Stomps 08GT... Snail upgrade time

[Stomps]

Hey all,

I copied some of this stuff from my intro page.. but this is a better place for it.. so..

I recently bought a my08 gt auto (weak gearbox choice I know)

But to be honest I know it was a smart move in the long run..after test driving a few gtb and 3.0r bspec manuals I knew that if I got one I would drive it every day like I did on the test drives, which would lead me to breaking them etc...

I already have a mental track car so just wanted a nice daily cruiser...
My track car is a 500rwhp+ jzz20 Toyota soarer, full roll cage, built motor, gt35r, every supporting power mod etc...plus a bucket load of suspension gear, fully built gearbox, gutted interior and much more.... hence I wanted something comfy to get to and from work... and I always loved gen4 liberties..

So my plans were not to modify it.. but realistically i knew that was never going to happen.. i've only done minor things so far.. kinda so the missus doesnt notice, i know in her eyes and ears the word "modified" instantly means im going to turn this into another mental track weapon.. so im still bringing her around slowly.. anyway, this is what i've done so far:

1. Whiteline adjustable rear sway bar (fitted)
2. AVO rear swaybar mounts (Fitted)
3. Whiteline Heavy duty rear swaybar links (Fitted)
4. Whiteline non-adjustable front swaybar (Fitted)
5. K&N panel filter (fitted)
6. mandatory resonatorectamy

Soon to be ordered/done
1. Struts- still tossing up options- either GTB billies with some springs.. or coilovers.. i dont want to compromise the ride quality as the missus will kill me..
2. Whiteline anti lift kit and possibly some other whiteline bits..
3. TMIC- not sure which one yet, but im eyeing off the Kobe ones..
4. Ultrex turbo back exhaust- gonna get this as a birthday present to myself at the end of the year... unless i find something else before then
5. Tune- most likely Verso.. unless i decide to go haltech...
6. Rims- Looking at ordering a set of 18x8.5 +44 Rota GForce in gunmetal.. (JDM yO!, I <3 u'r fake wheels, etc... crowd need not respond..)

That should do for now... ill get some pics up later... i dont have any good ones at the moment..

but i will post up this:


That is my track car back when it was making just a touch over 400rwhp.. gearbox was broken (only had 2nd and 4th all day)..

Why post that video? 2 reasons...
1. everybody loves skids..
2. to get back some credibility/manhood... to compensate for my lib being auto.. everyone knows Autos are for poofs

C&C, suggestions etc.. welcome..

Stomps

[Kekotic]

Welcome.

Remove "&feature=relmfu" from the youtube link.

[Stomps]

Welcome.

Remove "&feature=relmfu" from the youtube link.

Sorted.. Cheers

While I'm at it, when I got home this arvo I had a nice pretty set of AVO mounts sitting at my door..

[Stomps]

so.. looks like i have some billies sorted.. decided that i like my testicles just the way they are.. so am not gonna get coilies just yet..

having said that, i have been actively browsing the Whiteline catalog and looks like next few pays will have a "Whiteline" section dedicated to them..

im gonna basically order every suspension bush needed.. as well as anti lift, roll centre adjust, camber bolts etc...

not because i plan on lowering the car stupidly, but just coz i wanna see just how well these things can handle with new gear...

the part im undecided about it springs for the billies.. i know a lot of people running the S-techs.. but i might look into other options.. will also see what my new found best friend (suspension supplier) recommends..

on a side note.. im really surprised how much of a difference just the K&N filter has made.. while only marginal, there is a definite torque gain across the rev range.. and a deeper, throatier sound from the motor.. as well as more induction noise.. but meh about that..

[MH3.0R]

Seeing as though you need some credibility to justify your manhood, then to improve your auto, try Kido-Racing in the For Sale Commercial vendors section. All done through the ECU and the missus will even love it!

Auto's are gonna woop your arse on every serious drag strip and I would not be referring to those guys as poofs!

It is all about preference, and you may learn that one day! Hell, you even paid good money for one, so you must be....

[Stomps]

Lol... I didnt think I would need a "this may be sarcasm" or "comments not to be taken seriously" disclaimer on this forum... perhaps I do..

Just a few points though..

Without trying to offend people... I'm going to put this the mildest way I possibly can... drag racing is about the shittest possible form of motorsport I can think of (nascar aside) driving your car in a straight line is about as exciting as watching paint dry, grass grow or an NRL game... and makes about as much sense as buying a plane and using it to drive up and down the runway really really fast. *in my opinion

Please don't tell me otherwise... I have been taken for a ride along in a 10 sec gtr.. I've also driven a 10 sec evo, albeit only managing to run a 11.3.. sure it's fun once or twice, but then it gets old... give me corners anyday... but meh, each to their own..

I agree though it is about preference.. i would have preferred a manual but this came up for a price I couldn't ignore.. plus it's a daily, I don't need any more encouragement to modify it.. as long as it's auto it's never going to be as good/fun as a manual so I'm not tempted to go too spastic on it..

Once (inevitably) I go fir more power, I'll have a chat with my gearbox guy, throw on a cooler and maybe play with the valve body.. but for now I'm focusing on suspension..

[Corsair]

Good luck. All the best with your future mods.

[MH3.0R]

Lol... I didnt think I would need a "this may be sarcasm" or "comments not to be taken seriously" disclaimer on this forum... perhaps I do..

...

Once (inevitably) I go fir more power, I'll have a chat with my gearbox guy, throw on a cooler and maybe play with the valve body.. but for now I'm focusing on suspension..

You got me! Didn't realise the sarcasm. No offence taken, as I said, it is just about preference. Hell, I drive a white auto, so who the hell am I to criticise!

