Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Planned changes for 2009

With every 'off-season' in the midwest comes a host of new parts for the car! Last year my single biggest complaint related to my suspension. Mid-year I had the car professionally aligned at AMS which did vastly improve the feel, but I still did not think it suited my driving habits or abilities. So, a large portion of time was spent researching and talking to the suspension guru's in the Evo land! I ended up selecting John Mueller's custom JIC's. These were at a very reasonable price-point, were already proven in TA competition, and used the correct amount of 'mod-points' for my series. Best of all, John and his staff agreed to work with me and further dialing in my setup as the year progresses. They also recommended a few bushings to upgrade as well.

Complaint #2 was that the car was running hot at the last 2 events. I talked with AMS about this issue and we believed this was probably related to high boost and added stress. To play it safe, I decided to accelerate some maintenance on the engine, add ARP headstuds and go with a larger radiator.

So listed below are the highlights of my changes for 2009. Note that to slide down to group TTB, I had to demod in a few areas to shed some of my 'mod-points'. I talked extensively with Mueller and AMS to get recommendations.

Suspension:

Engine:

  • Remove HKS Air filter setup - re-install stock airbox
  • Remove aftermarket UICP & LICP - re-install stock piping

Misc (not including basic maintenance):

  • Install ARP Head Studs - This will allow me to safely run higher than stock boost when needed
  • Install STRi Oil Temp, Oil Pressure & Boost gauges - For safety and analysis
  • Install AMS 5 speed shifter bushings - For improved shifting
  • Install Mishimoto radiator - For safety as it provides more cooling ability than stock

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