2003 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII

Current Modification List

• Fujitsubo RM-01A Exhaust - (installed 5/2/07, purchased from Fizz Autosports) I would have been very content to stick with my Borla exhaust, except that it wasn't up to the task for supressing the added noise that the O2 housing, 3" DP, high flow cat, and cams brought to the party.  With the NYS  Troopers now taking note of this, I decided to tackle it by going with either a Tanabe Medallion Touring or the newly arrived Fujitsubo RM-01A.  The Tanabe exhaust certainly gets great reviews for sound suppression, but there is some question about the flow properties of some of its bends and pipe diameters. The Fujitsubo has 2 resonators in the mix, but the piping is 3" all the way with a minimum of bends.  On top of that, it is a ONE PIECE pipe - try bringing a 9' long pipe back from NYC to Albany for some excitement (even with a Passat wagon, the wife drove and I rode single file behind her because the pipe took up the entire passenger side from dash to tailgate!).  The other nice aspect of the system is the weight - it's made using very thin stainless steel, and thus drops some 10lbs off of the stock system.  My impressions are good so far - a bit louder than stock at idle, but very quiet under acceleration.  No more looks from NYS Troopers... at least for exhaust noise.

• HKS 272 Intake and Exhaust Cams - (Part # 22002-AM003 (intake) and 22002-AM004 (exhaust), purchased & installed 4/12/07 from/by Al Friedman, Dynoflash.com) I'd been wanting some cams for awhile, but was still unsure what to get: 264 intake / 272 exhaust HKS cams? 272 HKS cams? GSC Stage 1 cams? JUN cams?  Who knew?  Well, apparently Al does, or so he claims.  He recommended I drop some HKS 272 cams in for my dyno session. It was a $900 expense I wasn't planning on, but he made a convincing argument of saving another $300 dyno session in the future by combining it with the needed session for my full turbo-back exhaust change.  I questioned whether I was going to suffer low-end power, as I've read others stating can happen with 272 cams, but Al assured me I wouldn't.  So, I said yes, and 3 hrs later I had cams and a fat 352/350 WHP/TQ dyno sheet to show for them.  And I'm glad to say, I've noticed no loss of low-end power, and in fact have picked some up instead.  Idle is just slightly lopey - enough to feel like a badass without having it become an annoyance - it's far from being a V8 dragster feel.  Definitely added something to my exhaust noise, which helped push the Borla exhaust out and brought in the Fujitsubo RM-01A.

• SS Autochrome o2 Housing - (installed 3/22-28/07, purchased on eBay.com) This item was installed with a host of other similar parts that have brought much joy to my driving experience.  The Evo is now a brute, with almost instant-on power; in fact, too much so in certain competitive situations.  The No-Name Straight at LRP is downright scary under even 80% throttle now.  While many have argued about the value of this piece, if you can get the good one from SS Autochrome, then it makes sense.  My only regret is not sourcing it from Buschur Racing in that by the time I was done getting it Jet Hot coated ($180!), I could have gotten it coated AND ported by Buschur for just north of my total spent.  Live and learn!  Original write-up: (Prod.#abc123297) Consensus on the EvoM boards is that no higher-priced o2 housing outperforms the cheap SS Autochrome housing.  Purchased from eBay for about $20 less than list, I decided to have it Jet Hot 2000 coated.

• Perrin "Stout Mount" Swaybar mounts - (installed 3/22-28/07, purchased from JSCSpeed.com) After having read horror stories of Mazda Miata guys ripping their sway bar mounts out of their cars after tightening things up, I decided to build in some safety on the sway bar change.  So far, so good.  They seem very secure and are visibly more substantial than the stock mounts.   Original write-up: Supposedly the Evo's sway bar mounting points can be a bit fragile, so I took the opportunity to beef up the mount points with Perrin's kit.

• Perrin Adjustable Rear Endlinks - (installed 3/22-28/07, purchased on eBay.com) I figured if I was stiffening things up, then I'd take the stock end links out of the picture as a potential weak spot, too.  These end links offer some small amount of adjustability in that they are adjustable length, but I'm not sure yet whether I'll try to play with them or not.  I'm still looking for more neutral handling, so it's difficult to say whether I'd notice shortening them by 1/2" when I haven't been able to tell much difference in the whole stiffer sway bar change.  Original write-up: I figured that while I was working on the rear sway bar that I might as well replace the stock end links with something a bit more aggressive.  I'm not sure how their adjustments will be used in conjunction with the sway bar's.  I'm guessing that if someone knew what they were doing, they could use the end links to fine tune the sway bar's setting.

