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Cheapest way to get +50HP?

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#1
What's the cheapest way to add 50HP (or more), and how much does it cost?
I was thinking, intercooler, slightly larger turbo and dyno costs at least a few grand.
Any cheaper options?
 


CSM

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#2
What's the cheapest way to add 50HP (or more), and how much does it cost?
I was thinking, intercooler, slightly larger turbo and dyno costs at least a few grand.
Any cheaper options?
Absolute cheapest way to get CLOSE to that would be:
Intercooler ($350), high flow filter ($45), and Cobb AP ($400 used, $500 new) with E30 tune ($75) . That will basically max out the OEM turbo around 220hp-ish (depends on dyno). You would see gains of about 40hp over stock for roughly $900, less if you source used parts.

If you want anything more than that you're going to have to upgrade the OEM turbo. It runs out of steam around 5500rpm.
 


RubenZZZ

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#3
Nitrous.

Would definitely have a Pro dyno tune for it.

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Indianapolis
#4
What's the cheapest way to add 50HP (or more), and how much does it cost?
I was thinking, intercooler, slightly larger turbo and dyno costs at least a few grand.
Any cheaper options?
Don't forget about torque. It's what you're going to experience the most out of a street car and with the mods CSM mentioned, you will be getting almost twice as much torque as HP and it will feel gobs faster. Only thing I would add is a $160-$170 downpipe and maybe drop the air filter and you have an even better E30 tune and still be right at that $1000 mark. And if you ask me, that's alot of bang for your buck.
 


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#5
keep in mind, this has all been gone over in previous posts. I know people hate this but if we just go off "stages" and we talk about the necessary parts (weak links) to reach the "stage 3" mark, you must change the intercooler and the downpipe. Almost everything else can handle the most aggressive tunes. Start with those, get an AP, get an E30 tune and enjoy.
 


CSM

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#6
Don't forget about torque. It's what you're going to experience the most out of a street car and with the mods CSM mentioned, you will be getting almost twice as much torque as HP and it will feel gobs faster. Only thing I would add is a $160-$170 downpipe and maybe drop the air filter and you have an even better E30 tune and still be right at that $1000 mark. And if you ask me, that's alot of bang for your buck.
Gonna disagree with you on the downpipe when using stock turbo. IMO, downpipe only helps when you upgrade the OEM turbo. In fact I think one vendor (Mishimoto maybe?) was pretty open about their downpipe development work on these forums and showed no gains at all on an OEM turbo.
 


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#7
Gonna disagree with you on the downpipe when using stock turbo. IMO, downpipe only helps when you upgrade the OEM turbo. In fact I think one vendor (Mishimoto maybe?) was pretty open about their downpipe development work on these forums and showed no gains at all on an OEM turbo.
I get what you're saying but I would have to think (and my experience with many turbo cars) tune or no tune, any reduction in restriction of flow (before or after the turbo) especially if you're going no cat, will net you some gains and responsiveness. The stock cat-back is certainly adequate but I would be willing to bet everything that a downpipe would be much more beneficial than a drop in air filter, when it comes to building power and achieving more power from a tune.
 


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#8
I thought the whole downpipe thing was common knowledge and a consensus with these cars but maybe I'm wrong but, from my experience (with the small amount of mods I've done) its been the most effective.
 


Ford ST

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#10
I'm all for doing mods on a car but I think removing the Cat shows a lack of maturity. A catalytic converter is the most effective thing at reducing automotive pollution. If someone wants to upgrade to a high-flow cat that's one thing, but just a straight down pipe is just irresponsible for the air we breathe. I honestly don't understand why the vendors even sell them it seems like a huge liability in the future.

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CSM

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#11
I thought the whole downpipe thing was common knowledge and a consensus with these cars but maybe I'm wrong but, from my experience (with the small amount of mods I've done) its been the most effective.
Here is the thread I was thinking about where Mishimoto was pretty open about their R&D process for the downpipe
https://www.fiestast.org/forum/fies...hat-mishimoto-s-fiesta-st-downpipe-r-d-2.html

Long story short, Tune + downpipe does not yield any hp or tq vs. Tune + Stock downpipe when using OEM turbo.

