aussie aussie aussie oi oi oi

[twilightprotege]

Hey aussies.

This is our little section of the board. I'm the mod here, so if you dont know me already here's a bit of a background....

My name is Andrew and I live in sunny Brisbane.

I drive a 2001 Mazda 323 Astina SP20, rego OSP200. It's black. The first black one in Brisbane actually.

I've done a fair few mods to the car - see my sig.

Previous cars were a 1997 Honda Civic CXi...had a few mods. Prior to that was a 1978 Holden HX Ute with a 308 in it with yella terra heads (went pretty hard)

So anyway, post details about you here, I really want to try and organise a few meets, and possibly group buys to save on the damn expensive shipping from america.

Anyway, make yourself known here and enjoy!

Andrew

[Snert]

OK

I am Kurt from Brisbane QLD Aust

I drive a '02 Mazda Protege SP20 - Supreme Blue - Reg "611GZJ"

Mods - Injen CAI (on its way), Lights

Futures - Exhust,Wheels,No. Plates,Short Shifter

Previos Car - N15 '97 Nissan Pulsar LX - (Riced Out)

Count me in for any Meets / Cruises

Kurt

[ahb11m]

hehe you had a civic.... oh well been there done that

in sydney, i'm trying to get speed form a 1.6l hehe which is funnier?

[twilightprotege]

i think a civic is funnier, but we all learn from our mistakes ;) hell i went from a 5L V8 that ran 14 second 1/4 miles to a 1.6L civic...talk about opposites!

[JAC]

Hey guys, do you know anyone that owns an astina hatchback? the regular one, not the SP20, the one that comes with drum brakes in the rear. I have some questions about wheels sizes and I was hoping that someone from australia could help me out since the US doesn't get this kind of car.

thanks.

[twilightprotege]

ahb11m is the guy

[ahb11m]

no i'm not!!! i have a protege!!

my gf has a 00 laser hatch 1.8- but seriously they are the same

the states don't get the sp20 or astina, they get the protege5 (door)

what did you want to know??

[twilightprotege]

if you have the 1.6, you're te guy he needs to speak to because you have 14" wheels standard and rear drum brakes...ditto on your gf's car unless she has the SR version of the laser

[Tunnel_Rat]

Hi guys (toads lol)
Hey good to see you start this thread.
Well my name is Billy live in sunnier sydney
Current drive see sig
Previous car all have been ford utes last one 99 XR6
Will be going Boost soon i hope.
Had a look at street dreams Hiboost kit on their SP20 what a good looking kit looks like a breeze to fit they are going to dyno it on 25th its all stock just kit fitted 8psi with stock exhaust will be good to see numbers on a stock car. Oh clutch not stock well all most stock car.
I will be going a kit not sure which one but hiboost looking good as need the car on road as quick as possible.
Sorry about getting off topic (meant to be my details)
hope to hear from you all soon will be posting a thead soon about protege5.com


thats all bye

[twilightprotege]

welcome billy! us aussies are starting to come outta the woodwork....well sorta. who's this street dreams you speak of?

all - if you know of any other SP20 owners around, let them know of this little space on this fantastic board. we need to all get together and help each other

[Tunnel_Rat]

Originally posted by twilightprotege
welcome billy! us aussies are starting to come outta the woodwork....well sorta. who's this street dreams you speak of?
Streetdreams are a performance workshop in Brookvale Sydney Aussie dealers for Hiboost kits they just started importing kits have fitted two SP20 out with Hiboost kits.
Will let them know of this space

all - if you know of any other SP20 owners around, let them know of this little space on this fantastic board. we need to all get together and help each other
Will do i know two sp20 owners but some people just do not get it its just a car to them (uhm)

[wiredone]

sick i didnt know we had a representation on this board...

just for all you aussies out there we CAN get hiboost kits here, modified ready to go for aussies...

they are sold through Street Dreams in Sydney 02 9938 2341

=) i am enjoying there first kit as we speak.. =) first turbo sp20 in aus!!!

[JAC]

Originally posted by ahb11m

what did you want to know??


I want to know what size of rims people are using on cars like mine, what offset, width, etc...I haven't been able to find any info on that :( . My wheels are 4 lug btw, I asume the 1.6l in australia is the same but it has to be the hatchback since the rear is diferent than the sedan.

[323ast]

Hi, I have 323 Astina Hatch in Brisbane, Black, the Aussie vehicles, (in 1.6 litre) come with 14", 4 stud, 100 pitch rims, either in steel or alloy as an option. Do you require info on standard rims or oversize?

[twilightprotege]

wiredone - damn, a more modded SP20 than mine :( atleast i have the most modded NA Sp20 in aus. hehehehe...anyway, welcome to our little home here :D

and welcome to 323ast :D another black brissie astina :)

both of you make yourselves known!!!!!

[wiredone]

twilightprotege - if only u were closer id love to meet up...

anyway IF my new clutch and dumppipe arrive before this weekend ill have a dyno figure... off a dyno dynamics dyno aswel... the one in our shop... =)


and may i ask why you removed the coolant hose to and from the throttle body? i have a cold air intake for you if you wish... u pay shipping and abit extra and it might be yours.... (one of these http://www.streetdreams.com.au/products.asp?process=prodview&prodID=6 ) adds around 8-10 at the fly in the right conditions, and throttle response is great

[twilightprotege]

i removed it because in brisbane it doesnt get below freezing very often (hehehehe) so there's no need for it here, it just isnt required up here.

i've already got a cai - an injen one

[ahb11m]

sorry, but i actually have no idea about my offsets etc!!! i bought my car second hand, with some 15 inch rims on it, but i can tell you i have 205/55R15 tyres on it... that may help a bit, but not really!

damn everyone is in brisbane! - well excepting three of us... ok its on cruise to the gold coast!!! who is up for it??

actually two upcoming events - november the ?? is auto salon (i'll check later) and there is summernats in canberra 8-11th of january

nats i'm gonna go down for, and it would be good to go down in a pack!!!

[twilightprotege]

i'll be up for a cruise on the GC...would be a good run i for my car going down the M1 from bris

would love to go down for the nats...i'll put myself down as a 50/50 maybe at the moment....too far away for me to think about a weekend trip to canberra

[twilightprotege]

see new thread in aussie area about a GC cruise

[ahb11m]

andrew i hope you realise if i come up, your gonna need to be coming down for nats!!

i lost the thing for auto salon -

wired one - i'm gonna try to be there for that dynorun - do you know when it runs until??

[wiredone]

it will be running most of the day

[sabrelli]

hey guys...
just found this thread as i went to protegeclub.com

Cool that we have aussies in here as well...

Hey Wiredone!!long time no see/chat..
I envy your Turbo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ahb11m]

sabrelli, your not the only one!!!
just gotta be careful of that car and hail :( nice paint work wiredone

[twilightprotege]

yay!!! another aussie!!!!

ahb11m....i'll certainly try my hardest to get down to the nats...i promise!!!

[wiredone]

haha sabrelli..... how are u my old friend...

well i finally got pics up...
http://www.streetdreams.com.au/gallery.asp?catview=SP20%20Turbo

[sabrelli]

Wiredone...Am doing alright mate.....u must be having a grand ol' time..ripping up the streets up north...... :)

[twilightprotege]

sabrelli, tell us a bit about yourself :) make yourself known to us all!

[birdy85]

My Name is Bird. I have yellow SP20. Mako 17" mags. full exhaust system including hgh flow cat. Extractors, Injen Racing air filter. 12" sub and box and amp. Want get boosted very soon. Want to find someone keen on group buy for Hiboost turbo.

[birdy85]

hey twighlight we should meet up and go for a cruise. i live in brissie aswell.

[birdy85]

hey twilight how much where your Eibach Springs. That is my next mod.

[Snert]

Birdy85 -> see the gold coast cruise thread

we are going on the 29th NOV

[twilightprotege]

bird - yeah come on the cruise with us!!!!

the eibach springs cost around $240usd shipped here, plus or minus depending on the deal you get...so at the moment you're looking at around $350aud max....pretty damn good compaired to when i bought them and the aussie dollar was 55cents!

[coolsp]

well then here goes, im 30 live in albion park near wollongong, buying my own home, sp20 is black with 18 inch lenso speedsixes lowered 2.5 inches, 2.5 inch exhaust with stainless rear. previous rides were 2 cordia turbos 2 pulsar sss's and ride prior to sp was a green lancer gsr with evo kit and 18 inch stich evolutions. number plate used to be msp.18t then changed to jet.95t. it was at a few car shows such as salon and auto expo. rang about 19 inch zenetti teks yesterday and also seriously thinking of hiboost kit such as wiredones.

[birdy85]

hey twilight. which exact eibach springs did you get. also how much lower did it bring the car down.

[sabrelli]

im 26, born and bred in Sydney. drive a 2002 Sunburst Yellow SP20.. everything is
stock apart from amp, front speakers and sub.

[Tunnel_Rat]

Originally posted by birdy85
hey twilight. which exact eibach springs did you get. also how much lower did it bring the car down.

Hey bird i droped with aussie springs King spings i used low it dropped 40mm or you can go with super low they will drop it 50mm (2in)cost me $200 for springs fitted my self but only took 3hr so mechanic can not charge you to much made in QLD great ride (rockon)

[Tunnel_Rat]

Coolsp car sounds cool lol.
Hey post some photos please love to see

[coolsp]

here are some pics of my car taken last year
http://www.imagestation.com/album/?id=4288743839&congratulation_page=Y[/URL]

[SpicyMchaggis]

aussie oi oi oi oi...im spicy..and i wish i lived in australia

[twilightprotege]

coolsp and sabrelli, glad you introduced yourselves :D (yippy)

coolsp, nice looking ride too

spicy - we live in the land down under...you should move here...it's not much of a move ;)

[sabrelli]

i wish i lived in Brazil!!

[Tunnel_Rat]

Originally posted by birdy85
hey twilight. which exact eibach springs did you get. also how much lower did it bring the car down.

This is a pic from my drop of 40mm great for me as bad driveway no scrapping but still had to remove the wind deflector as that is to low.
Wiredone said he went 2in (50mm super lows) drop with king springs
(rockon)

[Tunnel_Rat]

Forgot pic lol

[wiredone]

i know it may seem silly but...

once youve gone low... low is not low...

i have a REALLY bad driveway... its like a 8 point turn getting in and out cause its like 30" ^ but still i want another 1/2 to and inch lower... the 18s or 19s need to come first...

i am proudly say though because of the scrape protector on the bottom of our cars, you'll hear your getting close 2"s before you hit anything... i used to hate the look of it but it has saved my cooler several times... :)

[twilightprotege]

that's why i want the jic coilovers :D

even with the eibachs, my front bumper bar at the bottom is nice and scratched up

[Tunnel_Rat]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by coolsp
[B]here are some pics of my car taken last year

Cool car coolsp looks great :eek:

[JEB83]

Hi everyone,

The name's John. Just recently bought a black SP20 (Bout June/July 03). Haven't actually done much power modding just yet - simply because I cannot afford the Insurance being only 20 years 4 months old w/ rating 6 DOH!!!! Have changed a couple of lights here and there, taillamps, exhaust, air filiter, tint. All aesthetics basically. Am getting new CSA or Advanti (17 x 7 or 18 x 8) rims and King Springs too, in 2 or 3 weeks. Check out the photos of the rims? Which one do you like better of the 2, if any? Where the hell do you guys get the clear side indicators from - not online?

