So many choices... which ECU upgrade???
04-23-2003, 09:03 PM
#16
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Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Orange County, CA
Posts: 846
Car Info: 08 WRX - 401whp/408wtq
Etchy and Sevielle
thanks etch for the clarification...
and sev...
1. "CEL" is an abbreviation for "Check Engine Light"...
2. Well, we have a local dealer here thats VERY kewl and in fact does catless mods, etc... however when i asked them about voiding the warranty, they said we try the best we can to back you up, but the final decision is ultimately from SOA- Subaru Of America.
3. For the AccessECU, try finding the Cobb Tuning website, it's their own product... shows some dyno graphs and explains it a bit... best ECU bang for buck in my opinion.
4. From what I've read from most people on here with experience, they say that 99% of turbo cars will pass emissions with only 1 high flow cat... Also, remember, most smog stations only have 2 wheel dynos, and ur sporting AWD, meaning it'll be hard for them to get precision in that way...
5. The high flow downpipe wont make you fail emissions, its the visual check that u may fail, and that depends on the person doing the smog, whether they care enough about it or not...
6. Passing smog is a once in 3 year thing... i wouldnt mind swapping out for aday... might be a bit time consuming, but hey... I think its worth the gains...
and just to add a little personal note...
Since up pipe and downpipe mods are on the iffy side of smog, and police magnets, heres what ive gathered as good mods thatll keep you within legal limits...
a- Cat-Back Exhaust System (HKS for me!)
b- Drop-In Panel Air Filter (K&N for me!)
c- Lightweight Pulley (Perrin for me!)
d- Silicon I/C Hoses (Samco for me!)
e- ECU reflash (Cobb Tuning AccessECU for me!)
Its been said that these mods will make a significant difference in our rex's without making a significant decrease in our funds...
Thats about $1350 in good mods... legal, safe, reliable... just the way I like it!
and sev...
1. "CEL" is an abbreviation for "Check Engine Light"...
2. Well, we have a local dealer here thats VERY kewl and in fact does catless mods, etc... however when i asked them about voiding the warranty, they said we try the best we can to back you up, but the final decision is ultimately from SOA- Subaru Of America.
3. For the AccessECU, try finding the Cobb Tuning website, it's their own product... shows some dyno graphs and explains it a bit... best ECU bang for buck in my opinion.
4. From what I've read from most people on here with experience, they say that 99% of turbo cars will pass emissions with only 1 high flow cat... Also, remember, most smog stations only have 2 wheel dynos, and ur sporting AWD, meaning it'll be hard for them to get precision in that way...
5. The high flow downpipe wont make you fail emissions, its the visual check that u may fail, and that depends on the person doing the smog, whether they care enough about it or not...
6. Passing smog is a once in 3 year thing... i wouldnt mind swapping out for aday... might be a bit time consuming, but hey... I think its worth the gains...
and just to add a little personal note...
Since up pipe and downpipe mods are on the iffy side of smog, and police magnets, heres what ive gathered as good mods thatll keep you within legal limits...
a- Cat-Back Exhaust System (HKS for me!)
b- Drop-In Panel Air Filter (K&N for me!)
c- Lightweight Pulley (Perrin for me!)
d- Silicon I/C Hoses (Samco for me!)
e- ECU reflash (Cobb Tuning AccessECU for me!)
Its been said that these mods will make a significant difference in our rex's without making a significant decrease in our funds...
Thats about $1350 in good mods... legal, safe, reliable... just the way I like it!
04-24-2003, 01:31 PM
#17
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Posts: n/a
Re: Etchy and Sevielle
Originally posted by Boost Addict
Outstanding list of mods, thanx Some questions tho
3. For the AccessECU, try finding the Cobb Tuning website, it's their own product... shows some dyno graphs and explains it a bit... best ECU bang for buck in my opinion.
DONE... so here's a numbskull question. The performance boost for stage 2 ECU mods just slaughters stage 1, which bear a suspicious resemblance to "stock". Yet the reflashing does not seem, as I would guess it might, to list different prices or configs that one would need for stage 1 vs stage 2. Sure there is some ability to choose base on the octane rating of fuels you have available (I'll have to figure out if I really could keep finding reliable source of >91 octane here). So what would someone have to do to get to the stage 2 config on the ECU? I don't have turboback, in fact couldn't figure out how to even get that mod or what it was, really.
4. From what I've read from most people on here with experience, they say that 99% of turbo cars will pass emissions with only 1 high flow cat... Also, remember, most smog stations only have 2 wheel dynos, and ur sporting AWD, meaning it'll be hard for them to get precision in that way...
Outstanding advice, that is what I've been trying to figure out, thanks.
5. The high flow downpipe wont make you fail emissions, its the visual check that u may fail, and that depends on the person doing the smog, whether they care enough about it or not...
