H8ted1488

Hi everyone. This is my first post... I am a new owner of an Evo X. I have never owned a high performance tuner before, and I don't really know too much about how to work on cars. So I figured I would turn to the experts with a few questions that I had. First off, I am looking to mod my Evo. What are some decently cheap and easy to do modifications? Like what are the first things I should do, and how much do they cost, how easy are they to install, and how much are they going to improve performance? Also, if I mod my Evo in any way, does that void my warranty?

I have also been reading about a list of common problems with the Evo. I share most of those same problems. The two that concern me the most is the rough shifting from 1-2, 2-3. Has there been a fix from Mitsubishi that has been put out yet? If not, does anyone have any first hand experience in correcting this issue? The other thing I'm worried about is this "factory reflash" that I have been reading about. How do I know if my car has received that? I don't really trust the dealership to tell me if it has been done. I was hoping that there was a way I can check myself? And if it hasn't, what do I tell the dealership in order to get them to reflash it? I heard that you can't just go there and tell them to reflash it.

These are my questions for the time being. Any help would be greatly appreciated... Thanks!!

Methodical4u

iTrader: (9)

there are a ton of threads about mods and what sort of mods you should do to your car. Most people will recommend getting a tune right off the bat, as a good tune is good enough for most people in terms of power, but it is addicting. If you know you want more than that then getting a good Upper intercooler pipe (UICP), along with a good turbo back exhaust (TBE) and a drop in filter such as a K&N, Works, etc. Those few things can easily get you 60 or more wheel hp... (if i'm wrong here guys chime in). A Cobb AP is what I use and I like it, but you may have local tuners you can go with... ask around about them.

H8ted1488

Alright, thanks! But what exactly is a "tune"? And how much does an UICP run, and is it hard to install? I'm REEEEAAAALLLLL noob at working on cars...

alex3dworld

iTrader: (4)

Cobbtunning.com buy accesport 2 $695 .buy their pipes, cai and a good yest pipe (cob, ams, etc) maps are for free, free tuning software, and easy to go back any time to original ecu settings. All this will give you amazing power for a while at less to make you feel the king of the strees . After that you can go for more serius power. But go slow, and read a lot, enjoy your car, it is a seeius powerful machine but you can go wdong and will be expencive. Anyway.... Good luck see you at the forums, wellcome

Methodical4u

iTrader: (9)

lol yeah, well i'm no expert either, i've learned a little bit by helping friends and reading on here. A "tune" is where the computer in your car is altered by either a "tuner" (someone who is a professional at doing this) or by a "off the shelf map" (which basically means a very mild tune that is safe for any car of that particular type which in this case happens to be an Evo X) A tune consists of multiple ways of changing the timing, boost pressure, air and fuel ratios, etc. I don't understand a lot of that either, but each tune is different and once done these tunes are called "maps" The person who posted below me was talking about an Accessport made by Cobb Tuning which comes with a few maps which are stage 1 where you have to just install it and you're ready, a stage 2 in which the boost pill is removed and a TBE is added to the car, an Economy mode map... made to help gas mileage, a Valet map where the RPM's are set to a certain level so if someone takes your car out they can only go to a certain RPM level which is usually around 4500. I believe there is also a map that will keep the car from running completely in case someone were to try to steal it.

I myself have an AP (accessport) and I think it's a great tool. It's easy to use and you can flash back to stock anytime you would like, or to any other map.

If you know NOTHING about working on cars, then I would buy your parts and either make some friends on here that are in your area to help you install it, or take them to a shop. The UICP I don't think is hard to install, but if you've never done any sort of work to a car, I wouldn't start there.

IMO, the best thing you can do right now is read and see what you feel is best for you. I would recommend the AP, not because it is the best, worst, etc, but because it is easy, and if you don't like it, it holds it's value and you can do something else. A good tuner can get you more power, but it will cost you dyno time and such which I don't know much about price wise, but at least 300.00, and then once you add more parts you should be retuned.

There are other tuning systems, but they are much more complex and wouldn't be good for someone like you IMO.

If you go with the AP, there are places who do protunes for it and then you can keep the map forever, so if you want to take a part off, you can just flash back to that old map until you find a better brand of a part or just want to go back for any reason at all.

I hope this isn't to confusing and again to anyone reading this... if i'm wrong, please do correct me.

Methodical4u

iTrader: (9)

AP=615$-695$
UICP 180$-350 or more.
TBE 800$-2000 or more.

alex3dworld

iTrader: (4)

buddy, seriously if you don't know how to open your hood, do not install anything by yourself, please, take your car to a professional, or leave your car stock for a year or so, give you some time to absorb all the basic knowledge. these cars are not a $5000 civic. this stuff is expensive, parts are expensive and dealer get really mad when you get there *****ing with a blow engine with an aftermarket exhaust. they know what we are doing.
so you better star slow, maybe start tinting the windows?

start reading this:

Magnusson-Moss Act of 1975.

H8ted1488

Thanks for all of the input. I think that I have decided to go with the AP first. Seems like something that I can do. I work on computers for a living, and while it is not the same thing, it has the same concept. I will probably end up buying an UICP and having someone else install it for me. So if I get the AP, I don't have to worry about this "factory reflash" that I am reading about, right? Because I will be doing a reflash myself...

If I eventually get a TBE, that will allow me to move up to a stage II with the AP, right? Just trying to understand some of this. Doesn't seem as hard as I thought it was gonna be.

Since this post, I totaled the front end of my Evo. Damn cat or some small animal ran in front of me and instead of hitting it (DUMB), I swerved and smashed into the guard rail. The end of the guard rail caught my left front tire and JACKED my front axle to hell. My wheel was 90 degrees to the car. It really sucked... I think next time Im gonna smash any SMALL animal that gets in my way... Thanks again for the help. And has anyone heard of a fix for the rough shifting of 1-2 and 2-3? Thanks!

Methodical4u

iTrader: (9)

lol man that totally sucks lol. Always hit the animal... NEVER EVER swerve unless it's a large animal and even then you're better off to hit the brakes as hard as possible and hit the animal... hard to think of that in the heat of the moment though. Right now just pick up an AP and flash to stage 1 and don't worry about anything else for at least a few months.

The rough shifts have been probably the biggest complaint on this forum about the X's, and I myself don't really experience them often because the one thing you have to do is push in the clutch and wait for a half second or second and let the rev's come down a bit. That works well for me... maybe it doesn't for everyone though.

H8ted1488

Alright, that is probably what I am going to do (once I get my damn car back!) Quick question on that though. I was thinking about getting a drop-in high-flow air filter to replace the OEM. Probably the K & N High flow... will flashing to a stage 1 with the Cobb be unaffected by this? Or should I just leave in the stock air filter and flash to stage 1?

Methodical4u

iTrader: (9)

I have heard people say they use a drop in with the stage 1 and it's fine... Cobb recommends that the car be totally stock with stage 1... however, they are working on maps for drop in filters and they will be out soon I believe so if you just wait a bit you can download and flash that map into the ECU and not have to worry. I don't personally think it would hurt it myself.

alex3dworld

iTrader: (4)

Cobb air filter is just $ 90. And you will have a lot of fun hearing the turbo sucking the air. Is like a blow of valble. Besides maybe you can have some discounts becouse you are buying everytbing from the same manufacture. Performance wise i think the best is a real cai, like the injen. Im runing stage 2 with a test pipe and a cai. No problems so far. No nedd to do the whole turbo back. Just change the mosf restrictve parts unless you have plenty money to buy everything