Confessions of a Boost Junkie; My PES T28 Review...
07-25-2002, 11:08 AM
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Confessions of a Boost Junkie; My PES T28 Review...
Let me start with the install of the kit. My kit was installed by Rob Fox's shop called Motopersona, which many people here will recognize (he also owns that sick RS4 conversion). I think his credentials, and that of his shop, are above reproach. He is a retailer for many major brands.
I asked him of his opinion of the kit, and it was favorable. He said the whole kit was nice, solid, good design, and they did a couple things really well. I found the whole setup to be really clean, the heat shield that separates the intake looks like it was once part of a military vehicle. Intake design is nice, wires and everything has a place, turbo looks delicious sitting there. There were no issues that cropped up during install, which is always nice. Of course i needed fresh oil and coolant due to the change.
When i picked up the car from him, he smiled, handed me the keys and said "you have a big turbo car now...strong up top." (please note i am paraphrasing, this is not an exact quote but should suffice for purposes of this discussion.)
I start up the car, it burbles wonderfully...i wish i could tape the exhaust, i can hear a light burbling. I know my Borla is restrictive for this car, and will eventually have to be replaced when my funds are replentished.
As i did when i first chipped my car, as i did when i first drove APR SIII, i wanted to examine the 1-3k performance. There is more lag than a KO3. I had an intake, so i could hear my turbo spool before. When i blipped my throttle before, i heard the bypass instantly...but no longer. blip the throttle and you hear only engine. Out on the street, i could notice the lag when i tried...and here is where it is: you are in, say 2nd, and you blip the throttle at, say, 2500. Before the car would jerk forward as the KO3 is making full boost...but now there is just an NA style gradual acceleration.
While this sounds bad, it isn't. It does take some getting used to driving differently. So i drove for about 5 miles carefully staying below 4k (damn hard to do that). When i accelerate from a stop, im only between 1-3k for a moment, and once moving, my car never really sees revs that low unless im in 5th on a road going about 55mph. At those speeds, im downshifting when accelerating to avoid lugging the engine, so its a moot point.
Boost comes on at 3k...when the tach hits 3k you feel a strong boost behind the pedal, far stronger than a KO3... and at 3500, it's on, the car is fully boosted. Perfect to me, and pefect for me. My car lives between 3-7k...and the power is where i want it.
After about 10 miles i can take it no longer, i make a left turn, i drop into 2nd, and go to WOT. My examination of the English language has provided me with two words, used in a phrase, which best describe the sensation: "HOLY CRAP." I am thankful for my 500lb rear springs...because this car sets on its haunches.
At 3k you feel strong boost, at 3.5k you think that a dump truck just hit you. At 5k you grab a tissue to make sure your nose does not bleed all over your interior and realize your far in excess of the speed limit.
This banshee wails from the engine bay, angry, upset, vindictive... the intake makes a sharp note, and the car gathers itself and positively hurls itself down the road. Spoolup on a KO3 is cute, spoolup on a T28 is mean. I have never, ever felt this kind of power in a car. Not in a Supra Turbo, not in several BMWs, not in any other A4 ive been in, not in the stock S4 i drove extensively and considered buying before getting the big hairdryer.
With my LLtek intake my car used to make a soft, juicy "ppffft" when i shifted, with the T28 and its intake i get a sharp "zuk" sound. My KO3 made a soft whistle boosting, the T28 makes an angry mechanical whirring.
So i go trolling, and luck would have it, i run into a silver WRX, two white kids, actually very nice. We both slow down to catch a red, he looks over and asks if i want to "go at it." They were both nice fellas who complimented me on my car, and me on theirs. I humbly agree. I ask him his mods, he tells me he is stock.
Light goes green...i have a little over 1 car length on him at the end of first, i have 3 car lenghts on him at the end of second, and he is fading badly, when i shut down. He asks me what the hell is in my car, i tell him. We get to the next light, same thing. He just looks over and says "that's fast." We then line up going ~30mph, and go to WOT, me waiting to hear him, before i WOT. My car jogs, not walks, away from him. I give a friendly wave and continue my voyage of discovery.
Later than night i run into a Grand Prix GTP, and the guy apparently takes umbrage at my passing him...foolish boy, superchargers are for kids. I can see the driver get pissed, how can his 3.8L SC get beat by a 1.8T? Ahh the cruelities of life, my ignorant friend.
The hunted has now become the hunter. If power corrupts, then call me tainted. The hooligan in me arises out of some primordial gearhead swamp. I leer at the cars next to me, daring one of them to accelerate. I drink deeper of this T28 than any sane man should...i am intoxicated by the transformation when the tach hits that 3000 rpm point. I believe that if i hit an incline too fast this car will actually take off. I have to go searching for my sunglasses because i took them off and laid them on the passenger seat. I have to straighten my hairr, and rub my eyes after a couple WOT runs....and i pull over to make sure my tires/wheels are okay.