Terrific, so I may just well do the downpipe too, that leaves me with one cat...but one thing at a time for now, til I get clue about what I'm actually doin
6. Passing smog is a once in 3 year thing... i wouldnt mind swapping out for aday... might be a bit time consuming, but hey... I think its worth the gains...
Every other year here...
and just to add a little personal note...
Since up pipe and downpipe mods are on the iffy side of smog, and police magnets, heres what ive gathered as good mods thatll keep you within legal limits...
a- Cat-Back Exhaust System (HKS for me!)
How much do you get in whp here?
b- Drop-In Panel Air Filter (K&N for me!)
Same question...
c- Lightweight Pulley (Perrin for me!)
Ditto...
d- Silicon I/C Hoses (Samco for me!)
Ditto...
e- ECU reflash (Cobb Tuning AccessECU for me!)
Its been said that these mods will make a significant difference in our rex's without making a significant decrease in our funds...
Thats about $1350 in good mods... legal, safe, reliable... just the way I like it! [/B]
Outstanding list of mods, thanx Some questions tho
3. For the AccessECU, try finding the Cobb Tuning website, it's their own product... shows some dyno graphs and explains it a bit... best ECU bang for buck in my opinion.
DONE... so here's a numbskull question. The performance boost for stage 2 ECU mods just slaughters stage 1, which bear a suspicious resemblance to "stock". Yet the reflashing does not seem, as I would guess it might, to list different prices or configs that one would need for stage 1 vs stage 2. Sure there is some ability to choose base on the octane rating of fuels you have available (I'll have to figure out if I really could keep finding reliable source of >91 octane here). So what would someone have to do to get to the stage 2 config on the ECU? I don't have turboback, in fact couldn't figure out how to even get that mod or what it was, really.
4. From what I've read from most people on here with experience, they say that 99% of turbo cars will pass emissions with only 1 high flow cat... Also, remember, most smog stations only have 2 wheel dynos, and ur sporting AWD, meaning it'll be hard for them to get precision in that way...
Outstanding advice, that is what I've been trying to figure out, thanks.
5. The high flow downpipe wont make you fail emissions, its the visual check that u may fail, and that depends on the person doing the smog, whether they care enough about it or not...
Terrific, so I may just well do the downpipe too, that leaves me with one cat...but one thing at a time for now, til I get clue about what I'm actually doin
6. Passing smog is a once in 3 year thing... i wouldnt mind swapping out for aday... might be a bit time consuming, but hey... I think its worth the gains...
Every other year here...
and just to add a little personal note...
Since up pipe and downpipe mods are on the iffy side of smog, and police magnets, heres what ive gathered as good mods thatll keep you within legal limits...
a- Cat-Back Exhaust System (HKS for me!)
How much do you get in whp here?
b- Drop-In Panel Air Filter (K&N for me!)
Same question...
c- Lightweight Pulley (Perrin for me!)
Ditto...
d- Silicon I/C Hoses (Samco for me!)
Ditto...
e- ECU reflash (Cobb Tuning AccessECU for me!)
Its been said that these mods will make a significant difference in our rex's without making a significant decrease in our funds...
Thats about $1350 in good mods... legal, safe, reliable... just the way I like it! [/B]
04-24-2003, 04:57 PM
#18
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Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Orange County, CA
Posts: 846
Car Info: 08 WRX - 401whp/408wtq
As far as the accessECU they do reflashes for $20 incase ur adding mods, from what i hear... they have a tool coming soon which will allow u to reflash it yourself! im gonna wait a bit until i do this upgrade, but regardless, the technology will be added to the current AccessECU and not leave current buyers in the dark, so whenever u decide on this... its always a good time 
A turboback exhaust on your stock rex consists of... Catted Downpipe, Catted midpipe, and your cat-back system, then axle-back muffler... When Cobb says turbo-back, it means it will replace all those parts, meaning right after ur turbo, this will replace your downpipe, midpipe, and rest all the way to the tailipe... (In this case, Cobbs downpipe is actually a replacement for ur stock DP and midpipe too, its a one piece unit)... basically lots of reputable companies sell turbo-back systems... meaning u get the downpipe and midpipe as well... but most companies sell cat-back systems which wont mess with ur cats, its cat-back... meaning ur downpipe and midpipe will remain unchanged (correct me if im wrong fellas) but the catback will bolt onto your stock midpipe and go back from there...
Regarding your panel filter question... it basically improves throttle response and i would assume a bit more sound on the spool up, not too much tho... the reason im going with the panel filter, is because many poeple on here have admitted to Cold Air Induction units to be a hassle for WRX's... some problems with the MAF sensor (Mass Air Flow) and other things that i dont recall but made me stay away from those units... people who have had drop in panel filters by K&N have had no complains, so thats why id go with that.
