pro2jES_99

hello everyone. I'm new to the forum and owning a protege. I just bought a 99 ES with the 1.8L engine. I'm planning on doing some minor work to it this summer, but I'm not sure exactly what I want to do. I was thinking of an intake, either the Injen CAI or a short ram intake. Also, I thought of a short shifter. Just some small mods to start with. Any suggestions, recommendations would be appreciated.

Phantom Cruiser

Welcome to the forum!

Small bolt-ons will only get you a few hp, if you really want to get crazy, then look into some sort of forced induction.

I would start by getting some nice wheels & grippy tires, then working on the suspension a bit.

pro2jES_99

Thanks for the tip. previous owner put on pretty nice rims (I'm happy with them for now) and good tires. They handle really well in snow (tehy're not snow tires though), and I need that. I don't want to make it into a race car, but I wouldn't mind pickin up some extra hp and better handling.
what sort of suspension work would be good? springs? shocks? or something else like strut bars or sway bars?

pro2jES_99

also...
does anyone know of an exhaust for the 1.8L? endless hours on google only turned up exhausts for the 2.0L on the new ones. grrrr.

chiefmg

My girlfriend just bought a '99 ES. I am working on getting her hooked up with some of the same mods I have on my '03 ES. B&M short shifter w/Kartboy bushings is one of the first, along with Mazdaspeed front strut tower brace. As for suspension, there are a lot of options based upon what you are looking for. I am going to buy a Tokico HP setup from someone on eBay, that includes all struts/shocks/springs. Total is just a little over $400 for the setup. Be aware that the stock attachment points for the sway bars are weak, and if you upgrade those parts before the shocks/struts you can expect to break off the attachments if you drive hard (this won't happen overnight).

Not too sure about the exhaust, if I get a catback for mine I am going to see if the Mazdaspeed axleback I have on my 2.0 will fit on her 1.8. She likes the sound! If it works I will let you know.

Oh yeah, not sure how much you have looked around, but here are some Websites for our cars to get you started:

www.corksport.com
www.awrracing.com
www.wagnermotorsports.net
www.kartboy.com

Have fun!

pro2jES_99

great, and thanks for the links, too. I used to live on Corksport's site, but the others were new.
okay, now I'm faced with choices.

For short shifters:
B&M, TWM, Kartboy, or Pacesetter?

For Intakes:
Injen CAI, AEM short ram intake, Ractive intake system, or other?

I'll start with that.

chiefmg

I can vouch for the B&M shifter, and many people on here have the Kartboy. Be aware that not all shift ***** fit on the Kartboy (although they offer a complete kit with shifter, bushings and ****). I would say either of those, whichever you can get cheaper.

As for the CAI, Roddimus Prime is a proponent of the cheap eBay version (do a search for threads, he had one with pictures of a name brand and a no brand). You might have to do some fabrication of brackets to relocate some things in the engine bay, but as he is fond of saying, pipe is pipe. I have little extra time on my hands (and no garage), so when I saw a K&N Typhoon CAI deal on eBay I got it. Had all the appropriate brackets needed. Yes I paid about 3 times what you can get the cheapie for, but it was worth it to me. I really love the sound too, it nicely balances out the exhaust! You just need to determine your priorities. Good luck!

kargoboy

Any 2.0l sedan exhaust will fit your car.
Are you looking for a muffler only, axle-back or cat-back?

pro2jES_99

good to know. Not quite sure which exhaust setup I'd want. Either axle-back or cat-back. What I want is an easy installation and bang-for-buck. recommendations?

Roddimus Prime

welcome new modder. I believe (not certain) that the 1.8L and 2.0L engines share almost all major parts. EXTERNALLY.

here's my suggestions:

Ebay CAI for 2.0L ($48shipped)
Kartboy Shifter bushings ($25shipped)
Kartboy exhaust hangers ($33shipped)
AWR front and rear engine mounts ($160-ish)
OBX 4-1 header ($200)
MIL eliminator for header ($15)

juddz

Adding to/substituting from the above list:
1) The Wagner header is also pretty nice, but costs a bit more.
2) Cat-back exhausts can be had on E-Bay for less than two hundred bucks.
3) One more easily done item: underdrive pulley. You'll recover about 2-3hp this way. Doesn't sound like much, but considering the meager output your engine is making at low speeds (i.e. when accelerating from a dead stop), you will notice a difference. Easy bolt-on. About two hundred bucks.

Hey, everyone - not meaning to jack this thread, but - what do you think of those cheapie motor mounts that have been popping up on e-Bay lately? Does anyone know if this is a worthy alternative to the more expensive AWR mounts, in the same way that the E-Bay CAI has been a good alternative to the AEM unit?

Roddimus Prime

after my personal problems with crummy mounts I'm not taking ANY chances. these ebay mounts may be good but I won't be the guinnea pig for them!

Toru

If "pipe is pipe" then does that mean ALL intakes, eBay, Ractive, AEM, Injen, etc., suck the low-end torque from the engine?

Maybe it needs to be paired with the exhaust to be effective?

I used to run a Ractive intake and yes, it revved easier and yes, it sounded nice, but when I put the stock intake back on I really felt the difference pulling away from a stop.

Not sure what the exhaust hangers would do (but I also have not searched on it - guilty!).

The Kartboy SS and bushing are my favorite mod because it feels so good!

Mr Detailer

So the CAI for the 1.8 and 2.0 is identical? Throttle body is the same size for both engines?

import_tuner19

Roddimus has succesfully turned a lot of us on to CERTAIN ebay intakes not all have all of the parts or proper bends in the tubing, XOXO has a good intake, exhaust..... im going for the Hayame cat back system. Typically pairing the 2 together yeilds the best results. And Roddimus.............whats an MIL eliminator????????I honestly dont know.