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid87/p2bc6e5e572a8965ab0c6527e5d46a21a/faa5ebbc.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid87/pb5a9f5e3a9e043e2d1b13266a5f79d55/faa5ebc0.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid86/pff3f1532902ee479105f63fc7e941d3b/faae6c29.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid86/p64de505c0d479d079b58000e7f3e7894/faae6e18.jpg

Cheers

[twilightprotege]

welcome john! welcome to the board and glad you dropped by the aussie section :D

if you have any questions, certainly feel free to ask. where are you from? bris?

ps i got my clear indicators from japan when i was there last year. also outta the two rims, i like the 2nd one better

[Tunnel_Rat]

Hi john welcome
I like the 2nd wheel out of the two i am looking for wheels as well
shit hard to find ones i like i am thinking of the 2003.5 mazdaspeed 17in from states for some thing a bit diffrent will look at shipping cost first.
Got my clear side blinkers from susex st city in sydney i think the name is ssr performance will check and pm you you must ask for the good ones they gave me some shit ones first.
You have the same rear tails as i do would like to see pic in daylight on a black sp and you should wire up a second park light i did it looks good at night.



(rockon)

[twilightprotege]

tunnel rat - i'm sure you could pick up 2nd hand ones on here pretty cheap

[JEB83]

Yeah brissy boy. northside.

[twilightprotege]

cool :) I live at chermside.

you up for the gold coast cruise?

[JEB83]

Tunnel Rat - Thanks for the info...How exactly do you hook up the second red lamp. It annoys me so much having only the one work. What do I need to wire up the second red lamp? In laymans terms would be greatly appreciated? Cheers

[Tunnel_Rat]

Originally posted by JEB83
Tunnel Rat - Thanks for the info...How exactly do you hook up the second red lamp. It annoys me so much having only the one work. What do I need to wire up the second red lamp? In laymans terms would be greatly appreciated? Cheers

Its easy just go to a wrecker get two front side blinker bulb holders most jap ones will fit wirer them in to your brake and park light wiring work out with a test light which is the park wire cut and solider(you could all ways scotch lock it nasty) new wire in heat shrink over wire just use earth wire from brake park as its only 5 watt bulb no need for its own earth thats it then you have two park ligths (rockon)

[Tunnel_Rat]

SSR GT1 17 x 7.5 $365-USD 18x7.5 $425-USD
/members/Tunnel_Rat/ssr_gt1_ci3_l.jpg
SSR GT3 18x7.5 $540-USD (Lotto for me)
/members/Tunnel_Rat/ssr_gt3_ci3_l.jpg
I dream alot LOL


(rockon)

[wiredone]

well i prefer darker wheels on black... and seeing chrome seems to be on the way out i got shadow chrome as it seems to be on the way in... ie BMW's etc

i also prefer deeper dish... but its all preference...

well the sussex street place your all talking about is SRS
we have there lights in stock at our workshop in brookvale if anyone can't be bothered to make the trip...

[Tunnel_Rat]

Originally posted by twilightprotege
tunnel rat - i'm sure you could pick up 2nd hand ones on here pretty cheap

Just missed a set went for $600 they like to sell in states first to much to pack and ship for them i think. :(


O well(rockon)

[coolsp]

yeah www.srsauto.com is the place to buy the side blinkers. they do deal online and you have to deposit money in their account before they ship. if you want they should be at auto salon this weekend and i could pick you a set up. with your 18x8s i think you may have a problem with the rear cause i think the sedan doesnt have the same clearance as the hatch. i have 18x8s but i had to roll rear guard.

[ahb11m]

hmmm i'm thinking of just buying some new lights from holden to suit the vt up... they look like the fitment would be the same....

hold on its a new meet now!! i'm gonna go to auto salon on sunday, anyone else??

[JEB83]

ahb11m - how certain are you about the holden thing...I've been eyeing them off too...but was not sure if it would fit properly. Cheers

[coolsp]

they dont fit. i tried originally before i bought mt others.

[Tunnel_Rat]

Yep thats right i tried vt and mazda6 no good but if you order some from SRS make sure you ask for good ones the first pair i got from them were shit bad glue job.



(rockon)

[ahb11m]

damn, i just like something out of a factory i know, and trust!!! i might try to order the clears from mazda part number is some thing?? i'll look it up soon!!!

[Tunnel_Rat]

Originally posted by ahb11m
damn, i just like something out of a factory i know, and trust!!! i might try to order the clears from mazda part number is some thing?? i'll look it up soon!!!

Keep us posted if you have any luck :D

[wiredone]

well i can tell you ive had my clears for months and months... nothing wrong with them... for $40 you can't go wrong... especially seeing my car is black... much sleeker

[Tunnel_Rat]

Yep me too the second set are great no problems and they look good.
But would be good to see if he can get mazda ones as i tried and had no luck with mazda ones before i found SRS had them.


(rockon)

[ahb11m]

i said i'd get the numbers!!!! there are two numbers, i'm gonna try and order them tomorrow - wish me luck!!!
B33P-51-120A or B33P-51-120

i got the part numbers (EDM spec i thinks) from

http://www.protege323.tk

there is some interesting stuff on there, have a lookie at it

[Tunnel_Rat]

Good luck let us know how you go with the order




(rockon)

[ahb11m]

well i did it, i rang Hornsby Mazda - no good, at least Central Coast mazda were a little bit helpful, and suggested i talk to mazda australia - but that was only after i broke down and told them exactly what it was, (they said when i have it in on monday they would try some from the mazda 2.... i'm doubting, so i'll buy them at auto salon on sunday...

oh yeah mazda australia asked why i wanted them, and then demanded to know who gave me the part number!!! hello internet!!! sooo i'm pissed at them.... looks like i'll have to find a new road for my sport 20 body kit... crap heads... grrrrr - i'm going for a drink - bye i've already been RBT'd once tonight, lets make it worth while

[twilightprotege]

yeah mazda oz were like "how the fork did you know about technical service bulletins" when i spoke to them (i emailed them and asked them for all of the TSB's relating to the sp20

[ahb11m]

ahhh shit... had to do an emergency run to ulladulla, was a nice weekend BUT no clear indicators... where on sussex street did you say that place was?? i'm not paying freight if i can help it!!

also no mazda on monday, so james has no AC fark was it hot today!

all in all my weekend consisted of nothing, and my car is still running shit poor... damn i want a V8 - someone talk some sense into me

[twilightprotege]

fuel price.

nough said! (lol)

[ahb11m]

done, i'm so thankful for that!!!
not long till the first meet!!

well if i lived in QLD, i think i could afford that!!!

this weekends run cost me $48 in petrol, running around to get my sisters keys( first were stolen) and 60 in accomadation... oh yeah and $203 for 133/110... damn i shouldn't speed, i'm now like on 4 points or something

whats the colour of a two cent coin?

[ahb11m]

oh yeah and i went nuts, over taking every VT, VX, VU VY commodore, every mazda 6, and well anything with clears... this has become a strange obsession now...

[twilightprotege]

man you've gotta be able to find some that fit. try tracking down aftermarket rx7 ones...might be easier. i know they fit, because that's what mine are.

[wiredone]

SRS in sussex street sell them for $40.. spend the money and save yourself the time... check there site for exact address:
http://www.srsauto.com
they don't speak the greatest english but the girl there knows her shit... we deal with them for all our lights that go in our bodykits... yet to have a problem...
i mean whats the extra $20... i practically spend that on cigarettes a day... (need to quit... those forgies are getting further and further away)

[ahb11m]

haha, yeah or ya could switch to something cheaper!!
start smoking holidays, or even worse menthols... you'll hate it!!!
you know i smoke too, but not half as much as you mate!!

yeah i didn't know where they were... ok i didn't look hard enough on their site... i got it 368 Sussex St... i'll head down on thursday morning...
now i just need the engine fixed...

[wiredone]

why not pop it in to us? =p

on a serious note, if you want warranted labour without paying mazda's "pay through the teeth" pricing, you know where we are.

good luck with the clears

[davo]

Hey My name is dave

I own a 2002 protege 1.6L and i am from western australia.

This poor little car is getting a bit of a betting from my sound system i must say.

Car includes: Pioneer DEH-P6450 Deck, Pioneer TS-D160R 6" componets in front doors, Pioneer TS-A6955 6x9's on the rear shelf (That Rattles) :( ,Pioneer TS-W304C Subwoofer and a Blaupunkt 640Watt amp and a Kicker 600.4 amp.

My mazda also has just got a new set of 16x7 rims and rubber. And as it is the mazda blue it is all looking rather nice.

I have a big list of mods that are waiting to happen when the cash is good.

Thats all for me any questions just ask.
It is great to know we are recognised here in Oz.

[RyanJayG]

hey, any of you crazy aussies on OCAU or Tweakers Australia?

[twilightprotege]

welcome dave! great you dropped in and said hello :) now we've got two 1.6L guys running around here....

maybe you should come over for the gold coast cruise on november 29....ok maybe if you had 1 week to get here and 1 week to get home free ;) hehehehe

ryan - dont know those thingies

[Tunnel_Rat]

Originally posted by RyanJayG
hey, any of you crazy aussies on OCAU or Tweakers Australia?

RyanjayG love that site just got new 550watt psu all ready to start to O/C have a look at www.atomicmpc.com.au has good info on overclocking.

[RyanJayG]

kick ass, I'm on TA and I buzz around a bit on other forums too.

[ahb11m]

Welcome davo, you officially have the hardest car to mod!! ... my 1.6 wants to be a v8 when it grows up.... :(

v.nice setup you have, but you shoulda ran 2 12's!!

now are you americanising? you have the sedan ya?

gotta love the innocent blue, i'm guessing you bought new.... damn i hate my used car!!!

[davo]

Thanks guys it is nice to be here.

And just so you all no i am working on getting my car setup to be displayed in the summer nats sound off next year. I will keep you posted on the progress.

I would like to make it a v8 eater but little mazdee no want to go that fast. i will try and get my camera back and take a few shots of her so you can see me and my baby (that the girlfriend hates).

Anyone know of a good mod shop in perth???

[twilightprotege]

coming all the way over for the summer nats??? COOOOOOL :D

that's what you call dedication!

[ahb11m]

well andrew its sorted now, you have to go!!!

i'll be there too, i'm sure i'll see ya there davo!!!