• WORKS Adjustable Rear Swaybar - (installed 3/22-28/07, purchased from WORKS) Now that I've had a chance to check out Perrin's products better, I'm sorry I bought the more expensive WORKS rear bar over the Perrin bar.  The WORKS bar is of very good quality, but I'm not sure it justifies the added price.  The car still seems to understeer mostly with the rear sway bar in the middle setting.  I may get brave here and try the full stiff setting, but I just don't want the car to become a snap oversteer nightmare.  Original write-up: I'm hoping to take some of the understeer out of the Evo by tightening up the rear a bit.  Hopefully it'll be better balanced and not a snap-oversteering monster once I get done.

• WORKS / Öhlins Stage I Sport Suspension - (installed 3/22-28/07, purchased from WORKS) In hindsight, I'm wishing I'd gotten a full coil-over setup.  The two main reasons for this is the size limitation these put on tire and wheel combos (they're the same dimensions as stock, so you can't get too wild with tires), and the adjustment knobs on the front struts are on the BOTTOM of the strut, meaning that it is a MAJOR pain to adjust the fronts.  I was assuming these were like most adjustable damping coil-overs, and you'd simply twist a knob on the top of the strut when under the hood. Nope - you have to reach around and behind a wheel in order to grab the barely exposed knob, turning with the precision of a safe cracker in order to feel that vague click.  I've now got about -2.5 degrees of camber on the fronts, but it hasn't turned the Evo into the handling monster I was hoping for.  I'm not disappointed yet, as I still need to explore all of the various suspension parts' settings before I can say this has been a great success or a minor disappointment.  There is one big plus - even with the lowering springs and Öhlins struts, the ride is slightly better than stock, even on the stiffest setting.  Original write-up: This WORKS offering consists of stock-like front struts and rear shocks, 25-way adjustable damping.  I added WORKS camber plates and WORKS Ride springs to help lower the Evo.  The WORKS Ride springs are 15-20% stiffer than stock springs, while lowering the car approximately 23mm (.9") on all corners.

• Whiteline Roll Center Adjustment kit - (installed 3/22-28/07, purchased from WORKS) This kit has totally changed the steering feel of the Evo, and not necessarily for the better.  Not that it's bad, but I loved the on-center solidness of the steering previously, and now it's a bit more light and prone to wander.  This can be annoying in street driving, but for those times on the autocross course or the track where you're fighting to turn the wheel as fast as possible, you'll love the new feel.  The steering isn't nearly as heavy when you attempt to make fast inputs, and makes it feel more drivable and less like you're wrestling it.  Original write-up: WORKS offers this kit for Evo owners who lower their car.  My Evo will be lowered when the Öhlins suspension with the WORKS Ride springs is installed.  I'll do some more research to explain the physics behind this kit at a later date.

• Perrin 3" Down Pipe & High-Flow Cat - (installed 3/22-28/07, purchased from JSCSpeed.com) I credit these parts with at least of the incredible gains I've gotten in the latest build-up of my Evo. Both parts were of high quality, and fit perfectly.  I had to put an anti-fouler on my cat's O2 sensor to address a "Service Engine Soon" light, but otherwise it's perfect.  I'm also blaming these parts for my "inadequate exhaust" ticket courtesy of the NYS Troopers, and thus the demise of my Borla cat-back exhaust and the introduction of the mega-expensive Fujitsubo RM-01A cat-back exhaust.  Original write-up: Al F. said that the combination of a down pipe and a high flow cat (cat deletion is not an option for a tree hugger like me) would easily add another 30 HP to my car. I'm sending the down pipe off to Jet Hot for a Jet Hot 2000 coating.

