So I got a little bit of overtime at work (55 hours a week as a regular schedule will do that for you), and I have a little bit of surplus cash that the girlfriend doesn't know about. So I want to start buying parts to do a full Stage 1+ by APR. I know you can just chip it, but I want to have it solid as its my baby and my daily driver.

So as far as I know, I need (want):

Copper core spark plugs
*shorter life but the best choice, also apparently cheaper (hey, if I have to pay $50 for a set of the best plugs I will, I just chose copper as that's what I have read). Where can I get these, what brands are good, etc.

APR R1 DV
*I don't care about the blow off valve sound, my Carbonio CAI takes care of any whoosh I need, but I like the diaphragm setup, built for zero required maintainance versus the Forge piston based ones. Its $150, I can deal with that.

Coilpacks, I want some reliability, but ultimately, I want the best performance. Off the top of my head I remember reading something like "Hitachi E coilpacks". If thats what they are, I'll go see what I can find, admittedly I haven't looked for those yet.

Injectors, I have read that I would want 440s, that's 440cc injectors? Or is it a model number. But I have also heard the Audi TT225 injectors are what I need. The TT225 injectors are only 386cc though. Help? I can get the TT225s for $316 at http://www.speedlifemotorsport.com/auttfuinset.html I have bought from them before, GREAT store, and they ship fast (bottom line, I'm going to try to buy as much from there as possible, if possible).

I already have a Carbonio Cold Air Intake, and I am thinking of getting a custom exhaust. I'm going to try to shop around to find the right sound for my car. I don't want ricey, but I want people to know when I lay on the gas that I'm not here to play. Highway drone is a no no. I played that game with a 4 banger nissan pickup for a while, it ended up causing hearing damage as I had to crank the $2500 stereo I had in it through the roof. Hehe, blew the seals on the doors.

So my bottom line right now is, I'll be getting about $500~ every 2 weeks to play with for the next few weeks. I'm going to install it all at once though, so its just buying parts and hiding them from my girlfriend until I can put them in.

Some other little goodies I have been thinking about are a Short Throw Shifter, Snub mount, and maybe even stiffer engine mounts. Those are all at that website I listed before, and seemingly reasonable prices too. I'm open to all opinions and suggestions, as I may sound like I know what I'm talking about, but often... haha. Thanks!

 

That's the best part )) hahaha
Ok, i have to say, this is my IMHO.... And i feel like PapaChristou is on the way here ))
Anyways here is what you will need:
Flash 1+ or Stage 2. Different companies use different names.
Injectors= thats what gives you a status of +. )) Contact Manguyen on audizine.com he can hook u up with some cheap bigger NEW injectors.
Spark plugs- better to change them, but its not that important at the beginning, unless u feel the misfires. Oh, but they are not that expensive-so i'd change them
Coilpacks- you might be ok for a while with your stock ones, its really hard to tell when they gonna go bad. But prolly 7 out of 10 people who just got chipped would experience failing of cp. You would need coilpack R (upgraded from a dealer )Beru or Hitachi, basically any revised ones. you dont Need to change them right the way, just make sure you got enough in a trunk as spares. They usually go out in a week or so, sometimes in years though.
Diverter Valve - you dont need to buy any fency DV, stock 710n (OEM) would be ok. Also, take a look at Forge 007... APR r1 had some problems when it just came out, i think they fixed them all by now though.
You dont need any aftermarket intakes for that, but APR's one isnt bad, so it wouldnt hurt ))
Now, to get the most out of stage 1+ you would also need a FULL exhaust= Testpipe +downpipe+rest of the piping with mufflers. You can buy testpipe from many different places, i know that VMR even sells the one looking similar to our stock CATS, but they got a little logo there saying FOR OFFROAD USE ONLY
And of course, here i come PaPA )) FMIC = front mount intercooler. Out stock side mount intercooler has a hard time fighting all that heatsoak expecially when its hot outside.
Clutch= depnding how u drive and how many niles on your stock one u might need a new one. The most popular prolly is SouthBend OF SS (if i'm not mistaken), with resurfaced (stock) flywheel.
Engine mounts would help the engine to keep that extra hp/tq you loose with a stock one. Snub mount will help you with the slope and better shifting.
Well and of course suspension, some people even go with suspension first, and then with the chip.
All other stuff is up to u.
Engine mounts/snub mount you can get from 034motorsport

 

WOW thats a lot of wirting

 

Well, I have the Carbonio CAI currently installed, and I just bought the Snub Mount and Shortie Shifter. I added the APR R1 DV to that, and that completes this weeks order. Need to keep a little cash for the car and insurance payments

Those I plan to install pre-chip.

