2005 LGT 5EAT Upgrade Advice

Alright guys, i've read a lot over the last few days and would like some input.

 

Basic Info

05 LGT with the auto trans

83k miles

Stock turbo took a crap due to the common banjo bolt issue

Car is currently parked waiting to be fixed

 

I have purchased an Evo 16g from BNR, DP, CB and FMIC as of right now. Tomorrow I plan on buying a header, up-pipe, intake and COBB AP, tranny cooler. I feel my mileage is at a point where I should probably just do a timing belt kit and gasket set as well while I am already tore into it

 

Questions

Should I do ARP head studs

Should I add an AEM Wideband

Is the Cobb Intake good for what i'm doing.

 

This is my every day car. I am looking forward to having the extra power and taking it to the track but I am a very moderate driver, not looking for anything crazy. Would like my tranny and block to last awhile especially since i'm making payments on my car still

 

Any thoughts or advise is appreciated

Pretty sure on the 16g you need a tranny cooler and a valve body.

Yeah...the Valve Body and Center diff is where I would go. The tranny is the weak spot...some people are also having custom HD dual-clutch plates made to replace OEM

 

The stock air box works up to 400+ I think.

 

Definitely a new fuel pump and maybe bigger injectors if you want to ever run E-85.

 

The Wideband is always a good idea!

Another vote for valvebody. After I installed my BNR + tune I could really feel the weakness in the way the transmission shifted.

IMO, I don't think the intake is necessary at this level, and like Focus said a WBo2 is never a bad idea.

I also feel the same about the Hexmods VB.

 

^ Firehawk, you're still on stock fueling right?

I plan to do a Hexmods VB before I upgrade my fueling.

I run a BNR 18G with E85 on nothing but the valve body upgrade. Hexmods is amazing! Not sure if headstuds are necessary, but a wideband would be a wise choice if you're doing a e tune.

I run a BNR 18G with E85 on nothing but the valve body upgrade. Hexmods is amazing! Not sure if headstuds are necessary, but a wideband would be a wise choice if you're doing a e tune.

 

How many miles before you went stage 3?

How many stage 3?

How is the tranny holding up? Are you tough on it?

I've been scraping together the parts for Stg 3 slowly until I can swing the cost of the full Hexmod VB, center diff bushings, and clutch pak rebuild. I would hate to install all the power mods and then blow the transmission after all that work to get more power.

 

Basically I'm sticking to the age-old upgrade path, "Control/reliability before power"!

I've been scraping together the parts for Stg 3 slowly until I can swing the cost of the full Hexmod VB, center diff bushings, and clutch pak rebuild. I would hate to install all the power mods and then blow the transmission after all that work to get more power.

 

Basically I'm sticking to the age-old upgrade path, "Control/reliability before power"!

 

How hard is the clutch pack rebuild?

Ive probably had the VB for a year and a half, maybe more. This is my DD, and Im not gonna lie, I beat on it. Especially during the weekends and summer time. Tranny is holding up fine and not missing a beat. I went stage 3 probably around 50k or more miles. Then I went to the 18G (93 oct) on the stock tranny and it blew about 2 or 3 months later I think. Switched to the hexmods vb and its been holding with pump and E85 ever since. I have 108k miles now.

Alright guys, i've read a lot over the last few days and would like some input.

 

Basic Info

05 LGT with the auto trans

83k miles

Stock turbo took a crap due to the common banjo bolt issue

Car is currently parked waiting to be fixed

 

I have purchased an Evo 16g from BNR, DP, CB and FMIC as of right now. Tomorrow I plan on buying a header, up-pipe, intake and COBB AP, tranny cooler. I feel my mileage is at a point where I should probably just do a timing belt kit and gasket set as well while I am already tore into it

 

Questions

Should I do ARP head studs

Should I add an AEM Wideband

Is the Cobb Intake good for what i'm doing.

 

This is my every day car. I am looking forward to having the extra power and taking it to the track but I am a very moderate driver, not looking for anything crazy. Would like my tranny and block to last awhile especially since i'm making payments on my car still

 

Any thoughts or advise is appreciated

 

I just recently went through a very similar thing. Puchased a 2006 LGT LTD wagon 5EAT for $5,600 with known low compression and turbo issues. I pulled the motor, rebuild with CP pistons and king bearings, BNR 18g, F1 VB mod, Borla header, greddy uppipe, invidia dp. I'm holding out for the GS TMIC. You are going to be borderline on the stock fueling with those mods. No need for ARP's until you rebuild, then do them. Your stock 5EAT will not last long at those power levels without at least the F1 VB. As for replacing the banjo's, IP&T has 2 kits you should look into, one is a filtered oil feed and one is complete turbo and AVCS filtered. I made my own for a bit less that the IP&T but do what you feel is best. Unless the Timing belt is indicating that it needs to be changed sooner that the recommended 105k miles, I would wait and do other preventative maintenance items such as LCA bushings, motor mounts, transmission mounts etc.

 

My build thread

http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/2006-bsm-legacy-gt-wagon-5eat-daily-driver-build-219194.html

IMO, I don't think the intake is necessary at this level, and like Focus said a WBo2 is never a bad idea.