• Perrin Sub-Frame Brace - (installed 3/22-28/07, purchased & overnighted DURING the install from JSCSpeed.com) Once I realized that my Carbing Lower Arm Brace would violate the SCCA Street Modified rules, I went with this brace because it matches the spirit of the rule by using the same number of mount points as the stock unit, while allowing clearance for the Perrin DP.  The Carbing brace's main appeal is that it substantial improved the bracing of the subframe, but the Perrin bar simply accommodates the Perrin DP, and with it's 'U' shape for the DP, I question if it even provides the same amount of strength as the stock brace would.  I do feel the Perrin bar is a better answer than shimming the stock bar, since the shims will put much more stress on the bolts of the stock bar, due to the fact the bolts are not able to be threaded in as deeply as they normally would be.  This fulcrum effect on the bolts would ultimately put the bolts at risk for shearing, and I can't afford to have something like that happen at triple digit speeds on the back straight of Watkins Glen.

• AMS Lower Intercooler Pipe (LICP) - (installed 3/22-28/07 & purchased used from a guy in Cobleskill in Fall of 2006) I'm not sure if one part is responsible, or if it is the sum of many parts, but my Evo has immediate, brutal power now, and I'm going to give credit to the faster spool-up in part to this pipe.  Adam H, of Knight Time Autoworks, who installed it said that like almost all aftermarket LICPs, it doesn't quite fit.  He had to stretch hoses to the limit to get things to fit properly.  So far it hasn't been a problem, and has survived a track day at LRP.  Original write-up: This pipe supposedly addresses a restriction in the stock LICP.  No HP gains, but supposedly marked improvement in throttle response.

• Forge Closed Loop Dump Valve - (installed 3/22-28/07) It's interesting to note that the part shown on LancerShop.com isn't listed in Forge's online catalog, and that the item I received doesn't look like the one LancerShop.com shows - mine is black.  This item, in combination with many other pieces, is helping me put down over 350 whp.  The down side is that it is extremely touchy during constant and even light acceleration, and will dump boost unexpectedly.  This has affected my smoothness on the track, and I'm considering swapping it out for a JDM MR dump valve or similar. Supposedly the MR valve is only good for 21 psi of boost or so, which covers a stock boost high of 19 psi, but won't help you when you have a MBC and are trying to reach for those 21 - 23 psi levels.  Forge claims this boost dump situation is unavoidable due to the very features which allow it to hold boost much more effectively than the stock part.  Apparently the stock BV has a channel that runs from the bottom to the top, and helps equalize pressures between the two sides, helping to reduce the sudden dumping of boost.  Original write-up:  During my Dynoflash tuning session, Al F. recommended replacing the stock BOV with a Forge piece as he claims that under higher than stock boost pressures, the stock BOV can flutter and cause odd tuning problems.  The problem with installing this is that it then moves me to Street Modified classing for autocrossing.  I'm still waiting on this while I play in B Street Prepared class.

• RexSpeed Wickerbill (installed 8/06) - very simple mod for the track, and at $56, much cheaper than the Mitsubishi accessory.  Otherwise known as a "Gurney flap", the lip uses double sided pressure tape to mount on the back trailing edge of the wing, supposedly producing up to 40kg of downforce at some unknown top speed. I was afraid it would hamper rear view visibility, which is compromised already by the wing, but it has not been a problem.

• Hawk HP Plus Brake Pads (installed 5/11/06) - These pads were recommended to me by RaceShopper.com and by my instructor at the Patroon BMWCCA LRP driving event, Marlon Drummond, when my Hawk HPS pads glazed during deep braking going into Big Bend.  Installed by Otto Mangino Mitsubishi of Clifton Park, NY. They were quiet at first, but have recently been squealing like stuck pigs.

• Yokohama ADVAN Neova AD07 (installed 4/15/06) - I chose these as an economical replacement for the OEM ADVAN A047 tires, while maintaining the same performance characteristics.  These did not come in the stock 235/45R17 size, so I went to a 245/40R17 size, which is slightly wider than stock and slightly lower.  The speedo is off by less than 2% (around 1.4mph at 60mph).  The tires are absolutely grippy and predictable, and have been a great replacement.  Purchased from RoadwayWholesaleTire.com for $192/tire.

• Hybrid Buschur/HKS Intake (installed 4/19-20/06) - Dan at Pruven Performance cobbled together what he considered the best of both worlds from an intake perspective: a Buschur Racing intake filter coupled to an HKS intake pipe.  Blow-off valve sounds are now prominent, and produce a grin on my face each time.  Even under light to moderate acceleration, the BOV can be heard.

