The Ultimate Tune

[TyphoonFiST]

dead hooks gt290r kit would be perfect for you. Picking up either race intercooler or the stock placement one, and an ap would put get you there for about $5k.

Sounds deep? Remember that dhm kits come with everything you need except the intercooler and ap. So you're getting:

Oil feed and coolant steel braided lines
downpipe
inlet pipe
hot side pipe
bov
wastegate and dump tube
the manifold
tuning

so you figure things like so:
$200 for the lines
$250 for the downpipe
$30 for the pipe
$200 for an intake
$250 for a bov
$280 for a wastegate
$100 or more for the dump tube
$1000 for a manifold
$250 or more for tuning
$1150 for the turbo

you're at $3400. Throw in your choice of intercooler and the ap and you're still around the $5k mark.

So, why buy from dhm if you piece-meal if together? With dhm you get a system designed to work together. And their customer service.

I mean, you could do it cheaper on ebay, but the results won't be the same.

ap?

 

[JPGC]

AP = Accessport (COBB Accessport to be exact).

 

[jeff]

That is... If you can stay at stage 2ish. I'm not saying that going through the stages is bad, but if (as I said in my earlier post) power is what one is going after... A turbo upgrade kit would be my preference. Just advice coming from someone who has spent a lot of money over the years. You will never get close to the power of a upgraded turbo with just staged bolt one on this car. Companies like DHM have kit coming out that are comparable to a full out Stage 3 bolt on setup in price. A lot of the parts that people get (intake, cat back, etc) are not required necessarily on a turbo upgrade to make great power. Sure they will enhance the power results even more if you already have them but not necessary. So with that being said.... 3-4K on a mild turbo upgrade kit vs 3 k on a stage 3 setup.... If I had to do it over again with this car....the turbo upgrade would be the choice. Then there is, of course, warranty concerns...well that's a whole other subject.

Yes, bottom line of this thread, rough numbers here:

Go big, spend $1750-$3000 depending on used or new, and more if you pay for installs, get around 220hp/280tq with bolt-ons/tune.

OR

Go real big, spend $5000 or maybe a bit more if you pay for installs, get around 300hp/300tq with big turbo and necessary bolt-ons/tune.

In my case, my last car (STi with bigger turbo/tune) was stupid fast and I don't need that anymore. I'm at stage 1 now which is nearly quick enough for me, stage 2 plus a tune is going to make me happy and satisfied. I reach my goals and spend under $2000 and don't mess with the car too much....for me this is the balance I'm happy with.

Btw, good choice with the Tune+ tune. Adam does great work.

Yes I was originally planning the Cobb stage 3 route minus the exhaust but the more I read I realize there are better gains to be had (and less install work) with stage 2 plus custom tune. I'm excited about Adam's results and plan to get his tune in a few months after I get my FMIC on.

********************

As someone said above, it's all about setting your goals, doing the research, and spending accordingly.

 

[ed_the_sledd]

Regardless of your power choice, it seems that everyone recommends an upgraded intercooler and AP. My plans are to buy an intercooler and AP (about $1,000-$1300). I'll then see how the power feels at that point. If I'm satisfied, I'll stay with those conservative mods or maybe even get a pro-tune to get a small power increase. If the power is still not enough, then I'll buy the DHM quick spool kit ($3,000?). This is probably the best way to guage your hp/tq goals, as well as how much you want to spend on upgrades

 

[Fasta123]

Great advice though I'm sure staged upgrades will be much cheaper especially if you install it yourself. I'm about $1500 in so far to get all the parts for a stage 2ish setup, all used except the CP-E intake, all installed myself. Another $250 for a planned Adam tune in the future and I'm about maxed out as far as staged tuning/power goes. That's much cheaper than a turbo kit with necessary plumbing and etc. not to mention install....a good bit cheaper.

Cobb stage kit if bought all at once is about 2700$ which is about 3-400 cheaper then if bought separately. A big turbo is around 2000$ so around same price, for a lot more performance.im stage 3 now and I wish I had known to just immediately go big turbo with a dp

 

[jayrod1980]

I wish the DHM kit had all been out when I bought my car. I would have gone race IC and bar and kit and been done with it. However, with that kit you really should have a Quaife or you won't get that power to the ground. Eventually I'm going to go cyborg and LSD.

 

[Hijinx]

I wish the DHM kit had all been out when I bought my car. I would have gone race IC and bar and kit and been done with it. However, with that kit you really should have a Quaife or you won't get that power to the ground. Eventually I'm going to go cyborg and LSD.

