Opening day at drag strip for DSM

[J. Fast]

Looks like fun! Is this the engine you had questions about running... with the dimpled pistons? Congrats man!

[11secondFWD]

If you dont mind my asking...how much has this setup run you? Been thinking about picking up a first gen DSM since I hear they are cheap to make fast.

Well it goes something like this.
Buy an Auto AWD turbo tsi in good condition. I got mine for $2000. The autos are crazy easy to get great ETs.
Buy a turbo, the FP68hta cost me about $1000 ported. If you got a evo3 16g for 499 at forced performance, you could have a high 11 or maybe even mid 11 sec car.
I have a FP race exhaust manifold ( i got it for free) but it retail 225, but a ported 2g for 30 bucks ( i have 2 extra for sale) might be sufficient.
Buy ECMlink V3 $495 This is the best mod ever. You can tune everything (fuel, timing, ect) very easily with direct access tables, and you can go speed density.
Wire toggle switches to your auto tranny to make it shift great, fast, and when you want. 5 bucks (thats if you want an auto)
My speed density wire harness and sensors ran $140.
My FMIC setup was from ebay for $130 and was bought for my 3000gt, I re-cut some pipes and used stock 3S pipes and made it for the talon for free. It works great too, the highest IAT (intake temp) I had was 85 degrees F and that was after the entire 1/4mile run.
FIC 1150cc fuel injectors $375
Walbro 255 $100 (my dual external pumps, with fuel cell and -8an and afpr, and aeromotive fuel rail fuel setup cost me alot but it is not needed for this setup, I did it for the future setups with a lot more power). I could have ran this with the 1150s with only a 255hp hotwired and stock lines and without a afpr.
FP intake and filter ran $110
Hall man MBC $75 ( i got mine for free)
Polyurethane motor mount inserts ( i got for free) are really cheap like $50.
ARP L19 headstuds $250 (but ARP standard ones are $85 and would do the trick)
New OEM composite HG $50
New exhaust manifold, turbo inlet, and o2 housing gaskets $50
Tubular o2 housing (2.5 inch) dumping right to the ground with only 6 inches of exhaust (flex pipe) like $150
HKS BOV, (free because I used it off my 3000gt's fmic setup.) So like $200
Gut the heck out of your car until it is 2500lbs without the driver, = free and tons of fun. I still have roll up windows (those cost $50), and still have a dash, center console, heat and wipers.
AEM wideband $200
I removed Balance shafts, the kit is pretty cheap, maybe 75 bucks. I dont remember.

But really man I have a a totally stock long block (stock pistons, rods, cams, valvetrain, everything except head studs and no balance shafts). I have a stock auto tranny and stock converter with only a shift box wired in to shift at full line pressure and when I want. I have all season tires, stock tcase, stock rear end, stock axles, stock almost everything. I do have perfect compression though. SO you would need an engine that is in good shape or do a rebuild on it to make it all in good shape. I did do all new timing stuff and water pump, ect, but that is all maintenance that needs to be done anyway.

And also you need to run e85. I am running pump e85 and running 30psi on a stock engine and have absolutely NO knock. I am at 12.1 afr and 23 degrees of timing max at redline. Without e85 none of this would be possible. I have been running this for 2 years too so breaking is not a thing that is going to happen right away if its tuned good. I had a small 16g at 25psi last year and now this FP68hta at 30psi this year.


But thats it really, its not very expensive. I did alot of unnecessary things. LIke you could run a 2g/3000gt mas instead of SD, or even use safc 2 but I dont think you can make as good of a tune as I have without ecmlink.

I think that is about it, but there might be more but when looking at my pics, I dont think there is.

Maybe like $5500 to $6000 with the price of the car I would say you I paid and with that you could have a low 11 sec car and maybe high 10s. But I am at a point where traction is a problem and the setup is near maxed out, so to run 10s I need slicks (or just more power). But I cant believe how easy it was to get to an 11.15 @ 122. I did all the work myself and all tuning myself and I would not consider myself great or extraordinary. The only thing I didnt do myself was I had the rings and bearings redone over a year ago by a shop. It was free because I traded him my safc2 and some 3000gt parts I had laying around. But if you need a rebuild then I guess that would bump the price up a little.

I learned everything from making my stock auto 3000gt SL an 11 second car. The DSM was much easier though.

[11secondFWD]

Looks like fun! Is this the engine you had questions about running... with the dimpled pistons? Congrats man!

Thanks man. Yes it is. It had those spots where the guy who did my rings put those pistons he got out of another customers car that had his valves hit the pistons.

So yes it is the same stock engine. I ran 12's last year with it and now almost 10's. SO it looks like the consensus is wrong. It did NOT matter that the pistons had the marks. The engine performs flawlessly with it like that and no knock. I do contribute it all to the tuning and e85 though.

[11secondFWD]

Just for anyone who did not know, here is the engine when I was putting the headstuds on and new headgasket. I found out the guy I had do the rings threw these in, I was worried but i guess it didnt make a bit of difference.

[Ninja Performance]

Nice runs and nice vids. Thanks for posting...I miss the strip

-Chris

[11secondFWD]

I bet you do miss it. I was dying all winter and couldn't wait for opening day. Do you have anymore plans with any cars? Is you black 10 sec 1g vr4 still running strong? When do tracks around you open?

Here is a video I forgot to upload. It is my 11.18 run against a 12.0 sec camaro.. I start at 15 sec in.

[Ninja Performance]

I bet you do miss it. I was dying all winter and couldn't wait for opening day. Do you have anymore plans with any cars? Is you black 10 sec 1g vr4 still running strong? When do tracks around you open?

She is running as strong as ever. Right now all our funds are going into growing the shop and building the service garage. No money or time for the track. Soon though.

-Chris

[11secondFWD]

Cool man, sounds good. Glad to hear the car is still running great. I wish you the best of luck with the shop. I cant wait to see some more runs of your car at the strip. In the future, do you plan to keep it a 10 sec daily driving car, or do you have any new goals to shoot for? Or just to have fun at the strip?

[Ninja Performance]

Cool man, sounds good. Glad to hear the car is still running great. I wish you the best of luck with the shop. I cant wait to see some more runs of your car at the strip. In the future, do you plan to keep it a 10 sec daily driving car, or do you have any new goals to shoot for? Or just to have fun at the strip?

Once the service shop is up and running, the Black VR4 is going back to the track!

-Chris

[11secondFWD]

Well going to the track tomorrow and shooting for 10s on stock block, stock tranny, stock suspension and all season street tires. We will see. I will be back with results tomorrow and more videos!