• Dynoflash Custom Tune (performed 4/12/07) - A tuning session with Al is part technical, part sideshow, and all entertainment.  Al is a nut - pure and simple, but he seems to be a pretty effective nut, and a friendly and entertaining nut at that, although I've had plenty of people tell me they thought he's an ass from their experience with him.  My most recent Dynoflash session (my 2nd with Al) was good for another 70 HP from the HKS 272 cams & tuning that were installed that day.  However, Jim K from The Shop thought my baseline dyno pull might have been reading low due to wet snow tires that hadn't fully dried out at the start of the session.

• Forge Manual Boost Controller (installed 4/19/06) - Al Friedman recommended the Forge MBC for the best results when flashing and tuning my ECU.  My baseline dyno run showed 268.9 HP @ 7500 rpm.  My dyno sheet after a Dynoflash showed 278.9 HP @ 7000 rpm, with peak torque of 291.4 ft-lbs at 3850 rpm. Note my dyno runs were performed at 1:20 am the morning of 4/20/06 - it was a long night!

• ARP Head Bolts (installed 4/19/06) - Dan at Pruven Performance recommended these as insurance against stock head bolt stretching from the higher boost pressures realized by the use of the Forge MBC. My Defi boost gauge routinely shows peak boost pressures of 25 psi, although Al Friedman claims that based on my dyno results he believes the gauge is high by about 2 psi.

• ARP Connecting Rod Bolts (installed 4/19/06) - I went with these because of the amount of time I spend at or near the rev limit.  There is some debate about the Evos that have experienced engine failures having suffered from stretched con rod bolts.  The ARP bolts will not stretch due to their superior strength.  Our local autocrosses are on very small courses that rarely require 2nd gear, so 1st gear floggings are very common.  It is thought that revving the engine above the 7000 rpm limit can lead to stretching the stock con rod bolts.

• Defi 60mm Boost, EGT, Oil Pressure Gauges & Gauge Pod

• Walbro 255lph Fuel Pump (Installed 4/15/06) - Al Friedman of Dynoflash.com recommended putting in the stronger Walbro fuel pump as reliability insurance for performance driving and ECU tuning.  Installation was performed by Pruven Performance (www.PruvenPerformance.com) of Milford, CT.

• ACT Clutch (Installed 12/5/05) - The ACT clutch seems to be quickly gaining the reputation as "the" after-market clutch for the Evo.  Stronger than the weak stock clutch, cheaper than the stock clutch, and yet very streetable and able to take the abuse that a turbocharged AWD system can throw at it.  Turbo Trix Racing (www.TurboTrix.com) tore down my Exedy twin disc clutch, but could not find anything obviously wrong with it.  I had them install a new ACT clutch at that point in order to address the ongoing engagement and clutch drag issue I've been dealing with over the last few months.  The ACT clutch has proven to be a good decision so far.

• Stock wheel/tire set - purchased 5/04 from eBay.  I picked up a 2nd set of wheels & tires for autocrossing purposes.  My original set of tires is starting to show some wear, so I figured it would be a good idea to get some street tires and use the current tires as dedicated autocross tires.  While these tires were listed as having less than 300 miles on them, they've had some rough use in those 300 miles.  Several of the wheels were scratched up slightly, and the tread of the tires, while very deep, showed some evidence of chunking, probably brought on by hard driving in cold weather.  They came from Michigan, so that would make sense.  My best guess is these came off a wrecked vehicle.

• Perrin Oil Catch Can - Installed 5/31/04.  Purchased from MVPMotorsports.com for $113 (I got a 5% discount for pointing out some typos on their web site).  Pics & install directions here.

• Mitsubishi Micron Cabin Air Filter modification & installation - * Update 5/06 * - I cut a majority of the stock filter cage out and replaced the filter material with 3M Filtrete pleated filter material.  I used tin snips to cut the filter material to size and then simply pressed it into place on the plastic cage of the stock filter.  Performed 8/13/04.  Using directions located on EvolutionM.net's web site.  I'm not impressed by the quality of the Mitsu filter material - it seems way too porous to really stop much anything smaller than bugs, but I'll try it.

