Dean's STX shopping list

[Dean]

Revised 4/7 1750

OK, there is some stuff in my garage, but to give the rest of you a run for your money, it is almost time to get some stuff on order and installed.

Since I am spending all this time figuring stuff out, I figured I'd post it for comments, or for other people to use.

I'll probably add prices and sources as I find them. Any good sources appreciated.

* = already have...

Suspension:
* Sway Bars: Hotchkis Street hollow 1" adjustable with end links and upgraded brackets.
Other bushings: ??? Energy suspension $135???
Strut Bars: ???? Don't know if I really need these Is a $200 bar really better than a $50 bar?
* Camber Castor plates: Ground Control Front
* Coilovers: DMS 50s
* Rear adjustable lateral links: Hotchkis

Engine:
* Spare ECU: Ebay....
* Flash: ECUTec by S-Squared
* Mounts: STI Group N Engine mounts, and Pitch Stopper
* Underdrive pulleys: Generic
* Intake: Drop in filter
Headers: Stock (Stone Mountain build quality was not good)
* UpPipe: S-Squared (Stone Mountain build quality was not good)
* Turbo Back Exhaust: BPM split exit

Brakes:
* Stoptech BBK (not yet installed)
* lines: Stainless of some sort (not yet installed)
* Pads: EBC Green/Red *, Axxis Ultimate

Wheels/Tires
* Wheels: 17x8 Sprco N1 clones (Don't quite fit over Stoptech brakes)
* Tires: Falken Azenis Sports

Other
* Harnesses: Scroth Rallye 3: 4 point
* Seats: Stock (Kirkey race seat not installed, over 15lb.)
* Guages: PSI^3 Dash Pod Mount (Not installed yet)
* Shifter: Short with bushings (Not installed yet)

[Kevin M]

Originally Posted by Dean

Suspension:
Sway Bars: Hotchkis Competition hollow 1" adjustable with end links and upgraded brackets. $500

Good stuff but you can get the job done for much less using Whiteline stuff.

Originally Posted by Dean

Rear adjustable lateral links: Hotchkis $350
Other bushings: ??? Energy suspension $135???
Camber Bolts(front only due to rear lateral links): Genreic, or OBX??? $30-$60

I'm not certain yet that adjustable links are really worth it. you can get a lot of toe with the factory links, and I'm running -2.5 degrees rear camber with just camber bolts. Expensive stuff too.

Originally Posted by Dean

Strut Bars: ???? Don't know if I really need these Is a $200 bar really better than a $50 bar?

Worth having if you run stiff suspension. Any bar will work, no need for Cusco titanium, although I happen to run the FHI CF/Ti front bar and a Whiteline rear. Just got good deals on them.

Originally Posted by Dean

Camber Castor plates: With coilovers or other?
Coilovers: S-Squared, Tein RA, Tein Flex, DMS 50, HKS Hioerlite II, KW Variant 3??? $1500-..... I'm almost positive I want progressive rates, or helper springs, but which...

Definitely pay a visit to Nate at S-Squared on this one. Give him a budget and your goals and he will hook it up. $1500 will go a long way towards a winning setup.

Originally Posted by Dean

Engine:
Spare ECU: Ebay....
Flash: ???? Somebody with a dyno, and a clue.

Nate again. Dyno will be ready as soon as the track day is over. You won't need a spare ECU however, as you can have multiple maps stored in what you have. I, in fact, will be using this solution.

Originally Posted by Dean

Mounts: Group N, or are there others?

Not legal in STX.

Originally Posted by Dean

Underdrive pulleys: ???

Go with lightened, but not underdrive.

Originally Posted by Dean

Intake: Drop in filter *, or CAI * which may have issues, but if I'm fllashing...

Skip the intake. On a stock turbo it is plenty efficient and makes no power, even with custom dyno tuning. Do the silencer removal instead.

