If you had 2k to spend in your ek9?


Some interesting conflicts in opinion here, some say more power, some better chassis, some say spend it on the gearbox.
I am hoping to get some tuition in once I've done afew sessions. This is all what if ATM as I haven't got a nine. If I get the car im after then this thread is pretty void but if that doesn't happen this may be plan b.
So what brands are considered decent with coilovers?
 
Gearset on a stock EK9 is a load of bollocks - A stock EK9 with a close ratio box vs a stock EK9 the stock EK9 will win.

The EK9 is a great chassis base with all the supporting arbs and suspension - I'd put £2000 into a engine!
 
Interesting, what engine would you be after? B18 with supporting mods After you've sold the b16?
 
joe said:
Gearset on a stock EK9 is a load of bollocks - A stock EK9 with a close ratio box vs a stock EK9 the stock EK9 will win.

The EK9 is a great chassis base with all the supporting arbs and suspension - I'd put £2000 into a engine!
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Why in earth is a gearset a load of bollocks??
 
More power only goes so far out on a road course. Drag is different.

Having the proper gearing on a road course along with good brakes are way more important.

A custom engine build for track use gets expensive as they tend to have shorter life spans. so keeping the engine as stock as possible is better for longer engine life span. Getting the most out of a stock engine you must change the gears to be closer ratio over OEM CTR.

1k'ish drop in RPM is what I go for, for track use, always keeping it within the range of vtec, never dropping out unless I do something wrong, which is often...lol.

The tracks Ive been at here in the States, I top out at 120mph on the longest straights in 5th gear, but the stock B18C5's get me there extreamly fast over what a stock ITR gearing can get me there in.

Gearing is huge on track.
Keeping that speed up for as long as possible going into a turn is also hugely important and this is where the brakes come into play, gearing gets the car out of the corners super fast...back to the gearing. ;)

Hunting down lotus's, M3's and corvette's are now my specialty. If you look at my video i recently posted you may get a better idea of what I am referring to...in that video im tracking down a porsche while in the corners, but not in the long straights. Has alot to do with my gearing and brakes and not HP with why I am able to catch the porsche.
 
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joe said:
Gearset on a stock EK9 is a load of bollocks - A stock EK9 with a close ratio box vs a stock EK9 the stock EK9 will win.
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Would LOVE to here your resoning behind this coment!:lol:

The only way a the stock EK9 would "win" as you put it is at top speed, which on 99% of uk circuits your not going to get over 120-130mph.
I was once on snetterton circuit with one of my old EK9's with a B18 engine & stock gearbox, a fellow forum member was on with me with a B16 & gearset. There was nothing between us at all, if anything the other 9 was pulling harder out of the corners!

TRUST me gearbox mods are one of the best & first things to do to a EK9 IMHO:D


joe said:
The EK9 is a great chassis base with all the supporting arbs and suspension - I'd put £2000 into a engine!
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You are correct here as the EK9 is a great chassis out of the box, but i defo wouldnt throw £2000 at any engine.

Dont get me wrong i have had a B18 in all my EK9's & absalutly love them for the extra torque, but on track it is NOT all about power! ;)

tama666 said:
More power only goes so far out on a road course. Drag is different.

Having the proper gearing on a road course along with good brakes are way more important.

A custom engine build for track use gets expensive as they tend to have shorter life spans. so keeping the engine as stock as possible is better for longer engine life span. Getting the most out of a stock engine you must change the gears to be closer ratio over OEM CTR.

1k'ish drop in RPM is what I go for, for track use, always keeping it within the range of vtec, never dropping out unless I do something wrong, which is often...lol.

The tracks Ive been at here in the States, I top out at 120mph on the longest straights in 5th gear, but the stock B18C5's get me there extreamly fast over what a stock ITR gearing can get me there in.

Gearing is huge on track.
Keeping that speed up for as long as possible going into a turn is also hugely important and this is where the brakes come into play, gearing gets the car out of the corners super fast...back to the gearing. ;)

Hunting down lotus's, M3's and corvette's are now my specialty.
Click to expand...

Agree with everything Tama has wrote above! :bow:
 
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So it would appear that gearing, brakes and chassis are the areas were improvement can be made?
Obviously after I've Learnt to drive it properly.
 
