The intercooler is an integral piece of equipment within the turbo charger system. It acts as a heat exchange for the compressed air that is forced through the raging hot turbine. Most all intercoolers in Japan use air as the agent for cooling however there are some that use water to transfer the heat from the intercooler core.
There are three types of Intercooler kits that are made here. They are denoted by the mounting location. FMIC which means Front Mount Intercooler Kit and has the intercooler mounted in the front of the car behind the bumper. TMIC which is Top Mount Intercooler Kit and finally SMIC, or Stock Mount Intercooler Kit. The difference is that some SMIC intercooler kits are not top mount.
The compressed air flowing through a tuned turbo system to your intake can reach over temperatures of 100 C. The thing that makes this a bad situation is that warm air is more prone to detonation, knock or pre-ignition. So the warm air is less dense and not good for performance and the large turbine you run the hotter your intake air is going to get.
Things to consider when selecting an intercooler are; not all intercoolers are created equally and bigger is not always better. Intercoolers come in many different styles and there is a fine technology behind a core and its cooling capability. It is possible for you to buy a cheap intercooler kit that has a larger core and have it be less effective than a good Japanese intercooler of lesser size. Some factors to consider is internal passage size, internal passage design, weight and core size. The Trust Greddy Spec R intercoolers are our most popular intercooler kit.
Intercooler Kits can be found here.
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Turbo Down Pipe Front Pipe and Outlet Pipe
A Turbo Down Pipe (known as a Front Pipe here in Japan) with an outlet pipe is a great way to start tuning your turbo equipped car. As the same with the intake you want to remove restrictions to the exhaust gasses running out of the turbo so that the turbo can spool up faster and more freely.
The outlet pipe is the elbow pipe that directly connects to the turbo and vents down. This pipe is a short pipe and will often have an O2 mounting hole in it. There are two types of front pipes. The first front pipe style is a pipe that connects to the outlet pipe and goes to the catalytic. There is another front pipe and this is the type that includes the outlet pipe in it so it looks like the two of the above pipes connected as a full unit with no bolts and flanges connecting them. This style is the style that you get when you order big turbine kits but lately this style has been made available for stock turbines as well.
The OEM setup is constrictive and will not allow your turbo to flow to its full potential. It is an easy swap, relatively cheap and there are many that can be used with your stock turbo. A very popular set up for the beginner tuner is to go with a down pipe and outlet pipe, exhaust, suction intake kit, boost controller, and AFC.
Turbo Down Pipes come in steel, stainless steel, and titanium. Although we like titanium if you are drifting or road racing they are fragile and you will most likely damage it if your car is lowered. We recommend stainless steel units from Trust. Tomei outlet pipes are very nice as well.
These Turbo Down Pipes, Front Pipes, Outlet Pipes can be found here
The outlet pipe is the elbow pipe that directly connects to the turbo and vents down. This pipe is a short pipe and will often have an O2 mounting hole in it. There are two types of front pipes. The first front pipe style is a pipe that connects to the outlet pipe and goes to the catalytic. There is another front pipe and this is the type that includes the outlet pipe in it so it looks like the two of the above pipes connected as a full unit with no bolts and flanges connecting them. This style is the style that you get when you order big turbine kits but lately this style has been made available for stock turbines as well.
The OEM setup is constrictive and will not allow your turbo to flow to its full potential. It is an easy swap, relatively cheap and there are many that can be used with your stock turbo. A very popular set up for the beginner tuner is to go with a down pipe and outlet pipe, exhaust, suction intake kit, boost controller, and AFC.
Turbo Down Pipes come in steel, stainless steel, and titanium. Although we like titanium if you are drifting or road racing they are fragile and you will most likely damage it if your car is lowered. We recommend stainless steel units from Trust. Tomei outlet pipes are very nice as well.
These Turbo Down Pipes, Front Pipes, Outlet Pipes can be found here
Turbo Charger and Turbo Kits
A non turbo engine is inefficient as it looses a large about of the energy produced through heat and exhaust. A turbo can be used to harness that energy and recycle it back to the engine. This was a great discovery for the racing and performance enthusiasts world.