[twilightprotege]

well i've just put me name down for a group buy for cam gears, so my engine power should be sorted b4 xmas :D

[ahb11m]

well i've just had a fun filled weekend, in which i actually got a lot accomplished!!!

i contacted ford about getting an intermittent wiper switch (selectable delay) done and ordered $93 (ford fucked up price, had to give me - should of been 194!!!)

i painted stuff!! i did the headlights, had paint left over, decided that the camry sportivo had cool badges, soo painted my badges black, and i did my front grill piece black - not happy with it gonna do white (ie body colour)

oh did i mention we won??!!!! then watched england win, (was backing france) been pissed from friday through to today!! damn someone better knock down johnny wilko!!!

i shortened my door locks, looks good unlock controlled internally by a little red switch - (which i will make black later on)

tightened my wheel nuts after a small incident on the free way (my bad didn't tighten properly - wheel nearly fell off!!!)

painted my exhaust heat shield, and painted my valve cover red, polished back the lettering to silver - looks the shiznit!!!

updated my car handsfree to a phone i actually use (7250)

changed my side indicators (thanks to wiredone for the hook up!!!) to clears!

sat around got fat and drank some more, then i passed out watching some crap on SBS

still waiting on my eibachs, and still waiting on some blacked out front indicators (can't be opened - trust me i tried!!)

oh yeah i also found out that the bridgestone G3 is a very under rated tyre!!! 120 through corners i normally take at 70 - schweeeet!!!

hmm i think that was it, now all i need is a spool/hiboost/flyin protege kit and i'm happy as!!!

see ya all soon in GC!!

James

[twilightprotege]

yep big weekend indeed! all i did was polish my car...washed it, went over it with that clay stuff, washed it again then put mothers california gold carnubia polish on it, let it sit over night (had to stop to watch the wallabies ofcourse). took all the polish off sunday morning and then went for a drive (as you do). enjoyed more rugby on sunday night.

cant wait for thursday night...REALLY cant wait until saturday night!!!! i think i'm going to cry when there's no more rugby on...ok maybe not, but the thought of cricket is just to slow for me (i usually like cricket)

cant want to check out your car ahb11m. oh and with the front indicators, have you tried the oven trick as per the how-to on this site? i'm eventually going to do my headlights in the same black as the car

[ahb11m]

haha, naaa my car is just a shitty mess, that looks ok when its dark....

yeah i thought i said that.. oh well was long - i wouldn't read it all!!! yeah i tried the oven... no luck so i have had to order the parts in black... ( i actually broke the front while trying as well) the glue is like porcelain i think heating it only makes it stronger!!!
damn two piece assembly

your lights would look good... strange thing i noticed with the paint i used was that if you spray heaps on, it actually drys with a nice smooth finish... was an acrylic auto paint in gloss finish....

light spray created a matt effect (i did matt inside the lights - against my own good wishes)

i strangley wanted to polish my car - but then decided against it... coz i'm gonna be really pissed if i buff my paint off!!! - waiting 48 hours for last badges to dry

at least my water restrictions allow me to wash the car with a hose!!!!! (suck shit sydney!!!!)

[Tunnel_Rat]

Hi guys i am going to wax my car soon love that mothers max i use the pure carnauba wax paste love it.Hey twilight you let it sit over night wax or polish you must mean wax?
Sydney water is a joke i talk to every body and we all say the same thing we use more water washing with buckets its dumb i have tested it and i used twice as much i heard on the radio that the water board know this but they think it will make more people just no wash the car (fuck wits).
I am all for saving water so fuck the bucket i still use the hose they can suck my cock!:mad:





(rockon)

[Tunnel_Rat]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by twilightprotege
[B]yep big weekend indeed! all i did was polish my car...washed it, went over it with that clay stuff, washed it again then put mothers california gold carnubia polish on it, let it sit over night (had to stop to watch the wallabies ofcourse). took all the polish off sunday morning and then went for a drive (as you do). enjoyed more rugby on sunday night.

Good to see somebody else who takes pride in washing and maxing or polishing their car (dance)



(rockon)

[wiredone]

used to spend hours and hours waxing and polishing...

then one of my mates started working at a carlovers.... simply put the car through the laser wash 5 times and shammy... bit of instant detailer and its done... 5 hours of work in 5 mins... no scratches from dirt in rags either as nothing touches the car, and for anyone who owns a black car you understand....

laser wash = $15... seeing i get it as many times as i want for free i should simply charge little kiddies on my saturday mornings to go round the block and into the laserwash over and over... f*ck those little train rides, mine has aircon... =p

[twilightprotege]

tunnel - yeah i mean wax. i never use cut polish, that's why i just wrote polish - and i'm lazy. i like to leave it overnight because it settles really well and also it's easier to take off...well i find it that way anyway.

wired - yep know the black car feeling! hell i dont even drive my car for a week and it's dusty!

go the wallabies!

[ahb11m]

yeah black is bad - white ain't gret either - i just drive to work and its dirty... grrr...

i've been liking the laser wash but i can still use my hose, nothing beats elbow grease!!!

hmm i should try wax sounds good to me!! i normally just wash, use a good cutting compund (light abrasive) and then just put on meguirs gold class protectant stuff works well....

i hear good stuff about instant detailer... oh well i don't care too much, i drive 120km every day - car gets dirty way too easy

[twilightprotege]

i absolutely love the maguires clay detailer or whatever it is. it's bloody hard work, but the difference is like night and day. the car even after washing feels slightly rough...well your hand makes a sandpaper like noise when you rub your hand over it. after the clay, it's like brand new. the paint is so so so smooth. i honestly cant praise it enough.

same with the moothers california gold carnubia wax. great stuff. at $39 a tin it bloody better be!

oh and by the way, i never ever use cutting polish

[ahb11m]

well slightly off topic.....

England suck!!! next cruise is to France in 2007.. who else is up for it???
i'm gonna organise a cruise to france, leaving melbourne, by way of sydney, then brisbane... oh yeah can't forget dave.. better go to perth - then to paris!!!

on the aussie topic etc - how good is ethanol - my favourite choice BUNDABERG DRAUGHT!!!

well i'm gonna go pass out now

ughh, - don\t wake me in the morning....

[twilightprotege]

it was a great game i have to admit. if the aussies won it would have been a fantastic game, but both sides played great rugby.

ethanol. i dont know. some so called experts say it's good, some say it's bad. i dont think the 10% will be an issue, but you never know what some dodgy fuel servos will put in it. i only buy bp ultimate anyway

[JEB83]

Here is the pic of a daytime photo of black tails...someone requested a while back.

Cheers

[JEB83]

How sweet was tuquiri's take over robinson's...as well as in the NZ game last fortnight...

[twilightprotege]

arh...roma street parklands....used to be free parking there from when they opened until about november last year.

are you coming on the GC cruise jeb?

[Critter]

So I guess I will intro myself.
I used to spend some time here a while ago but things have got much busier in the Aussie chapter since then.
You will find me a regular at www.astinagt.com as those who go there will know.......

For those who don't......
I am a silly old bugger (over 40) who has been bugged by cars ever since I can remember. Raced mini's way back, still spend some time with racing, mostly as an official waving flags, controlling incidents track-side or running the flag channel radio in race control.

The car:
2001 SP20 in Champagne Silver.
Lowered on Kings springs with Koni Sport shocks, Whiteline adjustable rear bar, camber kits both ends and the very first Whiteline alloy strut brace. handling is fantastic now :)

Cat-back zorst, sports muffler, Unichip and a K&N drop in filter are the only performance mods thus far.....

The interior has a custom leather re-trim in expensive pleated bamboo leather. Very happy with that, one of the classiest jobs I've seen. TWR short shifter with CF Momo knob.

Side protector is body-coloured now and clear side lamps.
Rims are 17s, Lenso (TenzoR in the States) RS5s with custom bronze centres with some pearl in it. Dark tint (of course).

The sound system is what makes this car. Have a long history in the sound system business both working and playing.
High-end Alpine HU.

Morel Hybrid component front stage and rear door speakers.
Dynamat Extreme sound deadening.

Ampification by JL Slash series. Front amp is bridged, rears run off HU, Class D for subs.

Twin Phoenix Gold Titanium 12s sealed for the bottom end.
Stinger Expert cabling and connectors throughout.

Boot install is almost finished.......

[twilightprotege]

welcome critter! impressive list of mods there...

but where the hell is winmalee?????

[wiredone]

i think critter lives somewhere in the blue mountains... least thats the impression i got from his brief workshop visit =)

[Critter]

Yeah, lower Blue Mountains.

Used to be called North Springwood.

It's aboriginal for "good place for a bushfire....."

[twilightprotege]

(lol)

mmmm....twisty roads!

[Critter]

Oh,yeah.

There is a fabulous piece of road to carve up the unsuspecting on just 5 minutes from here :)

[twilightprotege]

fan-bloody-tastic! it's about 30 minutes drive from my place to mt nebo and mt glorious just outside brisbane for those who dont know where that is. very enjoyable road....

[ahb11m]

andrew your freeway on and off ramps scare me enough!! i nearly lost it on saturday, after 800 klicks of winding country i find the rear of my car trying to overtake the front.....

[twilightprotege]

so you got back ok obviously...

our freeways rock! hehehehe the one going from the gold coast back on the M1 going back to brisbane you can go around easily at 180+

[ahb11m]

yeah, i want to go to the meet tomorrow, but can't... :( got a huge 21st (best mates) at night, after work... damn it shits me being semi responisible

yes i got back alright, i hooked up with a mate on schoolies, and stayed out until 3 on sunday, but slept in well, so not tired on the way home
only saw 3 P platers pulled up on the way home, but drive was event free, went straight from burleigh to grafton (drinks) to kempsey (dinner) to raymond terrace (fuel) to gosford (home)....

next meet should be bigger again, i'm sure that the astinagt guys will go on to nats this year

[twilightprotege]

yeah as time goes further on....summernats....ROADTRIP for twilight! :)

prob go to work on the friday, sleep, leave at around midnight and pretty much drive through. enjoy saturday and sunday. head back monday (get my fiancee to call my work and tell them i'm sick cough cough :D) that way i'd get to see all the good stuff ;)

anyway, if that's a no go for some reason, i'll catch the next astinagt meet for sure.

[Critter]

At todays BIG AstinaGT event there was chat about a cruise/event at the end of Summmernats time, about 10/1 is a rough date.

7 SP20s today :)
Will post up something in the Ulladulla thread.

[twilightprotege]

so at the same tiem as the summernats? that's the 9-11th isnt it?

if that's the case, i'll definately have to be there then

[rupewrecht]

Hey all

I'm Daniel from Melbourne Australia

I drive a 1996 Mazda Astina Hardtop Turbo, Passion Rose in color. licence plate is 'WRECHT" coz for a while it was...

