Celica Forums General Discussion Engine and Performance GT Machine

I'm done and pretty much through with appearance mods. I might have some more to do cause I have a fucked up door but besides that, very minimal. Now I'm going to try and focus on the HP and handling.

To be quite honest, I don't know much about engines at all. Know some, not a hefty sum. Anyhow, I have some mods prepped out and am hoping for some feedback. Here's a small list and some questions to go along with it:

Performance/Engine
-Port Stock Headers (read on the OTHER Celica site that this is probably the best possible gain you could achieve compared to all the other headers.)
-Port Intake Manifold (this possible? effective?)
-CAI (not sure about this one, kinda afraid of it screwing up my engine again)
-NGK Iridium Spark Plugs (would this make a difference to the response on the car?)
-Fuel Injectors (how many CC should I go?)
-Invidia Cat-Back Exhaust
-Apexi PFC (questions all here: https://celicahobby.com/ubbthreads/thread.f0_1953346548_0_collapsed_5_365_1.html#1953346548

Suspension
-TRD 3 Point Rear Strut Bar
-APR Front Strut Bar -OR- RMM Front Strut Bar
-Front and Rear Sways (what kind?)
-Progress Lowering Springs (already got it, haven't recieved it yet)
-KYB AGX Shocks
-Engine Mounts (what is available out there? I don't even know if this goes under suspension or not )
-Camber Links (might, might not, see if I need them or not first)

Weight Reduction is another thing I would have to work on, without sacrificing too much of the beautiful interior cause I still will be using this as a daily transport. Also, please, I'm not going to turbo my car cause I don't think it's necessary and neither am I going to do a swap. I like the category that the GT is placed in races, I don't want to go head on with no Ferraris so forget it. Thanks for any future input! Also, TRD S/C is also an option, but no turbo...although it sounds nice...

Not to be mean but you contradict yourself. You say you dont want to turbo, because it will place you in a different class, but the s/c is an option. A s/c will put you in a different class just like turbo, its still f/i.

Get the trd rear bar
RMM front bar
go with the AG-X's
get hotchkis sways
dont bother with motor mounts
or the camber links

-Apexi PFC

won't work with 03+

Well SC is an option still, and not something I would want to do. Unless I feel no difference in gains, or I get bored later down the road, then I would go SC instead of Turbo. But for now, no Turbo, sorry for the misunderstanding

Why not?

You wouldnt want Iridium youd want Copper.

something about it being changed to drive-by-wire

Yeah the powerfc wont work with your car since you have drive by wire. You will want to see if emanage will work. For sways get hotchkis. The spark plugs wont do anything unless you go fi or have had your stock plugs for a long period of time, say over 50000 miles? I understand why you are saying you dont want a turbo but I am not too sure about the trd sc being that it is not 'meant' for our car. I will obviously released all the info I know on it after the install but if you are worried about an intake, the trd sc has a chance to have a lot more problems (assuming it works). It all just depends on how far you want to take the performance. The suspension mods seem like the thing to start out with until we find out about the trd sc and if emanage will work.

Doesn't i make more sense to do all the susp. and power mods before the apperance so that the body does get all messed up when all the parts are going in???? Other then that i would say go with the Koni Yellows for the shocks... what about brakes?? They are also very important.. such as pads, and SS lines... I have the NGK Plugs didn't really notice a difference... I also have the TRD Rear Bar and RMM front... noticed more difference with the RMM then i did the TRD...

Drive by wire is not on the 03 GTs, so I'm guessing it'll still work?

As for the body work goes, I had a fucked up bumper before, so I thought I might as well change it, that's why I did that first. Also, I wanted a body kit bad. As for brake goes, I'm not too sure about what I want yet, any recommendations?

Also, to add to the list, pulleys and clutch will also be another addition.

Jackson,

Depending on how long you're planning on waiting...I'll have the TRD rear strut brace and TRD sways on my car after the New Year. I can let you know how those work out for me. I'm still going with the TRD drop. I've heard nothing but good things about the TRD sways, I remember someone saying the Hotchkis ones were too stiff for the street, dunno.

