Newbie here.

[swatcop169]

Hey guys. I currently own a 2003 WRX, but as of next week (hopefully) I'll be in a 2003 Redfire Cobra. I wanted a sonic blue, but they couldn't find one within the closest 900 dealers. So I settled for Redfire.

I've already started planning out mods for the cobra. So far I have:
1. Borla Stinger for the exhaust
2. K&N CAI kit
3. Grill snake insert, with the rear bumper inserts

I was looking at pulleys, but not settled on one yet, imput is apprecaited on this one.
Also looked at the Hypertech PPIII for a re-tune after the pullys. Whats everyone's thoughts on it?

Thanks for the input. Can't wait to take delivery of the car.

 

[Stangninjak]

Heh congrats ! I'm a newb as well. I know that I have the steeda pulley on my cobra, and the steeda cold air kit. I am going to rack it today and figure out whats else been done, as some mods where on mine. Hehe I am still trying to figure out what colour it is. It looks gold in sunlight, silver at dusk, and Gunmetal ?? colour other times..depends on what angle you look at it.

 

[swatcop169]

Heh congrats ! I'm a newb as well. I know that I have the steeda pulley on my cobra, and the steeda cold air kit. I am going to rack it today and figure out whats else been done, as some mods where on mine. Hehe I am still trying to figure out what colour it is. It looks gold in sunlight, silver at dusk, and Gunmetal ?? colour other times..depends on what angle you look at it.

I had thought about buying a used cobra, but I'm always worried what treatment the car has been put threw. If its going to be hot-rodded then I'm the one going to be doing it

 

[Stangninjak]

Good point, but Heh I some make some nice cash for mods, selling of what survived from my 97. The ATI Procharger survived, as well as the intercooler and piping. Hmm my throttle bodie, fuel pumps, 30lb injectors, 80Maf ... a lot survived engine wise..whatever did not get modded, you best believe I will be doing the rest !

 

[99SVTAddict]

Good start to your mod list. Can't help you on the pulley question though.
Check out www.svtperformance.com . They have a huge 03+ Cobra group over there and they would know for sure.

Welcome.

 

[Wizard02]

Another site is modularfords, alot of info in cobra's

 

[swatcop169]

99SVTAddict,
Thanks I'll check them out. I figured the path I was on was a good one to start.

Wizard02,
I'll check them out also.

 

[99SVTAddict]

I know you are out in NC, but Alternative Auto in Michigan is top notch. Lidio is the owner, and his shop as done all the mods to my car. He does all the tuning.

Anyway, he told me back in December about an 03 Cobra coming in and a rep from K&N was with the Cobra owner. They used his dyno for an article that was just released in MM&FF. With a bone stock Cobra vs. the K&N CAI kit, it made an additional 1 lb of boost and 25RWHP. Amazing.

Lidio now has a "kit" he offers which includes a smaller pulley, the K&N CAI kit, and chip with custom tune. He is getting crazy responce from this package. Check out his website, it may say which pulley he uses....www.alternativeauto.com .

Well, I just looked...it doesn't say which pulley but here's the direct link http://www.alternativeauto.com/misc/03_cobra_package.html

 

[LUCAFU1]

hey stangninjak
how do you like your steeda pulley and idler?
what size is the pulley and belt, and is there slippage?
also can you still use your stock pulley cover with it?
im kinda interested in the steeda pulley, sorry for all the Qs.

 

[swatcop169]

I know you are out in NC, but Alternative Auto in Michigan is top notch. Lidio is the owner, and his shop as done all the mods to my car. He does all the tuning.

Anyway, he told me back in December about an 03 Cobra coming in and a rep from K&N was with the Cobra owner. They used his dyno for an article that was just released in MM&FF. With a bone stock Cobra vs. the K&N CAI kit, it made an additional 1 lb of boost and 25RWHP. Amazing.

Lidio now has a "kit" he offers which includes a smaller pulley, the K&N CAI kit, and chip with custom tune. He is getting crazy responce from this package. Check out his website, it may say which pulley he uses....www.alternativeauto.com .

Well, I just looked...it doesn't say which pulley but here's the direct link http://www.alternativeauto.com/misc/03_cobra_package.html

Thanks, This shop keeps coming up with all the people that I talk to. It's little far for me to drive to, so if I could get that package shipped to me it would be great.

 

[Cyberdavea]

I am still trying to figure out what colour it is. It looks gold in sunlight, silver at dusk, and Gunmetal ?? colour other times..depends on what angle you look at it.

Well, Cobra's don't come in Pewter... my best guess is that yours is Mineral Gray, since you say it looks gold in the sunlight. The other gray available for the Cobra's is Dark Shadow Gray

Mineral Gray=

Dark Shadow Grey=

 

[Uncle Meat]

Thanks, This shop keeps coming up with all the people that I talk to. It's little far for me to drive to, so if I could get that package shipped to me it would be great.

