I seem to have lost the photo disc with all the install photos. They may be around somewhere, but it will probably be easier to just get new photos of the car. I keep my Integra stored at my parents’ house, so I can’t quickly get some new pics. I’ll try to post some up after SEMA.
I’m sure the problems with the oil feed could be solved with a little work, but the truth is I just don’t want this system on my car.
I’m not too sure about the engine management, because no engine management system was included with the kit. A lot of STS’s material states that their turbo kits run off the vehicle’s stock ECU. Obviously, in this case, it doesn’t quite work as advertised.
Now that I’m “old” (ok… not really), and due to the fact that this DA is my “daily driver”, the way it drives on the street is more important to me than ultimate power. I know most of you don’t care about how a car drives through a parking lot, but it really sucks driving my car through a parking lot now that the STS is installed. All of my low-end is gone, so I can’t cruise around at low speeds. If I want to try to drive up an incline at a low speed (like to park or something), the car practically stalls until - BAM - it suddenly hits boost.
Not fun.
Most of the other STS kits have been designed for trucks and V8-powered Camaros. With all the torque and displacement these vehicles have, I’m sure this loss of low-end/low-rpm torque is barely missed. On a stock B18 this low-rpm torque is needed.
I’ve commented a lot about the appearance of the unit. In case you haven’t seen the Import Racer tech install, there is a long tube that runs the length of the passenger side. This tube goes all the way from the rear bumper right into the intake manifold. As there is no space for this tube under the stock car, it is sitting 2-3 inches below the floor of the car. As I’ve also said, the turbo unit is highly visible – especially as the exhaust exits right behind the passenger-side rear wheel.
My car sits at a stock height, and this whole kit is VERY visible. STS claims that this kit will pass smog (at least on other vehicles.) While this may pass the sniffer test (especially the truck kits) in some of the more lenient states, it won’t even pass visual here in California. With the air filter sitting so low (it’s attached to the turbo – now hanging where the muffler used to be), it will suck up some water as soon as someone goes through one deep puddle…
Again, it’s probably great for someone that wants to drag race their DA and not spend a lot of money on an intercooler or what-not, but it’s not ideal for a California street car.
I’ll try to get some photos up in the next few days. In the meantime, I can probably answer any more specific questions anyone may have.