I also feel the same about the Hexmods VB.

 

^ Firehawk, you're still on stock fueling right?

I plan to do a Hexmods VB before I upgrade my fueling.

 

 

Upgraded fuel pump and cleaned / refurbished stock injectors.

Alright guys, i've read a lot over the last few days and would like some input.

 

Basic Info

05 LGT with the auto trans

83k miles

Stock turbo took a crap due to the common banjo bolt issue

Car is currently parked waiting to be fixed

 

I have purchased an Evo 16g from BNR, DP, CB and FMIC as of right now. Tomorrow I plan on buying a header, up-pipe, intake and COBB AP, tranny cooler. I feel my mileage is at a point where I should probably just do a timing belt kit and gasket set as well while I am already tore into it

 

Questions

Should I do ARP head studs

Should I add an AEM Wideband

Is the Cobb Intake good for what i'm doing.

 

This is my every day car. I am looking forward to having the extra power and taking it to the track but I am a very moderate driver, not looking for anything crazy. Would like my tranny and block to last awhile especially since i'm making payments on my car still

 

Any thoughts or advise is appreciated

 

"I'm still making payments" followed by a laundry list of parts upgrades usually leads to "help, my car took a shit". But whatever.

 

"having the extra power and taking it to the track but I am a very moderate driver, not looking for anything crazy" - you have a FMIC, you already passed crazy.

 

 

A DP, UP and a tune are more than enough for a track day. Adding the Hexmods VB upgrade & trans cooler will help keep your tranny together. Check your center diff, as it may be going bad (if you track alot, it will go bad sooner than later). Doing the timing belt early is a good thing.

 

Skip the intake, you don't need it. It just adds noise with no other benefits.

Header is usually the last thing to do, rather than the first. If you are doing it, wrap it. Consider wrapping the UP, too.

 

unless you know you have a gasket issue, replacing them isn't generally indicated. The head gaskets are not common problem.

 

With the upgrades you are doing, you are ripe for the #3 ringland failure. Which will require an engine rebuild. Figure $2000 - $5000 depending on your engine rebuild skills. Set this money aside, as you'll be needing it soon.

 

If you are tracking the car, invest in the KillerB oil pan & windage tray. the pickup is cheap insurance, but not indicated, unless you smash your oil pan alot.

 

As an every day car, you're going to want a very conservative tune unless your employer covers your gas cost. Expect 20mpg to be a high number. Expect 4-8mpg as a track car.

 

If you're doing track events, you should look at suspension & brake mods. At very least, replace the LCA bushings, add the rear sway bar braces, upgrade your brake pads to street performance or light autox (swap the autox at the track). Other brake mods are not indicated, unless you like the bling effect.

"I'm still making payments" followed by a laundry list of parts upgrades usually leads to "help, my car took a shit". But whatever.

 

"having the extra power and taking it to the track but I am a very moderate driver, not looking for anything crazy" - you have a FMIC, you already passed crazy.

 

 

A DP, UP and a tune are more than enough for a track day. Adding the Hexmods VB upgrade & trans cooler will help keep your tranny together. Check your center diff, as it may be going bad (if you track alot, it will go bad sooner than later). Doing the timing belt early is a good thing.

 

Skip the intake, you don't need it. It just adds noise with no other benefits.

Header is usually the last thing to do, rather than the first. If you are doing it, wrap it. Consider wrapping the UP, too.

 

unless you know you have a gasket issue, replacing them isn't generally indicated. The head gaskets are not common problem.

 

With the upgrades you are doing, you are ripe for the #3 ringland failure. Which will require an engine rebuild. Figure $2000 - $5000 depending on your engine rebuild skills. Set this money aside, as you'll be needing it soon.

 

If you are tracking the car, invest in the KillerB oil pan & windage tray. the pickup is cheap insurance, but not indicated, unless you smash your oil pan alot.

 

As an every day car, you're going to want a very conservative tune unless your employer covers your gas cost. Expect 20mpg to be a high number. Expect 4-8mpg as a track car.

 

If you're doing track events, you should look at suspension & brake mods. At very least, replace the LCA bushings, add the rear sway bar braces, upgrade your brake pads to street performance or light autox (swap the autox at the track). Other brake mods are not indicated, unless you like the bling effect.

There is something to be said for waiting to track something that you can lose.

 

I didn't track my car until I had no payments and I could afford to walk away from it.

 

Also, auto tranny at the track, sounds like a bad news story yet to be printed.

auto tranny at track = mobile chicane /snark

auto tranny at track = mobile chicane /snark

 

NOT if it's driven correctly.

auto tranny at track = mobile chicane /snark

 

NOT if it's driven correctly.

 

Also, auto tranny at the track, sounds like a bad news story yet to be printed.

 

for a 5eat owner, rob-2's comment wins.

How hard is the clutch pack rebuild?

 

From what I can tell, pretty involved. I think Frankster did it... I remember reading about it linked through the Hexmod VB build thread. The took out the plate and milled the opening for the pak a little larger and then fitted a HD clutch in. machine shop time, design/eng. time/and parts...not to mention the cost to disassemble/reassemble everything.

 

I'll try to post a link to the thread in a bit...