Yes, although we would like to report gains in horsepower or torque there were none compared to the stock unit.There were no improvements with our Mishimoto downpipe when we tested it against a stock Fiesta ST with a tune. We first ran the completely stock Fiesta ST for a baseline. We then loaded a tune and ran the an otherwise stock Fiesta ST on the dyno. Finally, we ran the Fiesta with the addition of the downpipe and our tune, and there were no improvements in horsepower or torque when comparing the runs with only a tune to the runs with a tune and a downpipe.

So the downpipe alone did not make any additional power, but could certainly be used as a supporting modification.

-Sara
I know Mishimoto gets crapped on by the FiST community for whatever reason, but Kudos to them for being open and transparent about their findings

I'm not saying DONT get a downpipe. Just saying that for those of us using the OEM turbo, its not a mod that is going to net you big gains in hp or tq. However, its definitely worth getting if you do plan to go turbo upgrade in the future.
 


Clint Beastwood

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#12
I thought the whole downpipe thing was common knowledge and a consensus with these cars but maybe I'm wrong but, from my experience (with the small amount of mods I've done) its been the most effective.
That's anecdotal; actual data and facts show otherwise.

20 years ago on older brick style cats they were pretty restrictive, now it's barely a restriction.
 


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#14
As other have said, getting an AP, intercooler and E30 tune will get you almost there at+40ish WHP and 100+ WTQ. That is about the most you can get without a bigger turbo.
 


OP
M
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Thread Starter #15
Absolute cheapest way to get CLOSE to that would be:
Intercooler ($350), high flow filter ($45), and Cobb AP ($400 used, $500 new) with E30 tune ($75) . That will basically max out the OEM turbo around 220hp-ish (depends on dyno). You would see gains of about 40hp over stock for roughly $900, less if you source used parts.

If you want anything more than that you're going to have to upgrade the OEM turbo. It runs out of steam around 5500rpm.
IS that 220HP at the crank, or the wheel?




I'm sure that the downpipe matters, at 7k RPM.
But for me, I hardly ever reach those RPM ranges.
Just some 2-5k RPM torque boost would be good enough for me!

E30 is harder to get here.
I can get 91 octane, and E15 easily.
But it would be nice if the car could still drive on 87 octane fuel after the tune.
 


Clint Beastwood

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#16
IS that 220HP at the crank, or the wheel?




I'm sure that the downpipe matters, at 7k RPM.
But for me, I hardly ever reach those RPM ranges.
Just some 2-5k RPM torque boost would be good enough for me!

E30 is harder to get here.
I can get 91 octane, and E15 easily.
But it would be nice if the car could still drive on 87 octane fuel after the tune.
You aren’t going to make those power numbers while also running 87 on the same tune lol get real.
 


Dpro

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#18
e������
I need a better intercooler and some e85.

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E85 is available in Glendale. Get your intercooler and get an AP if you don’t have one yet and get your tune on!

Oh and put me in the camp that frowns on the Catless downpipe for 2 hp and spewing extra pollution into the air. We are fucked if we don’t get conscious of Global Warming and how much effect we have on it.
 


me32

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#19
That's anecdotal; actual data and facts show otherwise.

20 years ago on older brick style cats they were pretty restrictive, now it's barely a restriction.
Depends on the car. In the v8 world they is huge gain going catless. Even more with long tubes. Considering that the st is just a 1.6 with a baby turbo i can see why its not beneficial. Even thoe cats have come along way dont think they are still a huge restriction in certain applications.
 


me32

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#20
Depends on the car. In the v8 world they is huge gain going catless. Even more with long tubes. Considering that the st is just a 1.6 with a baby turbo i can see why its not beneficial. Even thoe cats have come along way dont think they are still a huge restriction in certain applications.
I'm all for doing mods on a car but I think removing the Cat shows a lack of maturity. A catalytic converter is the most effective thing at reducing automotive pollution. If someone wants to upgrade to a high-flow cat that's one thing, but just a straight down pipe is just irresponsible for the air we breathe. I honestly don't understand why the vendors even sell them it seems like a huge liability in the future.

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There are worse things out there for the air than a car with no cat. Just look up how hybrid batteries are made.
 


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