Rumblefish237

iTrader: (1)

Following two years filled with unparalleled driving enjoyment, I have finally paid off my 2004 Ralliart. Throughout my ownership of the car I have performed regular and preventative maintenance using top quality parts and fluids. To date I have only upgraded the stereo system, wheels and tires (snowies on my stock 16s), an AEM SRI, and 20% Tint.

Now that the loan is paid off, I have disposable income that I can either save, invest in my car, or a combination of both. After much research I have discovered some people saying no matter how many upgrades I perform, without an ECU flash all the effort will be for naught. I have even read that adding bolt-ons without flashing the ECU will result in power loss instead of gains. The only person I have heard of who can do a flash is Hackish, but he is in Ontario and I cannot be without my car when I send him my ECU if I ever even get a hold of him and if he is not too busy to service my ECU.

I desperately need some advice from seasoned Ralliart owners/tuners because I have done quite a bit of research and I have a large, detailed performance parts wish list for my car. I am ready to modify the ***t out this car but if I need a flash and one is not available to me then am I out of luck? Can I still modify my car and see gains without a flash? Is this a good car to tune or should I just leave it stock?

Thank you for taking the time to read this thread, I appreciate your consideration and any advice you may have for me.

Ps. As soon as Vancouver sees some sun, I will detail my car and add photos to my profile.

nerdbotSKRA

iTrader: (4)

One thing that you will find is that the after market for the 04-06 ralliart has yet to really blow up, you won't find something like a brand new $200 catback designed for our cars kicking around just yet (like you may find for a honda), for example.

Anyone I know who was looking at an RA went a different route because "the pockets weren't deep enough to mod the thing"

But RA's are dope as hell when they get done right.

Congrats on paying off your ride though, as of yesterday I've got $5400 left on mine.. started with 12.6 @56k in January last year.. I can't wait for the monthly payment to just..disappear lol

lanzerralliart

iTrader: (15)

Mine is paid off and has been for a little more than a year , once that monthly payment is up something else will pop it's ugly head up for you to pay :/ I have for the most part been pretty steady adding mods after it was paid off. What I've mainly been doing is regular maintainence +1 or +2. What I mean is I just did my timing maintainence, and since I was in there I got an extra head p&p, replaced my solid motor mounts with a fresh new set , got the delta camshaft, and cleaned my already p&p intake manifold. This is how I've been modding lately , I look at what "needs" to be done and I see what can be upgraded with it. My struts, and replacing some rubber bushings will be next and I'll go to energy suspensions to try and upgrade as much as possible over oem. Or say you own headlight bulb goes out, look into some hids. Hope this helps

Beardly P

iTrader: (18)

Stay stock and save your money.

CrAnSwIcK

iTrader: (5)

maintenance is first and foremost, if you can afford it, go nuts.

Rumblefish237

iTrader: (1)

I appreciate the responses so far. Maintenance +1/+2 would seem to be a wise way to go for me. What I really need to know before anything else is if I do mod is a flash absolutely necessary to see gains? Thank you once again.

zebra4

You do not require a flash, and you will see gains from bolt ons/mods. A tune or flash will definitely bring all the mods to their full potential, and be the most effiecient. You will get more from each mod after a flash. If i were you and had the money i would do the mods that i wanted, then get a tune/flash to bring them all together. Just my opinion.

heckler

Without flash picture your sink pipping all dirty and clogged up, you'll see gains no matter what, but once you drop CLR to unglogged and clean all that piping your mods will really shine. Without reflash you still get performance gains but only maybe 40 to 60 percent, once flashed you'll receive the full 100 percent. Without the flash your computer chip doesn't know how to respond to the mods it will be alittle confused but u still get alittle gain not much thought, with the flash its as if it was already born with it so it know what to do to balance these mods and you feel every little bit of performance and squeeze every little bit out of it.If by chance there's no way that you can flash and I mean no way, no friends or girlfriend to pick up drop off while getting flashed, and you really want to see gains then don't bother becouse just the money u put in without a flash only way is turbo other then that you really won't feel that much difference for what you paid. If u have not time just go evo, its a therobred from day 1 that's my opinion any way

heckler

If u need parts go to rrm (raod race motorsports) they have almost everything you need if not good luck hunting some other companyies make parts to but you have to hunt them down on the net

heckler

Like zebra said get all your mods and once your sastified with what you have do a flash, the difference in power is like a puppy to a pitbull, if u diciede to go down that road, no sense in flashing every couple of mods right lol

deathsythe99

we need the software so we can tune it ourselfs lol.

CrAnSwIcK

iTrader: (5)

as is, if you are N/A the reflash will adjust to mostly any bolt ons you throw at it...we're still waiting to find out if the custom cams are in the same boat, but basically you will not need to fine tune with most bolt on N/A mods.

Software is coming, reflash is here. It's a little pricey, compared to pulleys, intakes, mount etc. but it is well worth it.

SSP-Ralliart

iTrader: (1)

People on here can pretty help with just about anything RA.... I finally got my beast back on the streets. Sure is fun to drive.

CrAnSwIcK

iTrader: (5)

same here, loving every nano second of it

Rumblefish237

iTrader: (1)

I have tried to PM and email Hackish about the reflash. So far I have not had any response. Does anyone know how I can get a hold of him?