Mods - waaaaaaaay too many to list, suffice to say it's turbocharged and puts out 194kw at the front wheels at the moment, but i'm awaiting a bigger fuel pump going in...so aiming for about 240kw atw :)
Check the specs here! (astinagt.com/readers/ride.php?userid=rupewrecht)

Future Mods - bodykit...maybe, interior retrim

Previous Cars - 78 Toyota Corolla CS, but also currently own a 62 VW Beetle with a 1600

hope you don't mind a previous gen mazda being here!

cheers
Dan

[twilightprotege]

all are welcome dan!

[ahb11m]

kill the old model!!!

naaa just kidding... welcome dan, hey you thinking of goign to summer nats???

oh yeah on an unrelated matter (to dan) i'm not getting personalised... too much money for it.... $50 ordering fee, and then $100 annual fee... NSW changed the rules on the 24th of november used to be a one off $190 for ordering and change over only...

[twilightprotege]

man that sucks! damn govt...

[ahb11m]

yeah which state is gonna be best for me to move to??

[twilightprotege]

well qld has a massive personalised number plate business up here.

have a look at the options : www.ppq.com.au

[ahb11m]

did anyone else get this??





Hi James,


Evocative style, dynamic performance, all the creature comforts. The new Mazda3 is everything you want in a compact car.

And with the launch of the Mazda3 only weeks away, we are delighted to provide you with this exclusive countdown to launch.



Choose your Colour
With brand new colours including Sherbet Green and Passion Orange, together with some of our favourites including Winning Blue and the ever-popular Black Mica, we are sure that you will have no trouble choosing a Mazda3 to match your lifestyle. Click here to view all the colours.

The Safety Story
The all-new Mazda3 takes safety to new heights. Starting with the Mazda Advanced Impact Distribution and Absorption System (MAIDAS), the ultra stiff body structure gives superior handling and stability.

The dynamic handling of the Mazda3 is also supported by ABS brakes and Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD) which ensures positive driver feedback and control.

And the driver and front passenger airbag system has 2-stage inflation depending on the force of the impact, while front side and curtain airbags provide head and torso protection in the event of a side impact. Front side and curtain airbags are available on the Neo model as a Safety Pack and are standard on the Maxx and SP23 models.

In mid January we will have another surprise - an exclusive offer to win a Bose lifestyle system if you take a test-drive in the all-new Mazda3 before the end of March. Stay tuned.

With all this choice and outstanding features available in hatch, sedan and sports models, there are only two words that could come to mind.

Zoom-Zoom.




_________________________________________________--___all available for viewing at mazda3.com.au
i want titanium grey!!! sp23

[ahb11m]

yeah andy, i've seen those plates.... damn i hate you northern people more..... :(

oh well i'll cope, at least i don't live in mexico (sorry dan!!) ugh 3 kilometre tolerance on speeding, i think i'd die

[twilightprotege]

nah i didnt get one of those. would be very interested in having a looksie at the sp23 though. but dont worry, i wont be trading in my sp20. might be an options for my fiancee though.

yeah 3kph tolerance...HA HA !!!! hehehehehe I dont know how I would go if I were booked doing max speed in all of the cars i've had. lets just say slowest was my civic at 197kph. on a track ofcourse ;)

[ahb11m]

where else in the world can you bake in 35 degree weather on christmas day? (i thinks that is only 95F)


oh yeah i found a nice little mod for those who can't source/ afford HID kits....

run down to your favourite local bodge W or Kmart, and pick up some 55/100... much better viewing distance at night with high beams on, just performs weirdly, takes a while to warm up and to cool down so takes half a second to switch

happy christmas to all, its about 5pm here and we finally got round to eating to prawns, lobster, ham and cold salads.... turkey shall come out later(8ish)... please rain!!!

[twilightprotege]

oh yeah...always my fav part of xmas in oz...damn it's hot today!!! and so damn humid!!!!

[sabrelli]

11.15pm and still sticky as hell outside!!!!!!

[Zed]

Hello all!

'Spose it's about time I introduce myself in the Aussie section of these forums. My name is Zane and I drive a starry blue SP20. Some of you may know me from the Astinagt forums or CarAudioAustralia.

Current mods include:-
K&N panel filter
2" cat back exhaust, Lukey muffler
lowered 1.5" on King springs
clear lens side indicators
Hollandia electric sunroof
tinted windows

Not much in the performance department (yet) but the real deal in my car is with the stereo:-
Stock Mazda 6-disc CD player
David Navone line output converter
AVI LXD component speakers for the front
Boston Acoustics Rally woofers in the rear
Image Dynamics IDQ12v2
JL Audio 300/4 running the front speakers active
Coustic 401DB running the sub
Sound deadening provided by Focal Plainchant pads, Dynamat Extreme and G-Spot/Serenity Max
Streetwires RCAs, Supra power and speaker cable

Will try and provide some pics as soon as I get my digital camera back.

Cheers!

[twilightprotege]

welcome zane!!!

[sp20mad]

hi all!
the names Justin or you would know me as sp20mad! most would recognise me from the astinagt forum, however i have put some help into the GB of the short shifter recently!

i have a black 2003 sp20! have some stereo mods ie subs amp/run off standard deck with a converter!

other mods are on there way!

i am really looking forward to catching up with some people at a cruise! i want to check out some of the mods others have done before i jump into anything!

so i will seeyou all around! ciao!

[twilightprotege]

welcome (to this forum) justin :D

[sp20mad]

cheers dude! although i have been around for a bit! i am now introduced! lets get some stuff goin hey! i need modifications!

[twilightprotege]

well if you need anything (and this goes for everyone) just ask me. if i dont know, pretty much no body will know. there are a few mods the yanks do which we already have/dont need/wont work

[sabrelli]

So Andy, can i say that you are the aussie version of TheMAN??
but more of a top bloke and not as harsh?

[Critter]

Yeah, welcome aboard this place Justin.

But...keep those exclamation marks in your pocket willya? :)

[twilightprotege]

LOL - yeah arden....sounds about right ;) certainly no where near as harsh

[sp20mad]

yeh i have been told before that i use a hell of a lot of exclamaition marks. i will try and keep them to a minimum from now on. sorry do make your day such a distress. (jks) have a good one guys, see you round.

[ahb11m]

Originally posted by sp20mad
yeh!! i have been told before that i use a hell of a lot of exclamaition marks! i will try and keep them to a minimum from now on!!! sorry do make your day such a distress! (jks) have a good one guys, see you round!!!!!!!!!!!!!

there was no need for that, i counted 19 in there, thats crazy stuff!

note my one?

nah i only kid, i love the fact you can totally mis-quote people on this thing!

good to have you all on board, wow, so many newbs!!, (ok i know most of your all transfers from astinagt.com)

and on with the next cruise!!!!!!

[ahb11m]

Originally posted by sp20mad
yeh!! i have been told before that i use a hell of a lot of exclamaition marks! i will try and keep them to a minimum from now on!!! sorry do make your day such a distress! (jks) have a good one guys, see you round!!!!!!!!!!!!!

there was no need for that, i counted 19 in there, thats crazy stuff!

note my one?

nah i only kid, i love the fact you can totally mis-quote people on this thing!

good to have you all on board, wow, so many newbs!!, (ok i know most of your all transfers from astinagt.com)

and on with the next cruise!!!!!!
for those who are looking for places to stay i would higly reccommend going to http://www.check-in.com.au to find a room... there are a few options there to choose from

[twilightprotege]

and it's all good :D

[Tunnel_Rat]

Well hello Zane and Justin allways good to see more aussies.(dance)


(rockon)

[ahb11m]

waz all good? ahh james is confused, my poor littel brain is still flooded with bundaberg

[twilightprotege]

all good that there are so many newbies

[Critter]

:)
Forgot to welcome Zane to this board....doh!

I've known Zane for some time on and off, he's a good man, loves his SQ, all good.

Need to see that car Zane, in person at an event.......

[TwoJays]

Morning everyone!

JJ (or TwoJays, can't have two letter usernames!) on board... I've managed to find my way over here from AstinaGT...

I'll start wandering around... talk to you all soon!

[twilightprotege]

welcome jj!!! another astinagt convert ;)

[ahb11m]

andrew its not the church od astina here, and two jays is still two timing... we'll have to get him all the way over to here...

[twilightprotege]

(lol)

[TwoJays]

Two-timing... yup... pretty much, besides which I've still got this:

[twilightprotege]

yeah somehow i dont think protege5.com would work ;)

[SFC01v2]

Well after some significant arseing around I am on board. In version 2 guise though!!

Anyone want me to tune their ECU? I'm real gud wiv electronical stuff. :)

See you round the traps.

[Critter]

Welcome aboard to both JJ and SFC (both versions)

Yup, I have one of those stickers proudly displayed as well, JJ.

Summernats BBQ at JJ's....it's all good.

If you're lucky JJ, I'll take ya for a run when I'm there, moit.

What's better than SQ? Loud SQ :)

[twilightprotege]

ooooooo....tuning ecu's????????

[ahb11m]

not fair, he was joking... :( i was really looking forward to any boost, coz god knows i need em all!!!

[twilightprotege]

joking???? :mad: hehehehehe

btw james, got your springs yet???

and you STOLE MY SIG!!!!! damn you!!!!! damn you to hell!!!!! ;) LOL :p nah that's cool. helps me remember what you've done to your car

[twilightprotege]

oh and all you need now is dyno info ;)

[ahb11m]

no i borrowed your code... and hey i say we are family... in families there is no stealing, just borrowing.... :D

[ahb11m]

haha, i just realised, that our sigs race each other!!!

[twilightprotege]

(lol) very good. well i think i better speed my sig up a real lot then!!!

[ABC]

Hi everyone,

Another AstinaGT person just checking over to see what is goin' on and say hello :)

Car details are:
1996 Astina
2.0L V6

Modifications:
K&N Panel Filter
90mm Cold Air Induction Downpipe
Towbar for towing 'das boot' around the countryside. (Its only about 300Kg all up including trailer)
almost forgot - AstinaGT.com sticker on rear window too!

Plans:
KLZE 2.5L Jap Spec V6 engine swap (40% increase in power can only be a good thing :D)
Semi equal length exhaust upgrade
Lowering springs and sway bar

I'll catch up with most of you at Summernats as JJ lives over the fence from me! :)

[twilightprotege]

welcome!!! big cai piping there!

