xa to sway or not

[slimsdizz]

depending on your setup you may need a rear sway bar but I truely believe it comes down to driving style and other modification I have the progress tech rear sway and believe me it made the car handle better when I was less experinced. After spending months at VIR driving and spending time learning from my friend wu ju park who is the only guy who can drift around here. I have now dropped using my rear sway bar. My reason I get better lap times for one with my driving style and secondley I like the rear end to break loose in a corner just a bit. this is obviousley a discussion that could be widley debated. The sway bar helped me when I was less experienced of a driver now that I have become a better driver through instruction and classes I realize why they put a huge front sway bar on the XA even bigger than the evo wrx and some trucks I have measured and a smaller one on the back. just my driving style and once I installed the meagan racing underframe brace thats made for the XB on the XA it really made a huge diffrence in how the car feels to me I think before long I will sell my rear sway because I like the car better without it now of course that could change once we get the supercharger on it I may need it then. what do you guys think.

[smokeydog001]

I can't imagine any advantage in removing it. If you are planning to SC it and race at a track, I would recommend carrying a box and a broom. :)

[slimsdizz]

I was thinking that I would most likeley need it once the TRD supercharger gets installed but but right now I like the car better without the sway bar on the rear why the car just feels more fun to drive and I certainley haven't lost any lap time in fact it's been lower. I've had the TRD supercharger for some time now as well as the header. I had to get the money together for the standalone. I'm most likley going to try installing a motec system. I'll go with whatever the head tuner here at the shop wants to work with. I thought about bringing back an ist ECU because they are easier to piggyback but by the time I swap everything it's about the same cost as the standalone. I'm anxious to start the build all the internalls are here for the engine my carrillo connecting rods came in a few weeks ago we are planning an overboar with weisco pistons. it's just a matter of finding time the shop is so backed up right now we have a 2 month waight hopefulley we will get started on it soon but I want to do it in one shot to minimize downtime and the shop owner is the only one that can dial in the car on a standalone around here gosh he's been at this for 32 years now. Until he gets around to doing it I'll be answering phones as normal and running the dyno. We just have so many big projects in the shop right now we finally finished the R32 it took forever to get all the parts in but power enterprise came through with the stuff we needed so now we have to do a turbo neon and a new white STI the guy wants it in the 700whp range and since he is dropping 30 grand in it customers cars take priority. I'm just hopeing to have it done by the end of 07 I'm pretty sure I'll need it then we are shooting for 185 whp in the XA I'll be happy with anything between 165 to 185whp but I am encouraged that some echo guys are getting 220whp out of these engines so who knows. They are running turbo's though and I will be running a supercharger which I would rather have the tourque anyway. So for now I'll keep the rear sway off and I needed it until i installed the C-one braces the one that goes around the gas tank seemed to eliminate the need for the rear sway if that makes sense. I'm pretty sure I will need it once we get more ponies out of the car I definentley recomend progress tech. I just think my car is to a point with all the braces underneath that at my horsepower level the rear sway is overkill it just feels that way to me the car is to stiff with it on. I hope that makes sense. feel free to give constructive advice on the build if there is anyone out there who has supercharged an XA I am all ears.

[smokeydog001]

My bad. It never occurred to me that you were actually professionally building your engine. I'm so use to reading the BS at SL, that I tend to forget that every Scion owner isn't driven by hormones! :) Too many kids install a SC or turbo and think they have a Porsche 911 twin turbo or Ford GT. Then they wonder why their engine blows and go screaming at the dealer! An expensive lesson that a lot of us have to learn the hard way. :)

Good luck and keep us posted on the build and post some pics.

[slimsdizz]

we see it all the time with cars like if I tell somone flowmasters will cause you to lose 20whp on a mustang people will call BS until they put the thing on the dyno. My boss is a pretty good tuner he started out in indy car opened a small shop has never advertised and has cars come up from as far down as florida and as high up as NY to have them worked built his personal car is a grand national and it's insane and our shop omg don't get me started there are engines and turbos and parts everywhere but it's his area and it's off limits he knows where everything is. and he has had some great accomplishments but he never brags he is very gruff and if you do something wrong on your car he will tel the customer why they are an idiot and then prove to them why and make more power out of their car. I've been working here for five years and it's painful believe me it's best to just keep busy and keep your mouth shut because he has so much knowledge you ask a question your liable to feel about one inch tall and he wrote some of the original programs for AEM behind the scenes but time and time again every car that comes in leaves with insane power. recentley he did a prlude for a guy it took 8 months to complete the guy dropped 100 grand in the car and omg is it one scary car. there is nothing he won't work on. so basically I just stay out of the way pick up the phone and tie down dyno straps and run the dyno when he is to busy. He will work till he can't work anymore he has various health problems I suspect his nose is always bleeding and the guy has more burns on his arms then I can count but he is a great tuner and can build the heck out of cars. people usually come to his shop when they have been every where else and they sit on a waighting list to get in.

[smokeydog001]

Sounds like you're in a great position to learn from a master!

[bittyblue]

i havent done anything to my xA yet...i just got her in nov. any suggestions on where to start?

[smokeydog001]

You might want to start with a snowplow! :) Couldn't resist. It depends on several facters: 1) how you use the car, ie, daily driver, show, race, etc, 2) amount of disposable income, 3) who will do the work, etc. How about wheels for a start? There are zillions of options. I opted to get 15" wheels so I could keep my stock tires. Being old, I need the big sidewalls for parking! :) lowering springs are fairly reasonable as are exhaust systems. I feel like the biggest waste of money for me was the Cold Air Intake, which added zero horsepower, but sounds good. I would advise getting involved with a club. Your options are almost unlimited. Have fun!

[bittyblue]

lol snow plow. i STILL dont have her back from that :( anyways, i was thinking along the same lines, wheels n springs. wat do u think of headers? worth it?

[smokeydog001]

Yeah, IMHO, a good flow-through exhaust system (headers & a cat back system) is the basis for engine efficiency. I'll get headers after my warrenty runs out.:lcop:

[slimsdizz]

best mods if you have an automatic agency power crank pully and switching to amsoil automatic transmission fluid front sway bar poly mod is worth doing and my TRD header gave descent horsepower but more tourque gains. which I am actually geting ready to sell it look in the classifieds. injen short ram was my best intake choice of course it was free but I do like it alot. I could go mroe in depth suspension wise if you need me too but look in the other forum posts for my XA suspension setup I think it wil help you out alot.

[bittyblue]

ooo how much do you think you iwll be asking?