Planned Modification List

• Buschur Racing Intake Kit (on order now)

• AMS Brake Duct Kit (debating it now)

• Shep Racing Transmission and Transfer Case Service (planned for Spring 2008)

Modifications Removed/Retired/Replaced List

• Sold: Carbing Lower Arm Brace - As it turned out, this brace is illegal for Street Modified classes in SCCA autocross, so rather than change classes YET again, I sold it to Mitsuorder on EvolutionM.net, good guy that he is.  I can say I was very sorry to let it go - it was a very impressive piece and I'm sure would have noticeably stiffened things up.  I went with a Perrin Lower Arm Brace since it only uses the stock mounting points and it's added stiffness is a negligible benefit in autocrossing at best, while it allows enough clearance for the Perrin 3" DP.  Original write-up: When you add a 3" down pipe, the stock lower arm brace will supposedly no longer offer enough clearance for the down pipe.  Thus, the Carbing brace not only introduces enough clearance for the new down pipe, it also offers much stiffer bracing by using 6 mount points as opposed to the stock brace's 2 points.

• Removed: Borla cat-back exhaust - (removed 5/2/07, purchased 10/2004 from Nopi.com and installed 6/05 by Otto Mangino Mitsubishi).  The Borla couldn't suppress enough noise that the HKS cams, Perrin 3" DP, Perrin High Flow Cat, 10.5 Hotside, and SS Autochrome O2 Housing were producing.  It has been replaced with a Fujitsubo RM-01A purchased from Fizz Autosports in NYC.  Original write-up: Nopi was having a sale on the Borla, so I quick did some investigation on the Borla exhaust compared to other popular Evo cat-backs.  After much thought, I finally made the decision to purchase it, when I found Nopi had taken it off sale.  I contacted them to see if I could still get it at sale price, but they said they couldn't do that.  Then, evil EJ took over.  I pulled up the URL to the sale page that had had the Borla listed on sale, and amazingly it still came up with the sale price.  I then placed it in my shopping cart, the price still stuck, and then I did the purchase online.  Several days later I received the exhaust, the sale price was what I was charged, and I was a happy bargain hunter.  The Borla was installed while the car was in for the clutch replacement.  It sounds great, with a low rumble from the moment the gas pedal is pressed.  Idle sounds a bit meaner, too.  Can be droning at highway cruising speeds, but such is the price you pay for modding your car.

• Removed: Ingalls Engineering Stiffy Engine Torque Damper (removed 4/07, installed 9/06) - During my dyno session on 4/12/07, Al Friedman of Dynoflash recommended I remove the Ingalls Stiffy.  He says he's seen it cause problems with the knock sensor, where the normal engine vibrations are picked up by the knock sensors, and it mistakenly starts pulling timing due to the false readings.  Al has more experience than I do, so I listened to him and let him pull it while he installed my HKS 272 cams.  I never noticed a problem with the Stiffy, but then again I didn't notice much improvement with it on, either.  In the Stiffy's defense, or maybe in Al's,  I never attempted to adjust it stiffer than the default setting it came with.  Who knows, with it stiffer it might have either given me noticeable improvements or caused noticeable problems.

• Removed: Magnecor 8.5mm Spark Plug Wires - Upon Al F's recommendation, my Magnacor Racing 8.5mm spark plug wires were removed before my dyno session.  Al has said he has had problems with these wires not making proper contact due to their poor fitting boots.  They do not seat nearly as well as the stock wires do, and thus can lead to various problems with moisture entering the spark plug wells or simply rattling loose.  While I did not have any problems at the time I removed them, it was true that they did not fit as well as the stock wire set.  I replaced them with the stock wire set for now.

• Replaced: Vishnu Tuning Cannonball ECU Flash - (Update - overlaid most recently on 4/12/07 with a custom Dynoflash tune on The Shop's dyno, and previously on  4/19/06 with a custom Dynoflash.com reflash on Pruven Performance dyno)  performed 11/29/04 by Vishnu Tuning.  This modification was recommended by my dealer to address abysmal MPG figures during the winter.  A typical reflash helps lean out the stock programming, which runs very rich in order to protect against detonation.  The nice part of this is that while it helps with MPG, it'll also give you up to an extra 15-20HP on the top end.  I'll report on the results as soon as I'm able to record them.  Pics on ECU removal are here.