[20OMZ]

hey aussies how you all doin???? hi my names ricky my firends call me tricky so i guess that all of you will be calling me tricky cause im friendly :)

i drive a mazda protege 323 (2000) i live in toowoomba in QLd just 150 k's away from brizzy...

mods to the mazda:

17x7.5 advanti wheels 205/40R17 nyxen tyres
Turbo smart exust (3inch inlet 4 inch out) 2.5 inch cat (hotdog)
monza racing seats (yes i have a mod plate)

Stereo
Alpine DVD player
Alpine IVA-C800E multi media indash head unit
Alpine front splits (4x)
Apline 6x9's (1)
Fusion power plants 15 inch (2x)
Alpine 600 watt V12 amp
Infinity 2000 watt amp

Musical air horns
clear tail light
pedders 2 inch lowering springs

I wish i had my car looking as good as i had it but i had a crash and it is making me very annoyed... i really wanted to go on a few cruzes so i could meet up with every one

[twilightprotege]

looks like you need some performance mods there tricky ;)

[Tunnel_Rat]

Hey tricky(200MZ)its about time you came over and checked in on this site where you been why so long:D


(rockon)

[20OMZ]

why so long... well lets say it was hard to convert :) i thought i was cool starting the 1st threat from australia... but then i realised there was only about 5 ppl that went on there :( this site goes off

Andrew..... one day mate one day.. i want to keep it a slowtege for a while and fix it all up and put those subs in 1st

(THEN THE TURBO BP 1.8L WILL GO IN :) )

[ahb11m]

how has your day been ?? well mines been fine!!! thanks for asking!!! grrrrr

i got to play fireman sam today, on the way to work, with my car!! basic short circuit, but somehow the fuse didn't blow.... what a shitty day... i also went to the doctors ... turns out i'm gonna die one day, and that i need to see the chiropractor, coz your all to short for me!!!

yeah, anyways wire swayed and got hot on engine, then the insulation on wire melted, made a contact with the engine hence short circuit... to top it off, the wires insulation then proceded to get v. hot (like a toaster) which then stripped all the insulation off the wire, which then melted the other wires in the bundle, which then started a fire.... made me late to work, but what an excuse for being late!!

i was only 20 minutes late, i blame knowing how to fight engine fires for not being late

basically i slowly was looking under the car, couldn't see much..... looked over everything, undid the latch, stepped back.... looked in no flames, opened hood, a few flames sparked up, so i beat them down.... not too bad really just a shit load of smoke, small flames and a melted loom....


so tell me your day was fun now!!

[Critter]

Damn!!
Glad it turned out OK (could have been a lot worse....)

[twilightprotege]

james you just gave me the giggles ;) LOL!!!!

nah, glad it's all good

[ahb11m]

ahhhhh!!! for fucks sake, i think i have to sell this car!!!! i just scraped it up really badly, on a mates retaining wall.....

man this is sucking ass, i don't want to drive anymore!!!!

i'll post pics in a minute!!

edit: - pics
http://www.mazdamp3.com/members/ahb11m/b045.jpg
http://www.mazdamp3.com/members/ahb11m/b043.jpg

[twilightprotege]

damaged car = opportunity to put a wide body kit on it and paint it a kick arse colour!!!!

[ahb11m]

painting damage this weekeend.... need to make prettier..... i'm still wokring on pics

btw, what the fudge is with teh forum?

[twilightprotege]

they had an upgrade...i prefer the old one but i'll get used to this one.

how are the springs?????? :D

[ahb11m]

springs are schweeeeet.....

leigh is scared at my driving now, .... not my fault i can go through orange lights at 60km with out going sideways now!!!

[twilightprotege]

LMAO!!!!!!!

rosemary told me that next time i go for a drive through the mountains with her she'll have to buy a neck brace ;)

[ahb11m]

hehe, try track work with her, she'll love that!!!

i'm in the middle of painting up that damage on the car.... my dad is normally not supportive of all my mods, but he is highly recommending side skirts... damn this is so hard to swallow, i dunno if i can be bothered to look for them!!

anyway more time to kill, lots to do... (smoke)

[twilightprotege]

didnt someone have their sp20 side skirts for sale on astinagt?

[ahb11m]

ooooh, i like that idea... i was admiring them today too!!!... idoes anyone know the measurements for those side sills??

[twilightprotege]

which measurements? they should be a direct fit i'm pretty sure

[Aussieman]

That car is awesome, but i think i'll be having a divorce if i spent $9,500 on a turbo kit.
Spewing and jealous!!!!!!!!!!!




haha sabrelli..... how are u my old friend...

well i finally got pics up...
http://www.streetdreams.com.au/gallery.asp?catview=SP20%20Turbo

[twilightprotege]

another new aussie???? tell us about yourself aussieman

[Lazer_ST]

Hi All,
Steve, from Melbourne. Cool to finally see other aussies.
Drive a black Protege SP20, got it towards the start of 2003, so I haven't done anything to it, besides cosmetic things, like tail lights, interior flooring.. general stuff. Dont want to void the warranty.
Anyway, wish there were more SP20 owners in Melbourne, doesnt seem like I've seen many on the road down here.

L8er all.

[twilightprotege]

welcome steve!

dont be too affraid of voiding the warranty on things. they cant deny you a suspension failure just because you have an exhaust. i got my clutch replaced under warranty about 3 months ago. if you check out my sig you'll see how much i've done to the car...but then again, i guess it helped that i told them this is what's wrong, these are the parts they need and just do it ;) hehehe

[coldie123]

Hi guys,

Quick intro from me, I'm Carlton from Sydney, aka coldie (drinks)
I have a silver 2001 Astina SP20, and haven't really been into modding until recently... now I'm spending an unhealthy amount of time browsing through these forums and learning heaps... lovin it!
Mainly done cosmetic stuff now, but wanna get into some performance mods and have a load of questions for you guys... i'm sure i'll learn heaps (yippy)

Hope this pic works:
http://members.optusnet.com.au/coldie123/car/sp20.JPG

Currently thinking about getting some black tail lights.. heres a quick photoshop job... what do you think? I reckon will go well with blackend headlights.. if i ever get time to do it
http://members.optusnet.com.au/coldie123/car/blacktailson2.jpg

catch you guys around!

[twilightprotege]

welcome carlton!!!

yeah the black tails on a silver car are one of the few options i think look good for replacement tails.

oh and here's a tip, since you have the 01 sp20, you can sell your tails to the yanks for a decent price! have a look in the for sale section and see what the jdm tails are selling for and that'll give you a good idea.

but let me just say, i hope your next mod is going to be lowering the car ;)

[ahb11m]

oooh artarmon? does that mean your a north shore boy??

have to organise a meet again, will let you know if it happens!!!

nice looking ride, and i can see the modding bug has hit... first its a set of clear indicators, and then you turn around and your shelling out 10K for a body kit... it happens :p

[coldie123]

oooh artarmon? does that mean your a north shore boy??

have to organise a meet again, will let you know if it happens!!!

nice looking ride, and i can see the modding bug has hit... first its a set of clear indicators, and then you turn around and your shelling out 10K for a body kit... it happens :p

thanks for the welcome, yup i definitely wanna get it lowered, only problem is that my rear tyres already rub even though the guards have been rolled (sad2) ... if only i knew about this forum before i got the wheels/tyres last year. and yup i'll see how much i can get for my stock taillights on ebay !

yup live on the north, let me know if theres a meet. i wish i had 10K to spare for car mods :D

[twilightprotege]

eeeek....sounds like you got the wrong offset for the wheels there ???

[coldie123]

yup i dunno exactly what offset they are, but probably +40 or +38. An alloy wheel brochure that had a fitment guide that said that +38 would fit the SP20s, so I didn't bother to check with mazda... but in hindsight i should've checked just to be safe. oh well good excuse to change wheels, maybe get some 18s :)

[twilightprotege]

yeah i think 17's need to be minimum +42. in the suspension/wheels section here there's a fitment guide that says what offset you need so you dont get rubbing.

[Zed]

Supposedly +40 will fit ok with a 205/40 tyre according to some members on these forums. Will depend on the tyre shape as well.

[Octane]

Heya guys, I never knew a site like this existed!!
Anyways.... thought I'd quickly jump on here after doing a big search for sp20 related mods on the net.... this seems like the place to be..... :)

Ok, I don't actually own a SP20, rather a 13bt rx3, but no matter, I have a friend who's had his yellow sp20 for a few years now, done the usual CAI intake with rush filter (originally) now runs a K&N and the original box with cold air. Also has cat back exhaust, 2 1/4" cat back.

Did a dyno run ages ago with original air box with cat back exhaust and the AFR's dropped to lower than 10:1 really quickly for the majority of the middle and upper rev range.... (as the dyno dynamics don't measure lower than 10:1)

Anyone in particular on these forums found the same? He's looking at installing a microtech LT8 very soon, anyone performed these mods before?

He's a little tentative to mod the car since he's heard stories of extractors stuffing the car up because of the two oxygen sensors, and the twin cats... and he wants to keep all the mod cons like air con, cold start and such when he puts the computer in. So we are gonna talk to a microtech installer tonight actually. Eventual plans are to turbo the car, hence the microtech to fix up the AFR's....

So whats the deal on modding these cars, sounds like they are very fiddly cars... Any drawbacks or problems to putting a microtech on the FS-DE engine? Extractors (so long as the 2 oxy sensors go back in?)

I did search, but since we are seeing this guy tonight thought i might get sum quick answers here. Sorry....

Anyways the car received powder coated white wheels not long after purchase in 2001, has a Pioneer 9250 headunit (I think thats the number), the silver faced dolphin one, Boston Speakers up front, and 2 x 10" soundstream subwoofers run by a big mutha Earthquake amp, old series, think its PA2150. Clear indicator lenses....
Pleased to meet u all.
Octane :) :)

[twilightprotege]

wow! big first post!!!!

so welcome octane...and octane's sp20 owning friend ;)

this is definately the side for sp20 mods. give yourself 5 months and you might read through most of the posts ;) hehehehehe

do you know if your mate with the 20 is on here? sounds like he should be!

where did he go for the dyno run? sounds very strange it would drop below 10:1. the dyno place i go to (redcliffe dyno) would have shut the engine down as soon as they saw those numbers

i dont think anyone in australia has gone an all out ecu upgrade on their 20, but a few has the unichip. depending on critter, i'll either be going the unichip or chiptorque (reason for chiptorque is because i REALLY need to raise my rev limit).

oh and i have a engine back exhaust system and have no problems with the 02 sensors. another member, snert, also has no problems (well i havent heard from him in a bit so i hope he hasnt got any problems). he has the same system as me, but 2.25" (i have 2.5"). engine runs really well, i just dont flog it (and nobody should) when it's cold

nothing is really fiddly on the cars if you know what you're doing. for my taking the head off etc was a pain in the arse, but wasnt a problem. i suggest you send this link to your mate : http://protege5.ugly.net - the workshop manual. has helped me heaps!

i have to admit i havent seen your mate's car around. white wheels would stand out. if you and your mate are interested, we're finally getting a few astina/protege owners talking amongst each other.... i'd really love to organise a cruise, but the best turnout we've had so far is 4 (and one of those car's was my friend's 200sx)

anyway, hope you find the info you're after, and feel free to ask as many q's as you like. if i dont know, there are plenty on this board that will!

[Octane]

Sorry about the big post..... :P
The extractors, I gather that so long as you install a cat, and keep the oxy sensors front and back of it, then it shouldn't pose a problem....?