With that in mind the turbo has some basic components and is a very simple mechanism on its basic workings. A turbo charger has a compressor side (cool intake side) and a turbine housing side (hot exhaust side). The turbo charger simply compresses the intake air and forces it in to the engine by use of the exhaust gas being forced out of the engine. A turbo charger is composed of two fans attached to the same rod essentially. One fan is in the exhaust housing and it spins as the exhaust gasses pass past the blades. The impeller (fan) in the exhaust housing is connected to a shaft that runs thorough the center cartridge of the turbo and in to the compressor housing side. The shaft rotates at speeds in excess of 100,000 rotations per minute (RPM) and is cooled by oil. The compressor housing houses another fan called the compressor wheel. This wheel forces air in to the intake piping and thus the intake is pressurized. This pressure is referred to as boost. The more exhaust gas is forced out of the engine the more boost the turbine will produce. The amount of pressure (read here engine RPM) it takes to make boost is considered turbo lag.
There are determining factors to max boost and turbo lag such as housing sizes, impeller and compressor wheel sizes and housing design to name a few. A turbo charger is a very integral part to high horsepower tuning because it harnesses lost energy from the engine exhaust and in a way recycles it to the intake system. Turbos vary in sizes and design and there are many makers around the world. Japanese turbos and turbo design tend to be some of the best in the world.
To view JDM Turbos and Turbine Kits click Turbo Charger
With that in mind the turbo has some basic components and is a very simple mechanism on its basic workings. A turbo charger has a compressor side (cool intake side) and a turbine housing side (hot exhaust side). The turbo charger simply compresses the intake air and forces it in to the engine by use of the exhaust gas being forced out of the engine. A turbo charger is composed of two fans attached to the same rod essentially. One fan is in the exhaust housing and it spins as the exhaust gasses pass past the blades. The impeller (fan) in the exhaust housing is connected to a shaft that runs thorough the center cartridge of the turbo and in to the compressor housing side. The shaft rotates at speeds in excess of 100,000 rotations per minute (RPM) and is cooled by oil. The compressor housing houses another fan called the compressor wheel. This wheel forces air in to the intake piping and thus the intake is pressurized. This pressure is referred to as boost. The more exhaust gas is forced out of the engine the more boost the turbine will produce. The amount of pressure (read here engine RPM) it takes to make boost is considered turbo lag.
There are determining factors to max boost and turbo lag such as housing sizes, impeller and compressor wheel sizes and housing design to name a few. A turbo charger is a very integral part to high horsepower tuning because it harnesses lost energy from the engine exhaust and in a way recycles it to the intake system. Turbos vary in sizes and design and there are many makers around the world. Japanese turbos and turbo design tend to be some of the best in the world.
To view JDM Turbos and Turbine Kits click Turbo Charger
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Suction Intake Kit
The intake system of your car while effective as a stock system it is hardly up to the task of supporting higher horsepower and performance upgrades. It is important when tuning this system of the car to remove as much resistance while maintaining the integrity of your filtration system and allowing for smooth air flow.
There are a variety of kits available ranging from ones that just swap the stock filter with a more performance based and higher flowing one to those that replace all the stock intake piping and air box. The piping is most often aluminum and the boxes are as well. There are sometimes variations in the high end boxes in which they incorporate carbon fiber. No matter what they are made of they all allow for more air to be fed to the engine with less resistance and with them installed your engine will feel more responsive when you suddenly hit the gas.
It is important to remember that more air in the intake will only increase performance to a point. It will also lean your Air Fuel mixture out. Therefore it is good to accompany an intake kit with an AFC or other engine management that will allow for setting the mixture of you car to match the increased air intake. RHDJapan recommends Trust Greddy Airinx and HKS Super Reloaded suction kits.
You can check these JDM products here Intake Kit
There are a variety of kits available ranging from ones that just swap the stock filter with a more performance based and higher flowing one to those that replace all the stock intake piping and air box. The piping is most often aluminum and the boxes are as well. There are sometimes variations in the high end boxes in which they incorporate carbon fiber. No matter what they are made of they all allow for more air to be fed to the engine with less resistance and with them installed your engine will feel more responsive when you suddenly hit the gas.
