Charock

Okay so I've read a ton of blog, reviews about more power. Its understood that Turbo is the way to go for the best bang for the buck, but you get what you pay for. Cheap Turbo, cheap results. Expensive Turbo, better results, but expensive, not including other mods that are possibly required to keep your box happy.

I was in the running for a Descendant Kit but became a little impatient, long story. So I decided to stay N/A. I knew going in the results would not be the same as having a turbo but give the car a little more spunk. I also decided to do everything all at once with no time gaps in between bolt ons. My mechanic did it took him three days in between working on other cars in the shop.

Here is what I did:

TRD CAI
Hotchkis Sport Sway Bar Package
TRD Lowering Springs
Weapon R Header with CEL
House of Billet 2AZFE Lightweight Aluminum Crank Pulley
Borla Dual Exhaust

and last but not least the infamous and notorious "Unichip".

I must say, its is a completely different car. Sounds like a V8 is under the hood although we know its not. Also I have a 5 speed with the short throw shifter.

The car responds so much better, yes seat of the pants the car got a few extra *****. Don't ask for a dyno cause I'm not getting one, this car gets driven to work everyday and is a weekend warrior. Already has 40K and only a year and a half old.

My point of writing all this is if your gonna go the cheaper, lower whp route, do it all at once and you'll probably be happier. My mechanic believe it or not said he noticed the biggest difference when he added the Unichip which obviously went on last. The gov. limiter was removed and of course this beemer on the way from the shop wanted to play.

I must say doing 90 with the new suspension and bolts ons, I feel so much more confident and the car seems to ask for more.

I'm happy and I've decided down the road, if you want a faster car, buy a faster car unless your gonna be racing and mod your car has a hobby cause you have the dough to do it.

I'll post some pics and sound bites maybe over the weekend but here in DE we're supposed to get about 18 inches of snow so we'll see...

AAG

iTrader: (1)

You're going to regret not upgrading your shocks while you had the suspension torn down to install the springs and sway bars.

TheQuietThings

eh, not really, they are only TRD springs. Even though struts DO need to be replaced roughly every 60k miles.

Charock

When its time for the struts to be replaced, I'll pop on the TRD's..

AAG

iTrader: (1)

That's what I thought when I had installed the trd springs on my ride at 5k miles. After 13k miles on the trd springs with oem shocks I couldn't take it anymore and I bought the trd shocks. HUGE improvement

TheQuietThings

^thats nuts. I installed my GFs TRDs around....15k miles.... shes at 28k now and ride quality hasnt changed a bit.

AdmirN

How was the install on the TRD springs?

TheQuietThings

easy peasy. the front is a standard coilover form. you will need a spring compressor.
the rear springs you literally yank out and replace.

TrevorS

iTrader: (1)

I'm using OEM struts/shocks with my Eibach Pro-Kit springs -- no problem at all. It shouldn't be necessary to change the struts/shocks unless the drop is radical, neither mine nor the TRD fits that description.

Charock

Thanks for the input TrevorS, so far so good. I hit a couple of corners with ease so far and the ride is bearable....

ScionFred

iTrader: (1)

No need for a dyno. Dyno results vary but you've probably added 10-20whp with those mods. 0-60 in ~8 secs, 1/4 mile in ~16 secs. Respectable but still average performance. The important thing is that you're happy with it.

BTW, I've got 30k miles on stock shocks with TRD springs and no complaints. I'm sure TRD shocks/struts would feel better but my setup is still much better than stock.

Charock

Thx Scion Fred - I figure maybe 20-25 whp according to an article posted by Import Tuner - http://www.importtuner.com/powerpage...rs5/index.html

Only difference between their mods and mine excluding name brands are the fact that I have the crank pulley and unichip in addition and I have a 4-2-1 header apposed to 4-1. Their mods added 16whp, so I figure my two extra mods should account for an additional 10 more then what they have at worst.

Hows the turbo working out for you? I was gonna go with the descendant kit but backed out, didn't want the potential extra issues that may come with the reliability factor. I know turbo's are reliable but are high maintenance.

ScionFred

iTrader: (1)

Hey Charock, I shouldn't have said "10-20whp". It should be more like 20-25whp with the Unichip. I doubt that a light weight crank pulley adds any measurable hp but it does help the engine rev a little quicker. Underdrive pulleys add hp by reducing parasitic drag a little bit. AFAIK it's pretty easy to add ~20whp to our engine with IHE mods but very expensive to add much more. Anyway, if this is your DD, you made the right choice.