The dyno run was at Carb-n-ject which was at Underwood at the time. Dyno Dynamics. No real harm in the 10:1 figure, just stupidly rich, fouling rich. The 'before exhaust' run dropped to about 10.5:1 I think, and the 'after exhaust' run made around 3kw@wheels more power, but AFR's dropped off the chart (less than 10:1)... Interesting huh??? The exhaust manifold is staying stock until the turbo comes along....

For the time being the Microtech will sort out the tuning, and most likely make good improvements in mid-range especially, as well as a few extra HP up top, and better economy I guess... :) Think it should be in, in about 4-6weeks..... will make sure I post the results in here after the installation and tuning.

Not sure if he (friend) is on these boards, never asked.
Thanks for the reply, good stuff :) :)
BTW, the car ran a 16.38 @84.? MPH best down the quarter...
Octane

[wiredone]

hey there matey,
twilight how could you forget me? =p
anyway Octane if you need any help with info on both after market ecu (i run a haltech e6X full stand alone), turboing the sp (both me and more recently TDK both have our cars turbo'd), or any other bugs pm me and as i said to everyone else ill be happy to help... i still have all mod cons (air con, cold start etc) and im sure your friend will find that with a bit more research that after market ecu's aren't as scary as everyone makes them out to be... and they ARE a worthy upgrade...

As far as other questions, it seems that over time twilight and I have collected a hell of alot of experience on the subject of modded sp's in australia. Obviously he more on the NA side and i on the turbo side. So don't hesitate to ask anything in future...

[twilightprotege]

doh! forgot about you....well you dont count anyway - you're turbo ;) hehehehe. i guess i haev to say TDK has the haltech as well...

octane, about the exhaust. we have a different ecu to the americans (we have OBD-I, they have OBD-II) and we dont need a cat inbetween the O2 sensors. i havent had one for almost 1 year and have never had a check engine light.

unfortunately our cars are netoriously rich runners, 10:1 is nasty stuff. maybe the sensor was off? anyway, breathing mods will obviously help that - get it back to normal figures

so you're friend has gone over the 1/4 - cool. i've never been yet, but will shortly i hope. does your mate go to saturday afternoon sprints at qld raceway? there is a few astina/protege guys going on 29 may if you or he is interested

but yeah, like wired said, he's the turbo guru, i'm the NA guru. we know our sh!t

[Octane]

Thanks for the quick replies, and great info :) I know who to go to with any Q's.

Yes he took it down the quarter mile well over a year ago now... he and I both live on the s'side of brissy. He gets out a bit in it, not to any cruises really anymore. I forgot to mention that it has King Springs in it too.... the back sits a little high (when no sub-box is in there) but the front has modified bumpstops cause apparently the springs were so low they were almost riding on them at the front. Eventual plan before going turbo (maybe a turbo off a 200sx, but thinking it may be on the small side) is to fix up the brakes a little (EBC Pads? Better fluid), and fully do the suspension (KYB)?

Funny how mazda designed the car to run sooo rich from factory.... and how the addition of a free flowing exhaust actually made the AFR's richer!!
Then theres the crazy factory air intake piping.... what a waste :P We removed that soon after the car was bought and shoved 3" flexi-tubing from under the front bumper up through the little hole in the guard.... cheap CAI, hahahah....

I'll go scour the forums for some more interesting stuff....
Octane :)

[birdy85]

Hey guys i havent posted for a while but just wanted to welcome the new members. i received my Unorthodox Crank Pulley today and also my SS clutch line. Will probably install this weekend but i am having trouble finding a torque wrench. does anyone know how much they cost to buy.

Cya

[Octane]

Hi Birdy.

Was wondering where you get these SS clutchline 'clutches' from and an approximate price.

Would they be good for a turbo application? Or do most people just get the clamping force increased? Friend went through his first clutch in around 15,000km's from memory (not so sedate driving)..... replaced under warranty, but all mazda clutches seem really really soft, so I'm guessing a fair increase in HP & torque will see a quick end to the stock clutch.

Octane :)

[birdy85]

The only place i know to get them is CorkSport. That is where i buy most of my stuff. I got my CAI kit from the and also the camshaft(which i still havent installed.) I don't even know exactly what they do. they make the clutch disengage quicker i think. they are on like 18 bucks US and shipping was virtually nothing because they put it in with the pulley. Ask twilight he know what they do(i think)

There website is www.corksport.com (http://www.corksport.com)

[twilightprotege]

birdy, i got my torque wrench from ebay (in oz) - pretty cheap. i think mine cost $60 or something

octane, apparently the stock clutches dont handle too much extra power. i did get mine replaced under warranty (as can all BJII model sp20's - not the BJII-J48 models - was a factory fault) but will need a new one in the near future.

the clutch line - just makes the clutch a little tighter. not as much play so to speak.

[sabrelli]

whats the diff between BJII n the BJII-j48 model

[Vultz]

Hi all.
Lurker here for a little while so thought id post something :)

Just did my first car mods today! 2" aluminised steel cat back exhaust with ESA straight through muffler and 3" tip. Also did the cut out on the front grill to let the outer air flow up to the intake. Next on the list is the suspension and shock setup, but it might take a while to save. Any one recommend some good (cheap) aussie workshops who do fitting and also some good local brands of aftermarket sports springs and shocks?

[twilightprotege]

sabrelli, the sp20 sedan only came in j48, the astina j48 has the round rear tail lights. that's the easy difference....it was basically a mid-model face lift

and welcome vultz....where are you from??? tell us a bit more about yourself...astina or protege sp20 etc?? there are lots of options when it comes to springs and shocks, unfortunately most of those come from america though, but you can still get some good cheap stuff here

[Vultz]

Im from Sydney.

I have a white 1.8L 2003 complianced Protege with the shades pack as a freeby. The interior in it looks alot better than the standard although i have no bodykit to speak of whatsoever (yet) :P

White is boring on it's own but I like the racing look with the smoke/black rims and the white panel work with a mild kit so thats why i chose that colour (if white can be called a colour heh)

[ahb11m]

yes i'm still alive!!!

and Vultz... go the white brigade, i don't feel so lonely anymore!!!! damn all was black, blue, and canary!!

i want those round lights... but i like my JDM stlye bitz...yay!!!

[Vultz]

and Vultz... go the white brigade, i don't feel so lonely anymore!!!! damn all was black, blue, and canary!!

Hehe, sounds like you havnt seen many white proties around either! I have yet to see any outside of the colours you mentioned and ive seen a heap!

Makes us more unique though ;P

[ahb11m]

yep, but mine is more original... mine was the first BJ roll out, therefore i'm original!!! :p marp marp!!!

[twilightprotege]

well vultz it's good you have the 1.8L - it's essentially the same engine as the sp20, just not as much stroke (and hence less cc)

and yeah, if james didnt pop back in (slacko) i was going to say that you werent alone being a white protege

[ahb11m]

and i've seen lots of white pro's.... and proteges, and astinas!

whiet proteges are driven by old farts, and me and vultz.... i scare the ladies at lawn bowls!! :p

i'm still alone ish with the 1.6... feel pity for me!!!!

[coldie123]

hey twilight, about the BJII SP20's having a fault with their clutches, i think i need to get my clutch replaced soon as its slipping quite a lot now. do you think i can still get it replaced under warranty? i've had it for 65000km and 2.5 years now. won't mazda just say that its not covered under warranty since its worn out under normal wear and tear? i asked the mazda guy last time and he said its normal to have clutches wear out after 60000km, depending on how hard you drive it.

hey vultz... the grill cut out on the grille was my first mod too :) although i've just put in a ebay CAI last week - looks nice and sounds great, but lost a bit of torque at low revs. anyone know why? is it the cheap filter that came with the CAI or is it because i don't have the resonators from the stock intake anymore? i've always wondered if the resonators were just to reduce noise, or whether they actually help to suck more air in? anyways vultz, can i ask how much was the exhaust system and where did you get it from? i'm looking to replace my exhaust too. and about the springs, i'm still deciding between eibach and king springs for my SP20. some quotes i got recently for the eibachs: $560 from local tyre shop, $500 shipped from america via airmail or $410 shipped via surface mail. i think kings retail for around $290

oh and my kartboy shifter bushings and knob arrived this week :D can't wait to put em in!!! and also going karting at eastern creek on sat too, and forecast says chance of showers *yay* i've always wanted to try racing in the wet (naughty)

[Vultz]

well vultz it's good you have the 1.8L - it's essentially the same engine as the sp20, just not as much stroke (and hence less cc)

and yeah, if james didnt pop back in (slacko) i was going to say that you werent alone being a white protege
Yer i actually did quite a bit of research on the car before i bought it and pointed out to a few other people who didnt know the same thing (regardinging the longer stroke).

One thing that worries me is that if i get higher compression pistons (which will more than likely have a longer stroke) its not going to net me much of a power gain. Im in the N/A club too so im trying to do things the hard way i guess. Whats a realistic figure in kilowatts i could expect from going the route of: high comp pistons, port and polished, piggyback ecu etc etc. I know the proty isnt a beast in a straight line, but it never hurts to get more power ;P (unless it stops you moving off the line because of torque steer or tire smoking :D )

[twilightprotege]

coldie - the clutch problem with the bjii's is a shuttering clutch. when it's cold the whole car shutters. you could try complaining about that, but with 65k on the clock on dont think you'll have much luck. but having said that, they replaced mine at about 47k's i think

the resonators on the intake are just to reduce noise. you would have lost a tiny bit of torque (shouldnt be noticeable) because of better air flow. with NA engines if you gain power down low you loose power up high and vice versa (generally).

vultz - getting new pistons will not increase your stroke, only changing the crank will do that. the downside to higher compression pistons is more moving weight. however, i'd strongly suggest that you make them one of you last mods as they dont gain much without big cams etc.

realistic figure you could get is 110kw at the wheels (stock the sp20 is about 75kw at the wheels). i'd strongly suggest getting a header/extractor for your engine asap as that will gain a lot, then next cams, port and polish then piggyback.

it can be done :D - i'm aiming for 130kw at the wheels. should be fun :D

[Octane]

Thats a fair amount of KW@wheels!!!! Around 170HP@wheels, roughly translated to 170KW at the engine, NA'd!!! Going to be a tough road methinks.... High comp pistons (11:1???) Biiiig cam....

Think the low down loss of power has to do with the better flow (larger air pipe, less air flow velocity etc..... I know that a little low end torque was lost when the 3" steel CAI pipe was put onto his SP20. This 3" pipe with finer filter is going back on when the microtech goes in.

Need to ask some questions guys.....
1. What is the engine actually called? The car manual says its and FS engine and thats it. My friend says its an FS-FE, I say its an FS-DE engine.

2. Has anyone punched out the first cat, the one just after the manifold? Will this stuff up the oxy sensor located after the first cat and give an engine error signal? Would it be worth it??