Who says you can't get the power to the ground without an LSD?

 

[jeff]

Cobb stage kit if bought all at once is about 2700$ which is about 3-400 cheaper then if bought separately. A big turbo is around 2000$ so around same price, for a lot more performance.im stage 3 now and I wish I had known to just immediately go big turbo with a dp

You're going to spend a good bit more than $2000 for a turbo upgrade/plumbing/tuning/etc. when it's all said and done.

 

[jayrod1980]

Who says you can't get the power to the ground without an LSD?

250+ whp out of a light fwd car to me begs an LSD. The torque in my car with basic bolt ons at legal speeds results in a lot of wheelspin under many conditions. Maybe I'm just too used to AWD cars.

 

[Hijinx]

250+ whp out of a light fwd car to me begs an LSD. The torque in my car with basic bolt ons at legal speeds results in a lot of wheelspin under many conditions. Maybe I'm just too used to AWD cars.

That's because of the huge torque spike you have with the small turbo. It's not the same with a big turbo. You have to look at how and where the power is being made.

 

[Autonomous]

Buy the AP and lifetime tune from Adam first. Then you have some power and fun while saving for the rest. Why hold off if it's going to take a while to go big? You'll still use the AP and he'll tune your big turbo later, so there is no loss!

 

[duramaxin14]

Subscribing. Glad I read this thread. I'm looking to make the mustang sweat. Does anything need to be fine to the bottom end of the engine to make it handle this power level?

 

[RAAMaudio]

So far the record seems to be 425WHP which ended up breaking a ring land or something, that is around 500WHP which is only usable for drag racers, built engines should provide quite a bit more.

375 WHP seems to be pretty safe but you would still have quite a bit of lag.

For a daily driver, autocross, fun mountain run, 300WHP is far more than enough and be a bit more with a very decent power curve.

BIG numbers are cool but TOO BIG ends up being a harder to drive car in the real world and much more cost, more maintenance, more things break, etc....build for what you want to use the car for and let the big number dyno queen or more legitimate drag racers build for their needs and go have more fun

 

[Sourskittle]

Took my car out today.... Man.... What an awesome car. Few moments where I felt the diff need some love. Few times I felt the shocks weren't perfect. One time I felt like the rotors glazed over and smelled them once. But I never felt the need for more power on the street. Never felt like I needed more rpm either. Just a great little car... Had a blast today. It was nice to finally enjoy the car and take a day off

 

[duramaxin14]

Brain I'd like to one day maybe go for a ride in your rig. I no these cars are light and a little horsepower goes along ways but I want this little thing to run with my 600 hp diesel. I'm about to be adding twins to my diesel truck to try to help the bottom end a little. There is just to much lag with that big charger. I'm sorry to bring up my truck in this and I'm also sorry to hyjack this thread but of I can make mustanges turn there head and ask what just happened I'm game

 

[OCDFist]

Took my car out today.... Man.... What an awesome car....

What's your current combo (Cyborg, or a stocker for a while, I don't remember)?

 

[Sourskittle]

Cyborg with wrap and blanket. Installed the external gate, but only using it a tiny bit ( its complicated, lol ). I still have the internal gate on too. E35-E40 fuel. 27-28psi (because the lower E85 content and lack of meth injection ). Other wise, Turboback 3" with no cat ( flow master muffler, crush bent catback ). TR6 threadstone intercooler core built by panda. Atp hot pipe. 2J intake.

Porterfield pads, oem rotors, motul 600, stainless lines, boomba deflectors. Advanced auto parts $20 rear pads, lol

235/40/17 $76 a piece front tires ( guilt-less hooligan-ness )

100lbs GF and Franken-fiesta's cyborg setup in the hatch, lol.

 

[Sourskittle]

Brain I'd like to one day maybe go for a ride in your rig. I no these cars are light and a little horsepower goes along ways but I want this little thing to run with my 600 hp diesel. I'm about to be adding twins to my diesel truck to try to help the bottom end a little. There is just to much lag with that big charger. I'm sorry to bring up my truck in this and I'm also sorry to hyjack this thread but of I can make mustanges turn there head and ask what just happened I'm game

Headed to the track today for a "import shootout" at BMP today, kinda by you

 

[OCDFist]

Cyborg with wrap and blanket....

I meant what made you appreciate the car again? Something different than the previous combo?

 

[duramaxin14]

Brain all that bad weather we had last night the track is probley closed today