I have done the valve body mod at close to $1400, because all the forums thought it was the best thing you could do for the auto. I suggest that you do not waste your money and just go with a tune by Kido (Matt) as he is able to adjust the DBW characteristics and achieve a much slicker shift performance. I honestly scoffed initially at claims of "DSG like" shift times, but now I have had mine done, I consider the claim valid from my own seat of the pants observations.

Prior to Matt's tune, the valve body mod created very chunky and inconsistent shifts with some low gear pulls bouncing off cut out until it shifted. Jarring was also felt in low throttle position shifts as well. As a consequence, I am living with significantly improved shifting, thanks to Matt @ Kido, but have some residual but softer jarring between 2nd and 3rd.

I am now considering to take the valve body mod out of the transmission and then get a final tune from Matt. I have done quite a lot of work on the 5EAT but the valve body mod in my experience has not achieved any good improvement, perhaps regression. I guess we live and learn.

Best of luck with your daily. Mine is also a daily, but I do be luvin an occasional squirt away from the lights in a straight line!

[Stomps]

hmmm... interesting..

Is the tune purely on the 5EAT tranny computer or the whole ECU?

if it's a full tune and not just a DBW/Tranny tune, then i can get that done here through Allstar.. (verso tune)

but if its purely DBW and Tranny, it may be something interesting...

my only concern is, what affects does it have on the longevity of the gearbox?? i suppose if it just makes the shifts more responsive it wont hurt it, but if it affects the strength of shifts then it might...

cheers for the heads up re the tune... ill definitely look into it..

just to further clarify the "autos are for poofs" statement... i also used to say "4wd is for poofs"... both are purely tongue in cheek.. i used to say it to my mates to rile them up as 2 close ones had an auto aristo and evo 8MR respectively... i respected the hell out of both cars.. the aristo was making in excess of 800rwhp and the EVO was just spastically quick around corners and always used to beat me by point something of a second at motorkhanas...basically told him that 4wd is cheating and only used by poofs... i was in a position to pull the piss because my car was RWD, manual and fuck off fast... since buying the auto lib which is both 4wd and auto, they havent stopped ripping into me... just as much as i've been pulling the piss out of myself for owning one.. its all tongue in cheek.. truth is i fucking love the car..

[MH3.0R]

hmmm... interesting..

Is the tune purely on the 5EAT tranny computer or the whole ECU?

if it's a full tune and not just a DBW/Tranny tune, then i can get that done here through Allstar.. (verso tune)

but if its purely DBW and Tranny, it may be something interesting...

my only concern is, what affects does it have on the longevity of the gearbox?? i suppose if it just makes the shifts more responsive it wont hurt it, but if it affects the strength of shifts then it might...

These are all questions for Matt directly but I understand the ECU and TCU are intricately linked. My last auto transmission guy thought he could hard tune the TCU by insertion of resistors to control the line pressures. Failed to work and was not until Matt weaved his magic that the car is a pleasure to drive again. Still some residual jarring on the shifts between 2nd and 3rd, but that is more to do with the valve body mod and increase in line pressures.

To get a stronger box, to his credit, my transmission guy (David @ Kewish Transmissions) did strengthen all clutch packs by adding two to three additional steels and frictions in each clutch pack, including the centre diff. Not sure on the rating, but he reckons around double the OEM rating. This type of mod is only worth considering when your transmission is starting to show some slip as it is a major overhaul.

[Stomps]

cheers.. ill look into it...

i think the box is still good, but once i go for more power, i cant see it lasting..

in other news.. more goodies have arrived..



now just gotta find some time to fit them, as well as the AVO rear mounts..

good times..

[jslayz]

nice one, now youve broken the seal on the mod bottle, all I can say is skull!
Please post up your thoughts, very similar to my next partslist....be good to hear how you find the change.

J

[Stomps]

Will do ..

I've now got billies on the way so now just gotta sort springs... my guy can get me s-techs for $405 shipped to my door, but not for 8 weeks at least.. and I'm not sure if they would be right for aus libs...

So given that it will take ages to get them here, I've ordered other gear instead..

Whiteline anti lift kit and front roll centre kit on the way... I can't believe the mark up that whiteline put on their website...

Anyway, I was gonna wait to install all of it at once, but I might put in the sway, links and mounts asap.. then think about springs when the billies get here..

Can't wait to get the gear in and get it to start handling properly...

[Rome_BRZ]

Will do ..

I've now got billies on the way so now just gotta sort springs... my guy can get me s-techs for $405 shipped to my door, but not for 8 weeks at least.. and I'm not sure if they would be right for aus libs...

So given that it will take ages to get them here, I've ordered other gear instead..

Whiteline anti lift kit and front roll centre kit on the way... I can't believe the mark up that whiteline put on their website...

Anyway, I was gonna wait to install all of it at once, but I might put in the sway, links and mounts asap.. then think about springs when the billies get here..

Can't wait to get the gear in and get it to start handling properly...

The normal S-techs don't sit right on our libs, Phat GT orders special ones that he has asked them to make that suit the AUDM libs...for around $400 as well I think but could even be cheaper at the moment. Only problem is the waiting as you say, he is quite busy so you would be waiting a little while

[Stomps]

Yeah, I read the whole s-tech discussion in a few threads now.. I told my guy the history of it etc.. After speaking with his tein people he was pretty confident they were the right set...

Having said that, given it's gonna be a ling wait I might just wait for Phat to reply and wear the additional $50.. That way I know I'm getting the right ones..

Will see.. For now I'll pick away at the whiteline catalog bit by bit..