Airtrek Turbo for newbies....

Airtrek-R

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Sep 3, 2012
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hi guys... i'm getting my Airtrek Turbo in a few days... have already signed the loan with the bank, just waiting for the name transfer process to complete....

i bought this car as a daily use car, as i work at a construction site, i need an AWD car (don't prefer those big 4x4).. i was looking at those Scooby Frosties, but later headache if want to service or in case if something goes wrong, there's no viable mechanic here in Penang for those EJ engines.. so i opted for the ATR instead, since i've had similar experience on 4G63T..

so far after few test drives with the car, i felt that it lacked power.. i used to own a 4G63T Satria in my younger days and comparing it to this, almost felt like driving an NA car...

so guys, i need some advice from the sifus here on the essential 1st stage mod to my ATR to atleast feel the turbine kick in.. heheh.. hope all the sifus n gurus here can give me few tips... thanks in advance... :)
 
bro,
ur younger days satria weights hardly 1tonne n atr weights around 1.5mt.
forester n airtrek is more toward sub-urban suv not a pickup truck.with daily abuse of it suspension n bushing in construction site,i don't think it will last long.
td04 kick in full boost the earliest already compare td05.want faster spooling turbo is go for bearing turbo such as garett.
 
HI Bro,

Congrats on your NEW RIDE.

You can't compare with your Satria 4G63T. I assume it's either VR4 or from Evo1-3. Satria + 4G63T is like paper weight + powerful engine, power to weight ratio is very high.

Airtrek is different. Here is a few reason I can tell as compared to your Satria:
- Airtrek is very heavy at over 1600kgs.
- Airtrek is Automatic Tranny
- Airtrek uses TD04 (smaller turbo)
- In stock, Airtrek pushes out only 160-170whp

However, it doesn't mean you cannot have fun. Try basic mods like full exhaust, intake and increase boost slightly. You can immediately feel the difference. Needless to say too much, you're an otai with 4G63T.

Good luck and welcome again to the gang!
 
airtrek is let down by its weight and its auto gearbox..

i'd do these as basic mods:
- de-cat and good flow end muffler
- stainless / alu intercooler pipe
- tune / timing-afr adjustment

enjoy! :)
 
bro,
ur younger days satria weights hardly 1tonne n atr weights around 1.5mt.
forester n airtrek is more toward sub-urban suv not a pickup truck.with daily abuse of it suspension n bushing in construction site,i don't think it will last long.
td04 kick in full boost the earliest already compare td05.want faster spooling turbo is go for bearing turbo such as garett.
yeahh.. i thought so too about the power to weight ratio... i guess i was giving it a higher expectancy on the power output... which Garrett BB turbines would u recommend? i heard that to install bigger turbines u need to relocate the radiator fan...

HI Bro,

Congrats on your NEW RIDE.

You can't compare with your Satria 4G63T. I assume it's either VR4 or from Evo1-3. Satria + 4G63T is like paper weight + powerful engine, power to weight ratio is very high.

Airtrek is different. Here is a few reason I can tell as compared to your Satria:
- Airtrek is very heavy at over 1600kgs.
- Airtrek is Automatic Tranny
- Airtrek uses TD04 (smaller turbo)
- In stock, Airtrek pushes out only 160-170whp

However, it doesn't mean you cannot have fun. Try basic mods like full exhaust, intake and increase boost slightly. You can immediately feel the difference. Needless to say too much, you're an otai with 4G63T.

Good luck and welcome again to the gang!
first of all, thank you.. :)

yup.. as i mentioned above i guess it's mainly due to the power to weight ratio.. it feels like a stock GSR.. fitting in a bigger turbo would require a FMIC, and the conditions of the place i work would surely damage it in a month or two... so TMIC stays put..

airtrek is let down by its weight and its auto gearbox..

i'd do these as basic mods:
- de-cat and good flow end muffler
- stainless / alu intercooler pipe
- tune / timing-afr adjustment

enjoy! :)

ya bro... thinking of those too.. but i heard that our ATR can't use SAFC? how bout E-Manage or UniChip?

lastly, what aftermarket BOV would sound nice with stock engine without any mods? cos i can't hear the stock one.. is there any lag if i chose VTA (vent to atmo) instead of maintaining VTI (vent to intake) setup? as i read somewhere that the ECU would make the mixture rich as it does not get the desired reading while shifting...
 
ya bro... thinking of those too.. but i heard that our ATR can't use SAFC? how bout E-Manage or UniChip?

