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With my 95SET I had a very good MBC step up with a pop-off valve for boost pressure overshoot trimming, hacked MAP signal, Vigen IC an other things. Got rear ended. Meanwhile I have been colaborting with Jeff to create a good MBC+A kit (for T5 only). But my hands on T5 tinkering has ended.
I have an 03 Aero Wagon. The 95SET was mostly a cheap home brewed thing. With the T7, HP costs serious money. Having to get the 9-5 to replace the 95SET was bad timing and the 9-5 has to be paid for. I have not had the cash on hand for a 1-3K modification! Getting laid off from Sprint certainly does not help ;}
So I have a JR filter and a SMBC. The metal piston type BPV looks good, but I don't know if its producing much benefit. The SMBC does make the turbo much more responsive, and that directly translates into speed on the street. With the turbo spool rate now what the turbo can do, instead of what the T7 control system does to it, I found that adding the JR filter had a profound effect. This was in comparison to a new Saab paper air fitler! The slack boost repsonse of the OEM system would probably mask much of what the JR can do to increase the way the turbo spools up.
So the 03 9-5 Aero has had little change. I had the BPV and MBC from the wreck, so the only performance cost so far is the 'drop in' JR filter. (And I feel that the K&N will outflow the JR and it has more filter media too, which should lead to better filtration. The K&N has higher pleat density)
I did replace the OEM pads when new with EBCs to reduce rotor wear and increase brake performance. I think that I will be able to get well over 100K on the rotors and pads from my driving profile. I have 44K and the pads look very thick and rotor wear lip is very slight. I consider the change to EBC pads to be a cost saver in the end. Aero rotors are expensive with no aftermarket cost basis alternatives.
As far as a real power mod, two things:
The speedparts mods will maintain the reduced boost in gears 1 and two. I really miss the 95SET 2nd gear pull! The Aero cannot match that. And with the SMBC I am triggering traction control in gears 1 and 2 now. So I wonder if the speedparts mods can improve things for city driving at all. 2nd gear takes you to any sane speed that you need in the city. I wonder if the speedparts mods do provide any increase at all in the lower gears. All they claim is that the lower gear limitations are still there. Still limited, but improved?
I would also like to see the TCS modified in an ECU mod. Right now it is way too sensitive! With the TCS as is, if not turned off, the only route to better acceleration is to get softer sticky tires. The stock tires are a 240 wear rating. I like a 140-180.
Turning off the TCS button to get better performance also kills the ESP and such as well. :(
posted by 65.68.10...
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