Stay 7M or go 1jz or 2jz?

mecevans

Supramania Contributor
Jan 18, 2009
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M-bay, cali
piggy backs are only a "partial" tune. I have heard of 80+ hp gains just from switching to standalone and not to mention a more meaty powerband.

BUT, your better off with a piggy for your power goals
 
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YoungGunSupra

New Member
Sep 10, 2009
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Walnut, California
rawr?! so switching out ecus boost hp by 80?!?! seems fun. and i would do all that shit by myself...but i work full time and taking 22 units at school...im busy everyday..i would barely have enough to do my own brakes or oil changes...for my current situation...i trust aarona nd would rather pay him to do a quality job that i consider an investment as long as i keep all the receipts for a resale :D if i ever do find a mk4 that i can scoop up. ..so hows does all this tuning work?? why is it that a stock ECU is considered so CRAPPY...what can the standalone do that the stock cant? what does it improve? and how? MPG? performance?
 

GrimJack

Administrator
Dec 31, 1969
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idriders.com
Actually, the stock ECU is quite impressive. It allows the car to run in everything from sub freezing temperatures to hot jungle to arid desert. It runs on different qualities of fuel. It runs at sea level, and it runs in the high alpine. It does all of this while still maintaining decent pollution control and fuel economy. Furthermore, it can still run even when multiple sensors are malfunctioning, disconnected, or just plain busted.

I've never seen an aftermarket ECU that is anywhere near as thorough... and it's likely that I never will. The cost alone to get a tuner to follow you around to all the locales needed to map the various extremes would be more than the car is worth.
 

mecevans

Supramania Contributor
Jan 18, 2009
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M-bay, cali
^^^ there are allot of fail-safe's built in that standalone's just dont offer.i did not take that into account. For the average 7M owner, its just not nessesary.

BTW, have you been in a 350hp 7M? You might stop and say WTF was i thinking with just upping the boost with a better exhaust.
 
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rodel

SoCal
May 19, 2005
2,266
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SoCal
You mentioned that your goals are:

1. 350 hp
2. not mess with boost and what not.
3. want to keep it as a daily driver car with moderately stock boost
4. don't want to have to deal with cops
5. smog legal

DM said that your car runs very well. You've already achieved goals 2 to 5 with your current setup.

To achieve the goal 1 (350 rwhp), you'll have to sacrifice goal 2 by turning up the boost and fuel delivery. You might also have to sacrifice goals 4 and 5.

My advice to you: leave your current setup the way it is, upgrade your exhaust, like you planned on doing, and turn up the boost a few pounds. You won't hit 350, but you'll get added enjoyment. 350 is not hard to achieve, but before you strive for it, make sure you have another car as a daily driver.

I live in Walnut too. I've been pulled over so many times in our city. During the last two pull-overs, which happened to be at the same spot, I wasn't violating any traffic laws. LOL.
 
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YoungGunSupra

New Member
Sep 10, 2009
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Walnut, California
lol..yea cops like to pull me over right now even though its pretty stock still...ill be getting my exhaust next week..tanabe touring...and i thought about it...maybe not even 350. Id be happy with 275-300. around those HP do i still need to upgrade the brakes? as in the cobra big brake conversion?
 

EdT.Mk3

Sorta Secret Supra
Aug 21, 2008
157
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San Diego
YoungGunSupra;1534587 said:
lol..yea cops like to pull me over right now even though its pretty stock still...ill be getting my exhaust next week..tanabe touring...and i thought about it...maybe not even 350. Id be happy with 275-300. around those HP do i still need to upgrade the brakes? as in the cobra big brake conversion?

Big brakes are a welcome addition as with any upgrades to safety, but not required with your power setup. Upgraded rotors will do you just fine.
 

IJ.

Grumpy Old Man
Mar 30, 2005
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EdT.Mk3;1534999 said:
Big brakes are a welcome addition as with any upgrades to safety, but not required with your power setup. Upgraded rotors will do you just fine.

Really depends on the driving style/end use of the car, spirited driving around the twisties will soon kill even upgraded stock brakes as they don't have enough mass to disipate the heat generated.
 

YoungGunSupra

New Member
Sep 10, 2009
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Walnut, California
i was thinking about the powerslot slotted rotors from driftmtion. not drilled..i was told that drilled are more prone to cracking from the holes..are those sizes the largest rotors i could go with so i can also keep my stock pads and calipers?
 

csnow

Matthew 6:33
Apr 5, 2005
1,176
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Palm Bay, FL
EdT.Mk3;1534999 said:
Big brakes are a welcome addition as with any upgrades to safety, but not required with your power setup. Upgraded rotors will do you just fine.

