Project Evo IX – Part 13 – SEMA And The Evo STI Shootout
By Joey Leh, Photography by Duane Uyeda and the author
When we last left off, Project Evo IX was given its annual car wash and placed into our 2009 SEMA booth in the North Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center. Alongside the 5Zigen Honda Accord Euro-R and JC Meynet’s Subaru Impreza WRX STI time attack car, Project Evo IX gathered gawking onlookers and interested pedestrians.
Photo by Duane Uyeda
Due to its INGS aerodynamics, low-slung KW stance, and success at time attack events, Project Evo IX surprised many show-goers with its daily driven status. Yes, this car is just a front bumper, seat and wing change away from hitting the local Costco. We even drove it ourselves from California to Nevada for the show. And then back. Try that with your average, shiny, show car special.
Up until this point, Project Evo IX has made use of the stock engine, turbo, intercooler, airbox, cams, ECU and manifolds. A turbo-back exhaust, boost controller and Tuning Technologies tune was the key to 350whp on 100-octane and 320whp on 91-octane.
The mild engine bolt-ons were combined with significant suspension setup time and garnered us a 1st place Street AWD finish at the Super Lap Battle Willow Springs event and a 3rd place Street AWD podium at the Redline Time Attack Willow Springs event. But, when your competition comes packing 100whp+ more than you, you’re left struggling just to finish on the podium at all. For all the work that gets poured into the car, it sucks. Trust us.
The guys at Import Tuner magazine were putting on their annual Evo vs. STI Shootout, just a mere four days after the end of SEMA. The rules for the shootout were simple, full interior street cars in a three session time attack event. Fastest lap wins. Built engines, big turbos, race fuel and driver selection were unrestricted.
As the sponsor of the event, Continental Tires required all competitors to run on their Extreme Contact DW tire. Tire size was open but all competitors were to be on a level playing field with the use of a spec tire.
Rushing to finish the INGS+1 N-Spec bodywork and setup the KW 2-way motorsport coilovers sapped most of our time pre-SEMA. We had every expectation that we would be competing in the shootout with our stock turbo setup. Luckily for us, Alfred Beltran from Tuning Technologies let us know about a new development that he had going, the TTech 600 turbocharger.
Using a stock Lancer Evolution 9 turbo as the base, Tuning Technologies modifies the housings and adds a new compressor wheel and Inconel turbine wheel. This new turbo seemed to fit our every need. More power, very little increased lag (a boost threshold increase of only 500-600rpm as well), low cost and the ability to use stock fitment exhaust manifolds, intakes and lines.
There aren’t any fitment issues, exhaust manifold clearance or heat source areas to worry about. It’s literally a true bolt-on turbo. For safety’s sake, Tuning Technologies recommends the addition of a new turbo oil feed line, which feeds from the oil filter housing instead of the head, for proper oil pressure levels. Since Tuning Technologies is in Southern California, their turn-around for us would be very quick and they would be able to offer in-person support. We had to try it.
Before SEMA, we took the opportunity to dump our OEM airbox for a CARB-legal AEM cold air intake. To support the TTech 600 turbo, we also added an ETS front-mount intercooler and 272-degree camshafts. We kept our stock exhaust manifold, upper piping, cooling system, AMS lower pipe, Works O2 housing, downpipe and GReddy SP2 cat-back exhaust in place.
After Alfred from TT had worked his tuning magic on the dyno, the numbers came back as 417whp and 362 lb/ft of torque on 100-octane fuel. This equates to a solid 70whp increase from the stock turbo setup on the same dyno. We were still a little under the 450whp+ power level that many of the Street AWD cars run at but Alfred wisely recommended that we not push the envelope. Without upgraded connecting rod bolts or a more efficient cooling system, we would be needlessly pushing the edge for a daily driven street car.
With the hammer down, the TTech 600 turbo setup delivers a slight bit of increased lag but a whole lot more top end to make up for it. Drop a gear when you’re cruising on the freeway and traffic blurs away as you rocket towards triple-digit speeds with ease. And the best part is that Project Evo IX’s setup is completely stealth. Sounds like stock, looks like stock, goes like stink.
Looking at the engine bay from above, you’ll only see dirty heat shields, stock pipes, black hoses and dirt. You’d never know that this engine could make so much power. Our Wal-Mart battery doesn’t hurt the stealth factor either.
After spending all night with Mack from M1 Fabrication & Development aligning, testing, and driving on different settings with the KW suspension, we packed up and set off for Buttonwillow Raceway. Who needs sleep?
