With your mods how much quicker is your car in the quarter or 0-60?

 

Since its a forced induction engine, noticeable hp increases can start at a very affordable cost. Namely, a smaller supercharger pulley which will raise the PSI of the supercharger. Get the aluminum 1.5 lb pulley from Mina Gallery (some say Mina actually think sits a 1.7 lb pulley) as you will not need to grind down the snout of your supercharger to have it installed. Also do the K&N filter panel and keep your eyes open on this forum to see who is making the next batch of intake elbows or just have a local hot rod shop that has a mandrel bender make you one. These are must have mods.

In addition to the above, I also have a Magnaflow resonated x-pipe and Magnaflow hi flow catalytic converters and retained the factory exhaust to keep things quite. If I could do it all over again, I would have just gotten a Mina Gallery axle back exhaust instead of getting the Magnaflow parts. Installing the Magnaflow cats and x-pipe caused me to have check engine light and exhaust leak after exhaust leak. The check engine light was eventually fixed with O2 extenders (research this forum I wrote a lot about it and included pics) but the exhaust leaks always seem to return. I think I may have one now but it's subtle and I don't have time to take to shop just for that so it will wait for next time I have to go to shop for other reasons unless it starts getting very loud.

A lot of members here suggest the after market x-pipes and cats but based on my experience, I do not. Just buy yourself the Mina Gallery exhaust and leave your cats alone and skip the x-pipes. They have been a pain for me with their leaks. I know eventually the leaks will go away after maybe one more time to the shop but what a pain, it will be my third time to get the leaks fixed.

 

Hi josh, my 03 STR's mods have been track tested on other members STR's and yielded fairly good results. I believe 0-60 mph is 4.8 seconds or lower (5.3 sec. = stock), 1/4 mile in 12.9 seconds (13.7 seconds=stock). Low-end hp and torque come on much quicker and a noticeable gain in the mid-range charge. Late model muscle that'll tame a stock STR are now fair game. My cat has taken out an 03 BMW M5 (390 chp), 2010 Camaro SS (425 chp), 2011 Dodge Challenger R/T Hemi (390 chp), Subaru STI (305 chp), and various others. Yes, some kills were due to driver skills, but the majority I attribute to superior low end torque (est. 460 lb/ft trq.) that's all in near the bottom end of the rpm range. Though we wish for lower rear gears, the 2.88 cogs coupled with the trans. 1st gear 4:1 ratio helps launch without too much wheel spin. The STR is also a natural at properly squatting then leveling during launch.

 

Got on it again today and miraculously a loud whine and killer acceleration. Im not imagining things but I heard it extremely distinct today but yesterday like I posted I did not. Weird? I think the car sat for a long time, could that have done it.

ALSO the park break fault went away no more error.


BUT! After gunning it smelled like that awful burning smell and opened the hood and on the drivers side of the engine block cover looks like someone took a spray bottle and there were little beads of something EVERYWHERE on the drivers side of the engine and where the engine drops down like on the red thing dipstick to check oil. Substance looked watery and not like oil very fine beads like a mist was sprayed. DEF not oil but I dont know what. Also the people that sold me the car cleaned the plastic engine cover parts with tons of oily shiny stuff. I think that could be burning off too. ANY THOUGHTS.??

But the nervousness from the smell aside, the f in car MOVES!!!!!!!

Also think wheel barrings are shot in front, HOW MUCH ARE THEY? Sounds like my front tires are made of stone.

 

Happy to hear you're beginning to enjoy the STR. The odor is likely what you describe: Dealer Prep Potions sprayed in the engine bay to make her shine. Doesn't sound like you have worn wheel bearings, but rather a case of "Car tires sat too long". Ride her around for a while and see if hard feeling loosens up. Otherwise place new tires on.

 

Yes thanks guys much for the info!.

Yea I think the car did sit for a long time the heat smells like a hundred year old cellar and now the tire comment about not being wheel bearings but tires sat too long really makes sense now. So I'm getting every fluid changed definitley now that I know it's been sitting. fuel filter and cabin air filter.

Is there any thing I should do to clean the engine or flush it from sitting like i knew one time on my mercedes I did a fuel system flush. would this be helpful here?

 

Was it anti-freeze? I have had two hoses develop pin hole leaks that spray a fine mist in the engine compartment.

I would do a coolant system pressure test when the car is stone cold. When the motor is hot you can't get around anything to see where it's leaking.
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Just try to get the stuff off the engine but be very careful not to break anything (lots breaks easily after all the years) and not to get water etc into anything as you'd risk having bigger problems. If in doubt, probably best to leave it alone other than to check it's not a pinhole leak or the like.

 

quick question. The mina gallery intake kit, is that a recommended intake kit instead of putting the flat k& n in

 

Probably worse than stock as it'll suck hot air instead of cold.

 

And throw bank lean codes. jsup, just place in a K&N flat panel filter.

 

Flat panel it is. And as far as the intake elbows? Good place for them?

OH AND I LOVE HOW EVERY COMPANY THAT MAKES AFTERMARKET PERFORMANCE PARTS REALLY DONT INCLUDE JAGS. -- WEIRD, EVEN THOUGH THERE IS LOTS OF PONIES INVOLVED , DON'T GET IT.

 

STR low production numbers discouraged the aftermarket. To begin making more power remove the wide open throttle flap (one screw) found on bottom air filter box. Place in: K&N a/f, modded air intake elbow, Mina Gallery 1.7 lb pulley, Eurotoys low tempertaure thermostat. Then move on with a pair of hi-flow catalytic converters and Magnaflow's Tru-X center muffler. Stop here and decide if you like the sound of the exhaust...not too loud in the cabin.

 

Ok so i put the car on the road today. Got oil changed immediatley, btw the oil was overfilled by dealer. On above post i said something about burning smell. Well I drove it for 30 min on the highway and not too much when i got home I opened the hood with car off and smelled it faint but not like I posted before.

But here's the thing: The right side of the exhaust was smoking for 5 minutes AFTER the car shut off and I smelled it and it wasn't like exhaust fumes, more like a burning smell. NOW, I have an inkling the car sat for a while, what could that be, not burning oil in the engine?? something in the pipe?? Smells like a spent shell casing from a bullet. the inside or used firework.

Also, in one of my above post stated wheels sound like they are made of rocks, well after 40 mph sound goes away and brakes are making bad grinding noise. Brakes stop very well but It's probably the rotors making that rough grinding rocks sound, or pads??

Also coolant light is on (orange snowflake light), the coolant i had checked it's at the top full. SO ??????

THanks GUYS!! JOSH

 

The orange snowflake light is to warn you about freezing road temperatures. It only a temperature indicator. It comes on above 32 F at least mine does. Seems like up to around 38F.
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thanks T! yes I have alot to learn LOL