I would say make a new thread for performance suspension options (not hellaslamedflushstance suspension)

Do the tein basics have adjustable dampening settings? Or only ride height..?

 

Only ride height.

 

I want the new street flex I think they are called but $1,400 ouch

 

I don't mind you starting a suspension thread, I think there is a wheels/suspension thread already though?

It's hard because a lot of the issues should be in multiple threads. Oh well, we will try and keep it as organized as we can.

 

I increased my boost controller to 30%, running around 8.5 psi. Seemed really good.

Am excited about going forward inching it up to 10, and then, I'll talk to Vit, whatever is safe and reliable, 11 or 12...

 

The TEIN Basics and its successor, Street Basis (which I own) are indeed a bit on the softer side. Since they're the entry-level coilovers for our cars, I'd say they were designed for general street use (despite offroad-only disclaimer... but this is on all products anyways) with an attempt to retain OEM-ish comfort. I'd say they're spot on in this sense.

Many with greater dampening coilovers complain about the comfort level of the ride. For me, when I take a road that isn't exactly smooth a little too fast, it can get floaty, and once in a while I'll even scrape on high speed straights because of the shitty roads.

TEINs are however great, because they produce quality products and have great customer service to back it up. I'm pretty sure if your shock blew/leaks within the warranty period, they'll rebuild them for you for free afaik (sans shipping fees). You could move up to the TEIN SS, but I've heard even on the stiffest setting, they're still a tiny bit on the softer side. The TEIN Street Flex is their top-of-the-line product for the CU2. It's not cheap (as UTAH had alluded to), but you have a monotube design and all the adjustability in the world (pre-load, dampening, and ride height are all independent). Megans might do this, but that's a hit-or-miss brand. If I was boosted, I probably wouldn't take my chances on Megans.

 

Glad to hear things are looking bright for you sir. It was rough even for readers like me to read about your car being stuck in the shop. Could only imagine how it felt for you.

If you/UTAH don't mind me asking, how much has your turbo setup cost you so far (minus Vit tune)?

 

Oh... total cost.

That's what it always comes back to.



Are you wanting to know total for work completed? or just for parts?

I paid Utah to create the kit... paid money for heat coating... paid money for lsd install, and turbo install. BTW, the turbo install, besides the mount problem, I wish I would have done it myself. I was pretty much bummed when I did not have my car for 4 months...

 

I was wondering just the parts costs minus labor and tune.

 

yep what iCrap said. Just the parts costs minus labour and tune.

 

I can't imagine your labor cost Optimus, it hurts just to think about it. Luckily I have a friend who has an 05 Sti and we work on our cars together. I would say I will save close to $2K on labor by installing things myself.

 

I updated my photo album it's called Turbo Cu2 #2.

Can you guy's see the pictures?

 

Where is the link?
ah nevermind found it. i see it.

Ohh wayy more than that I would imagine.

 

I've been meaning to post this for a while, and Optimus' pictures reminded me.



If you don't wanna watch it, then I'll go ahead and tell you that it actually does make a difference (in a good way) to paint your intercooler black. (Or using black anodized aluminum)

 

Yeah but that was later disproved by several other people. MighyCarMods is awesome but not very scientific.

It's actually slightly worse but not noticeably. The only reason to do it is stealth.

 

lol- engineers do know how to present data in a manner that seems irrefutable. Which is in the case that he mentions in the video seems irrefutable.

But he never mentions anything about the aluminum being anodized, nor the application and driving style of the people using it.

If two intercoolers are at the same heat soaked temperature and one is shiny aluminum, and the other is black guess which one cools faster? The black one does because of it's emissivity. We are talking about objects that consistently reach a thermal equilibrium and stay the same temp when the car is running. So ask yourself, which intercooler would you rather have when you are stuck in traffic? Or waiting in between your next track event?

 

Oh yeah true he did not mention anodizing.. he only talks about black paint. But wouldn't the black one also absorb heat faster?