Originally Posted by Dean

Headers: Stone Mountain *
UpPipe: Stone Mountain *
Turbo Back Exhaust: BPM split exit *

I haven't seen any headers make more power than the stock ones, especially on a stock turbo. Notice how tuners with dynos (Cobb, Vishnu, etc.) don't produce headers or sell them. Shiv in particular has no qualms about using other company's products if they make power.

Originally Posted by Dean

Brakes:
Calipers: stock *
Rotors: Stoptech 2 piece slotted
lines: Stainless of some sort
Pads: EBC Green/Red *, Axxis Ultimate

Not much to worry about brake wise. I'd go with Goodridge lines. Work great and are $50 less than Stopechs. Fluid? I like Ate SuperBlue but I might switch to Motul or Castrol

Originally Posted by Dean

Wheels/Tires
Wheels: 17x8 Sprco N1 clones *
Tires: Falken Azenis Sports *

When those wear out what will you be trying? Kumho MX?

Originally Posted by Dean

Other
Harnesses: 4 or 6 point
Seats: Need to weigh my race seat *
Guages: ??? EGT, Boost, ???

Racerwholesale.com for a harness. 4 point is fine, I got mine for $65. What seat are you running?
You definitely need boost and EGT gauges, other than that, everything is monitored by the ECU. I will have booost, EGT, oil temp, and coolant temp. might also add gear oil temp and fuel pressure (3rd most important).

Originally Posted by Dean

What did I miss?

Steering rack bushings, control arm bushings, shifter/bushings, clutch/flywheel, aluminum control arms, fuel cell for race gas mapping (more of a problem for me, unless there is 100 at the pump close to Stead), cusco/MRT front under brace, rear diff bushings and/or lock bolts... I don't think I missed too much.

[sperry]

Sounds like a pretty complete list... but the cost of the Hotchkis stuff seems really high! I guess the hollow bar has an advantage.. but for under $500 I got front and rear bars, mounts and endlinks....

Also, be carefull with lateral links... most have pillowball bushings, which are illegal in STX, since you can't replace any bushings with metal.
I don't know the Hotchkis links in detail, but I've yet to see adjustable links w/o pillowballs.

You shouldn't need front camber bolts, the car's already got some that are good enough to get plenty of camber for the street, and the camber plates that tend to come with coil-overs will give you more than enough race-day camber.

You should be fine w/ just reflashing the stock ECU, no need to drop $500+ on a second one. Go to S-Squared once they get their dyno for tuninng.... it's close and you can get your suspension done there too. Or hustle w/ your engine mods and follow me down to ESX next weekend...

Oh, and I'd guess the difference between expensive and cheap STBs is just how nice they look. After all, they're just bars. I think Cusco makes one that tri-angulates in the trunk, but I think it's illegal in STX because the rules only allow for ataching strut top to strut top...

[Kevin M]

w00t, IBsperry and he pretty much echoed me. Good catch on the spherical bearings though, I forgot about that. Whiteline links (which I saw up close yesterday before they went on Nate's coupe) use urethane. I personally tell people to avoid sphericals because they are noisier than urethane and don't last as long, they cost more, and they wear out sooner.

[Dean]

Originally Posted by BAN SUVS

Good stuff but you can get the job done for much less using Whiteline stuff.

I really think I want hollow, and upgraded mounts. I'll take another look at Whiteline.

Originally Posted by Dean

Mounts: Group N, or are there others?

Originally Posted by BAN SUVS

Not legal in STX.

The engine mounts are open as long as they are not solid metal. Can't use the trany mounts or stabilizer though.

Originally Posted by BAN SUVS

Go with lightened, but not underdrive[pulley]

Are there underdrive horror stories? Is the stock a harmonic ballancer, or just heavy?

I have the headers already, and KC is running them, so I will probably put them on when the uppipe goes on. It would be cool to do before and after Dyno runs. I may have S-Squared do all the installs so we can do stuff like that.