Something that hasn't come up yet in this thread is warranty issues.

swatcop169 - Keep in mind that Ford frowns on smaller supercharger pulleys. If your car has a driveline failure of some sort and you take it in to the dealer for service, they may look the car over for mods before authorizing the repair. It's pretty easy to spot a smaller pulley if they're looking for one. You could face the prospect of having the complete drive line warranty voided if caught. The cat back and K&N FIPK shouldn't raise an eyebrow at most dealerships though.

U.M.

 

[MystiChrome Coupe]

Something that hasn't come up yet in this thread is warranty issues.

swatcop169 - Keep in mind that Ford frowns on smaller supercharger pulleys. If your car has a driveline failure of some sort and you take it in to the dealer for service, they may look the car over for mods before authorizing the repair. It's pretty easy to spot a smaller pulley if they're looking for one. You could face the prospect of having the complete drive line warranty voided if caught. The cat back and K&N FIPK shouldn't raise an eyebrow at most dealerships though.

U.M.

,except he's not stupid, as far as I know

I myself waited 1000 miles befroe I modded anything & I'll only be doing catback (already installed), CAI (have the K&N sitting in the basement, waiting for install) & maybe a catted X pipe, jury is still out on that mod. I did replace the shifter with a pro 5.0 & a MGW handle, I'd make that one of your first mods.

 

[swatcop169]

Something that hasn't come up yet in this thread is warranty issues.

swatcop169 - Keep in mind that Ford frowns on smaller supercharger pulleys. If your car has a driveline failure of some sort and you take it in to the dealer for service, they may look the car over for mods before authorizing the repair. It's pretty easy to spot a smaller pulley if they're looking for one. You could face the prospect of having the complete drive line warranty voided if caught. The cat back and K&N FIPK shouldn't raise an eyebrow at most dealerships though.

U.M.

Thanks Uncle Meat,
That was one of the things I was looking at. I'm going to check with the dealership about mods. My family has always bought from them, and I have a family member that works in the repair shop to. I'll probably hold off on the pully, and just do the other mods first.

MystiChrome,
The Pro 5.0 was the shifter I was looking at. Seems everyone really likes those.

 

[2K1GtfromSC]

Welcome to the Club!!! These cars are so much fun hope you enjoy it. See sig for times and mods.

 

[swatcop169]

Whats the deal with the boost by-pass mod?

A big thing for us with turbos is switched out a t-connector that goes from a very small diameter to a 3/16" T-connector. It causes a free flow path for the MBC to see and will cause the turbo to build boost faster. I was reaching full boost on my WRX at around 2900rpms, thats 14.7lbs of boost.

 

[2K1GtfromSC]

Whats the deal with the boost by-pass mod?

A big thing for us with turbos is switched out a t-connector that goes from a very small diameter to a 3/16" T-connector. It causes a free flow path for the MBC to see and will cause the turbo to build boost faster. I was reaching full boost on my WRX at around 2900rpms, thats 14.7lbs of boost.

same thing, boost does not fall off @ upper RPM's & buils quicker. I'll get you a link to the install.
http://www.rpmoutlet.com/boost%20bypassc.htm

 

[swatcop169]

same thing, boost does not fall off @ upper RPM's & buils quicker. I'll get you a link to the install.
http://www.rpmoutlet.com/boost%20bypassc.htm

Thanks,
What kind of problems are you running into with this? I know in the WRX community that with the 3/16" mod if you added TurboXS UTEC (UTEC is a piggy-back system for the ECU. It basically overrides and you can tune it yourself) and the ABC that came wit the UTEC you were getting boost spikes.

 

[Uncle Meat]

I say leave your boost bypass alone. Unless you are power-shifting the car that free mod won't do anything for you. The small amount of boost drop between shifts on a stock pullied Cobra is not going to hurt your track times.

The boost bypass is a safety device and it can and will save your SC or motor if your engine were to overheat, or if you lost the intercooler or intercooler pump.

U.M.

 

[crew_dawg16]

Something that hasn't come up yet in this thread is warranty issues.

swatcop169 - Keep in mind that Ford frowns on smaller supercharger pulleys. If your car has a driveline failure of some sort and you take it in to the dealer for service, they may look the car over for mods before authorizing the repair. It's pretty easy to spot a smaller pulley if they're looking for one. You could face the prospect of having the complete drive line warranty voided if caught. The cat back and K&N FIPK shouldn't raise an eyebrow at most dealerships though.

U.M.

So, if you do have problems, just take the pulley off before you bring it in. Problem solved