your old black stig profile pic and the new one on evom still throws me off every now and then lol
Great to hear the update NFS. Let's not forget other things that add-up to the current "State of the Ralliart", and lets not degrade this thread to an "SST progression" thread
Here's my contribution to this "knowledge-base" themed thread:
1. The OEM battery is a big obstacle. There are no really well-flowing intakes that keep the stock battery location/size. The combination of a long airflow route, direction, bottlenecks, and heatsoak make every RA specific intake out there nearly useless vs price. Yes, I'm aware of the AEM RA intake, but it has yet to be released, so this current "state" still stands.
Not only does the battery cause intake performance issues, it causes fitment issues when looking for Evo X compatibility (intake, some LICPs, turbo->intake). Most obvious example is when owners opt for an Evo X turbo swap. Fixing the problem with the battery looks like it will open a lot of doors.
2. The whole RA intercooler system is garbage. The UICP is an expanding hose, the FMIC gets heatsoaked too easily, and the LICP has stupidly designed dimples near the inlet.
The UICP flexing hose flexes under high boost pressure, causing a loss in throttle response as air expands while passing through
The FMIC is a joke of an intercooler. Bryan@GST has great logs here:
http://norcalmotorsports.org/users/b...mps_040310.gif
The RA OEM LICP is a HUGE restriction. After upgrading to an ETS LICP, I will confidently say that the LICP makes a bigger difference than upgrading the UICP hose. Upgrading the LICP to a wider hard-pipe that doesn't have the OEM "dents" makes spool-up much more aggressive.
Regardless, for how cheaply a used Evo X intercooler set can be bought, and how relatively easy it is to DIY install, a full intercooler system upgrade should be something EVERY Ralliart owner does. Upgrade the whole system, including LICP
3. Tires - just upgrade them. This has been beaten to death I don't feel like typing anything about it. CL your OEM's and upgrade
That's all I can think to add for now. Here's one others can add to:
4. The OEM brake system is pretty pitiful. NFS offers a great and affordable option for a caliper/rotor/line upgrade. But with the different options offered from this BBK, what's the breakdown of what is necessary depending on needs? What kind of use/owner justifies a front-only upgrade? Caliper size? Rotor type (oem evo x or aftermarket)? SS lines? etc? Feel free to add to this bullet