Newbie - Going from Turbo to Vtec maybe??


D'janiero

D'janiero

Active Member
Joined
Jul 17, 2007
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Hey guys. Ive been browsing the forum for the past few hours, and its great. Tonnes of interesting info:nice:

I'm thinking about getting a new car, and an ek9 came to mind (always had a soft spot for them).

Ive had an ep82 Toyota starlet turbo (running roughly 160 bhp) for the past year, and is thinking of getting an ek9.
The only thing that puts me off slighly (don't stone me for this) is that the straightline performance will not impress me, as Ive been so used to having a turbo car. Having said that, Ive heard the blistering handling abilities etc of the ek9 will soon change my mind.
Ive done some research and found basic stats like bhp etc, but can these cars be still fun to drive after owning a turbo car?.

Thanks, and looking forward to your replies

D
 
I had a astra turbo befor mine and belive me no need for a turbo!

Vtec is the way forward my friend!:nice:

Stright line speed is just as good as any stralet and when u hit the bend's then there is nothing more to be said. :bow:

Go test drive one and judge for yourself!
 
Exactly what I wanted to hear man:). I few of my die hard turbo friends reccon I'll get board of vtec as there is not alot of torque etc, while my honda mates said I'll be converted, once I take an ek9 for a spin.I'm looking very forward to test driving a few ek9s next weekend.
 
or you could just turbocharge your vtec engine like me and run 13.6 at 109mph spinning tires past half track :nice:
 
I was just breifly reading your thread earlier dude. Your turbo conversion looked amazing. I was considering going the turbo route, but parts/labour are pretty expensive over here in the uk, especially when tuning hondas:(. Can you give me a rough guide as to what I'd need for this conversion, aswell as how much it cost?

Thanks
 
Good thread,

I changed from a AWD 2000 cc turbo evolution 3, with 280 hp.

Why did I change?

Because I wanted a car with better handling, and I was tired of being fast on a straight line.

My evo 3 with race brake pads + tein suspension, + rear front strut bar, did a time at the track of 1.23 min. Great time for the car, since other AWD cars made 1.24 - 1.25.

I sold my evo 3, and wait for my car for 6 months, (damn ibcjapan.co.jp) well it arrived, and I was very happy with it, the handling was incredible, and can't be compared with my evo 3, it was 1000 times better :)

Went to the track with my EK9, first pass on the track was of 1.24, using stock pads, well after practicing a lot, I did a time of 1.20. YES 3 seconds faster than my ex evo 3! I was very happy, since was my personal best record and a good time! 1595 cc engine, with 185 hp, was faster than a 2000 cc turbo 280 hp!

I completely fell in love with my car, when I beat and evo 3 on the street, we raced like for like 5 min, on a UPHILL with a lot of curves, the evo beat me on the straight, but I was able to pass him on the curves! the evo guy even was hitting the steering wheel because he was mad that a honda kicked his ass lol!!!

I had a Starlet Glanza, which is almost identical in everything to the starlet gt (engine etc) also I have driven starlet gts, and by my personal experience, you can't compare the handling of a starlet gt to the handling of a ek9, of course talking stock vrs stock :) but even with tuned cars the ek9 has the edge.

Good luck mate, and hope you decide to buy a EK9 :)
 
Thanks for the reply rvm. Very interesting read there. I'm glad to see that others who have had faster turbo cars in the past, have converted to ek9's and not looked back.

I'm currently running d2 coilovers on my starlet at the mo, and I'm still not that impressed with the handling. I had a swift gti before my GT, and the car would have put my starlet to shame in the bends lol. I guess its mainly down to the starlets not having independant rear suspension?
 
RVM you had an evo 3? This is news to me thats a baller car!

D'janiero- suspension just like any part of the car has to be a good combination of the right parts that work together, along with a good suspension geometry. The ek9 has all of this, honda has done most all of the hard work already!
 
Dino-Spumoni said:
RVM you had an evo 3? This is news to me thats a baller car!
Click to expand...


Yep, had one, photo in 2005 at the track:

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Nice!
So was it just a pig on rollerskates in corners compared to the ek9 or what?
 
D'janiero said:
I was just breifly reading your thread earlier dude. Your turbo conversion looked amazing. I was considering going the turbo route, but parts/labour are pretty expensive over here in the uk, especially when tuning hondas:(. Can you give me a rough guide as to what I'd need for this conversion, aswell as how much it cost?

Thanks
Click to expand...

a rough guide can be found on my thread, as far as price depending what parts you get, could be from 3000-6500 and that is including engine and fuel management.
 
blinx9900 said:
a rough guide can be found on my thread, as far as price depending what parts you get, could be from 3000-6500 and that is including engine and fuel management.
Click to expand...

Cool. I'll have a closer look at your thread. Thanks:nice:
 
Man, the conering ablities of the ek9 must be crazy. I always thought that the early evos stuck to the road like glue, with the straightline performance to match
 
D'janiero said:
Man, the conering ablities of the ek9 must be crazy. I always thought that the early evos stuck to the road like glue, with the straightline performance to match
Click to expand...

Go for the ek civic you wont be dissapointed there is plenty of engine mods to be got to up the hp if needed::) my friends neighbour bought A EK civic imported from japan with A dc5 engine transplant and few other mods and get this he beat a evo7 in a striaght line race:D
 
Yeah, a k20 in an ek would be immense. I was watching a vid on here of one the other day. It was nuts lol

I'm counting down the days Ive got to wait untill I can go and test drive some ek9s:)
 
i drove an ek4 with a 236whp k20 in it, i was NOT impressed :angry: power band was too linear, i prefer an on/off type of powerband like turbo cars, or like the factory b16b.
 
I agree bro. The k20 has more torque, bigger / displacement. Ive been out in both the dc2 type r and the dc5, and to be honest I prefered the on off feel characteristics of the b series engine as you said. The k20 was alot more linear and you could'nt really tell when the vtec actuation point came in. Still nice cars though.
 
My other car is a clio turbo (TT engine), 218bhp with remap coming soon, its a lot quicker than the 9 from 50mph & I will miss the torque in later gears (overtaking!) when she goes, but the 9 is massive fun with plenty of tuning bits to come, very happy with mine.
 
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