lastly, what aftermarket BOV would sound nice with stock engine without any mods? cos i can't hear the stock one.. is there any lag if i chose VTA (vent to atmo) instead of maintaining VTI (vent to intake) setup? as i read somewhere that the ECU would make the mixture rich as it does not get the desired reading while shifting...

i would just stick with stock ecu bro, most things can be done with stock ecu. I'm a newbie tuning my own stock ecu.
no idea about vent out bov, it's sort of illegal here.
 
i would just stick with stock ecu bro, most things can be done with stock ecu. I'm a newbie tuning my own stock ecu.
no idea about vent out bov, it's sort of illegal here.

what are u using to tune your stock ECU? mind to share?

yep, i knew bout that.. perhaps u should try GFB Stealth/Hybrid.. when i was there most friends i know were using that in NZ..
 
what are u using to tune your stock ECU? mind to share?

yep, i knew bout that.. perhaps u should try GFB Stealth/Hybrid.. when i was there most friends i know were using that in NZ..

check this thread bro, the necessary things are listed.
http://www.zerotohundred.com/newforums/mac-malaysia-airtrek-club/417479-anyone-tune-ecu-himself.html

it wasn't that cheap for me to get all those. but here every tune touch up costs about few hundreds.. so in the long run it saves me quite a bit.
on the downside, for newbie like me it's not an easy way, quite a steep learning curve and still a lot of maps/tables in the rom are unknown. tons of infos to be read on the net, but probably only a few really applicable to our trek.

thanks for the info for the bov, but at the moment there's no plan to change it :)
 
Airtrek-R, true that vent-out will confuse fuel mixture to be richer. Supposedly the vent out air is channeled back into the intake pipe after MAF sensor, so considerbly richer fuel setting by stock mapping.

No need aftermarket ECU, original ECU has enough parameters comparable to aftermarket ones and it can be retuned by remapping/reflashing.

Stock boost is 0.6 bar, bov sound for HKS is heard but not loud. Upping the boost to 0.9 above will give you a really loud psssst sound though.
 
Airtrek-R, true that vent-out will confuse fuel mixture to be richer. Supposedly the vent out air is channeled back into the intake pipe after MAF sensor, so considerbly richer fuel setting by stock mapping.

No need aftermarket ECU, original ECU has enough parameters comparable to aftermarket ones and it can be retuned by remapping/reflashing.

Stock boost is 0.6 bar, bov sound for HKS is heard but not loud. Upping the boost to 0.9 above will give you a really loud psssst sound though.

thanx for the info bro.. appreciate it.. how bout other BOV like GReddy Type RS, which u can adjust the spring rate according to boost? maybe i can adjust to softer spring rate to cope with the lower boost... 0.6bar only ehh... hm... i guess upping the boost definitely needs reflashing or rechip...

how bout the fuel pump and injectors? till what level of mods can these things cope with?

---------- Post added at 07:39 PM ---------- 6 hour anti-bump limit - Previous post was at 07:37 PM ----------

check this thread bro, the necessary things are listed.
http://www.zerotohundred.com/newforums/mac-malaysia-airtrek-club/417479-anyone-tune-ecu-himself.html

it wasn't that cheap for me to get all those. but here every tune touch up costs about few hundreds.. so in the long run it saves me quite a bit.
on the downside, for newbie like me it's not an easy way, quite a steep learning curve and still a lot of maps/tables in the rom are unknown. tons of infos to be read on the net, but probably only a few really applicable to our trek.

thanks for the info for the bov, but at the moment there's no plan to change it :)

ahahh.. i guess i'll need to search around for some wideband sensors then... haha..
 
I am using HKS SSQV. It's said to be the WORST BOV for 4G63T with high potential of engine stalling. Well, it existed in my car and was resolved after remapping done. Even adjusting the spring won't work.

Boost can be increased within 0.3 bar without remapping or upgrading the injectors. I drove with 0.3 bar incremental with stock of almost everything 1.5 years before remapping done. I only decatted at that point. :)
 
I am using HKS SSQV. It's said to be the WORST BOV for 4G63T with high potential of engine stalling. Well, it existed in my car and was resolved after remapping done. Even adjusting the spring won't work.

Boost can be increased within 0.3 bar without remapping or upgrading the injectors. I drove with 0.3 bar incremental with stock of almost everything 1.5 years before remapping done. I only decatted at that point. :)

that'll be my first upgrade... ol' skool tulang ikan boost controller.. haha.. and of course an electronic boost meter... any of u guys here experience BOV fluttering before with aftermarket BOV? i'm not talking bout compressor surge, just the BOV spring fluttering... i guess that would sound cool..

last time i was using Sheepdog BOV but it could not withstand high boost (1.5-1.7bar).. with the Type-I 2nd edition SSQV (the one that has the adjustable screw at the back), i was getting compressor surge at low boost... i'm not sure bout the newer SSQV II/III/IV...
 
