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Thinking about getting into a 1g... Few questions:

1K views 14 replies 5 participants last post by  scotthidley 
#1 ·
Well, for the last, I'd say, six months I've been bouncing between COUNTLESS cars. I've gone from like... pimpin 2dr benz all the way to an 84 Silverado with 8" of lift, crate 350 and everything in between.

But I think I've finally come to rest on a first gen GSX/TSi. I simply can not have fun in a road car without hearing a blowoff valve. All wheel drive, upgrades are dirt cheap, I love the interiors, AWD, AWD, AWD, oh and... AWD.. .!

However, guy from a board I go to reminded me of his friend... Apparently he's had a lot of trouble with his. Four trans rebuilds in the last year, blew a chunk out of his block... !!

What year is the best to get? How reliable has your 1g been? (with upgrades as well)

The first bit of money would have to go towards a performance engine rebuild, then exhaust, boost controller, few things here and there, and eventually I'd save for a new turbo.

What should I do? Is there general guidline I should follow, i.e. stage 1, stage 2, etc.? I think would be content with somewhere in the range of 350-400hp.

Oh.. I'm in the Bay Area so if anyone knows of a particularly nice DSM, let me know.

Thanks!!!
 
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#3 ·
this has been beaten to DEATH. but 90-pre may of 92 have the strongest motor, in 92 they introduced the 4-bolt rear wich is stronger than previous years. so pre-may 92 is technically the best year. Like any car, when modifying, things are going to break, many MANY times its the owners fault, for overlooking somethin, or doin somethin stupid, then again these cars are 13yrs old some of them. You WILL run into problems no doubt, you would with most cars. theyre are general guidlines to follow when modifying, www.buschurracing.com , www.extrememotorsports.com etc have guidlines to modifying your dsm.
 
#4 ·
anconover said:
this has been beaten to DEATH. but 90-pre may of 92 have the strongest motor, in 92 they introduced the 4-bolt rear wich is stronger than previous years. so pre-may 92 is technically the best year. Like any car, when modifying, things are going to break, many MANY times its the owners fault, for overlooking somethin, or doin somethin stupid, then again these cars are 13yrs old some of them. You WILL run into problems no doubt, you would with most cars. theyre are general guidlines to follow when modifying, www.buschurracing.com , www.extrememotorsports.com etc have guidlines to modifying your dsm.
Yeah I figured this'd be a bit of a repost... poked around on vfaqs and couldnt find what i wanted

Well, in a whole year and a half of owning my 2g (sig) I've only streetraced once (fyi i won.. :D)... I'm generally very cautious, incredibly careful with it so if anything blows it was probably destined to.. Heh.

Limiting myself to four months of a car to get the 4 bolt main would make finding the car quite difficult... Could this be added later on, or would I then have to just get a whole motor?

What about the transfer cases+differentials? Will I want to replace the transfer case? Guy from board "number one" mentioned that his friend had replaced his several times.
 
#5 ·
Ghettoraid said:


Yeah I figured this'd be a bit of a repost... poked around on vfaqs and couldnt find what i wanted

Well, in a whole year and a half of owning my 2g (sig) I've only streetraced once (fyi i won.. :D)... I'm generally very cautious, incredibly careful with it so if anything blows it was probably destined to.. Heh.

Limiting myself to four months of a car to get the 4 bolt main would make finding the car quite difficult... Could this be added later on, or would I then have to just get a whole motor?

What about the transfer cases+differentials? Will I want to replace the transfer case? Guy from board "number one" mentioned that his friend had replaced his several times.
any comments on this?
 
#6 ·
The 4 bolt is referring to the rear diff. You can find them and swap them on 3 bolt cars. If 350-400 hp is what you want, a healthy stock motor will take that with no problems at all. So you could skip the rebuild and go for the turbo you want now. You're freind doesn't know how to drive or is doing something wrong. I'm averaging 1 tranny a year right now.

Tranny number 1, my fault, launched too hard with a 2600 clutch at the track.

