Like many, you probably thought that once you bought your first Evo / DSM it would be the end of the money you spent on it. Sure, maintenance would have to be done, but the car was pretty fast from the start and you probably don’t want it to go any faster. And then update a part and you can feel the difference it makes. Your mindset then shifts to one of “I’ll only get this upgrade, and then I’ll be happy with the power / handling” and before you know it, you’ve spent a small country’s GDP on the car.
But there are a plethora of updates available, and knowing what to choose can be a daunting prospect at times. I’d like to think that I’ve done pretty good with my car (11-year-old car at 1/4 mile and full daily driver) and so I wanted to give you my top 10 tips for upgrading your Evo I-III / DSM.
- Have a plan. Before doing actual upgrades, you need to decide what you want from the car, and therefore the areas to look at. For example, a car made exclusively for drag racing will have different power and handling requirements than a car made for touge or gymkhana. A lot of people just throw money at the car trying to buy all the improvements they can. While this car gives you a nice looking car that runs well, it could be a trade for everyone and the master of none. At this time, also determine if the car will also be a daily driver or if it will be just a weekend / race car. In the latter case, you will be able to remove the interior to save weight, but you will lose many comforts of home.
- Maintenance. Upgrading your car generally means pushing stock components beyond their normal operating limits. To keep reliability high, you’ll want to make sure the car is fully serviced (including changing the timing belt, if it hasn’t been done in the last 5 years, and the balancer belt if it still has balance shafts). Also, do a complete fluid change for the car, which means engine oil, gearbox oil, transfer case and rear differential, brake fluid, clutch fluid, and coolant. That means everything is up to date and you know what time your service intervals start. I will talk about the service intervals for your car in a future post.
- Get some air in your lungs. One of the first things to do is change the restrictive air filter that your original Evo is equipped with. A lot of people will go for the HKS Super Power Flow Induction Kit, and I actually had it in my car for about 18 months. However, foam filters get dirty easily and the cleaning qualities of the HKS filter are not good, as shown in this set of reviews. Also, I have read that foam filters are sucked into turbos in some cars (not a problem with the standard MAF on Evos, but still something to consider). I currently have Apexi Power Intake and highly recommend it. Its filtering is excellent, it offers a very nice boost in low and mid-range power, and it doesn’t have to be replaced unlike the foam elements in the HKS kit. It costs a bit more, but is cheaper after about a year of use. The Apexi filter also comes with a nice thermal protector to keep some of the engine compartment heat (which rises quite a bit in a compartment containing a 4G63 engine) away from the intake.
- Adding fuel to the fire. A car needs 2 basic things to function: oxygen and fuel. We’ve helped the former tremendously by getting a new air filter (and possibly an intake pipe), but a constant supply of fuel is vital to keep the engine running when you put your foot down. A 255l / h Walbro fuel pump is a very popular upgrade, and with good reason, as it will meet the power requirements of all but the most powerful Evos. However, be careful when you get the Walbro, and especially if you buy from Ebay. There are quite a few Chinese knockoff Walbros selling as genuine right now, and fueling is something you don’t want to sacrifice just to save a few pennies. The last thing you want is for the fuel pump to pack up just as you are flying down the drag track, which drains the engine and can cause serious damage. However, one thing to keep in mind is that the new fuel pump (especially with a “fuel pump rewiring) can cause too much fuel to flow and could bypass the original fuel pressure regulator. I can recommend a fuel pressure regulator. Sard Fuel Pressure and Fuel Pressure Gauge The Sard can withstand the highest pressure and performs the best, and will ensure that enough fuel reaches the engine.
- Power is nothing without control. “What are you talking about brakes? I just want to go fast!” It’s a common phrase from people just starting out on the upgrade path, but it’s something that needs to be addressed. After all, it is more important to be able to stop when necessary than to be able to go. Evos brakes aren’t that bad to start with, although on a track they will experience a fairly quick brake fade. Put some DOT 4 brake fluid on it, along with a decent set of brake pads (I use Project Mu B-Spec pads front and rear) and your ride will feel a lot safer. If you want to go a step further, look at a set of braided brake lines (HEL and Goodridge seem to have the best deals for the Evo I-III) and a Cusco brake stopper and you will have more confidence, that is, brake later. in the corners and a much safer driving.
- Show your support. The support and stability of the car are vital when you start to upgrade, much more so when you plan to throw the car around corners, but also for drag racing in a straight line. Tower strut bars can be picked up relatively cheaply and should be placed front and rear, top and bottom if you have the budget for it. They stiffen the chassis and will once again have you cornering with confidence.
- Extreme logging. I’m sure you’re getting frustrated and want to get to the parts that will make us go faster, but bear with me. My tips are done this way for a reason. One of the reasons I have had relative success with my tweaks and updates thus far is that everything has been done in a balanced way, with close monitoring of the condition of my car. Oil pressure and boost gauges are pretty much a must at this point, and a wide band will help you in the future as you build up your boost and start tuning. In addition to the standard meters, you should consider a data logging device. The best I’ve seen for the first Evo is Pocketlogger, and it can be paired with a very cheap but compatible PDA from eBay. This little gadget plugs into your car’s OBDI diagnostic port and is capable of recording a number of variables, from rpm to ignition timing and all important levels of engine knock. You can then view these logs on the PDA itself or download them to your PC and analyze them there. This provides an invaluable tool for monitoring the condition of your engine while doing any tests.
- Inhale Exhale. What goes into your car must come out, and the old adage is certainly true when it comes to gas. The stock Evo exhaust system can be a bit restrictive and money spent on a cat-backed exhaust system (i.e. one that runs from the catalytic converter to the muffler) will result in a much more powerful sound coming from your automobile, as well as an increase in performance. I would go a step further and recommend that you replace the catalytic converter with a straight tube if you can, which is exactly what it sounds like. However, I must point out that this modification may be illegal in your country, and I would recommend checking with local authorities before removing the catalytic converter. It could also cause you to fail the emissions test in your country.
- Boooooooooooost! Yes, we are almost at the point where we can build momentum. But how do you do it? The answer is a boost controller. There are 2 main types of boost controller, a simple manual controller or a more complex electronic boost controller. The former are cheaper and have a large following in the DSM community, where the Hallman Boost controller receives rave reviews. I opted for the additional features of the Blitz Dual SBC Spec S boost controller and haven’t looked back. Four different boost settings, a boost warning if it’s too high, and very precise control of your boost have made this a no-brainer for me. The Spec S is also reasonably priced and currently has around 1.6 bar of boost in my car with no problem.
- Small steps. Now is the moment you’ve been waiting for. You will be able to increase the boost from the standard levels of 0.7 bar to around 0.8 or 0.9 bar and as long as your gauges and recorder are not showing any major issues, it should feel like a much faster car. But take things very easy and don’t assume because you haven’t had a problem going up to 0.9 bars that you can immediately raise the boost to 1.9 bars, as things don’t work that way. Keep things conservative, especially if the car is a daily driver. You should aim for a zero hit.
This is obviously a starting guide and I haven’t even started talking about fuel controllers, dump valves, standalone engine management systems, etc. But hopefully it gave you a thing or two to think about. Do you have any more tips that you would offer to people who are beginning to hone in on nirvana?