New Motor - New Member - First Question

[master_grunthos]

Just thought I'd introduce myself now I've found this forum.

Just bought the car in the attached image, unfortunately only a 2.0 SE though I'm pretty pleased with it, a VR4 was just too much on insurance for me at the moment. Mine has mostly poverty spec but with grey leather, some trim changes I think and better alloys all fitted at first sale

I have a question for any experienced modifiers out there - what's the best first under the bonnet mod to do on the stock 2.0, in terms of cost verse performance gains?

Simple is also best as I'm new to all this, might be a bit much to wade straight in and install a super charger the size of Birmingham.

Cheers

Shame the car isn't a bit more polished in the image, was filthy as soon as I'd driven it home. Symtom of the season unfortunately.

MG

[BraindG]

Welcome to CVR4 /Wyhy

[Kieran]

Welcome to the Club! My first Galant was a 2.0 GLS and I was very fond of it.:iloveyou:

As for performance - Well Scottish ian, one of our other members pushed the boat right out, might be worth talking to him. As standard, they respond well to a cat-back exhaust and a De-cat if you like. A performance filter and a set of good platinum plugs helps too.

The exhaust manifold on the 2.0 is a 4:1 (or was it a 4:2:1?:thinking: ) and it seems to be well flowed.

You can get them 'chipped (apparently) but only for minimal gain.

Oh.... a Galant VR-4 engine goes in (with different bellhousing), or a Lancer EVO 4-6 unit might also go in, that block is a 4G63 too....

There was a Turbo GLS owner in Denmark who was on here a bit back.... 180bhp, but he was having trouble getting the head gasket to seal properly - noo idea what boost he was running tho.

Hope that gives you food for thought.

In my own opinion, the best mod for getting from A-B quicker is to start with the Suspension and brakes. Eibach progressive springs make a world of difference, as will a set of grooved/drilled discs and uprated pads. Makes the car MUCH more sure-footed.

Enjoy!!:2thumbsup

[I-S]

You seem to have a bit of an oddity there, spec-wise. You've got the non-sport/VR-4 facelift bumper but no foglights. However, with alloys and body-coloured mirrors and rubbing strips, it's not a GLX either.

As for performance mods.... First step is improve the brakes. Go for drilled or combi discs and some fast-road pads (eg Black Diamond Predator or EBC Greenstuff). After that, easily the best speed for £ "upgrade" is to speak to these people (http://www.iam.org.uk) or these people (http://www.rospa.org.uk/roadsafety/index.htm).

[AllBeItMine]

hey mate - welcome aboard.

not to be rude (although i dont think i'm ever not :-P ) the first thing i would do to that car is lower it! it looks jacked up in that picture. these galants have really nice lines, but having it high up in the arches like that removes some of its "prowling staunchness" (yes staunchness is a word)

if i owned that car, i would make it look pretty good, maybe install some nice sounds (nothing over the top) and just enjoy driving a nice reliable and cheap to run car.

once your ready for go fast, sell it and buy something that is easy to get good power out of or has good power to start with!

[master_grunthos]

You are right that it's a slight oddity. It is in fact a GLX but the SE Limited Edition. The mirrors, door handles and rubbing strips are in fact black but as the car is so dark when polished it doesn't really show, so long as i make sure the black bits are equally shiney. Inside is the GLX AirCon but no climate control and what makes it limited Edition is the bumber, alloys and leather as I understand it.

As for mods, the directions to those websites was not really what i was looking for. It's only something I'm considering in the future. After my previous 1.6 Escort the Galant is powerful enough for now.

[master_grunthos]

Yes, I have been told it rides a bit high. How much does a slight lowering cost? Approximately, I'm not really one for visual mods apart from a bit of wax and polish but it'd lower the centre of gravity and probably add better handling. Having said that, the Galant seems to grip forever in conrners compared to my old Escort, which I admit was fun it you enjoy the esnsation of driving on ice constantly.

[WildCards]

Yes, I have been told it rides a bit high. How much does a slight lowering cost? Approximately, I'm not really one for visual mods apart from a bit of wax and polish but it'd lower the centre of gravity and probably add better handling. Having said that, the Galant seems to grip forever in conrners compared to my old Escort, which I admit was fun it you enjoy the esnsation of driving on ice constantly.


Some decent springs will be around £150 AFAIK. Will lower you 20-30mm.

[bradc]

My first recommendation would be similar to what people have already posted, remove the cat, change the exhaust, upgrade to a k&n panel airfilter, and look at lowering it.

IMHO the brakes are ok for normal driving, especially with one of the lighter models.

[DUNLY]

welcome to club vr4 mate. i own a GLS 2, and luv it to bits. what u wana do is get one of these babies. (below). Should here the growl at 4200rpm. get 1 from from ebay from the states, around 40 quid including postage. as for brakes, some people like the black diamonds other not. personally was thinking of going for vented drilled grooved EBC brakes and green stuff pads from www.motorsportworld.co.uk but thats not until the summer.:happy:

good luck and keep us posted.

[Big Ian]

since i sold my 2ltr GLS it has been on a rolling road twice and both time's it has show'n 175BHP!! standard is about 140bhp

see it here: http://www.cardomain.com/ride/500686
http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/8/web/500000-500999/500686_133_full.jpg

some of the mod's done to my old car were:
piggy back chip (done before i bought it),
stainless twin exit exhaust's,
K,N induction kit with forced induction,
iridium plug's, (far better than standard item's)
i also took the inner's out of the standard cat-converter, which did not add to much to the noise side of thing's but it did add to throttle/power response more of a free flow system.

i had great fun with my GLS,:thinking: miss it sometime's! but i shall return (proper) in a 8G of some sort??:2thumbsup a very under estamatied car the 2ltr is, but if your looking to boost power get the brake's up-rated first

this is about the normal format of up-grade's to any car
brake's
suspension
power, ie: induction, exhaust etc...
pointless adding to the power and not having a chassis set up to handle it.

[Kieran]

since i sold my 2ltr GLS it has been on a rolling road twice and both time's it has show'n 175BHP!! standard is about 140bhp


Feck me, it's no wonder my V6 Sport couldn't catch you when it was still standard.... Makes you wonder what that must be putting out now...:inquisiti

[Big Ian]

next time i speak to him i'll ask for a copy of the print out and post it up :2thumbsup

[DUNLY]

wish my GLS was 175bhp /Grrr . wot else has the new owner done to it ian?

[Big Ian]

not a thing, it is as i had it:scholar:

he has a cousin who work's in Stirling at a (Vauxhall) tuning shop who also have a rolling road so when he's through their he take's it on the roller's and they just try it out? i alway's thought it may have been about 160bhp, he also thought it had the rev limiter by-passed, it does work!, about :evilgrin: 500-800 rpm after it should kick in.... he can't be pushing it as hard as i did?

[DUNLY]

now theres a question ian, when did yours kick in, ive had mine 500rpm into the red and its never kicked in. and i aint willing to push it any harder lol.

[Big Ian]

sorry Jame's, i can't remember?