Kit review: XS Engineering GT-S turbo kit

[Jesse IL]

Its been a long time since I've seen a review for this kit, so I figured I'd write one. I bought my kit used and I believe its one of the first kits released for the car frmo about two years ago. I should also note that I had the downpipe modified to a semi-divorced wastegate setup where there is a second pipe for wastegate flow that merges downstream in the pipe and a wall that prevents the wastegate flow from hitting the turbone flow.

Pros:

-The kit seems to be very comprehensive, including all the hardware you need for installation.
-I would say that this kit is very overbuilt in certain areas. It is the only kit to come with a Power FC. The larger fuel pump and injectors give good overhead for the fuel system. The intercooler is freakin huge.
-There are well thought out details such a a flex pipe in the downpipe and a properly re-routed vacuum system that seem to be lacking in some other kits.
-The IHI VF23 turbo seems very responsive and builds boost from a low rpm.

Cons:

-The supplied fuel map is absolute garbage. It scares me that XS is a certified Power FC tuner, because the map is amateur at best. The amount of ignition advance at idle basically makes the car not want to run. In general, there is more ignition advance in this map than on NA maps. Which leads to... Once you get off idle, the car is running so rich that is in the 10.x range most of the time. My thoughts is that this was done to overcome knock caused by too advanced ignition timing. Besides atrocious gas mileage, I think that these incredibly rich mixtures also may have led to overheating of the exhaust manifold and some of the cracking issues people have had. I basically had to trash the entire map and rewrite my own base map. The Datalogit and my AEM UEGO definitely saved me here.

-The mounting tabs on the intercooler piping are not properly designed. Two of three were semi-broken when I got the kit, and the third broke last week. The one for the top pipe that goes to the throttle body does not even connect to where its supposed to go. Luckily that pipe is pretty secure. Basically, the problem is that there are no rubber isolators mounting the tabs to the body, so they are all ultimately breaking. At this point, I'm working on a solution for this problem.

Other than that, I have been very happy with the kit. The power is great, but you better be ready to do your own tuning.

[EasyC]

Is that the kit with the VF22?

[SLOWICA]

Is that the kit with the VF22?

IHI-VF23...

I'd have to agree with Jesse IL on this one... my reviews as follows:

I received one of the last production kits from another member of this board brand new so a lot of the problems mentioned above have been adressed...

pros:

It is a very thought out kit as far as hardware goes... did'nt have to go to the parts store too much, couple odds and ends here and there but over all happy with the "completeness" of this kit.

The turbo is very responsive... boost comes on in very low rpms and doesn't seem to run out of steam up top

The intercooler if massive

cons:

Same as above on the intercooler piping... none of the brackets except one fit properly. the two comming off the turbo are so off it looks like a blind man welded them on. I had to use an angle grinder to remove them.

Downpipe sucks... the wastegate hits a wall if you turbo guys know what I mean by this... I will have mine modified soon...

The Walbro fuel pump filter doesn't fit with the oem housing... I ended up getting a P.E. Fuel pump...

The map is pig rich to say the least... I still have to get this thing tuned...

Over all I'd have to give this kit 3.5 out of 5 stars... once I get all thse issues addressed the kit will be perfect!

[Jesse IL]

I received one of the last production kits from another member of this board brand new so a lot of the problems mentioned above have been adressed...
I'm confused. You mentioned the same problems I did...
Same as above on the intercooler piping... none of the brackets except one fit properly. the two comming off the turbo are so off it looks like a blind man welded them on. I had to use an angle grinder to remove them.

I'd love more of an explanation from you on this. If you cut the mounting tabs off, how did you secure the piping?
Downpipe sucks... the wastegate hits a wall if you turbo guys know what I mean by this... I will have mine modified soon...

Have you seen the pics of what I had done to mine?

http://users.ameritech.net/trdcelica/downpipe-1.jpg

http://users.ameritech.net/trdcelica/downpipe-2.jpg

http://users.ameritech.net/trdcelica/downpipe-3.jpg
The Walbro fuel pump filter doesn't fit with the oem housing... I ended up getting a P.E. Fuel pump...
I had absolutely no problems with the Walbro pump. It fit perfectly with the slight modifications indicated in the instructions.
The map is pig rich to say the least... I still have to get this thing tuned...
I will be more than happy to send you my map if you are intested. PM me.

I forgot to mention the one other big gripe I have with the kit: the airfilter

Supposedly, the original air filter that came with the kit was problematic and some nut could come loose and fly into the turbo. So I got the upgraded air filter. Well that thing lasted about two weeks until the chrome cap on it detached from the filter and started to fall off. I had to drop the subframe to get the air filter out of the car and epoxy the cap back on last weekend. I was not happy :thumbdown

[phaqgm]

Holy crap, that's a large dump tube.

[elementgts]

drop the sub frame just for the filter???