I strongly disagee. The factory brakes are not suited for a vehicle as heavy as the MKIII.
 

wsharp23

New Member
Jul 27, 2009
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Grover Beach, CA
Im really in the same situation as you are in. I really wanted to be smog legal as well, but I gave in and bought the intercooler kit and the downpipe from driftmotion. I feel like its gonna be really hard to hit around 350 and get nice response with the turbo if I keep the stock downpipe. It just sucks having to get rid of the pre-cat. I also just got the truboost, boost controller to get it up to around 10-12psi. Ill see if adding all of this makes me happy. If not Im gonna have to do the afm, afpr, 550's and fuel pump. By the way adding any downpipe, since it gets rid of the precat, is illegal. And Im not sure if you can put a high flow cat on legally either, I think you have to keep the stocker in CA unless yours fails.
 

YoungGunSupra

New Member
Sep 10, 2009
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Walnut, California
Hey csnow. in your opinion what would you do if you were in my shoes?

and to sharp...i know what you mean. i talked to aaron he said that for me with the DP its legal i think. ill call him again and confirm it.. and what alot of people do is just get the high flow cat and full 3 inch exhaust..and keep the stock cat, and when you go in for smog..just bolt your stock ones back in. just gotta get the right flanges. and i believe i was reading it somewhere...but i think intercooler piping is smog legal as long as your intercooler failed. main thing that wont visually pass smog is a shiny BOV. and POSSIBLY shiny hardpipes with the intercooler. people told me to just get the black couplers for the IC and use the carb legal HKS numbers on it. not sure though
 

csnow

Matthew 6:33
Apr 5, 2005
1,176
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36
Palm Bay, FL
I dont know what your budget is, so I can't effectively put myself in your shoes. I have the luxury of being older and having a lot more disposable income than most of the younger crowd here. If you cannot afford to upgrade to a BBK, I would at least ensure that all the factory brake components are fresh. I posted my opinion about the enigne choice earlier in the thread. I make no apology about being a 2JZ fanboy as some like to call it. I am not a fan of the 1JZ in a car as heavy as ours, but I would choose the 1J over a 7M.
 

wsharp23

New Member
Jul 27, 2009
29
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Grover Beach, CA
Thats a great idea with the cat problem, I'll be sure to get the correct flanges to make it work. How do you get the HKS CARB numbers? And what do you mean by use them? Like glue the badge to it or something haha?

Oh and start a build thread please!
 

YoungGunSupra

New Member
Sep 10, 2009
233
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Walnut, California
yea im younger but i got enough money saved up to do a complete ground up rebuild..ive been working and going to school for the last 4 years.. how much is it to pretty much do a full bbk conversion? i dont need the big ole willwood 2000 dollar kits,...just a standard BBK for a 275-300 hp set up

And yes i shouldve taken pictures of my car when it was fully stock on saw bladez! ill see if i can find any but all ive really done to the car is put rims (ones i really wanna change now) upgrade to 57 trim ct26, k&N FIPK and a complete maintenance look over...spent about 2500 in pure maintenace on the engine, valve cover, new wires, hoses, plugs, the works..so it runs beautifully. next week im going in for the tanabe exhaust..aarons given me alot of positive feedback on it and maybe in a couple years ill commence with the full rebuild of the engine. Im seriously considering, if my car lasts for the next 3 years without a rebuild, to retire it and put it in storage or something to get the new ft86 thats coming out ^_^. and then fix up the supra and just driver her on a weekend type basis...but that wont be for a while. for now im just hoping that that exhaust completely changes the performances on her! everyoens telling me that a full 3" exhaust is like night and day on the supra. im hoping they are right...lol
 

dubsupra209

CENCAL SUPRAS
Mar 6, 2009
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Merced, CA
you should buy the gasket set from aaron and replace all your gaskets you should also do a get a mhg and arps....just my 2 cents..its up to...
 

YoungGunSupra

New Member
Sep 10, 2009
233
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0
Walnut, California
so what happened with the BBK advice? and btw does anyone now have any more soundclips of the tanabe touring? ive only been able to find 2 if someone has one on a pretty much stock ct26 that would be awesome too!