As for my turbo project, it's been a nightmare. At first I hoped that the oem ecu could handle slightly larger injectors and low boost for about 200whp. It can but not without some tune issues. In my case I found that the ecu reacts too slowly to the immediate boost my turbo setup provides. This causes a lean hesitation when "floored". I also get a recurring P0101 code for 'MAF out of range'. To solve these issues I bought a FIC and Boomslang PnP harness. First I had problems with the harness, fixed them and then had problems with the FIC that I'm still working on. The FIC doesn't work very well with our crank position sensor and ECU. TC guys have far fewer issues with the FIC because they have a different ecu. 08+ Corollas have similar issues because they share our ECU. Oh well, I could go on and on but you get the point...

Bottom line is that you made a good decision unless you are willing to spend a lot of time and $$$ on a turbo conversion. The turbo pay off is great (250-300whp pretty easily) but the time, effort and $$$ required is also great. IMHO, Descendant is not immune to these same problems and for that matter, I doubt there are any piggy back tuned NA to turbo cars out there that run as good as a factory turbo car. I haven't given up yet but I think about it every day.

You know what's funny? Before I bought my XB I had decided to buy a Rav4. When I went to the dealer to test drive one I saw this NBM XB and liked it so much I bought one. I didn't know it then but if you get the Rav4 with the optional 269hp 3.5L V6, it does 0-60 in 6.5 secs. That makes it possibly the 2nd fastest SUV behind the Porsche Cayenne...

Charock

Dude I feel you on that RAV 4, it's pretty quick with a lot of room. I do want an SUV at some point too. This XB is one of two cars that I have and I couldn't afford the extra down time I may inherit because of mechanical or programming issues. Once I get a third car them I may spend some extra time by possibly making it a street race car. The best bet is dropping in the tundra or sequoia engine but again who has time and money for all that.

RAV could be a future choice and its nice that you get that power without a turbo. I'm actually waiting to see what this new Ford Edge with the Ecoboost engine is going to produce. I know its american, but lately they've been stepping up their game. For now I'm going to enjoy my betty for the next few years and drive her into the ground and maybe rebuild her, we'll see.

In the mean time keep at it with your kit, you've come this far. May as well see it through.

2008GoldenToaster

Hey charock, where did you buy your unichip?
And did you need a tune with it?

ScionFred

iTrader: (1)

I like the fact that Toyota offers the 3.5L V6 in the Rav4 but it truly is a boring run-of-the-mill SUV. There are 2 of them on my street already. I like the new VW Tiguan better. The Ford Edge is very nice too. The AWD Fusion Sport with the 3.5L Ecoboost engine and selectshift tranny is one of my favs right now. Hate the grille though...

Oh well, I'm still having problems with the FIC and I'm completely undecided on whether to see this through or give up. I like my XB but there are a lot of other nicer cars available. IMO Toyota dropped the ball when they pulled the TRD SC off the shelves. They should have fixed it instead.

Charock

What up dude I purchased it at TRD sparks, it ok, car pulls much harder. I didn't get a dyno and don't plan on it. Make sure you have at least CAI, to get the most out of the Unichip. Its mapped to help the ECU recognize and allow those components, namely CAI, exhaust header, and exhaust.

Charock

I was thinking the same thing about the SC. Who knows they may bring it back. Either way I think over time I'm gonna keep my betty and slowing turn her into something special. I'm not rich so it will take years, eventually I'll boost probably unless TRD comes back with the SC. I'm waiting to see if Ford will pop that ECO boost in the Edge. 350 bhp should be kinda nice, not to mention all the tech goodies within the interior. XB will be a keeper for me since they are inexpensive and reliable and it will probably be the last manual car I'll ever purchase brand new. I'm just gonna drive it like I stole it for now and slowly turn her into something worth really driving and looking at. I think about the oldtimers that have cars from the 70's and 80's and just keep adding and replacing until they have a monster.

XD40tC

Its a fun car to play with for sure! Ive enjoyed doing every mod to this box other than peeling a-pillar tape hehe. I wanted to boost the box but after thinking it through for a couple of years and experiencing other boosted cars I think Id do best to get something more well suited for the task. I know itd be fun as hell to have the xB at 300whp cause I already love driving it but currently I dont have the budget to do it properly. And OMG I fell in love with that new Rav 4 when I read how quick it was lol.

Charock

Yeh its quick but it is such a lame looking truck. It speaks zero personality, I think thats why I like the XB so much. I understand on the budget thing, actually I don't have the budget either but thats why I said I will do it over time.
Toyota make reliable cars, excluding the accelerator issue, lol. This will be my toy to mess up over time. One day she will be pushing 300WHP and I'll shock the hell out of some mustang or WRX at the line, lol!