Advice??

26th July 2011, 12:21

Hey im new to the modding scene, always had 'sensible' cars till my mate got me into it so i decided to give it a go, i opted for a '99 mk1 vtr (test drove a vts but just didnt have the same fun factor, vtr was more responsive and fun round the twisties, plus something about 8v i love lol) ive been asking around about engine mods and had mixed reactions, from throttle bodies to turbos to cold air ram intake, so thought id ask specialists (you guys lol) whereb do you reckon would be a good base to start from?

26th July 2011, 12:29

Depends on how deep your pockets are?

Most people start with a decat and exhaust system and/or induction kit

26th July 2011, 12:39

been hearing that more and more lately so i think that seems like a good place to begin, also i know its in the wrong section but ill ask while im here, im thinking about also lowering and cambering the wheels, what do u think? what would the pros and cons be? apart from obvious faster tyre wear, i heardit tracks better in a straight line and makes it a bit grippier in the bends, true or not? lol thanks guys

26th July 2011, 12:46

You picked a VTR because it has more 'fun factor' than the VTS?
Lol go back buy the 16v and youve saved yourself wasting your time modding an 8v engine. All breathing mods, cams, turbos etc will give you less back on the 8v in comparison to the 16v.

26th July 2011, 12:47

You cant adjust saxo camber

26th July 2011, 12:52

i agree i will get less back in terms of power from the vtr but i need to consider everything else too, i found the vtr more responsive also my mates vts was no faster until the latter part of 3rd gear/early 4th, plus mpg is better on vtr not to mention insurance savings, had to be sensible lol

26th July 2011, 13:09

As an owner of an 8v model even i'd say just dump the 8v and fit a cammed 16v unit. All mods to get big power from an 8v are pricey and in the end you'll be running less power than a modded 16v unit. If you really want more power you could try a rallye head or aftermarket cam, maybe some throttle bodies or bike carbs unless you want to spend LOADS supercharging or turbo'ing it properly.

26th July 2011, 13:19

You can get camber adjustable front coilovers, adjusting the camber in the rear is much more difficult and really nt worth doing. The car will be setup with a tiny bit of camber standard.

I wouldnt worry about camber, thats proper race car stuff. Just fit some decent springs and dampers and renew any worn bushes/replace them with poly items.

As for chasing power, how quick do you want the car to be when its done? How much do you want to spend?

26th July 2011, 13:33

money isnt really a problem as its going to be over time, gonna stick with the n/a route, not lookin for a huge bhp turbo monster, just an all rounder, better handling bit more power, something to have a bit of fun in on trackdays etc

26th July 2011, 13:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by VTR_1987

i agree i will get less back in terms of power from the vtr but i need to consider everything else too, i found the vtr more responsive also my mates vts was no faster until the latter part of 3rd gear/early 4th, plus mpg is better on vtr not to mention insurance savings, had to be sensible lol

Its broke then.

Ive swapped my engine and im not lying when i say it feels TWICE as quick. On paper it might only be 3 seconds but tbh even thats a considerable difference.

26th July 2011, 13:52

everyone says go for the 16v but they are obsessed with accelerating fast. Arguably the 8v is a lighter front end so a little more responsive on cornering, not a lot really though. Corners are where the real fun is and maximising your road position and car control to keep momentum through the twisties. The VTR exhaust system is really quite restrictive. Spend your money on a decent manifold and exhaust system and you will see gains of up to 15bhp. Thats what a number of customers have been seeing when they report back their rolling road figures.
Other than an induction kit I would be tempted to leave the engine along, instead focusing on a good road suspension kit and some upper and lower strut braces
Its really the ideal economic climate for something like a VTR, brisk but not too expensive to run.

26th July 2011, 13:58

What are the weight differences between 8v and 16?
Id like to see what figures my 8v makes as i've got a decent system and manifold fitted already but its not a standard vtr 8v

26th July 2011, 14:34

off the top of my head its 15-20kg difference. Not a lot but its weight high up in the engine bay. Certainly I can tell the difference.

26th July 2011, 14:57

Do you guys sell a sports cat for the saxo by the way? I dont wanna go off topic too much but I think with the the clamp down on emissions and road side tests I may have to buy one

26th July 2011, 15:11

not yet but if anyone has a dead cat we can use as a template they are easy enough to do!

26th July 2011, 15:29

Id sent you my cat but its some weird aftermarket diamond shaped thing which i've never seen before on any saxo