Revival of my 6bolt 98 GST- UPDATED 5/19/12 !

[rocafellafw]

Here's the complete Mod List and Newest pics, Further down is the full story and pics of how the car used to look, and the stages it's been through. Anything red is newer things done to it (excluding titles)

CURRENT:




low beams


high beams








Bolt-on Modifications
-6 Bolt Swapped
-Supertech Springs
-Supertech Valves
-Supertech Retainers
-OEM Mitsu Composite HG
-ARP Head studs
-Delta 274 Reground cams (HKS based)
-Forced Performance Manifold
-1g "Blacktop" Cam Angle Sensor
-Rewired Stock 2g Fuel pump
-TD05H Big 16G @12psi
-Prothane Motor Mounts
-1g Throttle Body
-Apexi N1 Downpipe
-3 Inch Downpipe back Exhaust
-Ported wastegate outlet
-SS o2/WG Dump
-Dejon UICP
-Dejon SS J-pipe
-HKS SSQV BOV (Recirculated)
NGK BPR7ES Plugs
-Greddy Style Front mount Intercooler
-NGK Plug Wires
-Earl's Performance Inline oil filter feeding turbo from head
-HallMan Pro MBC
-Injen Intake/K&N Filter

Engine Management
-Tuning - EcuFlash/Tactrix OP 2.0 Cable
-Logging - EVOScan 2.5
-Gauges:
-AEM Uego Wideband
-Autometer Ultra-lite Boost, Water Temp, Oil Pressure, & Volt
-HKS Turbo Timer


Drivetrain Modifications
-Megan Racing Short Throw Shifter
-Energy Suspension Shifter Plate Bushings
-Tig Welded Bearings on Shift Cables
-ACT Stage 3 Clutch
-Fidanza Flywheel -



Suspension Modifications
-JIC Springs 2" Drop
-DC Front and Rear Strut Bars
-Goodrich Stainless Steel Brake Lines
-Brembo Drilled Rotors Front & Rear


Current Problems:
-Mechanical oil pressure gauge leaking, need electronic
-Replacement rim is being shipped, waiting on that before these go on

-Boost leaks....lol
-Balljoints may be shot
-Needs a tune...looking for someone familiar with ecuflash and(or) dsm's.


NEW, Latest Mod/Update was 5/1/2012
-Foggy passenger headlight replaced
-Upped boost to 12psi
-Slight WOT tune, stock afr's were less then 10:1...now running around 11:1 what a difference.
-Set up antilag with my current 2-step -12* timing & 9:1 afr @ 4500rpm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nu5eGg5SWFs



Next Up
Install Denso 660cc injectors
Install Walbro 255 pump
Purchase/Install aero fpr
Full tune, need a ecuflash tuner
up the boost to around 20-22psi
Tint
Install Hood pins I've owned for awhile
Paint center taillight piece white



Down the Road
FP Green
1200cc injectors
Full SS tank to rail + return kit
Oil cooler
Tranny rebuild
Full coilovers
AWD Swap
OEM carbon fiber hood
Carbon fiber OEM hoop spoiler (painted white on top half, CF on bottom)




Ok Here's the story:
Always loved DSM's, started looking for one around 2004 long before I even had a job or money to my name. Finally started saving and started looking seriously but my problem was I needed something soon as a DD because my parents were driving me to work. Came across this POS for $2600 with the full intention of making it my own and that's what I've done.

I bought the car February 26 2009 with the following done to it:
-6-Bolt Long Block Swap w. supposedly 5k miles on it (lies, valve seals shot & lifters ticking since day 1)
-Genuine MHI Big 16g Turbo
-ACT Stage 3 Clutch (Useless for this less then 230hp car)
-Fidanza Flywheel
-3" Turboback, excluding o2 housing (Cracked flex on DP, 2 cracks in piping & was hanging low due to no hangers/rubber supports)
-Dual Gauge A-pod holding Boost & volt (No backlight for boost and volt not hooked up at all).
-Unknown Short shifter (Bent in weird angels, shift knob welded/rusted to shifter)


What I didn't know/expect when I first seen the car to buy it.
-Completely gutted back down the the metal shell (was in he process of setting a system layout but gave up)
-3/4 of the same rims (1 Flat)
-Unrecirculated BOV (For those who don't know this is bad & certain car require this due to the MAF/MAS being before the bov)
-Motor mounts were S.H.O.T
-Brakes were bad
-MHI 16g was being fed it's oil supply from the oil filter housing (thats a no-no)
-Boost leak mayhem
-2 Sets of wheels (2 Stock 16" Flat black swirly's & 2 Ugly chrome 27's, all tires worn down bad)
-No coolant bottle...at all...
-Scariest engine bay I ever seen lol.
-Missing about 12 fuses
-Holes in the trunk
-CEL throwing about 8 codes
-Bad knock sensor that took a very long time to realize was the culprit of making it run rich
-Blown speakers
-No power steering
-No A/C
-No Cruise control

Talked him down to $2300 brought it home and took these pics:







Car was docked for 6 months, stripped down to do motor mounts, ended up doing all of the following (All work done by ME & My Dad other then welding):
Prothane Mounts
2.5" Dejon Upper intercooler piping
2.5" Dejon "J pipe"
Injen Inake
Carbon Fiber Taillights (which are now off)
Recirculation Fitting on HKS Bov
Catch can PCV/VC breather to 3-way can/vent setup.
Cleaned up horrible attempt to paint the engine bay black by the previous owner
Also cleaned up hilarious blue interior accent color from previous owner
Removed the huge ricey GTR Spoiler the car had on it and installed 2gb oem turbo spoiler
Put on Heasthield and Timing Belt Cover.
New Plugs/Wires
New Clutch Master cylinder
New Fuel Filter
New Alternator
New Starter
New Knock sensor
New Apexi 3" Downpipe w. UEGO Widband sensor welded in.
Welded up exhaust leaks, installed hangers for support.
Oil/Filter Change
Replaced various blown fuses
Hooked power steering back up
Deleted everything related to emissions/junk (Charcoal canister, Evap, EGR, FIAV, AC Condenser (A/C was already disabled) and FPS.

