Cheap HP gains in 02 Hyundai Elantra GT, Best inexpensive engine mods. Options

[Poker1]

Any body have any good advice on inexpensive HP gains? I'm trying to give my 02 Elantra GT a kick in the pants. I'd greatly appreciate advice on mods and inexpensive distributors of the parts.

Anybody use performance chips on their Elantra?

[Bobzilla]

*sigh*..... First off there are no performance chips for the Elantra..... let me rephrase.... nothing that isn't an overpriced $.20 resistor from Radio Shack hacked into your MAP sensor.

Second, there is not much power to be had from the Beta series engines. CAI, Exhaust might net you your best gains at about 3-4hp. With the restrictive PCM tuning we have, the bad cam profiles to make us emissions legal there;s not a lot of "uncorked power". Your best "bang for the buck" is in suspension tuning and brakes.

If you must have POWER, start looking into what it would take to turbocharge or supercharge your car. That will gie you the biggest power jump you can get. But it's not cheap. Depending on where you live (Hint: Fill out your profile!!!) they are likely not legal.

[slowgls]

yep bob sead it best

[sciphi]

Ditto. These aren't "power" cars, they're "go fast around corners" cars.

If you want a "power" car there are plenty of options for a second car.

[a_v]

Just out of curiosity, how much power and torque could one gain from a turbo/supercharger?

[roydjt]

Best I've seen is a little north of 200hp. That said, most people who have gone that route never had a chance to get it dyno'd before they blew it up.

-Roy

[Poker1]

Thanks for the feedback. I know I wasn't going to get a 12 sec. car or even a 18 sec car, but I am tired of running the $#!* out of it to keep up with Denver traffic. Given I get all the power it has out of it, but I wouldn't mind a bit more. I inherittedthis car from my wife. I had to sell and trade all my toys so she could have a nice Honda mini van.

[sarge]

somehow in my head 'nice' and 'minivan' don't go together

Looks like an intake and heavier shoes will help you out here. Take a look into some simple handling mods, they'll make the power get down easier.
If you've got a manual you can do a couple things to make the shifts quicker.

*welcome to the club!
check out the DIY and Garage section for ideas.

[sciphi]

For a kick in the pants, start with a good ol'-fashioned tuneup. New plugs (NGK or Autolite, never Bosch), wires, PCV valve (read how to remove it), air filter, and 2 cans of Chevron Techron Concentrate in the gas. Replace the front oxygen sensor with an OEM or a Denso direct-fit. Replace some of the transmission fluid (AT) or all of it (MT).

After all that is done, look into doing a "snorkel-ectomy" on the airbox.

The above will restore lost power. It's also good practice to bring the car up-to-date on maintenance before modding it.

Chemicals to order if you feel like going beyond the basic tuneup: Amsoil Power Foam to clean up the intake manifold, and Amsoil P.I. instead of the Techron. Auto-RX to gently clean up sludge/varnish in the engine. I've used the Auto-RX myself with excellent results, and have heard nothing but positive reviews of the Amsoil products.

[Dragonfly]

Strip the car and you'll have better acceleration ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqBc4oO3mz0

The secret is the weigh loss ...

[Silentwolf]

Poker1,

It is an 18sec car....in fact people have gotten high to mid 16s down the 1/4mile

Power Mods: CAI and exhaust ~5hp net with both Plus the maintinence mods Sciphi mentioned

Mods to help reduce power drain
Lighter weight rims (stock wheel weight is 38.5 lbs I've got 35 on each corner with my current set) look for 16in rims that are 16lbs or less
Fidanza lightweight flywheel plus a higher end clutch
Perhaps even a UDP (Underdrive Pulley) set
remove spare tire and dont keep excess junk in your car (will help with mpgs as well)


As for boosted applications
Jattus performance has a turbo kit thats hitting ~240whp. Everything is included except install labor

[Dragonfly]

You can find some lantra, tibs and accent with beta 2 that push more than 300 whp so ... I think about Yamaha's old tib on exd that could push close to 475 whp with 32 lbs boost and race fuel ... that is power ... of course you don't run the car at this boost as a daily driver ... and I don't think you can achieve good ¼ mile time, you just spin from first to fourth ...

there's a lot of power you can get from boosting the beta 2 but you have to do it right ... read a lot and consult people that had and have turbo elantra before doing anything ... and save a lot of money because going turbo is not cheap ...

I stick with lightening the car is the cheapest mod you can get ...