3. Who makes extractors for these cars in brisbane? Are they 'off the shelf' or are they all custom made because of the low volume who want them?

4. How much do they cost? And are they a worthwhile gain? (I gather they are considering the crappy cheap cast manifold they come with)

Thanks guys
PS. The microtech was put on order yesterday, they have around a 2 week wait, bugger!
Fixxxer :)

[twilightprotege]

yeah it's going to be tough to get 175whp (175kw at the engine), but i'll get there (i already have huge cams hehehehehe....and i'll be getting 10.4:1 pistons and getting a thinner head gasket to raise the comp to 10.9:1)

to answer your questions -

1) we have the fs-de
2) i did before i got me extractors. gives no problem and prob wasnt worth the time and effort. did very little i think
3) none are off the shelf appart frmo the ones you can buy from america (i got the awr header - www.awr.com) not cheap. i know rob bliss at geebung has made a header for birdy85, but that was custom. i dont like the idea of custom ones that are cheap because to get the runner lengths right, that takes a real lot of time and testing
4) they make a big big difference. i definately recommend them!!! the awr header once imported cost around $750 i think. i then got coating on it which was another $180 not cheap.

i look forward to seeing what your friend gets out of the microtech!

[Octane]

Thanks for the quick replies.
Ok, will pass on the info to my friend who's doing the microtech. FS-DE. Thanks for the link to that car manual also... the guy might need it for the Microtech install.

In regards to the extractors/headers, Are the ones u have 4 into 1? Optimum scenario is equal length, 4 into one with some R&D into the lengths of pipe before joining together, and optimum diameter (Heimholtz (sp) resonance), scavenging... things like that. Although interference extractors have their benefits too, and certainly in a lot of cases I've seen, it ends up being 'optimum' at certain rpm's. I.e., 4 into one, typically not as good low to midrange as 4 into 2, into 1, but bigger top end. I think any particular custom header, made well (close to equal length, nice bends) in either a 4-1 or 4-2-1 design should show good gains over the old cast iron manifold, not optimal, but still close.

I think 1, 5/8" diameter runners is typical for most 4cyclinder cars.

****Hopefully birdy can give me a person, price he paid for his and the design of it. Think importing is out of the question.
****Ohhh and twinlightprotege, what did you do with your cats? Did u buy a hiflow one and attach it to the end of the AWR headers, or keep the original 2nd cat convertor and attach it to the end? Maybe birdy can help in that respect too.

BTW guys, here's my car, sorry I don't have any of my friends SP20.... The red rx3, in the 3rd and 4th pics down, from the mazfix dyno day.
http://www.boostcruising.com/forums/index.php?act=section&sectionID=7&entryID=2300&getevent=yes
Octane :)
Sorry I have soooo many Q's.... hehehe....

[twilightprotege]

i have 4-2-1 headers. they work better at the revs the sp20 gets to. 4-1 headers dont really come into their own until atleast 8000rpm....and an sp20 will never get to that. i strongly beleive the 4-2-1 is better for our cars. i'm not sure what diameter runners i have on the AWR header, but they are very large.

bird got his full exhaust made up at rob bliss exhausts at geebung. not sure of the price

my cats? both in the bin and got a new hiflow one from a guy i know in sydney who can do the best prices in australia without a doubt. the cat is attached after the header where the stock 2nd cat is found.

nice car too :D i hope that's your 600hp atw ;) hehehe

[birdy85]

Hey twilight mine where not custom made. A company In australia makes them. Called "WildCat" they don't look to good(not shiny or anything) but they added a shit load of power. it took bliss a while to get them but he got em'. i also had an exhaust system before i got the extractors(also done by bliss)

Hey twilight if i got those HC pistons who would be the best person in Brisbane to fit them and how much roughly. I don't want to do them myself.

[wiredone]

Think the low down loss of power has to do with the better flow (larger air pipe, less air flow velocity etc..... I know that a little low end torque was lost when the 3" steel CAI pipe was put onto his SP20. This 3" pipe with finer filter is going back on when the microtech goes in.

i think the difference would be too close to tell without a dyno.... seriously more flow isnt going to affect shit in the end because the sp20's have dual-intake runners... reducing the path of the flow and speeding up the air velocity down low....


One thing that worries me is that if i get higher compression pistons (which will more than likely have a longer stroke) its not going to net me much of a power gain

with a good full ignition computer it should make a big difference...

just my 2c... hope it helps

[Octane]

WiredOne "i think the difference would be too close to tell without a dyno.... seriously more flow isnt going to affect shit in the end because the sp20's have dual-intake runners... reducing the path of the flow and speeding up the air velocity down low...."

I guess the bit of a loss down low could be attributed more to the initial snap opening of the throttle butterflys.... limited airflow, then WOT would leave a larger amount of air to get moving???? Loss of response???? I agree that its sh*t all difference really.... so who cares, chuck on a nice metal pipe and free flowing filter with cold air :)

Birdy ---> Did you also buy a new cat (2.5"????) to go with the wildcat extractors, and does it have any bungs to reinsert the oxy sensors, or are u running without them at all?
If u don't mind, what is the price u paid for the extractors fitted, or just on their own????

Twilight ---> Nope, mine is not the 600HP@wheels car.... thats a friends. Mine only puts out around 230HP@wheels, standard s5 engine and turbo, with addons. Enuf power in a car under 1000kg in weight.

Octane :)

[Vultz]

Hey twilight mine where not custom made. A company In australia makes them. Called "WildCat" they don't look to good(not shiny or anything) but they added a shit load of power.
Birdy, do you have any details on this company? I wanted to get headers and exhaust in one shot but the place that i got it done at only stock genie and one other brand of extractors unfortunately. If you can give me the details (price too) of the headers you got for your proty id be most appreciative!

with a good full ignition computer it should make a big difference...

just my 2c... hope it helps
Yer well that's definitely on the cards, but a bit later on down the track.

vultz - getting new pistons will not increase your stroke, only changing the crank will do that. the downside to higher compression pistons is more moving weight. however, i'd strongly suggest that you make them one of you last mods as they dont gain much without big cams etc
Ahh thanks for clearing that up for us.

[Vultz]

anyways vultz, can i ask how much was the exhaust system and where did you get it from? i'm looking to replace my exhaust too. and about the springs, i'm still deciding between eibach and king springs for my SP20. some quotes i got recently for the eibachs: $560 from local tyre shop, $500 shipped from america via airmail or $410 shipped via surface mail. i think kings retail for around $290
Mine cost $250 installed (cat back) at a place called Windsor Exhaust centre which is actually in Richmond(nsw) near the RAAF base. It was a good price and it did give the car a bit more from what i can feel. Only problem was the exhaust shifted slightly to the left for some reason and rubbed off some paint under the bumper. Im taking it back there on monday and they are fixing it for me (and touching up the paint hopefully 0_o)

Thanks for the info on the springs :)

[Vultz]

hey vultz... the grill cut out on the grille was my first mod too :) although i've just put in a ebay CAI last week - looks nice and sounds great, but lost a bit of torque at low revs. anyone know why? is it the cheap filter that came with the CAI or is it because i don't have the resonators from the stock intake anymore? i've always wondered if the resonators were just to reduce noise, or whether they actually help to suck more air in? anyways
Allegedly its because the ECU is tuned to factory intake settings and whacking on a CAI changes the tuning a great deal so it loses a lot of torque down low where it's noticable. This is only what i've read though so i may be way off track

Sorry bout the multiposting 0_o

[wiredone]

Allegedly its because the ECU is tuned to factory intake settings and whacking on a CAI changes the tuning a great deal so it loses a lot of torque down low where it's noticable.
this is not so noticeable if you disconect the battery for 15 mins... the ECU should in theory... wake up... check baro pressures, vaccum and power curve and correct itself... as it would after arriving off the boat... or being driven around the mountains all its life

As far as moving weight i wouldn't worry too much... our cranks can hold quite abit... and AWR sells engine mounts to your teeth in your mouth

[twilightprotege]

birdy, in terms of fitting the pistons, most mechanics could do it ok. cost - a lot. it's very labour intensive

wired - do you have the engine mounrs? god i love mine!!!! hehehehe

[Vultz]

Ok this may be a stupid question, but what exactly would brand name engine mounts do?

[twilightprotege]

stop the engine moving. the stock engine mounts are soft rubber and take out all of the vibration the engnie causes so old farts are happy with the noise and comfort of the car.

the awr engine mounts are made out of hard polyurethane. in the cabin you hear everything and feel ever little vibration in the engine. appart from that it stops the engine moving back and forward under accelaration/engine decelaration. that helps put power to the ground much much better

[Vultz]

Ah ok.

I found the wildcat page, but no info on pricing or availability so i have to talk to birdy still :|

http://www.wildcat-int.co.za/Index.htm

[birdy85]

i paid 330 bucks at Rob Bliss installed. But that was at a discount i am friends with his son. so you shouldn't pay more than 400.

[Vultz]

I was speaking to the exhaust place just a minute ago and they quoted $420 installed.

What was the header you got installed. I might give them a quick call before closing if i can get a part number and name off ya?

[twilightprotege]

south african? interesting...but by the looks of it (going off what they say about durability) is that they are mild steel. if you do get it i would highly highly suggest coating. atleast i know with mine being 304 grade stainless steel and coated it'll probably outlast the car

and octane, the outside diameter of the AWR header primaries is 1 3/4"

[ahb11m]

seth efrican ... geez my frend, your slipping...

from what i see all wildcat systems have the option of either stainless or mild steel....

and they have the mazda drift listed... mmm why don't we have cool car names???

and i dub thee mazda speedless

hey andy can you post me some pics of your engine mounts?? i want to see where your are (including the back if you have got them.... if not don't crawl under there till ya have to!!!) i want some engine mounts, as i keep bogging on the line... its giving me the shits... i was playing (coz racing is illegal on the streets :p) at some lights and my mate in his vectra flogged me, even when i raised the revs (was a long drive home many red lights... damn) i only just kept on him...but every time i let the clutch out, the whole car bogged down... grrr yes i know he has a 2.3 and i only have a 1.6... but i'm positive i could keep with him if i could get the power down at the line!!!

apparantly my mods thus far only raise my powere like 17hp.... but i worked out a cam profile to use... sounds like hella good fun!!! i'll try and find it, but just the correct cams want to give me 48hp.. (i think memory shot from too much fun at luna park)

[Octane]

Hmmm south africa huh?? No wonder it took a long time to get them :P
Around $400ish from that other quote... then theres a new cat (unless u make the 2nd one fit and flex pipe maybe plus joining it all up. Not too bad if NA is the way u want to go.

Microtech first is the word from friend.... then will think about a set of extractors.... hmmmmm, but not buying them will make him around $500 closer to the turbo conversion, :) :) :) :) Hehe..