• Replaced: K&N Filter #33-2105 - (Update - uninstalled 4/19/06 and replaced with hybrid HKS intake pipe & Buschur Racing air filter)  installed 3/29/04. Purchased from JSCSpeed.com for $59. I've read several comments online that say the stock air box on the Evo is actually quite good, and that it's tough to improve on its performance with an aftermarket part.  With that said, I decided to keep the stock air box and simply upgrade the filter.  K&N filters have a great reputation for reliability and performance, so I went with the simplest and cheapest option for the intake.  The install took literally 2 minutes, and most of that time was spent figuring out how the filter goes in.  The stock filter has a lip on the bottom of the filter, so while it might seem like the lip on the K&N filter would sit on top of the intake box, it actually gets flipped and goes on the bottom, just like the stock filter.  Unlike the stock filter, the K&N filter's pleats go in the opposite direction as the stock filter's pleats. The stock filter's pleats ran parallel to the front bumper, while the K&N filter's pleats run perpendicular to the front bumper.

• Removed: Exedy Twin Disc Cerametallic Clutch & Flywheel - Update 6/15/06 - Exedy issued a call UPS call tag to pick up the clutch, at their expense!  Bernie Solomon and Kevin Fujioka examined the clutch and then gave me a phone call to discuss the results.  The bottom line was - INSTALLER ERROR.  They found several items that would explain the drag that I experienced.  There were burrs on the teeth of one of the clutch plates.  This is commonly caused by angling the transmission improperly when attempting to reinstall the transmission after clutch installation. One side of one of the clutch plates showed grease contamination on the friction surface.  This would cause shuddering, slipping, and/or inconsistent engagement characteristics like what I experienced.  One of the clutch plates had oxidation on the teeth of a friction surface.  This indicated a lack of proper lubrication, which would also cause dragging.  All items are the responsibility of the installer.  Exedy then graciously shipped the clutch back to me with a written report and a clean bill of health for use or for resale.    Update 12/17/05 - after a return of clutch drag and engagement issues during October, I took the Evo to Turbo Trix in Edison, NJ, and had them take a quick look at the clutch.  They saw nothing wrong with it, but I had them replace it with an ACT clutch just to get away from the problems I've had with the Exedy.  The ACT has been much, much easier on driving, but has not been perfect, either.  There was some shuddering when slipping the clutch, but that seems to be going away as the clutch gets broken in.  Original - purchased 6/05 from LogicPerformance.com and installed by Otto Mangino Mitsubishi.  Apparently the end result of my glorious 2004 autocrossing campaign was a slipping stock clutch at 16,000 miles on the odometer.  I agonized about going with an ACT & a flywheel, or purchasing the Exedy kit.  I'm banking on the Exedy withstanding more than the ACT could.  The Exedy, while definitely streetable, is certainly not the easiest thing to engage consistently.  Being first at a stop light has been an adventure, with the car either bogging or the clutch taking its time engaging.  I'm hoping the more I use it the better I'll get with it.

Wheel Specs

• Bolt pattern:                         5 x 114.3

• Offset:                                    +38mm

• Stock wheels:                     17 x 8 Enkei

• Stock tires:                           Yokohama ADVAN A046 (235/45ZR17)

• Stock wheel/tire weight:    46.5 lbs

• Track wheels:                      17 x 8 Enkei

• Track tires:                            Yokohama ADVAN Neova AD07 (245/40ZR17)

• Autocross wheels:             17 x 8.5 SSR Competition

• Autocross tires:                   Kumho VictoRacer V700 (255/40ZR17)

• Snow wheels:                      17 x 7.5 ASA KA3

• Snow tires:                            Bridgestone Blizzak LM-22 235/45HR17

Wiper Specs

• Driver's:                    24"

• Passenger's side:  18"

• Rear:                          17"

Headlight Bulbs

• High beams:    9005

• Low beams:     9006

Weights

• Stock wheel/tire combo:    46.5 lbs

• Stock front tower brace:    8 lbs

Mitsubishi Part Numbers

• MR475618 - Shim Set, Front Brake

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