Recently purchased a 2003 ZX2, trying to find a cheap way to give it a few extra ponies while I save for the big mods. I am wonering if anyone knows or has had experience with one of these? Thanks for any input.
Stay away from EBAY when it comes to these Mods unless you see a manufacturer name and can find it more information on it. Check our parts lists
That is kind of what i figured. Since were on the Ebay topic, whats your thoughts on the 4-2-1 header kit that Motor Energy offers? Also do you know if the ZXtuner black box is worth the money? I know I’m asking alot of questions, but i appreciate the input.
Skip the black box and just do SCT. You should ask VitIncarnate on teamzx2 about sct tuning, he’s a genius with the stuff.
What exactly is SCT, is it engine managment piggy back/standalone? I just got the car and have only gone as far as removing the intake silencers. I was thinking of a Air/ Fuel Converter like a A’pexi S-AFC 2 or maybe NEO.
http://www.sctflash.com/
Like i said, ask vitincarnate, he knows way more about it than i do. All i know is he showed me a personal dyno of his car when it was STOCK and the sct alone gained him 10hp to the wheels with his own personal tune he set for his car.
well thanks for the input guys, just one more question if you guys can answer it. Is the S/R computer that ZXtuners sells a good upgrade for my car. As in a good back bone for a well structured performance setup?
The 4-2-1 header by OBX is a knock off of the Zxtuner 4-2-1 header. There are some subtle differences. The flange that connects the 4-2 is thicker. Some people on TeamZx2 reported that they had leaks at this connection. The quality of the material is also lower then that of the Zxtuner header. You get what you pay for.
The Zxtuner Black Box is debatable. Question is, how much money are you willing to spend? The Black Box is derived from the Pots mod. When it comes to cost this is the order of quality/cost.
Pots–>Black Box–>Diablo(some say better than SCT, but is only a chip)–>SCTx2
So the question is, what is it worth to you? If you can save up for an SCTx2 I would say get the SCTx2. If cost is an issue, get the Black Box. The problem with the POTs or Black Box is that they can only be use in moderation because the Zx2 ECU learns to correct the changes done by the Mods. But a Chip or Programmer changes the program of the ECU.
I personally have an SCTx2 and it was the best upgrade I have done. Lots of thanks to Vit.
Do not purchase the Zxtuner S/R computer. It is the worst programmed computer that Ford came out with for the S/R. If you purchase an SCTx2 you will have the programming of the best S/R computer (NGPO).
Heh, Mirrior, didn’t you and I have an long AIM talk about SCTs? I was gonna go with the black box, but the SCT seems like a much better investment. I have an 03 too, but I have yet to check to see which SCT I need (you have to check out a serial number somewheres under the cup holder). While we are talking about ebay stuff, what about those intakes I see for like 30 bucks? Are those any good?
We did have a long talk about it. It’s not which SCT you need, it’s what program that is on your ECU. This is what they use to modify the SCTx2 for your ECU. Each code has something slightly different about it. The “serial number” would be 4 characters of letters and numbers.
The intakes are OK for the most part. Make sure it is for your car and not an older Escort model. Because it is only a tube, it really doesn’t matter who sells it. As long as it is a tube with smooth bends and no leaks, it is a good intake. Some claim more HP than others, but just replacing the intake with a generic intake will increase your HP approximately the same.
SCT Stuff by VitViper
Really? So those 174 dollar ones on ZXTuner are unnessessary?
Not really. There is a bit better quality, but how much quality do you need for a tube that allows air to move though it?