We arrived with just enough time to sneak into the tech line and set about getting ready for the track. Unload car. Check. Change tires. Check. Set pressures. Check. Adjust damping. Check. Find driver. Check.
We again called upon the skills of our resident back cracker, Russ Warr. He would be heading into a field of highly tuned Mitsubishi Lancer Evos and Subaru WRX STIs with Project Evo IX, which had a new engine setup, new suspension, new rear LSD and Continental tires that we’ve never run on before. We were interested to see how these dry/wet tires would compare to the Nitto NT05s that we usually run at the time attacks.
We selected a 265/35/18 size for our Continental DW tires and sent Russ out on track. His initial feedback was promising. The KW 2-way motorsport coilovers and Carbonetic rear LSD had transformed the car.
The increased droop travel from the new suspension meant that Project Evo IX wasn’t pulling a wheel up in turns anymore, especially through the small, uphill Buttonhook turn, and the tighter locking power of the rear LSD made for strong corner exits instead of wheelspin.
Where before the car would understeer on turn-in, wallow though turns and then relentless spin an unloaded rear tire on exit, Project Evo IX now possessed proper on-throttle behavior and improved balance.
We were worried at first that having a Gruppe-S ACD ECU, Carbonetic rear LSD, a wider front track (15mm spacers) and a big 27mm rear swaybar would lead to too much oversteer but we were glad to be proven wrong. It was a revelation to finally have separate rebound and compression adjustments and once we got the KW’s compression settings dialed in just right, Project Evo IX was able to soak up bumps without upsetting the car, making the track both faster and easier to drive. That’s a winning combo.
We experienced huge gains in time through the high speed Bus Stop/Talladega turn combo and Russ came back with nothing but positive feedback about the car’s handling balance.
As a street exhaust, the GReddy SP2 unit we have keeps the noise on the street to a respectable minimum and doesn’t require a silencer. It does, however, allow an Evo to make more than 400whp and sound almost like stock.
We were sure at first that we were in for a 3rd place finish at best with the amount of wailing race engines thundering across the track. Project Evo IX now had much better acceleration with the TTech 600 turbo in place but it would barely whistle by on the front straight under full throttle. Still, the timing system did not lie.
In its first timed session, Project Evo IX outran all the built engine-equipped Subarus and new Lancer Evolution Xs. With a best lap of 1:59.3, Project Evo IX was the fastest car on track by almost a second, narrowly edging out Elliott Moran’s Garrett-equipped Lancer Evo X. The Continental Extreme Contact DW is a true street tire as well, molded with a tall, all-season tread, and a UTQG rating of 340. That’s a higher UTQG than the stock tire.
Project Evo IX is now finally realizing its true potential. Faster on track than a Porsche 911 Turbo while using full tread, wet weather capable street tires. Once we play further with spring rates, alignment and other adjustments, we’ll be able to pick up even more speed. Simply. Badass.
Sources
ENGINE
Tuning Technologies – TTech 600 bolt-on turbocharger, custom ECU flash, engine parts installation labor
(909) 783-1200
www.tuningtechnologies.com
GReddy – SP2 catback exhaust, PRofec B-spec II electronic boost controller
www.greddy.com
Works – O2 housing, downpipe, high-flow catalytic converter
(415) 226-2500
www.worksevo.com
K&N Engineering – Oil filter
(800) 858-3333
www.knfilters.com
AEM – CARB-legal cold air intake
(800) 992-3000
www.aempower.com
SUSPENSION
KW Automotive – 2-way motorsport coilovers
(800) 445-3767
www.kw-suspension.com
M1 Fabrication & Development – chassis setup, alignment, carbon fiber front splitter, harness bar, brake lines
www.m1fd.com
WHEELS
5Zigen – 18×9.5” +35 offset FN01R-C wheels
(310) 608-5575
www.5zigenusa.com
TIRES
Nitto – 265/35/18 NT05 high-performance street tires
www.nittotire.com
BODY
INGS – N-Spec Hybrid Aero front bumper, side skirts
www.ings-net.com
APR Performance – Rear carbon fiber wing, carbon fiber diffuser
(909) 594-3796
www.aprperformance.com
DRIVETRAIN
Carbonetic – carbon rear limited-slip differential
(310) 635-3555
www.carbonetic.net
Gruppe-S – ACD ECU flash
www.gruppe-s.com
INTERIOR
Buddy Club – Super Low Down Seat Rails
(909) 923-9188
www.buddyclub.us
Continue to Project Evo 9 – Part 12
Continue to Project Evo 9 – Part 14
