engine swap = understeer? Options

[xquickwitx]

Thanks for looking. I'm planning an engine swap to a 3s-gte but I came across an article about the new eclipse. In the article, they were talking about how it has too much horsepower and still being FWD making the car understeer alot. This made me wonder about my celi if I ended up doing this swap and end up with around 250hp, would she end up understeering? Should I be looking into camber kits or something to counter this if its too bad or something. As my car is at this point, all the suspension is still stock.

[purplegt4]

upgrading your sway bars will help that out.

[2slow2nervous]

i have a 3sgte in my car and all i have is rims and tires and my understeer isnt horribly bad.

[playr158]

^you haven't pushed it hard enough

celica = understeer no matter what motor

but getting an upgraded (thicker) REAR sway bar will help to fix the problem.

This post has been edited by playr158: Jul 11, 2007 - 4:38 PM

[lagos]

Thanks for looking. I'm planning an engine swap to a 3s-gte but I came across an article about the new eclipse. In the article, they were talking about how it has too much horsepower and still being FWD making the car understeer alot. This made me wonder about my celi if I ended up doing this swap and end up with around 250hp, would she end up understeering? Should I be looking into camber kits or something to counter this if its too bad or something. As my car is at this point, all the suspension is still stock.

basically, your car will handle as well as it does now.... except with a crapload more power.

[xquickwitx]

2slow2nervous, what is your definition of "horribly bad"

Lagos, correct me if I'm wrong but if a car has certain driving characteristics and your add more HP to it, dosen't it alter the whole "equation" (for lack of a better term)?

[jdg371]

Fat rear sway bar. No need to replace the front. If you can find a smaller front sway bar use that. Instead of using the usual Stechs that most people in this site has. Go for a higher spring rate. A properly set Ground Control [ Not off the shelf] and Koni yellow will diminish most of your understeer issue due to its correction.

Get some Stiffer springs in the rear [Custom order from Ground Control] Camber bolts should be plenty when adding camber. I suggest 1.5 Front 1 Rear. No need to change your toe.

[Zimluura]

^you haven't pushed it hard enough

celica = understeer no matter what motor

too true. if you get an engine swap you'll just be able to push it hard more easily.

[lagos]

2slow2nervous, what is your definition of "horribly bad"

Lagos, correct me if I'm wrong but if a car has certain driving characteristics and your add more HP to it, dosen't it alter the whole "equation" (for lack of a better term)?

im just telling you what i remember my first impressions of the 3s being. i kept thinking that all the good things about the car stayed the same, but now it has balls.

[Kadett]

The only thing I have noticed since the swap (from 3S-GE to 3S-GTE of course) is that is has a little torque understeer when flooring it in corners. With the 3S-GE I never had that problem. Difference in weight (turbo+intercoolers = around 30 kgs more in total) dont really make that much of a difference. 100 lbft of torque and 80 HP more is.

[xquickwitx]

I can understand having a bit of difference between the GE and GTE but I'll be going from the 7Afe to 3S-gte so I'll be adding quite a bit of weight. Which reminds me, with all this added weight, should I be looking for front springs that are a bit stiffer to stand up to the added weight?

[Kadett]

The only thing thats different from a GT compared to your ST is that the GT has stronger springs installed OEM. When you replace that its the same just like everybody else's swapped Celica.

[xquickwitx]

I haven't looked into it at any great detail but I have the STX option which I was told, I ended up with everything the GT had except the engine/tranny but who knows. <shrug>

This post has been edited by xquickwitx: Jul 16, 2007 - 3:30 PM

[playr158]

I can understand having a bit of difference between the GE and GTE but I'll be going from the 7Afe to 3S-gte so I'll be adding quite a bit of weight. Which reminds me, with all this added weight, should I be looking for front springs that are a bit stiffer to stand up to the added weight?

you would not want to get just front springs. most aftermarket springs are stiffer, that and sold in sets of 4

but regardless, you wouldn't want to increase the front spring rate without correctly raising the rear spring rate as well. just remember stiff front = understeer