Save for swap or upgrade? Options

[slipgun]

Hey I just joined ive been drooling over the boards for about a week now. I just bought a 96 celica ST which I love to death. Im interested in either upgrading it some or swaping the engine *thought it will take me forever to get the money*. Im not particularly experienced with cars but im tryna learn. Would you all sugest saving for a swap or a catback change? I cant figure what to do. Also how much do you really think I will spend on a swap and can someone without huge experience figure out how to do it you imagin? Thanks

[Rivo]

Saving for a swap is gonna be expensive, time consuming, massive learning process, and you'll be dealing with it the whole rest of the time you own your car. The catback (GReddy SP) is like 400 some odd. Swap is gonna be like 1600-2000. I'd say just go with the exhaust for now until you do more research, and are a little more knowledgeble.

[slipgun]

Hmm... Aight, well if you had your choice and about 400 to spend what would you upgrade? Catback or air intake or what? And also is it 1600-2000 to do it on your own not by a shop I assume right? My goal is to eventualy take on a GSR but who knows if thats possible without 2 grand

[Inferno]

Personally, I'd go with the swap. But depending on your budget, I can see why you might want to go with the exhaust. It's up to you. The exhaust won't do that much in comparison to a GSR to begin with...., but if you'd like to, I fully support you. Anyhow, I think he is speaking if you do it yourself. It's nice to have another guy from Virginia! Good luck.

[Silver94CelicaOw...]

Well, as far as sticking with your stock engine goes, i would start out with an intake. For 400 bucks, you wont be able to get a whole lot of performance parts, but i would consider things like the intake first, then a header, exhaust, ignition and fuel stuff, etc.......but you have to realize that without forced induction or nitrous you wont get any real huge gains from your stock engine. There are some ways to get your 7a-fe to pump out some more power without turbo or nitrous, but it will require some decent money to pull it off.

But for now, i would just keep it simple....just buy yourself an intake and/or exhaust and then as you learn more on this site you can add on to the engine one step at a time.

[TTE]

3sgte is your choise If you wanna tear apart every honda and many others on the road. Me personaly want to go with 3sge choise only 'couse of the expense matter.

[No0bOne]

Don't worry about limited parts. Save up for swap and you willl not regret. Trust me. The power is addicting.

[Supersprynt]

A Catback upgrade is ALOT different than a swap. If your going to do the swap urself it takes alot of know how and if u pay someone its going to take alot of money not to mention the engine and u have an ST so ur going to have to get a clip so ur looking at 4,000 for a swap opposed to getting 12-17hp outta doing a catback. Thats kinda like, do i wanna get a bag of chips, or a four course meal. The catback will hold u over, but u'll end up wanting more later.

This post has been edited by Supersprynt: Jun 3, 2003 - 10:39 AM

[HyperDeathKill]

You could always upgrade your engine, then turbo or supercharge it. This way it will give you someting to do in the mean time, and you can use those mods in conjuction with your forced induction. Well most of them, you can't use your intake or header, but things like underdrive pulleys, s-afc, ignition, wires, plugs etc... willl all work in conjuction.

It's the path I have chosen.

[Rivo]

This guy's a beginner. He's just learning about stuff he can do to his car. Bolt on's are the place to start, not engine swaps. What happens if he pays someone to do it for him, then something goes wrong? He'll have no clue how to fix it, or even what might be wrong. He needs to start simple, then learn about what his car can do, and what he can do to his car. He'll decide whether forced induction is the way to go for him; these toyota engines can go into the 200hp range being N/A. Sure, it'll cost a grip of money, but that's for him to decide.

[Inferno]

I agree that it's his decision.

[slipgun]

Yeah I looked into the supercharger but it looked like 2,500 which seemed a lil expensive vers the parts for the new engine being 1,600 however if I need new holding brackets for the engine it may kill me to upgrade I guess. Guess ill work on a few speed mods and mostly body for now. Just a lil background im 17 I go to highschool and I have been working a job since I was 14 doing computer repair *thats how I afforded my celica * I looked all over the net for about 4 months before I finaly found one I liked and died to get it. Who else lives in VA anyways?

[Sh0gunkid8721]

if you are lookin for a supercharger, just swap in the 4agze.

[HyperDeathKill]

Well slip gun, remeber that it may only be $1500 for a new engine, but it's going to cost $500 to ship it to you, and a good $500 for misc parts. You'll also need to install it, whether or not you have that mechanical knowledge I don't know, but it can get up to $1000 to install.

[No0bOne]

Think about it this way,...you're in a fast car and you roll by a honda with their long list of mods. I don't know if it is for their for show or for speed but no matter how much is put into it the car will not survive against you. Are you getting what i'm saying? This is just an example, I don't mean to put down honda's that bad but i do have respect for only a few of them.

Supersprynt offered you a good advice. As for HyperDeathKill,...the parts aren't an issue yet. Besides, how far is 94CelicaOwner wanting to push anyways? Plus, he's new so a load of 255HP+better airflow should relatively be more than enough for him to start out.

[VAcelica]

I live in VA! welcome to the board

[HyperDeathKill]

Oh yea 255+ would be a great way for anyone to start out, albiet an expensive way.

[Supersprynt]

I was competing with Civics with my stock GT engine - i had it up to 150 which isnt that much but now that i have the 3sgte its no competition - 240hp.

[TurboGT14PSI]

i would start out by research, and asking lots and lots and lots of questions, i am sure the guys here will answer, then i would do some minor bolt ons till you are comfortable with something as complex as a swap, it may be bolt in, it may be easy to some, but not everyone is mechanically inclined like some of us, like i said dont jump into something without knowing what the stuff your dealing with is, read everything you can about the car, your engine now, and what you are wanting to swap. then read everything about the possible swaps, and ask questions, and more questions, bolt ons and swaps dont mean jack if you dont know the difference between a impact wrench and a torque wrench

[boibleu22]

buy a new car. thats what im doing.

-alex