I recently installed an OBX riser plate on my 2008 Scion tC. The only other mods I have are a stock airbox K&N filter and Nology wires/Siver sparkplugs. After the installation, I noticed a few things:

- The engine noise decreased dramatically - I need to look at the gages to know when to shift (I am new to driving a manual transmission... )
- There is significantly more low end torque - the car pulls up fairly steep hills in 4th gear - even at 25 MPH
- A new whistling sound can be heard while the car is in gear and running.

I tried putting the car in neutral and revving the motor, but the sound isn't there. Since it is a manual, there aren't any vaccuum hoses to cause the whistling (TTBOMK). Since it doesn't whistle in neutral, there is no reason to suspect that it is a gasket leak or a hose leak.

Does anyone have any suggestions? I am not setting any CEL's at this time.

Thanks!

 

what the heck is the obx riser plate? nologoy wires and silver sparkplugs are a waste of money cause the do "NOTHING".
1. could several things that are loose.
2. i drive auto so idk that one.
3. that is normal and if you get and aftermarket intake, then the whistling noise will become louder.

 

I respectfully differ with your opinion about Nology wires. I used to own a 1994 Saturn SL1 1.9 L SOHC throttle body inject. automatic (approx 90 hp. - don't laugh, it was all I could afford at the time...). After installing Nology wires, Silver spark plugs, a K&N OEM box filter, and a low restriction muffler, the following changed:

- MPG went up from 26/30 to 30/40-50
- I could almost keep up with a stock DOHC SC2
- NOx and SOx emissions were so low the Saturn techs just scratched their heads - my car could outperform their non-modified cars not only in the HP/torque area but also in emissions!
- One drawback - the Nology wires cause the car to run very hot - the coolant runs approx. 20-30 deg. F warmer than normal. I use WaterWetter to compensate.

The OBX riser plate ([http://www.sparktecmotorsports.com/thbosp9.html]) is supposed to incorporate a riser plate and constructive turbulance to increase performance & MPG. So far, it has done so admirably :o . [/url]

 

not sure what your goals are. i'm guessing best mpg tc? i'll try to inform you about the nology wires tho. our car has a coil-over-plug ignition system. at this time, from what i know, that is the most efficient and best style of ignition for cars today. when you install nology wires on an old skool saturn, you will see a difference, because the ignition type is not coil-over-plug. on our cars tho, you won't notice any gains, and might even see some losses. i don't know what a riser plate is either, unless you're talking about a throttle body spacer. so if your goal is more power for your car, i think you've wasted some money on those two items...

 

My goal is to figure out the best way to get the best MPG when babying the car. I have heard that by the end of June, gas prices will likely be in the $4.00 range, and that it could rise even more significantly by the end of Summer 2008. If I can get even a few more MPG out of it, it will be worth the effort. Every day I watch $3.00+ dollars worth of gas burn up into CO2 + H2O that doesn't need to because the system isn't as efficient as it could be.

For the wires & plugs, they ensure a near complete burn of fuel. The ECM should adjust based on the O2 sensors to lean out the car (more HP, more MPG). This has already occurred (the coolant temp has risen about 30 deg). The throttle body spacer (bad terminology on my part - sorry about that!) and the K&N are reducing the stress of getting air into the engine (More MPG). When I first bought the Scion, my first tank got around 27 MPG mostly highway (I did drive it an aweful lot the first few days...). After putting on the wires, I am getting close to 28.5 MPG, with 70% of it city traffic (driving 5 mph on a highway - I abhor rush hour traffic) and 30% open highway. That is significant, given the 20/27 rating for the vehicle! It is not a waste, but an investment, born out by empirical data. I don't know about the Throttle Body Spacer yet, though. I'll PM you if you are interested once I have run a couple of tanks of gas through it...

I have a background in Chemistry and science, as well as electronics. The Capacitor-Resistor circuit in the Nology wires store the charge until the ionization point in the capacitor is reached. Then, based on capacitor characteristics, it will release 2/3 of its charge in nanoseconds - virtually instantaneously
(an inverse logrithmic function). This results in a much larger ignition spark. Additionally, depending on the latency of the coils, it could mean even more. Let's say that the latency of the coil to fire is 4 milliseconds. That means that at 6000 RPM, the coil is still delivering spark for approximately 14.4 degrees of crank rotation:

6000 RPM / 60 Seconds = 100 Revolutions per second

100 Revolutions per second * 360 Degrees crank rotation = 3600 Degrees total crank rotation per second

4 milliseconds = 0.004 seconds. So,

3600 degrees total rotation * 0.004 seconds = 14.4 degrees total rotation

At 3000 RPM it is 28.8 degrees total rotation, etc.

I would rather have it fire all at once Before TDC, and allow the ECM to adjust the timing to get the best firing time with feedback from the O2 sensors.

It may not seem like much, but every little bit counts.

 

you wasted your money

 

WTF is a riser plate?

 

what the hell does "rant" mean?

 

rant means to blab on and on to others about reasons why you may be mad/upset/etc.

 

actually make that 5$ a gallon in early July ... i just scoped out the #s and the price of oil jumped again... i paid 3.43 today in st Paul MN.