Well the WHP for the HKS is actually pretty imprssive in my opinion... lemme see if i can find the link... K, its…
http://www.turbomagazine.com/tech/0212tur_exhaust/
check it out… HKS came out with the most peak power and most peak torque, and the price there hardly reflects street pricing, you can find it in magazines or online for like $550, it’s a great system too, mounts slightly angled for a nice raced out touch
… and it came out as 13.1whp over stock as its largest gain… not the MOST out of those systems but very good for the price, quality, and look… plus HKS is great to deal with, if something goes wrong, they will replace it…
A turboback exhaust on your stock rex consists of... Catted Downpipe, Catted midpipe, and your cat-back system, then axle-back muffler... When Cobb says turbo-back, it means it will replace all those parts, meaning right after ur turbo, this will replace your downpipe, midpipe, and rest all the way to the tailipe... (In this case, Cobbs downpipe is actually a replacement for ur stock DP and midpipe too, its a one piece unit)... basically lots of reputable companies sell turbo-back systems... meaning u get the downpipe and midpipe as well... but most companies sell cat-back systems which wont mess with ur cats, its cat-back... meaning ur downpipe and midpipe will remain unchanged (correct me if im wrong fellas) but the catback will bolt onto your stock midpipe and go back from there...
Regarding your panel filter question... it basically improves throttle response and i would assume a bit more sound on the spool up, not too much tho... the reason im going with the panel filter, is because many poeple on here have admitted to Cold Air Induction units to be a hassle for WRX's... some problems with the MAF sensor (Mass Air Flow) and other things that i dont recall but made me stay away from those units... people who have had drop in panel filters by K&N have had no complains, so thats why id go with that.
Well the WHP for the HKS is actually pretty imprssive in my opinion... lemme see if i can find the link... K, its…
http://www.turbomagazine.com/tech/0212tur_exhaust/
check it out… HKS came out with the most peak power and most peak torque, and the price there hardly reflects street pricing, you can find it in magazines or online for like $550, it’s a great system too, mounts slightly angled for a nice raced out touch
… and it came out as 13.1whp over stock as its largest gain… not the MOST out of those systems but very good for the price, quality, and look… plus HKS is great to deal with, if something goes wrong, they will replace it…
04-24-2003, 08:15 PM
#19
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Posts: n/a
Originally posted by Boost Addict
Thanx for all the stuff bout the filter etc. It's dutifully recorded in my mental RAM, that part that I understood anyway- obviously even the nicest posters can't tone it down enough for my full understanding, but that's how U learn, hearing a buncha stuff you don't understand til one day it clicks...
Well the WHP for the HKS is actually pretty imprssive in my opinion... lemme see if i can find the link... K, its…
According to the URL, ur right that HKS seems to be one of the best, tho it looks like Cobb is strong there 2.
http://www.turbomagazine.com/tech/0212tur_exhaust/
check it out… HKS came out with the most peak power and most peak torque, and the price there hardly reflects street pricing, you can find it in magazines or online for like $550, it’s a great system too, mounts slightly angled for a nice raced out touch… and it came out as 13.1whp over stock as its largest gain… not the MOST out of those systems but very good for the price, quality, and look… plus HKS is great to deal with, if something goes wrong, they will replace it…
Thanx for all the stuff bout the filter etc. It's dutifully recorded in my mental RAM, that part that I understood anyway- obviously even the nicest posters can't tone it down enough for my full understanding, but that's how U learn, hearing a buncha stuff you don't understand til one day it clicks...
Well the WHP for the HKS is actually pretty imprssive in my opinion... lemme see if i can find the link... K, its…
According to the URL, ur right that HKS seems to be one of the best, tho it looks like Cobb is strong there 2.
http://www.turbomagazine.com/tech/0212tur_exhaust/
check it out… HKS came out with the most peak power and most peak torque, and the price there hardly reflects street pricing, you can find it in magazines or online for like $550, it’s a great system too, mounts slightly angled for a nice raced out touch
… and it came out as 13.1whp over stock as its largest gain… not the MOST out of those systems but very good for the price, quality, and look… plus HKS is great to deal with, if something goes wrong, they will replace it…
04-25-2003, 07:05 AM
#20
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Posts: n/a
Also, I beleive it was import tuner who did a shoot out of almost all of the turbo back systems for the wrx. I beleive it was like 10 systems or so. I will have to look when I get home and let you know what issue it was.
Drew
P.S. going back to the ecu upgrade I am putting in the turbo xs stage 2 piggy back next week. I will post my opion on it incase anyone wants to know.
Drew
P.S. going back to the ecu upgrade I am putting in the turbo xs stage 2 piggy back next week. I will post my opion on it incase anyone wants to know.
Last edited by NJDrew; 04-25-2003 at 07:10 AM.
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