I want to join the 300kw club

[Booker]

Hey guys,

I’ve owned an FGX ute with a t56 for over a year now and I’ve decided I want to put some power into it.

All I’ve done to it so far has been

- 4 inch catback

- 4 inch intake w/battery relocation 

- turbo water/oil lines and oil drain 

I’ve just bought these;

4inch dump and high flow cat 

antz stage 2 intercooler w/piping

bosch 1000cc 

And a throttle body elbow waiting to arrive which I’ll fit myself besides the injectors 

I was going to buy a catch can and a fuel pump before I get it tuned 

I have a few questions about it all if anyone could help out.

1. Is there anything else I should be getting like head studs and valve springs or are they only needed when I get a bigger turbo and chase 400kw?

2. What fuel pump should I get, and does the tuner fit the fuel pump injectors for me?

3. As long as I don’t go over the stock psi setting I’ll be fine to drive the car with my mods untill I get it tuned and not cause limp mode? I have a work vehicle untill I tune it.

4. What price range should I be expecting for a tune, I’m in Melbourne. Is there anywhere someone recommends using? I’m chasing 320rwkw am I being realistic?

Also, my power steering hose also burst under the pump is this a common issue? 
 

Thanks heaps

Edited 11/02/23 04:08 AM by Booker

[Tom Tucker]

Hey mate, if your FGX has the original gearbox, it'll be a TR6060. 

My advice would be to choose your workshop and tuner first. They will tell you what you need, and what they like working with.

I sometimes feel for workshops and tuners who have people coming to them with unknown parts and workmanship, and expecting great results. It's often cheaper to get it all done together, in house. 

If you're going to modify and tune, do it properly the first time. Get valve springs done. You don't need head studs.

I think just for tune anywhere from $1000-$1500 seems to be the going rate.

Consider getting a new clutch, and tip to bottom service at the same time.

Hope that helps

[Booker]

You are not wrong, TR6060

So I’ve already bought the parts and fitted some unfortunately but I’ve met the owner as most of the parts are ANTZ, so I’m sure he could tell me who he uses.

I will take your advice and get the valve springs.

Is there any clutch you recommend and will I expect issues with the driveline/tailshaft that I should address now?

 

thanks for the advice

Edited 11/02/23 05:49 AM by Booker

[Tom Tucker]

Highly recommend NPC single plate organic. Rated to over 400kw, nice and compliant. 

Tail shaft will be fine if it's not making any noises now. Same with your diff and axles.

[biddie_fiddler]

On 11/02/2023 at 12:01 PM, Booker said:

As long as I don’t go over the stock psi setting I’ll be fine to drive the car with my mods untill I get it tuned and not cause limp mode?

Once you've fitting the injectors and/or high flow cat it'll change the way the car behaves. Don't fit it all and wait for a tune. Book a tune, then fit the stuff a day or before. Getting the dump off sucks, just fyi. I bought the Ultrex 4" dump + cat when I was chasing 300+kw. I couldn't get the dump bolts off, spent hours trying. Ended up giving it to the tuner and they fitted it for me. Some things are just easier with a hoist!

 

I really wouldn't recommend driving it with heaps of performance parts and no tune, just asking for trouble. Better be safe than sorry, and if that means no driving for a day so be it. That being said, you can limp it from home to the shop, just do not go hitting boost. You can drive anywhere and never need to with the factory power anyway. I replaced my gt3576 with a psr gtx3582 and drive it from home to the tuner, just didn't get in boost the whole way there.

 

Take @JETURBO advice, this won't be the last time you get performance upgrades so plan ahead. Get a walbro 255lph fuel pump for the intank pump, you can fit it yourself but if you haven't before then I don't recommend it. A 255lph pump will end up serving very well as a lift pump for an anti-surge tank you'll get in the future, no doubt  

 

On 11/02/2023 at 12:01 PM, Booker said:

Is there anything else I should be getting like head studs and valve springs or are they only needed when I get a bigger turbo and chase 400kw?

Factory turbo will push you to 300kw but it'll be on the edge of its efficiency, same goes for springs. Personally, I'd ask the tuner his preference on when to do springs. I had factory springs at 310kw. I knew I was going back for more, so there wasn't any point in me doing springs then, and head studs later. Save the labour costs and do them together. If they recommend springs now, then bite the bullet and do studs too. Expensive now, but you'll save in costs later.

 

On 11/02/2023 at 12:01 PM, Booker said:

I’m chasing 320rwkw am I being realistic?

I've seen setups like yours, 1000cc injectors, high flow cat etc, range from 290kw to 330kw. Will depend on your car. Either way, once its tuned you'll feel the difference no matter the power. You get more power everywhere. Its awesome  

 

Oil Pump Gears. If this isn't on your list then add it asap. Especially sine you have a manual! Barra pump gears are notorious for failing. When you start chasing power, the limiter starts approaching quicker than you expect. I had these done before I'd even got a tune. I've seen too many posts of engines going straight to the bin because of failed gears. Do you need them? No, but you're just leaving a failure point in the car, that will cause mass damage if the break.

 

If you get a catch can and want it to remain legal, get the Jonny Tig one. It won't vent both the breather and PCV, but at least its street legal. I have a "race" spec catch can, which basically means it vents both PCV and breather, goes to a container with a vent on the top, its also a made-in-china jobby that has absolutely zero buffling. Not that it really needs to cause its vented to atmo, but still for the price its pretty average. It sits in the usual spot for falcons, it makes the cabin STINK! As soon as you're stationary with the air con on that sucks air from outside, it sucks in ALLLLLLL the fumes from the catch can and is not great. Setting A/C to recirc solves this issue though. 

 

On 11/02/2023 at 12:01 PM, Booker said:

Also, my power steering hose also burst under the pump is this a common issue? 

Can't say I've heard this happen to anyone, that sucks! Your pump might be failing? Causing too much pressure in the lines

[El Andrew]

You'll be able to drive it on those mods but go a bit gentle with it when the exhaust changes are done before it is tuned.

However you cannot drive it with the new injectors - they must be done when the tune is done.

[Puffwagon]

On 11/02/2023 at 3:38 PM, Tom Tucker said:

tI hink just for tune anywhere from $1000-$1500 seems to be the going rate.

 

Buddy if you think that is the rate, someone is pulling your leg.

 

No single fuel tune is worth that much, no tuner is that much better than any other.

 

I've seen all the tunes all the shops and privateers do, there's nothing special in any of them.

 

Here's a simple truth, credits for a single fuel tune cost $150.

[k31th]

dyno time + paying for the tuning expertise etc costs money... but you're 100% right that there's a huge margin in it for falcon tuners, especially... $1k+ is not unusual

[Puffwagon]

No 1k plus is getting scammed.

 

Edit: 150 credits, 300 dyno hire and the rest profit.

Edited 18/02/23 10:51 AM by Puffwagon

[k31th]

then most people who've had their falcon tuned have been scammed