Car was now drivable, over the next following months we did some more
Repainted Rims Black
Installed Brembo Drilled Rotors Front & Back + Stainless Steel Brake lines Duralast Gold pads
Found a rare optional sunroof visor
New Tires up front EAGLE RS-A's
Hooked up light to Boost gauge, hooked up Volt gauge, Water Temp Gauge, and Oil Pressure.
New Megan Short Throw Shifter w.Solid Shift plate mounts.

The rest is just pieces here and there, the latest thing done is listed above in the "Latest mod/update" section


And here is the stages the engine has been through:
First (when I got it):


Stage 1:


Stage 2:


Stage 3:


Stage 4:


Stage 5 (Current):

[DPancoast]

looks great man! good story too.. any power numbers or anything?

[captainhook]

Fine work, looks good!

[rocafellafw]

Thanks guys. No numbers yet, I'm guessing around 235-240. I am still on stock boost but the car pulls VERY strong having the entire piping system opened up and stock maps fine tuned. My next goal is to up the boost to 20psi after installing my 660 injectors and buying a 190 Fpump.

[AWDkid]

sweet ride man

[rocafellafw]

Thanks man, previous owners suck ha.

[Got Insulin?]

Looks good, dood. The revival and the read was awesome, too. If all these DSMers keep joining up, we're going to give the Subes a run for their money.

[rocafellafw]

ha yea gotta love the 4g6

[rocafellafw]

Posted up a buncha new stuff !!! Anything that is in RED is new (excluding mod type title) !!!! Any feedback I would REALLY appreciate !!

[WolfsFang]

man i miss my DSM :| was also white D:

[rocafellafw]

I'd kill for a evo, but I know for a fact I'd always have dsm itch, I dunno what it is...

[TalonTsi97]

Cars come a long way. A GS-t on a 16g with full supporting mods and good tuning can make good power. People seem to forget or write it off cause its fwd, but you can have a lot of fun in a 2g gst. You have a lot of the essentials in place its just time to finish up some loose ends and start making the power its capable of. The cars not perfect but i respect that you've stuck with it and really put it in the rite direction. The thing that stood out to me most was a lot of the "ricer" things and the usual do not's on a dsm. Then i saw you actually recirculated your HKS bov and thought to myself, wow he's definitely doing this rite. In return i started looking over your build a little more closely.
I may of missed it but from what it seemed like your tuning it yourself? If you need any help there is a really good DSM/Evo tuned locally that can help you out if your interested at all. Just pm me for info if you care.

[rocafellafw]

I appreciate it man, knowing all the work (other then welding and the head assembly) was done by me and my father in front of our house. Insane amount of man hours and late nights in the freezing cold gives it even more the sense of pride. I know the cars not perfect, but from what I've done to it, the work alone pays of, it's one the few things that really puts a smile on you know. I get told atleast 3 times a week to sell the car with the never ending problems, but its project and its not gonna run right until the projects[I]complete[/I}. Everything I know about cars is from the man hours spent on it and the help of dsmtuners, and varous message boards. But I'm interested in a tune, the things running pretty rough right now. I need a ecuflash tuner, I own the OP2.0 cable and have the current rom I could save to a flash drive. PM me the info on the location and whom to contact.

[TalonTsi97]

I'll shoot you a pm in a few minutes on the dsm/evo tuner.

I agree 100% with what you just said. My dads always there to lend me a helping hand in the process of modding, maintenance, and now building my 2g. I've learned a lot, and have a ton still to learn as the process goes. Our/my local area is filled with very knowledgeable dsm/evo people so between us all every problem is fixable and nothing to really worry about other then the $$ and downtime for some. I'm just lucky that i've never thought or been told to sell mine though. hahaha

[rocafellafw]

Yea people try to pressure me, but I got BIG plans for this thing, eventually when I get another car to DD I'm planning on swapping to AWD, strippin it, and throwing on a HUGE snail and it's gonna be a trailer whore lol.

[bl@ckvr4]

Read your story. It's great. Reminds me of how I got my VR-4. Start with a piece and make it really nice. A lot of your pictures don't work though.

[Slowlane]

What an inspiration! Makes me slightly less afraid to jump into a dsm clusterf*ck. You are a brave soul, keep up the good work, should look nice after you lose that bumper.

[dsm4life04]

Kudos to you sir for taking a chance on such a sketchy car. Also, kudos to you for having the patience to take care of it and get it back to life...I love white on dsm's. Keep up the good work man, its on the right path!

[rocafellafw]

Thanks guys, I just re-uploaded all the pics to a new site. They all worked for me before, so let me know if any pic looks broken to you ! @ DSM4life, I know man I'm so hype to get rid of that front bumper I debate on throwing on the new stock 2gb bumper unpainted, but winters coming up and I think I'm just gonna rock it till the winter season ends since idc about how bad it gets f'ed up, but the new one... I'd hate to mess it up

[bl@ckvr4]

Everything's good now, boss!