But the car also has changed, and one has to respect it moreso. When you do a suspension/wheels/DTS to a chipped/exhaust Ko3 you have a car chassis that can take much more power than the KO3 can provide. Quite simply, the car is easy, you have to try to get into real trouble. But the T28 changes that (as would any big kit). I cannot just go WOT around a turn, i cannot just, when driving hard, use the throttle as an on/off switch. I have to be careful, feeding in power. First gear goes by in 2 seconds... launch, look over, look down, and you are at 7k...second lasts perhaps 3 seconds....before you know it you are in 3rd going 70+.
On the highway a downshift now has a huge impact. Nothing is sweeter than 3-4k in 3rd gear. Pull is brutal and relentless until i chicken out at 6.5-7k.
My car is exactly what i wanted; Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hide. I can drive gently and not use much boost. In normal driving i shift at 4k. So when i now drive, i feel NA type power till 3k, when i feel strong boost, and when i shift at 4k, i can hear the intake sucking in and the BPV actuating, almost chastizing me for not continuing to climb the RPM ladder. Dr. Jekyll. When i want it, keep the revs up, and Mr. Hide introduces himself at 3.5k. There are two stages, strong super-KO3 feel from 3k-3.5k, and then medieval-boost from 3.5k until you run home to mama.
So im sure i need to get that clutch asap, i can only imagine how MB had to do his so soon
I tell myself ill stay out of the boost, and then with a sadistic grin i mash the go pedal and hold on.
I am extremely happy with the car, and with the kit. I drove almost 50 miles yesterday, unwilling to relinquish my car to to a peaceful night's slumber. Im a meeting all morning i keep replaying in my mind the changeover at 3.5k.
BTW for locals, this sounds stupid, but if you want to troll for cars, hit Darien area and Plainsfield road. There are alot of very nice cars in that area. Ive yet to drive through there and not have a Mustang/Camaro/BMW/Ricer take interest.
If anyone is in the Chicago area and wants a ride, im more than obliging.
Cheers,
Sameer
I asked him of his opinion of the kit, and it was favorable. He said the whole kit was nice, solid, good design, and they did a couple things really well. I found the whole setup to be really clean, the heat shield that separates the intake looks like it was once part of a military vehicle. Intake design is nice, wires and everything has a place, turbo looks delicious sitting there. There were no issues that cropped up during install, which is always nice. Of course i needed fresh oil and coolant due to the change.
When i picked up the car from him, he smiled, handed me the keys and said "you have a big turbo car now...strong up top." (please note i am paraphrasing, this is not an exact quote but should suffice for purposes of this discussion.)
I start up the car, it burbles wonderfully...i wish i could tape the exhaust, i can hear a light burbling. I know my Borla is restrictive for this car, and will eventually have to be replaced when my funds are replentished.
As i did when i first chipped my car, as i did when i first drove APR SIII, i wanted to examine the 1-3k performance. There is more lag than a KO3. I had an intake, so i could hear my turbo spool before. When i blipped my throttle before, i heard the bypass instantly...but no longer. blip the throttle and you hear only engine. Out on the street, i could notice the lag when i tried...and here is where it is: you are in, say 2nd, and you blip the throttle at, say, 2500. Before the car would jerk forward as the KO3 is making full boost...but now there is just an NA style gradual acceleration.
While this sounds bad, it isn't. It does take some getting used to driving differently. So i drove for about 5 miles carefully staying below 4k (damn hard to do that). When i accelerate from a stop, im only between 1-3k for a moment, and once moving, my car never really sees revs that low unless im in 5th on a road going about 55mph. At those speeds, im downshifting when accelerating to avoid lugging the engine, so its a moot point.
Boost comes on at 3k...when the tach hits 3k you feel a strong boost behind the pedal, far stronger than a KO3... and at 3500, it's on, the car is fully boosted. Perfect to me, and pefect for me. My car lives between 3-7k...and the power is where i want it.
After about 10 miles i can take it no longer, i make a left turn, i drop into 2nd, and go to WOT. My examination of the English language has provided me with two words, used in a phrase, which best describe the sensation: "HOLY CRAP." I am thankful for my 500lb rear springs...because this car sets on its haunches.
At 3k you feel strong boost, at 3.5k you think that a dump truck just hit you. At 5k you grab a tissue to make sure your nose does not bleed all over your interior and realize your far in excess of the speed limit.
This banshee wails from the engine bay, angry, upset, vindictive... the intake makes a sharp note, and the car gathers itself and positively hurls itself down the road. Spoolup on a KO3 is cute, spoolup on a T28 is mean. I have never, ever felt this kind of power in a car. Not in a Supra Turbo, not in several BMWs, not in any other A4 ive been in, not in the stock S4 i drove extensively and considered buying before getting the big hairdryer.
With my LLtek intake my car used to make a soft, juicy "ppffft" when i shifted, with the T28 and its intake i get a sharp "zuk" sound. My KO3 made a soft whistle boosting, the T28 makes an angry mechanical whirring.