Tranny number 2, the Mitsu tranny is alergic to a quaife center diff (since they don't know how to make them)

Tranny number 3, my fault, while left foot braking, I went to shift, instead of pushing the clutch pedal, I pushed the brake pedal again. At this point, I've managed to shave over .15 off of my 60's and not break the trannies from launching anymore. Now I just need to stay out of burn out competitions.

Since people in Cali love to drive, you're most likely going to have to get a new tranny for the car, or it'll probably be in need of a rebuild. You might need to do the timing belt replacement as well. Those are the things to be looking for. The only down side on the pre may 92's, is they have weak brakes, there are several upgrades available though.
 
#7 ·
Yeah I'd probably just rebuild even if it didn't need it for peace of mind. Plus I have a shop to whine to when things hit the fan. :D

So I want anything before may 92.. about the 4bolt... Are there upgraded/stronger aftermarket differentials I should get? you said this quaife diff which I've heard of caused your transmission to tank.. thats no good.. :eek:

I'm looking at this Shepherd Racing site... they offer trans rebuilds with stronger internals... perhaps I'll do things in this order:

basic maintenance, belts, fluids, etc
3" exhaust+gut airbox/K+N
rebuild trans with shepherd's upgraded parts
rebuild engine
profec b
upgrade turbo
suspension
brakes

that look about right? or am I not giving the 5sp enough credit?

i may have to do suspension sooner, seeing as it is a 10+ year old car..
 
#8 ·
I did brakes before power, but its up to everybody how they do theirs. Usually people wait til they can't stand their tranny or they break it before they do anything with it. Shepracing is a very good place to go. The center diff is what quaife can't do, their front diff's are fine. The rear 4 bolt diff is good as is. Pre may 92 means any 92 built before may (which you'll see the build month when you open the door), also the 92's 4 bolt rears came with lsd, it was optional on the 2g's.
 
#9 ·
I did brakes before power, but its up to everybody how they do theirs. Usually people wait til they can't stand their tranny or they break it before they do anything with it. Shepracing is a very good place to go. The center diff is what quaife can't do, their front diff's are fine. The rear 4 bolt diff is good as is. Pre may 92 means any 92 built before may (which you'll see the build month when you open the door), also the 92's 4 bolt rears came with lsd, it was optional on the 2g's.
 
#10 ·
Did any years before 92 have LSD? I dont wanna be doing peg-leg or... I guess tripod burnouts...? One-sided bipod? lol
 
#11 ·
90-may 92 - best engine
may 92-94 - best rear end
93-94 - best stock brakes (2 piston calipers in front instead of 1)

90-91 pop up headlights
92-94 fixed

I got a 93 with a 91 motor swapped in. Best of both worlds.
In good shape, a stock block will handle 350-400hp. Check the compression on the cylinders, and just look for leaks. Most likely it'll need some work, but it'd be a 10-12 year old car! That's expected.
 
#12 · (Edited)
Ah that explains it

it would be cheapest to.... get a pre may 92, junkyard the rear end?

What would this part be called, exactly? just rear differential? center? I want to price them


although, I really do not want to be finding replacement motors for the headlights... hmmmmmmmm... if i dont find a 4bolt 92... do the fixed lights drop in, or would I need to get a whole front clip?
 
#13 ·
ehh

just remembered crankwalk...

ruh roh
 
#14 ·
Crankwalk happens in any car. In DSMs, highest in the 95+ 7 bolt 4g63. Then less likely in the 7 bolt 92-94, then the lowest in the early 6 bolts... but it DOES happen. With an old motor, if it hasnt been taken care of in the oil dept, that's something you need to expect. Bearings go with age, and the DSM is no exception.
 
#15 ·
I'm sick of people posting BAD information. All 92's came with the 4 bolt rears. The pre may 92's came with the 6 bolt motors. Mid 92 is when the 7 bolts were introduced. Crank walk didn't become a major issue (and it's over hyped), until the 2g's came out.

Really, just look for a clean car and see what you have to choose from. There isn't a wide selection of awd's out in California to begin with.
 
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