Well, this has been a good week! I wrote soem stuff here about my dissatisfaction with XS Engineering and my turbo kit from them, well I am happy to say that things have changed.
As it turns out, the problem has nothing to do with the turbo kit at all. I put the kit in with a rebuilt, ported engine. I saw the porting and it looked real nice, and it was not a typical streeet port where they just clean the ports up, there was a decent amout of material removed so I was very excited to get this car on the road. Well from the get go it kind of ran like crap, not really any more power than I started with and I was very pisssed after spending so much money. I thought it was the maps for the the PFC, or the turbo was just too small or something like that and really no one I talked to would tell me anything. It seemed like they got my money and now wanted me to go away.
Well... after about 800 miles I got a coolant leak from the back housing. I thought it was one of the freeze plugs and pulled the tranny. I could not believe what i saw! All the tension bolts were loose! One was backed out about 1/8" and coolant was leaking out of the bolt hole!
I said a prayer and retorqued all the bolts to 40lbs and put it back together and guess what? My car hauls ***! It is sooo smooth, I have great low end boost and I don't know what I would do with more power. It is almost scarry fast.
Well, that's the end of my story. If you are thinking about the XS T04E kit, I would highly recomend it to anyone. I don't know how you big turbo guys are keeping your cars on the road, but this is plenty turbo for me.

 

Cool! I was in on that GB too. I have no idea when my T04E will be installed though. Glad to hear it's a kit worth getting. What exhaust A/R did you get yours with? I went with a 1.00 a/r for a bit more top end hp potential, just want to compare your a/r to mine to see what kind of bottom end response I can expect.

 

I am not sure what the size is. I didn't specify a size because I figured they knew what they are doing more than me, but I think it is a .84 devided. I just told them I was shooting for 400rwhp. I am building boost just over 2000 rpm. My tires feel as though they are going to come unglued in 3rd gear when I hit full boost which is only 12lbs at the moment.
Are you going to have them dyno tune your car when it is done?
I am using the maps they gave Jason right now and they seem pretty good, but I would like to have them dial it in even more if that's at all possible.
Keep us posted when you get your car on the road.

 

SO I guess you won't offer me that trade back to theT-61 now huh? Glad you're up and running. Mine is still being lightend. I'm going for 2300lbs. with A/C. Good thing I work with carbon.

Steve

 

Yea, ok. I think the standard issue kit (without any special order) comes with the .84 housing.

Your car sounds wicked man! I hope I'll have that shitfaced grin you have now when mine's done. I expect a little more lag, so I'll also be installing 4.33 gearing & an aluminum flywheel to help offset that

Well, as far as dyno tuning, I think I'm gonna be sticking with the map they loaded up into the PowerFC I got with the turbo kit, I trust their judgement, PLUS I'm all the way on the island of Jamaica. We have a dyno here, but no wideband sensor, so any adjustments will be just best guessing. I do have an EGT gauge to install tho. I'd love to have been able to drop the car off there when its done.

Anyway, I'll be sure to let everyone know how it goes. Later.

 

sidestick, sorry, I didn't know you were in Jamaica...

Steve... 2300 lbs... wow! That is going to be one crazy car. As far as trading... I am happy with what i have at the moment... give me a few months to get used to the power. As it sits, I am going to have to watch myself in the 1st 3 gears... it really wants to break loose and I think anything more and I would just crash my car. But you know how power is, once you get a grip on what you have.. you want more. I am happy, but that T61 is a nicer turbo and the Greddy T78 manifold is pretty sweet as well. Your car is going to be dangerous.

 

hey MACHINEHEAD is that the map from the ecu forum?? i have at78 and gettin answers from soem of these guys is hard as anything. I saw that map before but didnt hear from anyone using it and wasnt sure about it so im just wondering if it is it and how you like it..thanks

 

Yeah, thats the one I am using. I think they just took the stock map and tweeked it where it would make a difference, like in the upper rpm and boost levels. I don't know how it would work with the T78. The map is actually for thier T04S which I believe is very similar in size to the T78 so it might be just right for you. Of all the maps I have seen, it is the only one that removes fuel and adds timing to the base map. By far the most aggressive map I have seen posted. Everybody is adding fuel and retarding the timing, but these are the guys with the PowerXL software and they are saying remove fuel and bump the timing a few degrees. I have not run with a wideband yet, but so far no detonation and my a/f gauge still shows rich. Of course every car is different and you have to use your own discretion.

 

It is nice to see your car making the power it should. Be very very careful on giving too much timing (sorry, can't define what too much timing is).

Sounds like we need to compare notes on our cars in terms of power... Sounds like you have the motor tuned fairly close to ideal. It will be interesting what power you make at the rear wheels. I will be going to X S Engineering for some more tuning in sometime early next year for 16 lbs from 14 and a 9,000 rpm map. Should be fun.

I am very happy for you Cliff. I understand now what kind of performance you might have been getting and the displeasure you were feeling. It is great all is well now. Good job finding and correcting the problems before they turned into bigger problems.

regards

Rick
1993 RX-7

 

LMAO! I remember back when you posted your "opinion" on XS. It was very entertaining, so to speak. But glad to hear that you got everything working correctly.

Looks like another point for XS...I'm deciding between them, or a t78. And I'm not too keen about lag either...

 

RX7RCR. Hey its probably alot funnier from where you sit. It was pure hell for me... bottom line, I said some stuff out of frustration and I was wrwrwrwwrong.

 

No, I didn't mean to make light of your situation. I know that I would be pissed off too if I dropped $4k on a kit that doesn't perform up to my expectations. But I'm glad that it wasn't the kit itself that faultered, and just a minor oversight. It just adds credibility to XS's claims and products. And that'll help ease the mind of the rest of us deciding between a few different setups.

 

LoL! no wonder you was leaking mad compression..hehe
your lucki the coolent seals didn't get loose and come off there groove with all that vibration the engine must of made.

 

MACHINEHEAD how much boost are you running?? and do you have a t78 or to4s or ???
thanks again