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I haven't really posted here much, I've mainly been lurking over the years. A little background of me and what I'm doing/what I've done - my name is Dane, I've been into the DSM world since 2005 and have had a couple DSM's over the years, a 3000GT VR-4 and a LS1/T56 swapped FD RX-7. Fast forward to now, and I've had my 2003 Evo 8 GSR BBY for almost two years and it's gone through a couple stages so far. I'll be dumping pictures as I go so this can be a progression type build thread.
I bought the car nearly stock, the guy who owned it had to unload it quick so I got it for a steal with right at 100k on the clock. It wasn't really taken care of the absolute best, but it was mine. My dream car that I've wanted since I was 13 years old! It had been sitting for almost a year and had a few issues to fix up and get going. I thought it had a gnarly exhaust leak, come to find out it was the timing belt hitting the timing belt cover and the freaked me the f out. The PO recently did a timing belt job and a clutch (unknown but it has a fancy ACT Monoloc) but didn't set the tensioner properly. So, my buddy at my old job and I got it going right, installed an ETS intake (the car had a down pipe and cat back, but stock everything else) with a Hallman MBC and tuned it on pump gas, made 330hp/320tq on 18psi.
Needless to say, what I got the car for, I was STOKED.
Then started the journey or so to say. I started gathering parts and before I knew it, I had everything to go FBO! I worked at a place called National Speed and had access to a lift, shop space, dyno, etc any time I needed it, which was rad.
Here's what I have gathered to this point:
ETS 4" FMIC with short route piping
Buschur o2 housing
MAPerformance tubular exhaust manifold
STM trans mounted catch can
FIC 1650's
AEM 340 pump
Fathouse Fab battery relocation
Spoolin up SD harness, GM IAT, Omni 4 BAR
Mishimoto radiator
Turbosmart BOV
I installed everything but the injectors and was cruising around with it, lowered the boost to wastegate just so I could drive it before I was going to switch to ethanol. Where I lived in NC, there wasn't any E85 around. We kept E98 by the drum at my job, which was nice. But, things weren't working out so well for me at NS. I wasn't happy, didn't feel appreciated...rah rah rah so I was approached by my current boss and was given the opportunity to move to Fort Myers, FL and do basically the same job, minus the labor part and sell car parts at Import Image Racing. So that happened and the Evo project kind of went on hold for a while.
Fast forward to December and I said screw it and wanted to do what I've been wanting since I went to my first DSM/Evo/GT-R shootout in 2013. Do a forward facing turbo setup! So I hopped on the phone with ETS, got a forward facing kit ordered for TiAL V-band.
At this point, I had a Garrett GTX3576r, TiAL turbine housing ready to go. But, I got a killer deal from Robert at FP on a Xona Rotor 7864, so needless to say that happened. I also picked up a sponsorship from the awesome folks at TiAL Sport, got two wastegates and a BOV, and now a turbine housing (I'll get more into that later).
Parts start showing up and I'm freaking stoked. It's like Christmas time but way better. I talk to the folks at Fuel Injector Clinic and get setup with a fuel rail, lines and regulator kit. And got a good deal on a Buschur ported intake manifold and Full Blown 70mm throttle body.
In short, the turbo kit is on now and I'm getting a few little things buttoned up - I'll post more on my adventures and my journey once I have some more time to do so. But, here's the jist of it. Yes, stock engine - I have a set of ARP head studs I'm gonna put in it. But my goal is 500-600whp on a Mustang Dyno before it goes boom
I attached a couple pictures of when I got it to what it looks like now. I'll add more later
So come to find out, I've owned my Evo for two years today!
It's apart currently still. I ran into a few problems:
I started the car and heard an exhaust leak coming from the v-band connection to the turbo. I figured it wasn't seated properly. Sure enough it was, and upon further investigation it was not flat. Come to find out, the turbine housing I had was one of ten ever made by TiAL and is something like 14 years old. So, they asked for it back and I'm currently waiting on TiAL to send a new one!
Last night I worked on the car some and got the intake manifold/TB back on and started getting those little things buttoned up. It's all coming together! Here's some more pictures of the progress throughout the build.
Yep, stock engine. I have a set of ARP head studs I'm going to put in but that'll be it.
I picked up a Buschur 2.4 short block off a guy locally back around black Friday timeframe. It has some detonation marks on the pistons, so I'm going to take the insides out and do an aluminum rod destroker setup with it eventually. But I'm hoping for 500-600 on a Mustang dyno with the stock block!
Installed the intake manifold, fuel rail, injectors, throttle body and plugged some stuff back in
Up next is mounting the regulator, plumbing that and the fuel rail, wire in the boost control solenoid and throw in the Walbro 450. Still waiting on my turbine housing, I’m expecting that in a couple weeks time. Pretty stoked how this is all coming together!
My new turbine housing has shown up and I got it all installed this morning. I can't thank the folks at TiAL Sport enough for all their help and support!
We're another step closer to tune time. I only have a few things left that'll be taken care of next week and then it's time to load the base map and see if we can drive this som'***** around a little. I'm getting more and more excited.
The new exhaust housing fit with no issues at all - which I didn't think it would have any issues. But the differences between 14 year old turbine housings and brand new are quite interesting. I have a side by side comparison on here as well - the older one (which was one of 14 ever made according to TiAL, fun fact) has a warped flange which caused me to need the new one. Both are .82 A/R, both of course v-band inlet/outlet. But, the scroll is thicker on the new housing, the neck at the inlet flange is certainly thicker and the fastening system is much improved over the older style.
HOPEFULLY, my next update will be that the car runs
. Youre our first Dane in the group & we like that!
