This engine has an upgraded short-block which transforms the car from a 1.6L to a 2.5L ride. Coupled with AWD system, this ride is no longer a fuel savvy low granny TS anymore. The 1.6L version is truely underpowered, and putting in a 2.5L engine puts you into the category of Camry 2.4, Honda accord 2.4 or our Volvo S40 2.4
The low end torque of this 2.5L ride ensures a head slamming effect similar to those of small turbos. From the outside of this ride, you cannot detect anything. Extremely stealthy. Besides the upsized engine, everything else is as per normal.
I'm the 5th or 6th tuner attempting to tune this ride. Ride is consistently pinging at low rpms, at around 2000~3000 rpm region, the engine is detonating during light accelerations. Gear shifting is very rough and give it a few more months of this pinging, you can kiss this 2.5L engine good-bye...
Owner is not new to car modifications. Previously, he owns a subaru wrx, mitsubishi colt turbo charged running on microtech ecu. And definately, he know what pinging is about. He is a very humble person and looks for another tuner to help make right whats wrong on his ride.
The interior of this ride is sleek, clean and comfortable. It feels like a luxury car and with a 2.5L engine, everything's just nice. Power is sufficient to move around traffic and comfortable interior with a nice quiet bubbly exhuast system, gives the passengers a mild feel of how a boxer engine should sound like, without bursting their ear drums.
I told the owner that 2.5L short block with automatic transmission on a Subaru TS is the most difficult setup to tune. For this, I advise him to give his previous tuners a little more space for error... Afterall, I'm the 5th or 6th tuner trying my luck on his ride. Previous tuners who touched his ride are people who are well known in the market. Some with very good reputation, while other not quite. We have Zerx Gravxxx, M@x, Andrxx... again, these tuners are good tuners, it is just not their day to meet with a car setup this way... Also, I repeatedly asked the owner to try understand that his ride is really very difficult to tune.
Ok, cut the crap. Why is this ride so different? Very simply, the relearning ability of the subaru TS is extreme. This ride is super sensitive to any sort of modification. So much that Sam has to stick his hands into the engine bay to tweak around the hardware to make things work out fine. Like Sam always say... Tuning cannot do miracles... he like to suan me with this, and it ok one... I just need to show my kung fu in this ride can liaoz ... kekeke
I removed the pinging at low rpms and also done something to make the auto transmission shift gears smoothly. Since the pinging occurs frequently during hard acceleration, Sam had to step hard on the gas, release it, step release.. brake.. step... brake step... oh!!! And all this while, my eyes was glued on the laptop... After 3 hours of this on-slaught, I felt nauseous. During one of our runs along a ulu road, sam suddenly said " Shit!" ... he quickly stopped the vehicle and rushes out... I looked puzzled. He rushes to the nearby drain, whispers some invocation to annouce his arrival and send a stream of warm urine into the drains. I wonders if he remembers sillypore now got New water or not... cb, I thought what the fark happened... knn... urine! wah lan...
Well, i took a good breather and finally, when we gave the vehicle to the owner, I specifically asked that he troubleshoot and test all the areas which has problem. Its only during the second test drive, that all problems was resolved.
Stepping hard on the accelerator, your head will surely slam backwards. Low end torque on this ride is tremendous. The car pulls hard till 5000 rpm where is starts to lose the luster which can be found only in Vtec high lift cams and turbo charged rides. During day-to-day drives, this car gives the driver the feeling that the car is very light. Powerwise, I would rate this around 150 bhp... roughly...
That evening, I went home with butterflies in my stomach... kekeke... The feeling of satisfaction and the smile on the owner's face is invaluable, all that was on my mind as I sat down on the couch was how I used to feel last time when I owned this setup. Owner was amazed by the results. Sam for one wasnt convinced that the mappings I put into this ride is correct. I had to assure him that I am driving this same ride for years liaoz... and I also told him that tuning this ride, you cannot use the conventional methods of what the books tells you. Otherwise, be prepared to end up with the line of tuners who failed.
He says this ride feels very good... hahaha... I just smiled and told him, I liked it too, it was one of my fravourite setups, minus the big bhp numbers, this ride's setup is fabulous.
I briefed the owner on what to expect on this ride and exactly what will happen and the reasons why it happens. I told him to keep me and all that I have done to himself, since we didnt want people swarming over asking this and that... :)
Next day, owner came over to workshop to clean up the flimpsy wirings... I had the opportunity to ask him about his ride. I am happy to hear that he find the auto transmission shifts gear smoother without jerking anymore. No stalling, and no pinging. I asked him to drive for a couple more days and let me know if there is any more issues, I'll gladly resolve them.
Fuel consumption on this ride is now similar to a Camry 2.4 or a Volvo S40 2.4. A 2.0 integra type R will also have similar FC as compared to this 2.5L TS. Of course... its a big CC car now... :) Bearing in mind that a TCed 1.6L will yield better FC compared to a 2.5L NA.... Again driving big CC cars is a class on it own...
Overall, this setup is suitable for people who wants everything else stock. LTA friendly and just wants a the power of a bigger CC ride. Its like buying a 2.5L TS. Although the power is not as huge as a Turbo charged TS, this ride will not lose to the 1.6 TCed TS by far. ECU we used this time is Unichip Version Q.
ps:
Many readers have feedback to put up more pictures... No problem... I'll get it from Sam first... then for newer setups, I'll get ready my lao pok camera and load the pics... :)
Coming soon:
Suzuki swift sport NA running on Unichip Q
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