 

If you want mileage, build a snorkel to extend the inlet for the airbox to about 6" away from the header heatshield. You will likely need to tinker with the placement of the snorkel's inlet, to find the "sweet spot" in IAT. Also, see if Stant makes a t-stat with a higher opening temp, like a 190º or 192º.

 

1) The throttle body spacer likely didn't do anything. These things are advertised as "making a vortex", which is "the best way to pack as much air as possible."

A vortex is the most effective way to move 2 fluids bidirectionally through a single opening. This is why coke bottles taped together move best when in a vortex. However, your engine intake only involves 1 fluid... that is air... going in.

Therefore, a vortex is not the most effective way. The most effective way is simple straight flow. There is a certain resonance factor built in with the timing of intake charges, sure, but that has nothing to do with vortexing. Nor does increasing the amount of volume in the intake manifold have any benefit.. It all ends up heading into the runners at a rate determined by the motor.

Plenum spacers, etc., that you hear about for other motors work by keeping the metal intake manifold cooler. Goes between the block and the plenum. Does not apply to us.

2) Your engine already advances timing significantly, in order to achieve the best burn possible.... except under certain conditions (WOT / cold startup / etc.) VVT has the ABILITY to advance as much as 90*... which it doesn't need to, since that would not be good.... but it usually bounces around 30* of advancement holding a steady state, and drops to about 15 or so for WOT depending on conditions.

Sure, you could tune it with a piggyback for better WOT gas mileage... but what's the point? You're already getting 25-30 mpg out of a 2.4L... which is pretty dang good... If you wanted gas mileage, perhaps a lower-power and lower-weight car may have suited you better.

The best things we can do for gas mileage, if that's our concern... is to buy smaller, lighter wheels with stiffer tires... and run higher PSI in those tires. Carry as little weight as possible... Accelerate as slow as tolerable, keeping rev's from 2-3k while accelerating... and as low as possible while straight cruising... carry as much speed as you can, minimizing braking... and therefore,... minimizing future accelerating.

 

i got a better solution to weight, gutt out the rear so you have less weight and don't have to worry about car pooling

 

i get tired of hearing about gas prices and all the "oh no's!".. you want to save or afraid,take a bus,car pool,ride a bike or walk..
you got a car yeah, you have bills yeah we all do.. ok,but please dont bring up gas prices if your driving.

nice gain though...

/end of my rant. sorry..not really.

 

Part of the problem that I face is the road conditions in Pittsburgh, PA. The on-ramps to the interstates are very short. You basically have to drive a 60's muscle car, a V8 car or truck, or an exotic sports car to get up to speed on a 200 foot or less long ramp (don't believe me? Come drive in Pittsburgh on I376 during both rush hour and off peak...). The tC provides both fuel economy with the opportunity for adequate acceleration, A perfect combination. A smaller, lighter car won't be able to merge properly. A faster car uses too much fuel. So, I am trying to get the best of both worlds with the least trade offs. I could have bought a nice Ford truck (15 MPG?), or perhaps a used Geo Metro (3 cylinders on the highway?).

Skeltor, thank you for your rant
- Car Pool - well, I work in IT with the opportunity to have strange hours - unfeasable
- Bus - Same issue. I would have to take two transfers, and the buses don't run that late on the far end. (I thought about this one alot...)
- We are not allowed to take non-motorized vehicles on highways in PA.

It's not the money. I just want to see a return on it. If I were to tell you to take $3 out of your pocket every day and use a lighter and watch it burn, wouldn't you want to do something about it? It would be different if the 3$ bought you a cup of coffee, lunch, etc. But to just watch it go up in smoke, that irritates me.

 

Unless you're restoring a collector car, you'll never get a return on your vehicle spending.

I mean, I do completely understand where you're coming from, in terms of gas prices and wanting to get the most out of a single tank. The problem is, each modification you do to the tC motor won't make up for itself in gas expenditure in the long run.

ok, i went into a huge rant, but I deleted it. I need to stop procastinating.

 

NP. I drive my car a lot I just did the math, and was really shocked - $3 a day times 365 (yes, just about every day...) days a year = $1095 per year, not including road trips and any secondary travel. I have a lot better things to do with a $1000+ dollars a year...

Don't take this wrong - I am not an evironmentalist, but rather, I hope, a good steward of what I have. The less fuel I burn is the more fuel for others to use, and less pollution in general. Pittsburgh is a bowl shaped city. All of the pollution just sort of sits in the depression, accumulates, smells bad, irritates your eyes, etc. I'd rather have my car clean up the environment rather than pollute it. The environmental aspect is just a bonus to this, not a driving factor. If it were, I would have paid the extra $5000+ and got a hybrid. But those don't accelerate as fast either, so I would be in the same boat.

Decisions, decisions, decisions...

Besides, after we all die and have to meet our maker (I personally believe that we will all come before the judgement seat of Jesus Christ on the day of judgement...), I would like to say that I made the best decision given all of the facts and circumstances.

 

Man, *** the worrying, *** the math, *** the penny planning.
Get in the car,pay for the fuking gas, and do what you gotta do.

 

As far as being a good steward... I can roll with that. We've got too many a-holes, intentional and non-intentional.

I think you're pretty much already doing your part by driving this car, if it just barely meets your acceleration needs. Think of it this way, you could be driving that V8.

 

yeah im sure the almighty will put a check on the hell list for you in that case.