Shorter Final drive
Lowered Seat rail
Extended Hub with personal Wheel
Short shift gear linkage
DC2 Air Box
Straight through Custom Race exhaust ( no baffles at all )
Standalone ECU

Why bother modding the engine loads and leaving everything else... thats crazy. no wonder there are so many badly modded EK9's in a state

Suspension is spot on for me, I'd just free up a little bit of power and make sure its all controlled perfectly with A stand alone ECU then make it a pleasure to drive by sorting out the driving position :D
 
Some good advice here. My ek9 has racing gear coil overs, swift springs 16/14, cusco 1.5 way diff, red stuff pads, dc2 intake, decat, recaro spg, backbox and a guage setup. Not really sure what else needs doing to it? goner get some track time and see where it falls down. Maybe a rad or oil cooler.

Only thing i defo need is differnt tyres. Have a set of dixcel racing front and rear grooved discs in my garage to go on, any body recommend pads to match? was thinking carbon Lorraine
 
jesse888 said:
So it would appear that gearing, brakes and chassis are the areas were improvement can be made?
Obviously after I've Learnt to drive it properly.
Click to expand...

You have hit the nail on the head right there mate & the best way to do that is on track with tution!:drive:
 
I agree with the advice for a gearset. I've been up against eg's with mfactory gears when I was running a b18c-r and stock s4c.
Was nothing in it til I hit my speed limiter.

If you're patient I'm sure you could get a s80 with 4.7 final drive and ek9 4/5th fitted for about £500. Find some good condition suspension or a set of hardrace bushes for £500 and spend the rest on brakes.
 
Different approach topher. Short final drive cheaper than gearset. Then all about driving position. Plus Ecu. Would an ecu be wasted money if you've got little mods?
Problem with exhaust I've got to be able to get on track with it so can't be mega loud.
 
Ye driving position makes a big difference, in my ej9 i ran a bride super low rail and recaro with ek9 steering wheel and it improved my driving dramatically as i wasnt being thrown around so much. In the 9 i have a momo boss and spacer to bring the wheel even closer to me, mugen pedals are also pretty nice, the larger accelerator pedal helps toe and heel, but the pedal layout is already pretty good in the eks.
 
Most are saying spend alittle on each part of car. Would it not be better to go full on suspension setup at 2k? Or would it be faster to have spent less money on every part of the car over spending top money on one part?
 
I think lots of little things add up, a stable and comfortable car to drive will give you more confidence to push it.
 
JIMBOB-EK9 said:
You have hit the nail on the head right there mate & the best way to do that is on track with tution!:drive:
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Since my first track day in my Astra ive always tried to learn the car befor modding. Obviously I do things like half decent tyres and pads befor hand but then learn what it needs next. I feel I grasp track driving fairly quickly and adapt to driving different style cars pretty well but i am feeling some tuition in the 9.
 
jesse888 said:
Most are saying spend alittle on each part of car. Would it not be better to go full on suspension setup at 2k? Or would it be faster to have spent less money on every part of the car over spending top money on one part?
Click to expand...

To get the most out of an expensive suspension set-up you'd ideally need to re-bush the whole car first as well.
 
jesse888 said:
Different approach topher. Short final drive cheaper than gearset. Then all about driving position. Plus Ecu. Would an ecu be wasted money if you've got little mods?
Problem with exhaust I've got to be able to get on track with it so can't be mega loud.
Click to expand...

Shorter Final drive is a cheeper & very good mod, but you still have the same rev drops as oem. This is why i would go down a gearset route instead of a FD for "track work"!

Very good point by topher about lowered seat rail, this is a must in an EK9 IMO:D

Stand alone ECU is defo not a waste of money just not one of the first things i would go for, but as topher said really good to know & see everything is running spot on!

If your wanting an exhaust with good gains & is track friendly then the fujistsbo RME01 is what you want! ;)

Dannyboy205 said:
I think lots of little things add up, a stable and comfortable car to drive will give you more confidence to push it.
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dhdavectr said:
To get the most out of an expensive suspension set-up you'd ideally need to re-bush the whole car first as well.
Click to expand...

Both very true!
 
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EK9's are outstanding as a base to build a track car out of. 100% stock they rock!
Getting trained in a EK9 on track is money well spent. After you feel you have reached your limit with what you can do with the stock setup, start modifying to your taste. Just brakes and tires with alter your times drastically on a stock EK9. Then playing with the gearing will make you grin from ear to ear.

Your on the right path buddy.
 
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