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My stock bov leaked like anything so i replaced it with a ssqv setup to recirc, although i had the cut and stretch my spring to make it open properly. Using an open pod will make the sound louder
 
that'll be my first upgrade... ol' skool tulang ikan boost controller.. haha.. and of course an electronic boost meter... any of u guys here experience BOV fluttering before with aftermarket BOV? i'm not talking bout compressor surge, just the BOV spring fluttering... i guess that would sound cool..

last time i was using Sheepdog BOV but it could not withstand high boost (1.5-1.7bar).. with the 1st edition SSQV (the one that has the adjustable screw at the back), i was getting compressor surge at low boost... i'm not sure bout the newer SSQV II/III/IV...

I am not sure which model of SSQV I am using. I am guessing either 2 or 3? Here is a picture. It comes together with the original HKS intercooler piping.
 

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I am not sure which model of SSQV I am using. I am guessing either 2 or 3? Here is a picture. It comes together with the original HKS intercooler piping.

that is Type-I 2nd edition where the logo is just the emblem.. This one also got two models, one with adjustable spring rate screw and the updated one without..

Type-I 1st edition has the Super SQV lettering instead of the HKS emblem.. Type-II onwards has the fins on the sides..

---------- Post added at 10:13 AM ---------- 6 hour anti-bump limit - Previous post was at 10:09 AM ----------

btw, got my ATR yesterday evening... got myself a used HKS Type-I 1st edition SSQV that already had an adapter for EVOVII, so it was a 10mins plug-n-play job.. haha... also got myself an HKS Direct Bright Boost Meter... haven't installed yet, maybe later after work...

will post pics soon.... :biggrin:
 
so.... this is my third day with my Airtrek... these are the mods so far..

1) HKS SSQV Type-I 1st edition - RM450 (used)
- So far so good... no compressor surge, no boost leak.. and the most important, no stalling.. i guess with an auto tranny, it does not really affect performance... with manual tranny, i think u would definitely feel the stalling while shifting...

2) HKS Direct Bright mechanical boost meter - RM300 (used)
- Nicely illuminated to precisely monitor my vacuum n boost... currently stock @ 0.6bar..

3) K&N Drop-in filter - RM300 (new)
- Now, this was a surprise... i found that my ATR was using a stock RM13 cotton filter from a Proton Wira.. sheeshh.. no wonder the stale performance.. and surprise, surprise, they are actually the same size with the Proton Wira/Waja.. boost response was significantly improved by changing to K&N, very minimal lag to achieve 0.6bar.. with a bit of G-Force to throw me backwards onto the headrest.. heheh..

4) De-cat - RM180 (new)
- I also removed the stock cat-con, and replaced it with a straight through stainless-steel 2.5" mid-box.. did u guys know that some stock Airtrek Turbo also comes with 2.2" stock pipings? mine is already 2.5".. With this mod, i guess it has its pros and cons....
- The cons ; Stomping the pedal produces a tiny bit of lag for the auto tranny to down-shift.. and also the low-end torque suffers a bit..
- The pros ; after 2000rpm, the boost just follows throughout the RPM range.. better high-end torque..




well, one thing i noticed with this Airtrek is the significant amount of FC this car consumes, or should i say, guzzle.. with a full tank of Shell RON95, on my 2nd day, it's already at the quarter notch at 230km.. really a dejavu moment when i realized that this was exactly the trait my stock 4G63T Satria had...

my solution at that time was to install the GReddy E-Manage.. this allows me to tune the A/F based on the throttle position >50%,
so that's it for now guys... any comments and suggestions are truly welcomed... :biggrin:
 
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Glad you like the car very much. Do update us MORE but most importantly, the PICTURES la...
 
fine tuning can fix ur fc.mine is rm50 for 240km on ron95
 
as requested... here are the pictures... :biggrin:

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---------- Post added at 11:37 AM ---------- 6 hour anti-bump limit - Previous post was at 11:29 AM ----------

fine tuning can fix ur fc.mine is rm50 for 240km on ron95

wow... that is quite good.. u are getting about 11L/100km...

mine is RM88 for 295km on Shell RON95... that translates to about 15.7L/100km...
 

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