500 bucks: exhaust or boost controller and boost gauge

[mykem]

okay, i'm finishing up my SR swap this week, and i will be starting it for the first time, my question is: if i could come up with 500 bucks what would be better to buy, an exhaust, or a boost controller and boost gauge

the thing is, i dont' have any exhaust at all, not even a stock one, so right now it just has an open 3" downpipe, i dont' know if this is bad to run it like this or not, beside the obvious "the car is loud" answer

please dont' suggest other options like 'ditch both options and get suspension stuff!', i'm not considering those just yet because my budget is caaaaashed out

it currently has hks type s fmic, hks hotpipe and ssqv, koyo radiator, flexalite dual 12" fans, ghetto intake, walbro 255 lph, act street strip clutch

what to do??

[Yoshi]

okay, i'm finishing up my SR swap this week, and i will be starting it for the first time, my question is: if i could come up with 500 bucks what would be better to buy, an exhaust, or a boost controller and boost gauge

the thing is, i dont' have any exhaust at all, not even a stock one, so right now it just has an open 3" downpipe, i dont' know if this is bad to run it like this or not, beside the obvious "the car is loud" answer

please dont' suggest other options like 'ditch both options and get suspension stuff!', i'm not considering those just yet because my budget is caaaaashed out

it currently has hks type s fmic, hks hotpipe and ssqv, koyo radiator, flexalite dual 12" fans, ghetto intake, walbro 255 lph, act street strip clutch

what to do??

learn to drive it the way it is first!
lean to appreciate! it's going to be so much different than the n/a KA motor, hte powerband is totally different too. if you've got 3" til the stock 2.25 exhast (or is it even smaller than that?). Let the car breathe! After all, tuning will be craptastic with a boost controller and tiny lil exhaust...

also, u NEED to have a boost gauge and fuel pressure gauge at the very least! (oil pressure/temp, water temp, etc. are VERY helpful for tuning, especially when you've got a freshly installed engine) FPR is needed too if you're running the walbro!!!

[Pudula]

I would do boost controller, and use the rest of the saved money toward the exhaust. Right now im running no gauges due to no time to put them in yet but, the boost controller displays peak, current, and last boost.

Ryan

[PSI240SX]

Exhaust. You should be able to find N1 for like $325-$375 then get a $50 autometer boost guage and a $.10 vacuum "T" to turn up your boost. Simply cut the vacuum line going to your wastegate actuator and place the "T" inline, you should see about 10psi with the right sized "T"

My buddy has stock SMIC, stock airbox and filter, greddy DP, and N1 exhaust with the "T" boost controller running 10psi and went [email protected] 103mph

[mjjstang]

waht I did is bought 30 dollar autometer gauge and 15 dollar MBC, then go buy exhaust, when you have funds go buy a real boost controller, just keep boost down a lil. I dont trust those MBC 100 percent so give it a lil room to spike or waht not if it does. just dont go 14 psi u know so it spikes and kills the motor.
at least thats what im doing.

[UcanTry]

autometer boost gauge, ebay=45, then exhaust ive seen n1 on ebay for for 350...it will help in the long run to do it that way

[Big Burt]

Why spend $300-500 on a cat back? I bought a custom downpipe, high flow cat, $53 3in cannon muffler(ebay), and had a muffler shop weld a flange to a pipe then to the muffler. 3in legal turbo back for like $425. My buddy got a cat back for $500 and even he thinks mine sounds better. Then I got a Blitz SSBC for $140 off ebay. boost gauge autometer $35-45.

[PSI240SX]

if it wasn't mandrel bent then it will simply not flow as good. Not to mention the cat back systems have been engineered for power and sound, not just thrown together buy a $7 an hour meathead at a muffler shop.