Thanks for the additional Guage list.

I like the Ford heavy duty fluid... Cheap and good.

Seats are currenlty stock, but I have a Kirkey race seat sitting in the garrage. I will need to weigh it.

I listed the other suspension bushings, but are steering rack legal? Same ? on rear diff bushings?

I think if you do aluminum control arms, you can't do camber plates.

And I'm pretty sure you can't do the under brace, or rear 3 point strut bar.

Oh, and I bet having multiple maps loaded would get you protested if either had boost mods. no matter which one is loaded.

[Dean]

Originally Posted by sperry

Oh, and I'd guess the difference between expensive and cheap STBs is just how nice they look. After all, they're just bars.

Are there any without pivot points? I've been looking, and they all appear to have pivot points for some reason. Any idea why? I would think that would be less than optimal.

[tysonK]

I plan on getting a sway bar, harness and:



















Driving better. hopefully the coilovers on your cars don't outclass me. I was getting close to Scott end of last year.

[sperry]

Originally Posted by BAN SUVS

Not legal in STX.

The STi manufactured engine mounts are STX legal. So is the pitch mount if I read the rules correctly. Tranny mounts are still illegal.

Originally Posted by BAN SUVS

Go with lightened, but not underdrive.

I've got a lightened/underdrive pulley... I think it has to do with the false-misfire CEL's I'm getting, but it helps a little with low-end power.

Originally Posted by BAN SUVS

Steering rack bushings, control arm bushings, shifter/bushings, clutch/flywheel, aluminum control arms, fuel cell for race gas mapping (more of a problem for me, unless there is 100 at the pump close to Stead), cusco/MRT front under brace, rear diff bushings and/or lock bolts... I don't think I missed too much.

Steering rack bushings are illegal in STX. Clutch/flywheel is illegal too IIRC. Underbraces are illegal if they connect one side of the car to the other, or if they require the removal or relocation of the stuck U-brace thingy. And I'm not sure if the rear bushings/lock bolts are legal or not... depends on if you can considering them suspension bushings or not. I'm thinking not... which means I'll have to take mine out. Which sucks, because I didn't really notice much of a performance benefit, just no more clunking under hard shifts. Just another one of those lame SCCA rules things... it costs like $10 and help prolong the life of the rear diff w/o really making your car faster, yet it's illegal.

[Dean]

Originally Posted by tysonK

Driving better.hopefully the coilovers on your cars don't outclass me. I was getting close to Scott end of last year.

Driving better is THE way to be fast. Remmeber last year when I ran the Rex RNP one afternoon. OK, yes it had Debbie's Kumhos on it, but stock everything else includiung suspension except for cat back and air cleaner.

I was able to beat everyone in STX except Scott, who got me by 3 tenths. but John Evans' DS prepped Rex got all of us.

With a softer suspension, you just have to be that much smoother. Moving your hands slower, anticipating the weight transfer better, and upsetting the car as little as possible.

This year we get to ride as well, so get out and ride with other drivers in other classes and watch their body in addiiton to the track.

Want my old cat back when it comes off?.

[sperry]

Originally Posted by Dean

Want my old cat back when it comes off?.

I'm gonna say yes for Tyson at this point. He really needs the STi grill and the growl of your car Dean... that thing will fucking rule!

[Dean]

Originally Posted by sperry

The STi manufactured engine mounts are STX legal. So is the pitch mount if I read the rules correctly. Tranny mounts are still illegal.

Doesn't the pitch mount attach to the tranny? Does anybody else make engine mounts, or are the STI ones the way to go anyway?

[sperry]

Originally Posted by Dean

Doesn't the pitch mount attach to the tranny? Does anybody else make engine mounts, or are the STI ones the way to go anyway?