Next up I'm going to get the injectors, I'm waiting to hear back from Jason at speedlifemotorsport.com about whether or not he can get some 440cc injectors. If not, I'll start looking elsewhere. As far as plugs and coilpacks, I'm going to look for the copper-core plugs, and get a set of coilpacks. Might as well do it right the first time, even if it is overboard (or just out of spite of those people in their civics and "Turbo!!1!!1!!1" vtecs). I want to have all the bases covered. I dont want a stock civic with nitrous, as so many of my "professional tuner friends" have had in the past.

I went with the APR R1 DV as it was the low maintenance option. I don't want to have to fiddle with springs and oil and all that stuffs for a Forge with a piston. Color me lazy =P

I just got a new clutch (and transmission case too) thanks to the wonderful previous owner who traded the car in with a bad clutch, and it grenaded on me. Its stock, but its brand spanking new. Also, it cost me five thousand dollars. I may upgrade in the future, but for now, *another* new clutch is far reaching for my "surplus cash" =D (though there is a stage 3 clutch for $539 at speedlifemotorsport)

Down the road I really want to get the super-stiff engine mounts to go with the snub mount and make it a happy trifecta, but right now I just want to be prepared for the little things that enhance the chip. Mounts will come in time.

In the future (next spring-ish) I plan on doing a full suspension and some 18" rims and either Nitto Invo or Toyo Proxes T1R tires.

As far as exhaust, thats looking to be a winter project. I'm hoping my christmas bonus from work will pay for that one. I love Mr. Santa Claus. I'm still picking out mufflers, but its hard to go by youtube, so I am befriending the people at my local tuner (ricer) shop. At the very least I'll know what not to get... LOL However, since I am in Vermont, one of the 5 states with the most restrictive emissions testing (CARB), I can't do a test pipe. I don't even know if a high-flow cat would pass. More research is required on that one at the moment...

Right now the only think I don't know what to get is the plugs. I was reading about spark plugs and the reliability of them, (at work, of course so I didn't even get to bookmark it), but they went over the three kinds, Platinum, some other kind, and Copper. Platinum is expensive (again, at $50 for a set, it wouldnt be the most expensive part of all this), but the copper ones supposedly dissipate heat faster and aid in the correct detonation timing. Next paycheck I hope to pick up some injectors and coil packs, plugs, and engine mounts if funds allow. Then after that I'm going to go find the local shop that does APR, put in the injectors/coilpacks/plugs in the car in the parking lot, and have them flash it.

I really do appreciate the input though, it's helping me map this whole thing out, thanks!

 

Dang. $5k for clutch/casing work is way too expensive. Good choice on the R1, I got that since my 710n blew in a week's time. I got copper plus as well. Iridiums last longer and Platinum have higher "performance" but neither are worth 10x the price. Snub mounts are $40 so shouldn't be a problem $$$ wise. I don't know a highflow cat that allows you to pass inspection although I'm sure there is one. And like Protein said, don't bother installing the coilpacks when you get them. Just have them handy in case 1 fries so you can at least drive home.

 

Sweet. So I think I am going to stick with TT225 injectors when I do my next order, and I'll try to find some coilpacks. I want to get a boost guage, I'm thinging the Stewart Warner Podi guage, for $180 with all equipment. It looks the closest to OEM I can find. I'm super psyched about the short throw, I got the shortened shaft as well.

So for the copper plugs, I hear since they dissipate heat faster and better, the coilpacks are less prone to go, as its heat that causes the majority of problems with them.

Jason told me about the bosch green tops not having the dual cone spray, and that causing a rough idle. He recommended the Bosch TT225s or the Genesis 380ccs. Since the TT225s are 386cc, I'll go with those. They are only $316 on speedlifemotorsport.com and I figure, even if I can get them a few bucks cheaper elsewhere, Jason has been huge in helping me get the right parts and such, so I'll get them from his store.