Bitch up and get a CAI or a Short Ram. Chances are, unless you buy another one off eBay your engine will be just fine.

The ECelica store sells a pulley kit but I don't think it's going to make much of a difference. Check out the TRD clutch/flywheel as well.

Brakes, you've got a few options, swapping in some performance pads or there's the AEM kit, Stoptech/TRD or Rotora. I'm planning on getting a Rotora big brake kit, heard lots of good things about it and it's kind of in the middle of the field for pricing.

Well I'm sure the TRD sways are great, but I've heard nothing but good from the Hotchkis. They're stiff as fuck, like you said, which is what I want. The only rear strut brace that's potentially good is the TRD one so there's not a whole lot of decision there. You should swap your APR Front Strut for RMM, heard you notice a HUGE difference between the two.

As for the TRD clutch and flywheel go...I'm not sure, never heard of them. Anyone??

As for brakes go, there's not gonna be much of a difference because of the rear drums. I hate those things and am probably gonna swap them to disc...but I doubt it, LOL!

by the by...I'm all motor too...I even have the 11:1 internals...they only make a 10 hp gain at best...but are great for peace of mind if you are going to beat on your engine, and still want reliability...also...if you want some good gains, PORT the damn head of the 1zz...it will help

Well, the price-point between the TRD and Hotchkis sways isn't much so I guess whatever brand you want to go with. I like the RMM front strut bar but I still think it's way too much $$$. With the APR or Tanabe Sustec brace and a set of front and rear sways I don't think you need anything crazy.

If you do a search, I believe Hypermotive has a rear-strut brace that can be removed without taking out all of your trunk plastics. If you're really looking to shed weight, you might want to ditch those anyways.

I can't be convinced that swapping the drums to discs on a GT is going to be worth it for the money (waaaay to expensive) Trust me...a big brake kit up front on a GT will make great difference. It's not just stopping distance you're looking to gain when upgrading your brakes...you seen to want to get some track time in so the real benefit is brakes that will slow/stop you consistently with little or NO fade. A set of upgraded front discs/calipers, etc will do this for you.

I've heard about a clutch/flywheel combo by Fidanza but TRD looks good too.

...$450.USD

...$130.USD

...$250USD

Some things to consider...

TRD Sways - $335USD


Hotchkis Street Sway Bars - $259USD


Hotchkis Race Sway Bars - $259USD

..Also. The TRD sways are NOT hollow.

TRD Rear Strut Brace - $135USD


RMM Front Strut Bar - $175 USD


AEM Big Brake Kit (GT) - $558USD

TRD Big Brake Kit (GT) - $1849USD


Rotora Brake System - $1255USD


...anywhoo, some info to think about, lemme know if you gots more questions

It sounds like you already ordered springs... but I would have went with Hotchkis springs, or full Hotchkis coilovers.

I'm looking for the best bang for your buck too, can't just be spending all my money on the best because I just don't got that much. They're good, no doubt about it, but a little too steep for me. Maybe in the near future, but in the future I'm looking at more JDM full coilover sets than Hotchkis.

Thanks Stephen, that's some damn good info! I'll definitely consider what you said about the big brakes. And as for shedding some weight, I'll probably just remove the beasts in my backseats and that'll shed like 100 pounds almost. And for the plastic goes, I'll probably remove them when I get on the track but when I'm off the track, they stay on

[quote=SLVCELI]
Yeah the powerfc wont work with your car since you have drive by wire.



Not all have drive by wire just depends on when it was made for 2004 I have an 04 celica gt and it does not have drive by wire. they started using dbw near the middle of production

ok, honestly, i have a GTS not a GT, but if i had a GT, i would turbo it. For the amount of money you will spend buying a PFC (which won't work), Invidia exhaust, porting both intake and exhaust manifolds along with new injectors and CAI, you could cover 3/4 or the cost of a turbo kit. unless your planning on serious autocross, just get some springs and shocks based on how low ya wanna go, ditch the front strut bar, and rear strut bar. I mean seriuosly half of the mods you listed there are not worth the money involved. But hey, i just like to go fast...

[quote]
The TRD Sways are 160 plus shipping so around 180 shipped a little fyi.