cars and drivers at your local races. See who you would like to beat, and who you think you reasonably may be able to beat next year and go for that class. Taking parts off and putting parts back on for a race gets old REALLY fast. I just don't have enough time or ambition to deal with it, so I went SM. Luckily, there are none of the BIG DOGS local to me. Next year I plan on shooting for a CenDiv title and maybe nationals, but my car needs alot to $$$$$ TLC befor it will be competitive.

Good Luck on your endeavors!

EVOlutionary

 

If you are going to run the CenDiv event at Route 66 in Joliet (Chicago Region) this year, you will probably come up againt Eric Stemler and his billion hp SM EVO.

It was sidelined for a while but I saw it run at one of the Chicago Region Events and it was a Monster!!! The exhaust dumps at the front of the car about 6 inches in front of the passenger front tire.

 

I am familiar with that car. That was what I was referring to with the 600hp/unlimited budget remark. I think it broke at the last ProSolo in Oscoda. My buddy that works at the local Mitsu dealership checked it out.

EVOlutionary

 

First, note that at the local level, your car is probably a pretty decent Street Modified car. Sure, there are a few monster SM cars around, but they are the exception rather than the rule. Most of the cars running SM around the country in local events are going to have an uphill battle against a stock Evo on R compounds...

Second, get all of the seat time that you can, and find out where you can get instruction in autocross driving. Don't mess around with an HPDE or track day -- road racing and autocrossing are very different skills and some of the things that work well in autocrossing could get you killed on a road course.

Don't modify the car based on what somebody on the "net" tells you to do for autoX. You're just starting out, and you won't be able to evaluate the changes anyway. Give yourself some time to figure out how serious you want to take this autocross thing. If you're not serious, just modify the car the way you want and have fun driving it around the cones. If you find that you want to seriously compete for wins, you'll have to evaluate the car with respect to your own driving style, and make your own decisions on modifications. Some folks love a car that's loose, others don't. Do you know what you want?

 

That was the event, I believe it was a dif or a driveshaft. He ran in a Honda Civic @ the Peru National Tour.