I just got a 97' eclipse GS, and i have wanted this car forever... i was just curious besides exhaust and intake where is a good place to start power wise? I already have NGK plugs and wires on the way, and i have already added an exhaust,and an intake is also on the way, i was thinking about getting a new chip or looking into removing the governor, but im not sure what to do..... any input would be great..... thanks!

Congratulations on the car.

Intake and exhaust are a good place to start, also might want to look into getting a header and a UDP. That should free up a few more hp. These cars dont have a "chip" or governor. The only thing they have is a rev limiter.

This will probably make me look like an idiot, but what is a UDP? still learning..... and thaats good to know, i thought it was only the gsx that didnt have a governor, thats great news!

Under drive pulley, stock one weighs like 6-7lbs. An udp weighs almost 2lbs and is smaller so it doesn't take as much power away.

where would be a good place to look for the pulley you were talking about?

http://www.howellautomotive.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=345

Or you can try ebay, some people dont trust ones from there but thats your call.

Here is a short thing I wrote a week or two ago in the 3g section for a guy... Due to me being lazy, I'm quoting it rather than re-writing it. You can pretty much follow the same basic upgrade path on all non-turbo cars... Just assume we are talking about your GS instead of a 3g. lol


Alrighty then. Well here is the basic path you should take for now...

Naturally, its gonna help the car a good bit to breath better. So first off I would get a decent cold air intake, a nice header that won't warp with a 2.5" free flowing exhaust for it... That'll help it with the throttle response and give you better breathing for all over your powerband.

After that I would look into some lightweight pulleys and possibly a lightweight flywheel and heavier clutch package. That will help the motor to rev quicker through your RPM's and the clutch will help it to hold power better without letting the clutch slip any with the added power you'll be freeing up.

Next I would look into a short throw shifter just for more precise shifts and possibly some shifter linkage bushings that are either polyeurothane or steel. That will take any slack or play out of the linkage and it will feel much stiffer and you can throw it into gear much nicer IMO...

Then I would look into upgrading ignition components... Perhaps better plugs and wires along with an aftermarket coil/coilpack. I'm not sure how the ignitions are setup on 3g's...

As far as computer programmers/chips, again I have no knowledge on them for 3g's. Hopefully another member can point you in a direction for that subject...

After you get all your basic mods done with, then I would move onto more expensive parts, such as cams... I'm not sure what there is to offer in the cam department for your 3g, but I'm sure there are several options. You will wanna pick a cam that will be suited with the mods you have already done, and for a N/A motor. You don't wanna get anything too gutsy that would be better suited with a turbo. It just won't help you in the long run...

Ummm... I think I've covered most of the basic mods that you could do to squeeze a little extra umph out of your car... I hope it helps ya out some...

That's pretty much it, but I would recommend the ignition (at least coilpack, wires, and plugs) sooner than later. It does help the throttle response and just gets the car prepped for a little more power from the mods your doing.

Another which helps is to bore out the throttle body. Well worth it also. Again, better throttle response and of course allows more air flow. Mine has been bored for awhile but now I'm actually working on polishing up the inside to smooth it out some more and take off a little more material. Of course with the bore, you need a new butterfly piece also. Most shops will make this for you when you get it done. With the bored TB though, you really need a cold air intake.

The UDP is great also, but don't go too cheap with this part. You don't want it breaking off at a high rpm. Plus you'll need new belts too. I just remounted my UDP as it was off center by a tiny amount, makig my belts squeek. These are a little tricky to install. I don't know if you plan on doing all the work yourself, but it's doable from home. Just takes a little bit of time.

And the most basic free upgrade, is weight reduction. Our cars are heavy. Lighten it up alittle. Example, my rear windsheild washer never worked, but just filled up with rainwater. Took the whole system up, closed up the holes, adn rerouted the plumbing (just incase it leaks) out the bottom of the car. Also just removed the A/C system. And of course you have Carbon Fiber parts, like hoods, fenders, and so on, but those get expensive.

Get those done, then we can start talking about the larger things, like cams & valve train upgrades, porting, and so on. It all depends though, how much power you're looking to make, and how much you're looking to spend. Good luck, and let us know if you need anything.

Does anyone have any input on aftermarket wires performance wise?

Might add to the wish list: Springs + shocks, maybe even coilovers if you've got the pockets. Might as well get better launches, turn better and stick the ground on those high speed runs. When I had my RS, I knew I would turn out poo for power, so I considered weight reduction another alternative, just never got very serious about it. Sure that rear hatch and window weigh alot.

edit: oh yea, like mentioned above in BlackCrow's post, get the metal shifter plate bushings man, best 'cheap' mod you'll come across. You can pretty much run to Home Depot and pick up the washers, or mvpmotorsports.com have them.