I am learning a little more about this car.

Am curious

What do you all think about what that Aaron guy is doing when he says that you can get 300 HP pretty easily by following, exactly, his spec's?

Is this something that would need to be tuned all the time? Is this something that is hard on the car? From reading some of what he is saying, it just seems like you need a few pieces and boom, you are there....real simple like. Just curious what you guys thought of it.

 

I was able to do things a guy my size cant normally do when I was younger. Weights lifted, leaps, landings from high places, etc. Now I'm 40 and paying with damaged knee joints for the stresses I placed on my joints. Took 20 years for the abuse to show. My point is that I firmly believe pushing the stock turbo that hard is not without a long term price.

 

what he said.

is it doable? sure it is. can you sustain it? probably not. now if you're planning on getting a new turbo anyway go for it. but if you wanted to keep the stock one around for a while i wouldn't.

 

One of the major factors in car design (at least in the better car makers) is durability. Sure, PVO could have put "hotter" parts on the SRT-4, but that would have shortened it's life span. If you plan to keep the car for any amount of time, stick with the proven upgrades and enjoy not having to wonder if you'll make it home from work tonight....

Dusty

 

Nice analogy, Glhs. I feel you on the pain now from adventure previously thing.

Wordslayer, I would stick to Mopar upgrades and such if you are questioning reliability, as well. 300 hp is easy to hit with a stage 2 setup and a couple add-ons, like intake, full 3" exhaust, oversized tb's...much much safer. I am happy with the results. Mopar did a great job.

 

This, to me, was just an interesting idea. I just knew he was in Ohio, and I was thinking, "hmmm,,,maybe I could run up there and let him do that stuff to my car." As soon as I posted it, I wish I hadn't, because if I am going to have anyone doing anything to my car, it will probably be the dealer. I'm sure the guy doing these things is sharp as hell, but I can't imagine having to do the tune up and stuff on it. It is interesting though, that he could make a 300 hp car with so little money invested.

 

interesting, yes. Safe, no. Just my opinion.

It is easy to achieve higher boost levels. Mapclamps that fool the ecu, spring mods that hold the wastegate...there are tons of simple things you could to to make the car faster, but they will invariably make the car faster to the junkyard as well. I'l spend the money, and get the power when I can afford it.

If one can't afford the proper mods to achieve a goal, I would assume they couldn't afford to replace the engine when it blows. That, my friend, is a perfect example of penny-wise and dollar foolish.

Yup - take the high road. You'll end up happier.

 

Yup, you can only expect so much out of a 4-banger, even a solid one like the 2.4.........Mopar did it's homework on the SRT-4 and any Mopar upgrade is going to make you happy. Avoid the "chip sellers" on eBay and stick with proven HP gains. In the short term they may cost more, but in the long run you'll have a happier (and faster) SRT-4!!

Dusty

 

Yep,,,,I've made my mind up. I am going to stick to the mopar upgrades. Sometime after the first of the year, I'm going to do my first upgrade, that being the exhaust. I'm still pretty confused about what to do with it, but I will, I guess, go with the mopar upgrade. I will then add stage one at the same time. That, alone, I'm HOPING, will make a pretty significant difference.

I saw this article in Motor Trend this month where they modded an SRT-4 with, basically a stage one and exhaust, as the major performance modifications and the thing, I think, ran a 13.3 quarter mile. Oh, it had an intatke, too. Pretty impressive with an intake, stage one and exhaust.

 

Actually, and dont shoot me here, but I recommend Maxxfab for exhaust, one of only a few places I recommend non Dodge parts.
Scott is a master, and just recently announced hes going to offer a dual exhaust. Other than that, my short list is:

Samco hoses (you dont really need them, but when my stockers get weak, thats what I'll put on)
Devils Own Water/Alchohol injection
AIS intercooler (once Maxfabb offers his modified stock bumper beam)