This month's guest columnists are the one-two punch of Tracy Nova and Talia Sundseth, offering insight on car topics as well helping to unlock the secrets of love and relationship bliss. Stump our knowledgeable staff of beautiful, technically proficient lovelies and win totally awesome gear for doing it. Albee Buenavista got at us with a size problem, and receives a set of stainless brake lines from Goodridge (www.goodridge.com)-but remember kids, it's not the size of the turbo, but how you spool it (har!). Pulling no punches, offering service with a smile and small slice of 'tude, here are Tracy and Talia to answer some mail.
Want to win some cool prizes of your own? Then stop asking us questions on MySpace and direct them to tech@superstreetonline.com. Living with dial up? Snail mail letters to Super Street, c/o Tech Q&A, 6420 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90048.
Question Of The Month
Q In celebrating the success of my own printing business, my wife allowed me to indulge in a toy and purchase a 1988 Celica All Trac. I love this car's uniqueness and handling, so I did some research to find some performance mods for it and came across an XS Engineering exhaust and downpipe and a Forge Motorsports blow off valve. I also went online and found a T3/T4 Turbonetics turbocharger. The package also includes an OE CT26 turbo with a new ceramic compressor and turbine wheels. Do you guys think this is good idea? My friend told me to go with a Garrett GT3076R. I don't know much about turbo size, and I want something to keep the lag down, but also big enough to give me good power. This whole turbocharger issue has me pondering "size" questions so much that my wife snickers about.
What should I do?
Albee BuenavistaFlushing Meadows, NJ
A Provided that the rest of the motor is sound, you should try to go with the Garrett turbo on the stock cast iron exhaust manifold if possible. Of course, the other major consideration would be the intercooler upgrade and, in this case, a front mounted air-to-air intercooler. Consider at least a head gasket replacement to a tri-metal style gasket if you are going to run more than 10 psi of boost on what should be a higher mileage engine by now. Size of turbo does not matter as much as the construction and its ability to boost quickly. The reduced lag is what will make your smaller AWD vehicle the most fun to drive. You need to leave the size issues to us girls. Yes, it matters. Herbal medications, enlarging pumps and special oils are all hoo-ey. If your wife is going to tease you about size, remind her how effective you can be as the "angry inch." If she still complains, call the plumber.
Q My boyfriend and I are on the verge of breaking up because of his car and I need your help! Bryce just bought a '01 VW Cabriolet without telling me. I just came home one day and he was all giddy about this used car he bought "so we could take little weekend trips together." He says we can have so much fun "tanning in it together!" What happened? Where did I go wrong? He drove an old Honda Prelude when we met, and there was no hint of this. There are now way more hair products in his bathroom than before, and he listens to Avril Lavigne on his iPod now. Do you girls know of any kind of performance modifications I can possibly do to this car to make it more manly? And maybe something that will rub off on him as well? JennaSan Jose, CA