It is important to remember that more air in the intake will only increase performance to a point. It will also lean your Air Fuel mixture out. Therefore it is good to accompany an intake kit with an AFC or other engine management that will allow for setting the mixture of you car to match the increased air intake. RHDJapan recommends Trust Greddy Airinx and HKS Super Reloaded suction kits.
You can check these JDM products here Intake Kit
Spark Plugs
Spark Plugs are a very important part to tuning your engine. Many tuners here in Japan say that in countries where gas quality is less than here in Japan, ignition and spark plugs have even more importance in tuning. The key factors to high horsepower is good quality gas, good ignition, and ignition timing and because good gas is not always accessible you will definitely need good spark plugs.
The Spark Plug has a two major requirements, one is to provide a good spark and the other is to keep cool. If a spark plug becomes too hot due to high boost or high compression it may cause detonation or knock. Detonation, knock, or also called pre-ignition will destroy your engine and should be avoided like the plague.
Spark plugs are rated with a heat range from 6 to 10. This is not the case with the Wankle engine as rotary engines are rated at 9 to 11. A heat rating of 6 is for stock piston engined cars and 10 is for highly modified cars. While there is no specific formula we can offer in determining what plug heat range you need most mildly tuned piston engines use one heat range higher than the stock 6. The most popular and widely used plugs here in Japan are the HKS M Series plugs. There are many other types of spark plugs out there and many different types of engine tunes so it sort of comes down to personal choice for many. We always recommend HKS M Series over all others.
You can view these JDM parts Spark Plugs
The Spark Plug has a two major requirements, one is to provide a good spark and the other is to keep cool. If a spark plug becomes too hot due to high boost or high compression it may cause detonation or knock. Detonation, knock, or also called pre-ignition will destroy your engine and should be avoided like the plague.
Spark plugs are rated with a heat range from 6 to 10. This is not the case with the Wankle engine as rotary engines are rated at 9 to 11. A heat rating of 6 is for stock piston engined cars and 10 is for highly modified cars. While there is no specific formula we can offer in determining what plug heat range you need most mildly tuned piston engines use one heat range higher than the stock 6. The most popular and widely used plugs here in Japan are the HKS M Series plugs. There are many other types of spark plugs out there and many different types of engine tunes so it sort of comes down to personal choice for many. We always recommend HKS M Series over all others.
You can view these JDM parts Spark Plugs
Plate Clutch Kits
The clutch system is a very important part to your drive train technology as it acts as the first transfer point for engine power on its way to be converted to rear wheel power.
There are two rotating parts to a clutch; the clutch plate assembly, and the flywheel pressure plate assembly. The flywheel pressure plate assembly is attached to the crank and spins regardless of whether the clutch pedal is in or out. The clutch plate assembly is connected to the spline gear that has the tip poking out of the transmission bell housing side. This part when the clutch pedal is depressed does not spin with the flywheel assembly.
What should you consider when you are purchasing a clutch for your car? There are many factors when considering a clutch kit for your vehicle. Flywheel weight, pressure plate clamping force, clutch disc material, clutch disc springs, clutch surface area are all important. Flywheel weight will determine how fast your engine revs go up and how much torque can be transferred to the transmission. Pressure plate clamping force is a determining factor in how much power the clutch can handle before slipping. Clutch disc material will determine how responsive and sticky your clutch engagement feels. Clutch springs in the plate help to dampen the initial shock of the clutch disengagement which will dampen the initial force on the transmission (springs help your transmission live longer). Clutch surface area determines the gripping area of the clutch disc which relates to how much power a clutch can hold as well as how abruptly it disengages. More clutch surface area can be achieved by using a bigger clutch such as the OS Giken C series clutches. Another way is by adding more plates to the clutch assembly. We recommend OS Giken clutches as they are the absolute best quality out there.
These JDM parts can be found here Plate Clutch Kits
There are two rotating parts to a clutch; the clutch plate assembly, and the flywheel pressure plate assembly. The flywheel pressure plate assembly is attached to the crank and spins regardless of whether the clutch pedal is in or out. The clutch plate assembly is connected to the spline gear that has the tip poking out of the transmission bell housing side. This part when the clutch pedal is depressed does not spin with the flywheel assembly.