Octane :)

[twilightprotege]

well i assume they are seth efrican because of the .za web address....i didnt look too detailed into the website.

ahb - hehehehehe...mazda speedless....i dub nate mazda skidmaster ;) LMAO!!!!! did i tell you about that??? anyway, engine mounts. nup, dont have pictures but you can make up your own if you have time...check out this link. i'm probably going to do the side engine mounts like this one of these days : http://www.mr2sc.com/websites/tech/SolidMounts2.htm and also, i assume the program i sent you has really really helped ;) but anyway, you really need to get cams and extractors. you'll get many many more smiles with them

octane, cats dont cost much....when you have contacts ;) i got mine 2.5" high flow magnaflow sent to bris from sydney for $60 i think. the guy has put his prices up since, but still are much much much less than from an exhaust shop. let me know if you need anything and i'll get it for ya ;) but anyway, he really needs to think about extractors. either way if he goes FI he could always sell them on to another member here

[Octane]

Hi Twilight, thanks for the offer on the cat, will definetely keep that in mind... those things can cost a fair bit.
Have you had the car dyno'd since the exhaust went on?? From what I read u have had it dyno'd before all the exhaust went on (cams, porting... etc) but not after as yet????

Good point on selling them to another forum member when no longer needed.... :) :)

Octane :)

[Vultz]

Is there any sort of comparison about headers, ie what brands give the best gains, which are best value for money, etc? Id like to hear anything off people who got extractors here. Although hopefully it wont sow seeds of doubt...

Tomorrow im going back to the exhaust centre to get it repositioned. I gotta find out how long it will take to order the headers and cat (assuming i need one).

twilight, how did you install high compression pistons yourself? Thats crazy! im unconfident under the bonnet. I want to do some of the easier mods myself. When i get a short shift kit i think ill be able to install it as i saw a really good guide on the net which i managed to save. Things in the actual engine block though... Very unsure of

[Octane]

I couldn't find that AWR header place u mention twilight.
Would be nice to see a direct comparison with different headers, but there are never many floating around for many engines.... the ones I have seen compare 4-2-1's vs 4 -1's.... sometimes even from the same manufacturer.

The only thing (that I think, someone correct me if i'm wrong) that will adversely impact a header is how the header is made up.

1. Are there dags in the header welds that block flow
2. Is the transition from 4-2 and 2-1 joins (in a 4-2-1 header) nice and smooth, i.e., no pipes badly joined causing loss of flow.
3. Are the pipes mandrel bent.
4. Are the lengths of pipe as equal as possible (although in a lot of cases this doesn't have a great deal of impact on power, i.e., interferece headers).

All other things such as length of headers before merging, and pipe diameter will only affect power at different rev ranges, i.e., bigger diameter pipes may make more power from 5500 - 7000rpm versus smaller diameter which may make more power between 3500 and 5500rpm.

Thats why u will see a lot of the more pricey units that have done R&D will be made VERY well.... optimising the flow by creating nice mandrel bends, beautiful welding and joins, to get the utmost out of their chosen design. Better build quality :) :) :)

VULTZ, if you could please bring back the details about how long it takes to get these headers it would be much appreciated. Also a price on the headers if you are asking :)
Thanks
Octane :)

[twilightprotege]

octane - yeah just let me know if you're after any cats. i know most exhaust places charge atleast $200 for high flow ones...
i havent dyno'd the car since exhaust...i will be dynoing the car on 12 june in canberra. shall be interesting. but hopefully looking forward dyno runs will be more often as some guys i know will be opening an import parts store on newmarket rd very soon....and 4wd dyno will be there
in terms of awr - yeah i did write the wrong address....it's http://www.awrracing.com - the headers are very expensive, but they are exactly the same they use on their race protege's in america. heaps and heaps of r&d has gone into them

vultz - nah i dont have hc pistons yet, but in the near future i will. i'm certainly no top grade mechanic, but i'm confident under the bonnet. i had no problems removing the head for porting and putting it back on. i've changed cams numerous times....and that's just my car! hehehe
in terms of what exhaust setup is best is so hard to determine. different cars yield different results, not to mention conditions the dyno run was done in, fuel, dyno calibration etc, mods to the car already etc.... so certainly dont take my dyno results (when i get them done) as the final word....i've done probably more mods engine wise with an NA car than anyone else on this board. but a simple comparison is the member snert. he has the same exhaust setup as me but in 2.25" rather than 2.5" he had initially 104.2whp (only an injen cai as a mod) and then got 112.0whp after the header and rest of the exhaust. i havent spoken to him in a while so i'm not sure if he had the silencer out of the muffler (it does rob a lot of power) and also the dyno place has changed to "shootout mode" on their dyno dynamics dyno. i am under the impression it gives a lower reading than when not in shootout mode

[wiredone]

as far as any other performance parts for the protege's go, i have fostered many relationships with the states, and can get you nearly anything you want at cost price plus a little for me... (i mean practically no mark up, so dont get scared)

if anyone needs anything pm me and i'll get you a price... just so you know what the difference is and you have the chance of A. getting a good price and B. growing the performance industry for our cars...

everything from Hiboost(turbo products), Perforks(pistons, injectors, mounts,turbo stuff, cams, valve train etc.), AWR(mounts bushings etc.), KartBoy(short shifters, bushings, exhaust hangers), Corksport(lots of cool shit for the sp20), Mazdaspeed(flywheels, LSD's, gear boxes) all the above i can hook you up with at close to cost... the offer is on the table... =p

i am more than happy to help aussie sp20's. Sp20 parts from an sp20 enthusiast...

just my 2c once again

[twilightprotege]

thanks for the offer to everyone wired!

[Vultz]

This has to be the most useful car forum ever! Well car subforum :P

No but seriously all this information you guys are giving is gold to me, so thanks heaps!

Octane, the mechanic at the exhaust centre already quoted me $420 including install for the Wildcat headers, but i didnt specify stainless steel so I don't know if that will jump any.

The cat im worried about though. The mechs there insisted changing over to a highflow cat wouldnt yield any worthwhile gains and told me not to worry about it. But they also said that about the manifold (without looking at it). I definitely trust that changing over to performance extractors will give me some power yields so thats why im keen to get it done asap. I can afford to get the high flow cat too atm, but i will have to save again after this series of mods for my suspension upgrade

[twilightprotege]

vultz - we're always here to help :D

oh and high flow cat - they arent that expensive when you know somebody ;) have a look on the car-sound website : http://www.car-sound.com/ : and let me know which one you need and let me know and i'll get a price for you. fyi, i have the 94006 converter

[Octane]

The exhaust place probably said it wouldn't yield any gains because a big percentage of newer 4cyl cars already come with a tubular exhaust manifold... But having a look at the crappy cast one, with cat straight at the down pipe, uggghh... makes me cringe.

So VULTZ, they quoted you $420 with installation (without a cat) but re-using your own 2nd cat convertor, all joined up and ready to go... hmmm ok, sounds good.

Twilight - those magna flow convertors are based in the US huh? I can't get in there to check stuff cause of my works websense block out crap at the moment.

WiredOne - thanks for providing those contacts. :)

Octane :)

[twilightprotege]

yep those are made in america, but i can get them pretty cheap :D

and yeah, it makes me wonder sometimes if some performance shops actually want to make money...."nah you dont need extractors"....yeah good business sense. that was like when i got my exhaust done. i went into a shop and asked for a quote. he started saying 2.5" was way too big and shot me down pretty well straight away...tosser. he didnt even know what i was looking for in it... anyway, then he gave me a price...i asked "is that stainless" and he said no because "i didnt ask for it"....well you can guess he didnt get my business....

[Octane]

Yes, I loathe going into a lot of so called 'Workshops' and enquiring about certain modifications.... some just don't seem interested, poor service, and half the others don't seem to know jack sheeeeet.

I guess in terms of them saying 'nah u don't need extractors' it depends on the engine (and whether they even bother to look!). Your car (cams, ported, HC pistons (eventually) etc... etc...) will need a larger exhaust to get full benefit.

Some cars really won't make much benefit from them.... so I don't mind if they say forget about 'this' and 'that' so long as they give a good reason/fact as to why (that is good business too, looking after customers).... half the 'service' guys wouldn't know a cat convertor from a muffler.....

Soooo, how long does it take to get a hi-flow cat shipped over Twilight?

Octane :)

[Vultz]

Well i just got back. $395 for install. However, he rang through and spoke to the guys at wildcat as they have extractors listed for a 1.8 2002 323 but not a 2003 (this is in the 2003 catelogue of parts). I told them it should be the exact same thing just different compliance plates so next wednesday when i take it in they will check to see if it will fit then put it on. They arnt charging to check which is good. Also they took it down from $420 to $395 to 'look after me' cos i already got the exhaust done there. Damn straight :)

Twilight, i was talking to the guy and enquiring about what the extractors are made of. He told me it was aluminised steel. Ie coated steel. Now i have read a bit about this before, i get what you are saying about stainless being tougher and will outlast the car, but at the headers corrosion shouldnt even become problematic. Think about how hot the gas is as it enters the manifold/extractors. Any condensation should be instantly vapourised even through normal driving, therefore it makes quite good sense that wildcat (who also own genie now) do them in coated steel. Although stainless does look better without a doubt :)

Edit: Also Windsor exhaust centre have been around for yonks, it's a family owned and run business. They are nice blokes so im happy to give them my business. He knows the guy who owns Wildcat(and genie) and he's a naturalised South African. Hence the headers are made in brissy, but the website is south african :P

[Octane]

Hi Vultz, I see that u have the 1.8L.... suppose the SP20 wildcat header won't be much more expensive..... arn't the engines the same, except in a de-stroked form for the 1.8L?? Same size ports?

Octane

[Vultz]

Yer it should all be the same. The best idea would be to contact the exhaust centre where you plan to get it done and find out. Have them ring up Wildcat and make the enquiries just to be safe. Im pretty sure the 2L is identical in all aspects except the stroke length, although twilight should be able to confirm it.

[twilightprotege]

octane - actually a guy in sydney imports them and sells them direct (i think), so it only takes a a few days to get to bris

both - and yep, the 1.8 and 2.0L are the same, however there is a slight difference in outside the engine on the manual and auto.

vultz - that header will still only last 4-5 years tops. it's not the gases that are the problem, its when the car is stationary, driving in rain and worse of all, when it's parked outside at night time (ie if fogs up like the windows). and that's interesting about the ownership of the company...

[Vultz]

In 4-5 years id say id be bored of N/A and might have tried turbocharging it! But i understand your advice. I cant justify spending the extra to get it recoated at this point in time.

One thing i wanted to ask though, was with the Microtech chip replacing the ecu (am i mistaken in thinking its a replacement rather than a piggyback system), will i still be able to get the car serviced at Mazda? Im not thinking of resale value at all, i just trust my mazda service centre to know what they are doing... Am i mistaken in thinking they check alot of the car electronically by hooking up the ecu to a computer at the service centre?