[Jesse IL]

drop the sub frame just for the filter???

When you install the kit, you put the filter back there before the manifold, turbo and downpipe. So if you want to remove it, you can't bring it back out the same way. So then you need to come out through the wheel well, but the sway bar gets in the way. So to get it out, you need to remove the four main bolts holding the subframe on, undo the lower control arms from the hubs, unbolt the rear motor mount from the subframe and unbolt the sway bar from the endlink. Then you can pull down on the subframe and get the filter out through the wheel well.

[sheizen]

wow thats a lot of work.

[Jesse IL]

wow thats a lot of work.

Yeah its a PITA. Took me about an hour to get the dumb filter out.

[nyoneway]

I think that these incredibly rich mixtures also may have led to overheating of the exhaust manifold and some of the cracking issues people have had.

I think rich = lower exhaust temp and lean = higher. Is it not? The XS manifolds tend to crack because it supports a lot of weight and you will probably need to weld on more support.

[Smaay]

Good luck with the kit Jessie...your going to run into more problems down the road..I was highly disapointed in XS's tuning. Like you, i did a much better job tuning.

[spaztikid]

I think that these incredibly rich mixtures also may have led to overheating of the exhaust manifold and some of the cracking issues people have had.

I think rich = lower exhaust temp and lean = higher. Is it not? The XS manifolds tend to crack because it supports a lot of weight and you will probably need to weld on more support.



yeah lean means hotter EGT's.

[Illusive]

yeah lean means hotter EGT's.
not always,

running pig rich with retarded timing can increase egts.

-
Jessie wouldn't dropping the midpipe to swap out the filter be easier?

[nyoneway]

But he said his timing was advanced, not retarded.

[Jesse IL]

I think rich = lower exhaust temp and lean = higher. Is it not? The XS manifolds tend to crack because it supports a lot of weight and you will probably need to weld on more support.

There is a support bracket already in there supporting the manifold. I could have something fabricated going to the hot side of the turbo I suppose.

Rich mixtures mean lower EGT's to a point. Eventually, you're running so rich that you're getting unburned fuel out the exhaust ports that ignites in the manifold and your EGT's spike.
yeah lean means hotter EGT's.
not always,

running pig rich with retarded timing can increase egts.

-
Jessie wouldn't dropping the midpipe to swap out the filter be easier?

I still have the timing where they had it and am running significantly leaner and I haven't noticed any knock yet.

As far as dropping the midpipe: you're still left with the downpipe filling the "tunnel". You have to cut the midpipe just in front of the front O2 to fit the downpipe. With my cool downpipe modification, there is so little clearance between the downpipe and the engine mount that with teh extended divider wall, I can't pull the downpipe with the engine mount in place. I'm also not even sure that removing the downpipe would make you able to remove the filter. There is a good chance that there is not enough clearance between the turbo and the firewall to slide the filter through.
Good luck with the kit Jessie...your going to run into more problems down the road..I was highly disapointed in XS's tuning. Like you, i did a much better job tuning.
Thanks. With my downpipe modification, I'm fairly confident that I have solved any inherent boost creep issues with the kit. The only other component I'm at all leary on is the manifold. Its braced, and I feel like I have the tuning under control, so I'm hopeful. If it cracks, I'll come up with a better solution. Crap like broken intercooler tabs and low quality filters I can live with. I consider those to be more annoyances than anything.

[Jesse IL]

Here is the pic of what happened to the stupid air filter about two weeks after install...

http://users.ameritech.net/trdcelica/xsfilter.jpg

[DYI01]

what is that black thing sticking out of the top of the filter?

[Jesse IL]

Since the manifold is now pressurized, you need to re-route the PCV system. You cap the big PCV fitting on the top of the throttle body and route the hose to the air filter.

[spaztikid]

thats a quality filter right there....

[Smaay]

At leasts thats all that happened to your filter...lets not forget what happened to me...i just love to talk about it and rip on XS.....but those stupid fvckers put a metal nut and washer on the inside of the filter right in front of the turbo to hold on a plastic fitting, well guess what happened....my manifold cracked 3 times...the cast iron manifold cracked also....the PFC tuning was for $hit...oh and i paid way to much $$$ for what i got...that sums it up....

[Jesse IL]

At leasts thats all that happened to your filter...lets not forget what happened to me...i just love to talk about it and rip on XS.....but those stupid fvckers put a metal nut and washer on the inside of the filter right in front of the turbo to hold on a plastic fitting, well guess what happened....my manifold cracked 3 times...the cast iron manifold cracked also....the PFC tuning was for $hit...oh and i paid way to much $$$ for what i got...that sums it up....
There are definitely still kits out there with the old-style filter like you had. This elbow screws into that metal cap. My epoxy job seems to be holding up...

It sounds to me like on yours, the nut and washer should have at least been safety wired into place. Anyone familiar with race prep of motorcycles should know what safety wire is.