What should you consider when you are purchasing a clutch for your car? There are many factors when considering a clutch kit for your vehicle. Flywheel weight, pressure plate clamping force, clutch disc material, clutch disc springs, clutch surface area are all important. Flywheel weight will determine how fast your engine revs go up and how much torque can be transferred to the transmission. Pressure plate clamping force is a determining factor in how much power the clutch can handle before slipping. Clutch disc material will determine how responsive and sticky your clutch engagement feels. Clutch springs in the plate help to dampen the initial shock of the clutch disengagement which will dampen the initial force on the transmission (springs help your transmission live longer). Clutch surface area determines the gripping area of the clutch disc which relates to how much power a clutch can hold as well as how abruptly it disengages. More clutch surface area can be achieved by using a bigger clutch such as the OS Giken C series clutches. Another way is by adding more plates to the clutch assembly. We recommend OS Giken clutches as they are the absolute best quality out there.
These JDM parts can be found here Plate Clutch Kits
Braided Steel Brake Lines
Brake lines are a great point to start your handling or foot work tuning as they call it here in Japan. As they say if you want to go fast you better brake faster! Braided Stainless Brake Lines are great upgrade points for your car for a few reasons.
1. General safety I would say is the biggest one. With your car being a few years old now and constantly exposed to the weather the OEM brake lines are bound to become brittle and leak. This is one thing you definitely do not want to happen when you are running hard in the mountains, on a circuit or anywhere for that matter.
2. Better brake feel and brake response will be achieved with brake line upgrades. The OEM brake lines flex a lot under hard braking. This flex will make your brakes feel soggy and unresponsive. Steel braided brake lines will flex much less and you will be able to direct close to 100 percent of the pedal pressure directly to the brake caliper.
3. Stainless Steel brake lines look better and will last longer than your OEM ones and since you are going to do the change you might as well go with the best. You are going to have to change your brake lines sooner or later so you might as well go with some that are longer lasting and better looking than the OEM ones.
"Which brake likes should I buy?" Is a question we often hear. Braided Steel Brake Lines come in many variations. These variations can be found on our website and include Braided Steel Brake Lines, Braided Stainless Steel Brake Lines and Braided Stainless Steel Teflon Brake Lines. The Teflon Brake Lines have the inside of the hose line coated with Teflon. This Teflon inner lining is highly resistant to the chemical corrosion of the brake fluid running inside the lines. All of the braided brake lines have a polymeric outer layer that prevents dirt from getting between the stainless braids.
We always recommend APP Brake lines as all their products are made and tested in Japan and are the best. They will make brake lines for any car you have if you need them even if they are not listed in the catalog. Please feel free to inquire with us if you need some APP lines and you cannot find any for your car.
These JDM parts can be found here Brake Lines
1. General safety I would say is the biggest one. With your car being a few years old now and constantly exposed to the weather the OEM brake lines are bound to become brittle and leak. This is one thing you definitely do not want to happen when you are running hard in the mountains, on a circuit or anywhere for that matter.
2. Better brake feel and brake response will be achieved with brake line upgrades. The OEM brake lines flex a lot under hard braking. This flex will make your brakes feel soggy and unresponsive. Steel braided brake lines will flex much less and you will be able to direct close to 100 percent of the pedal pressure directly to the brake caliper.
3. Stainless Steel brake lines look better and will last longer than your OEM ones and since you are going to do the change you might as well go with the best. You are going to have to change your brake lines sooner or later so you might as well go with some that are longer lasting and better looking than the OEM ones.
"Which brake likes should I buy?" Is a question we often hear. Braided Steel Brake Lines come in many variations. These variations can be found on our website and include Braided Steel Brake Lines, Braided Stainless Steel Brake Lines and Braided Stainless Steel Teflon Brake Lines. The Teflon Brake Lines have the inside of the hose line coated with Teflon. This Teflon inner lining is highly resistant to the chemical corrosion of the brake fluid running inside the lines. All of the braided brake lines have a polymeric outer layer that prevents dirt from getting between the stainless braids.
We always recommend APP Brake lines as all their products are made and tested in Japan and are the best. They will make brake lines for any car you have if you need them even if they are not listed in the catalog. Please feel free to inquire with us if you need some APP lines and you cannot find any for your car.
These JDM parts can be found here Brake Lines
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