 

Yeah it's a two way street, black absorbs more radiation than shiny, but it also dissipates heat quicker as well do to "black body" properties. Take a look at this from wiki ( This is true I promise)

A black body is an idealized physical body that absorbs all incident electromagnetic radiation, regardless of frequency or angle of incidence. A white body is one with a "rough surface [that] reflects all incident rays completely and uniformly in all directions."[1]

It is an ideal emitter: at every frequency, it emits as much energy as or more energy than any other body at the same temperature.
It is a diffuse emitter: the energy is radiated isotropically, independent of direction.

Basically the kid in the video is trying to say that the paint is adding an insulating layer that doesn't allow it to cool as effectively because the cooling method is through convection, or cooling through air to put it simply (this is very true). BUTTT when we are talking about two intercoolers that reach a thermal equilibrium of delta 3 deg, and you stop moving... now the tables have turned and the only way your intercooler is cooling itself off is through emissive properties and the the black body has a wayyyy larger rate of cooling than the shiny metal.

So you take a minimal loss during moving application ( which you say, well I drive my car I am moving) but they are within 3% which is a way smaller margin than the difference when you have significantly reduced the amount of air passing through the intercooler, or have completely stopped (city driving)

 

To make your intercooler work better just go faster duh !

 

Optimus, I think I have requested you on FB a few times now (upon your request) but it seems we never become friends..

So this is what I sent you

Hey man, I just ordered a stage 2 clutch from Axion, and he said everything should be good to go with buying a Civic Si 2006-2011 flywheel so there is no misfire/code errors on the dash. Then today he's like... wait you might have a problem because Si is 3lbs lighter. I could have sworn you are running the Si flywheel and did NOT have to turn sensors off or have any problems with misfire correct?

 

I just got it and accepted. Sorry, work is sometimes making the day go back far too quickly.

 

Hey I forgot to ask...

Your SPEC clutch kit came with a throwout bearing and pilot bearing right?

 

yes sir, it was a beautiful, artisan, hand-crafted kit.

Packed with love and care.

 

And all of the 12mm bolts from your TSX flywheel were reused.. and the little cover assembly that looks way bigger than the civic had no problems either?

 

we reused the fw bolts.

the spec came with a new pressure plate.

 

Yeah I'm buying the spec from axion and flywheel from honda so I just wanted to make sure I didn't need to buy extra hardware

 

Sounds like a turkey bacon bravo from panera...

Mmmmm Gouda...

 

Sooo peoples with wideband gauges, when you shift or even let off the throttle and coast while still in gear your gauge jumps to 20:1 because you have let off the throttle, but how long does it take to drop back down to stoich? Mine takes a solid 6-7 seconds.

But I start accelerating again it adjusts immediately. Is this normal? I don't think it takes that long on the primary sensor....

 

Normal, mine never goes to stoich decelerating that i've noticed

 

Mine drops down to way over 20:1 when totally off the throttle.

 

Alright thanks for the input. Just thought it would drop back to stoich after like 2-3 seconds. Cool, seems like the Wideband is pretty accurate. I stay at 14.1~14.4 during normal driving and around 11~13 at WOT. Can't wait for a tune though.

 

13 is way to lean under WOT with boost, careful

 

Well I did say 11~13 lol it's hard to look at your gauges under WOT

 

don't blow up, joe blow

need to see you hit the lucky 300!

 

Joe I was wondering why you picked a super charger over turbo? was it a price difference?

 

IIRC it was a cost thing. But after going stage 2 SC (smaller pulley, merc kit, etc) and stage 2 clutch, the cost "savings" are pretty negligible, if any.

 

I believe xtc is right.

I like all the sounds that the turbo makes... fssssssss PSSSSHHHHHH....

 

Joe's not cool enough to go turbo

 

Cost is probably about the same by now.. but less power i guess? lol.

I want dem turbo sounds.

 

Cost was probably 20% factor, 40% reliability of SC (less boost, latent heat, stress etc...), 20% part availabilty, 20% down time of car drive ability during upgrades. All of these decisions made me choose SC over turbo. I'm still happy with the decision.

If you look at cost of strictly parts I would say that Optimus, Utah and I have spent roughly the same amount.

But then you look at the down time that Optimus had on his vehicle, and the extra money Utah had to spend when he blew up his engine, and I would say I have made a sound decision with the forced induction method I have chosen lol.

Plus, like Utah said lol I'm not cool enough haha