Here's the new rule for 2004:

G. Engine mounts may be replaced, but must attach in the factory
location(s) without additional modification or changes. Engine
position may not be changed. The amount of metal in a replacement
mount may not be increased relative to the amount of metal
found in a stock mount for the particular application. Solid metal
mounts are specifically prohibited. Any non-metallic inserts may be
used.
Hydraulic shock type rear engine locators, or bobble struts may be
replaced by manufacturer’s performance part, or aftermarket replacement
part. This part must retain factory dimensions and attachment
points, including factory design. (example: If factory
locator/bobble strut is gas or hydraulic piston type, replacement
part must be gas or hydraulic piston type. No solid mounts may be
substituted.)

I believe the pitch mount thingy is a "bobble strut", yes? The STi version is exactly the same as the stock one, but it's made of harder rubber (just like the engine mounts), so I believe it's legal. But I'm not sure technically what a "bobble strut" is...

[Dean]

Originally Posted by sperry

I believe the pitch mount thingy is a "bobble strut", yes? The STi version is exactly the same as the stock one, but it's made of harder rubber (just like the engine mounts), so I believe it's legal. But I'm not sure technically what a "bobble strut" is...

IMHO the key is the "engine locators" If it attaches to the engine, fine, if it connects to the tranny, I'm not so sure. I haven't looked at it, where does it connect?

[sperry]

Originally Posted by Dean

IMHO the key is the "engine locators" If it attaches to the engine, fine, if it connects to the tranny, I'm not so sure. I haven't looked at it, where does it connect?

I thought it connected to the firewall... connecting it to the tranny wouldn't make much sense to me...

[Dean]

Originally Posted by sperry

I thought it connected to the firewall... connecting it to the tranny wouldn't make much sense to me...

Ah, but firewall to engine, or firewall to tranny?

[sperry]

Originally Posted by Dean

Ah, but firewall to engine, or firewall to tranny?

Firewall to the back of the engine block under the intercooler. Here's the pic from the service manual.

[Dean]

Originally Posted by sperry

Firewall to the back of the engine block under the intercooler. Here's the pic from the service manual.

Should be fine then...

[tysonK]

Yah I'll take it Dean, your car sounds nice even on the highway.

I like how Scott dib'd the grill and the catback for me

[LVSUBARU]

The pitch stop mounts to the trannie and the firewall.

I agree with BAN SUVS about the crank pully. Lightened not underdriven. You probbaly want to avoid any of the potentian problems. :wink:

[sperry]

Originally Posted by LVSUBARU

The pitch stop mounts to the trannie and the firewall.

I agree with BAN SUVS about the crank pully. Lightened not underdriven. You probbaly want to avoid any of the potentian problems. :wink:

Really? Looking at the service manual, it looks to me like it bolts to the motor above the flywheel, just under the intercooler?

Does it really even matter what it's attached to? It's called a "pitch mount" not a "tranny mount" in the service manual, so isn't it covered by the "bobble strut" rule and not the tranny mount rule?

I guess I need someone to define what a "bobble strut" really is.

[Kevin M]

Sounds like Prodrive's highly skilled bounty hunter.

[Dean]

I couldn't find a definitive answer on nasioc, or sccaforums, so I asked on nasioc.. We will see if I get a useful answer.

[LVSUBARU]

It bolts to the trannie. I've had motors in and out of my car like 10 times. It bolts up at the very front of the bell housing. Somebopdy go look at there car.

[sperry]

Originally Posted by LVSUBARU

It bolts to the trannie. I've had motors in and out of my car like 10 times. It bolts up at the very front of the bell housing. Somebopdy go look at there car.

I've only looked at mine a few times, so I don't actually remember for sure where it bolts.

My point is that even if it attaches to the tranny, it's not a "transmission mount" unless it's labeled as such in the service manual. If a "pitch mount" == a "bobble strut" then it's legal in STX regardless of where it attaches. If not, then it's open to interpretation.

[LVSUBARU]

Yeah, it's definetly a pitch stop mount. It doesn't support the trannie in anyway.