So i go trolling, and luck would have it, i run into a silver WRX, two white kids, actually very nice. We both slow down to catch a red, he looks over and asks if i want to "go at it." They were both nice fellas who complimented me on my car, and me on theirs. I humbly agree. I ask him his mods, he tells me he is stock.
Light goes green...i have a little over 1 car length on him at the end of first, i have 3 car lenghts on him at the end of second, and he is fading badly, when i shut down. He asks me what the hell is in my car, i tell him. We get to the next light, same thing. He just looks over and says "that's fast." We then line up going ~30mph, and go to WOT, me waiting to hear him, before i WOT. My car jogs, not walks, away from him. I give a friendly wave and continue my voyage of discovery.
Later than night i run into a Grand Prix GTP, and the guy apparently takes umbrage at my passing him...foolish boy, superchargers are for kids. I can see the driver get pissed, how can his 3.8L SC get beat by a 1.8T? Ahh the cruelities of life, my ignorant friend.
The hunted has now become the hunter. If power corrupts, then call me tainted. The hooligan in me arises out of some primordial gearhead swamp. I leer at the cars next to me, daring one of them to accelerate. I drink deeper of this T28 than any sane man should...i am intoxicated by the transformation when the tach hits that 3000 rpm point. I believe that if i hit an incline too fast this car will actually take off. I have to go searching for my sunglasses because i took them off and laid them on the passenger seat. I have to straighten my hairr, and rub my eyes after a couple WOT runs....and i pull over to make sure my tires/wheels are okay.
But the car also has changed, and one has to respect it moreso. When you do a suspension/wheels/DTS to a chipped/exhaust Ko3 you have a car chassis that can take much more power than the KO3 can provide. Quite simply, the car is easy, you have to try to get into real trouble. But the T28 changes that (as would any big kit). I cannot just go WOT around a turn, i cannot just, when driving hard, use the throttle as an on/off switch. I have to be careful, feeding in power. First gear goes by in 2 seconds... launch, look over, look down, and you are at 7k...second lasts perhaps 3 seconds....before you know it you are in 3rd going 70+.
On the highway a downshift now has a huge impact. Nothing is sweeter than 3-4k in 3rd gear. Pull is brutal and relentless until i chicken out at 6.5-7k.
My car is exactly what i wanted; Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hide. I can drive gently and not use much boost. In normal driving i shift at 4k. So when i now drive, i feel NA type power till 3k, when i feel strong boost, and when i shift at 4k, i can hear the intake sucking in and the BPV actuating, almost chastizing me for not continuing to climb the RPM ladder. Dr. Jekyll. When i want it, keep the revs up, and Mr. Hide introduces himself at 3.5k. There are two stages, strong super-KO3 feel from 3k-3.5k, and then medieval-boost from 3.5k until you run home to mama.
So im sure i need to get that clutch asap, i can only imagine how MB had to do his so soon
I tell myself ill stay out of the boost, and then with a sadistic grin i mash the go pedal and hold on.I am extremely happy with the car, and with the kit. I drove almost 50 miles yesterday, unwilling to relinquish my car to to a peaceful night's slumber. Im a meeting all morning i keep replaying in my mind the changeover at 3.5k.
BTW for locals, this sounds stupid, but if you want to troll for cars, hit Darien area and Plainsfield road. There are alot of very nice cars in that area. Ive yet to drive through there and not have a Mustang/Camaro/BMW/Ricer take interest.
If anyone is in the Chicago area and wants a ride, im more than obliging.
Cheers,
Sameer
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07-25-2002, 11:28 AM
#8
Jeez Sameer. You should think about writing Romance novels...
"The hunted has now become the hunter. If power corrupts, then call me tainted. The hooligan in me arises out of some primordial gearhead swamp. I leer at the cars next to me, daring one of them to accelerate. I drink deeper of this T28 than any sane man should...i am intoxicated by the transformation when the tach hits that 3000 rpm point. I believe that if i hit an incline too fast this car will actually take off. "
Hahahaha I was totally envisioning this as I read it. Sick very sick writeup Sameer. I think PES should include this on their advertisements.
Congrats and hopefully next year I'll be joining the Big Turbo gang! =)
-Alex
Hahahaha I was totally envisioning this as I read it. Sick very sick writeup Sameer. I think PES should include this on their advertisements.
Congrats and hopefully next year I'll be joining the Big Turbo gang! =)
-Alex
07-25-2002, 11:38 AM
#9
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I'm trying to find the words in this write-up that PES might quote and use...
I think HOLY CRAP sums it up quite well! :-P
I can relate to how you feel driving that car. The salsa illicited a similar reaction in the S. Enjoy it in good health my friend! Thanks for the entertaining review...now when is RichW getting back into town? I think I NEED a ride!!!!
Rich, are you listening??
I can relate to how you feel driving that car. The salsa illicited a similar reaction in the S. Enjoy it in good health my friend! Thanks for the entertaining review...now when is RichW getting back into town? I think I NEED a ride!!!!
Rich, are you listening??
