Ben's Oceanic 4kqt - BBQ X readiness - The last year

[Graygoose89]

haha ohh Ben, its never enough is it. only been a week and already hungry for more.

thats kinda my problem. at first it was not enough power and then the problem becomes putting the power down. (AWD will always have THAT advantage over my supra) but ya turn that boost up and just be satisfied with a REAL strong pull all the way through the powerband. dont get too greedy now Ben. its ok to be a little bit just not too much.

[audi4kq20vturbo]

congratulations ben!! so glad to see your car together an being able to enjoy the hard work. can't wait to see it at battle born this year! love the sti video. an in mexico makes it sound that much more badass! lol

[audifreakjim]

Thanks guys!

Little update:

SO I now am tuned through 14.5 psi (thank you Hank and Marc!) Also, fixed an exhaust leak, adjusted the shifter again, repaired an annoying exhaust vibration and just in general I have been trying to rack up the miles on it so I can crank to boost. I have a few other things to clean up, like unneeded wiring a small oil leak from the cooler and just other odds and ends.

BUT it's official. I am tainted by the speed of this thing. It needs to go faster. :dur:

I've got something here that will help with that!

[AudiSport4000]

Very happy to hear!! Just know your limits (pocketbook, etc)

Love this car!

[85oceanic]

I've got something here that will help with that!

Yes you do Jim! And I can't wait!!!

[85oceanic]

Very happy to hear!! Just know your limits (pocketbook, etc)

Love this car!

Thanks man! Ya, the $$$ is always a limiting factor, but little by little I will motivate this little car more and more.

[AudiSport4000]

You are a smart man. I've loved following the progress on this. Never a rush and always making sure things are as they should be. Keep it up!

[85oceanic]

Thanks again man! It's still FAR from perfect, but in due time I reach all my goals with it!

[85oceanic]

I have some tire size questions. Right now I am on 205/45 R17s and I am looking to fit the widest tire I can underneath this thing. I was toying around with trying to fit 215/40 R17s which would increase my contact width by 1/2 an inch and lower my side wall by .2 of an inch. The catch is that only leaves me with two tire options, the Falken FK-452 and Yokohama S.Drive, neither of which I want to run. Do you guy's have any suggestions for me??

[Audilard]

Fender flares!!!!!!

[40v4kq]

Dont the dunlop star specs come in 215/40/17?

[85oceanic]

Fender flares!!!!!!

NOOOOO HAHA I am not going widebody with this thing!!!!

[85oceanic]

Dont the dunlop star specs come in 215/40/17?

I checked and didn't see them on tirerack in that size.

[40v4kq]

I just searched and they came up. you must have had the search narrowed down somehow. There are actually 12 tires in that size from the tirerack.

[85oceanic]

NICE! Hmmm... I shall investigate. Good call Dan.

[85oceanic]

Still, not a lot of 'good' choices in that size range. :( Any other thoughts?

[40v4kq]

what do mean "not good"?!!! The star specs are one of the best tires out there without going to a race tire. The original star spec is even good in the wet unlike my khumo ecsta XS's. The friend of mine of whom i bought my white wheels from used the white wheels with victoracer comp tires on them for the summer and then run something else on a set of 17's for the rest of the year on his race 4kq(v8,cage,brakes,the works) but once he was coerced by derek to try the star specs he decided he didnt need to 16's with race tires because the star specs were just as good in the dry and could handle the wet too.

[85oceanic]

I have read mixed reviews on the star specs. I know a few years ago they where on top, but there are a lot of 'better' tires out there now. I was really wanting to go with Potenza RE-11s awhile back. Not saying I am all the way opposed to running them, I just want to figure out all my options.

[Hank]

The Stars are awesome till they get to 30-40% wear, and then they get really hard and really choppy. I think they are the best tire for street/light track till then though. Word is that the new Direzza Stars improve upon the two complaints I had. I can't wait. One thing I love about those tires is that in Time Attack series, they usually cap street AWD classes at 255s and 200 tread wear. These tires are 200 treadwear rating, and the 255s are as wide as 265's in any other tire. When I would go out to Lap Battle at Miller, 95% of hte field was rocking Star Specs in the AWD street class

I think the V12s are awesome cheapy tires. THey don't look like race rubbah( People will probably tease you as to why you brought your all seasons to the track lol) but they are great tires.

[85oceanic]

Hmmm... I just ran across this. A nice review of the Direzza Stars replacement, the Direzza ZII. He has some good things to say about it, maybe I will hold out awhile for these...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgzR0ZpW ... 808DF1B89C" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ... 808DF1B89C

[Audilard]

Ben- the star specs are awesome. I've had them on my CQ and now the 80. I'm ordering the new zii sat specs as well. I second Hank. They run wide, they are practically a racing tire and are an amazing street tire. Plus they look cool! 8)

[Hank]

For me, there are better racing tires, but they were the best crossover. They are pretty decent in the rain for a 200 wear tire.

[Quattro v1.0]

I spent some time in an A3 with Direzza Stars and they get dreadful to live with once they get a few miles on them. Noisy as all hell, quirky wear characteristics, and they get hard. On the other hand, I have had the lesser version of the Direzza's on the UrQ and really don't have a single complaint about them.

I have become a big fan of Bridgestones over the last couple years, not sure of the size / budget will accommodate though.

[85oceanic]

Well, I will definitely consider either the ZIIs or RE-11s. Both look like they are well performing tires for both street/track use.

[chaloux]

I had re-11s on my beetle, they were great. Not as grippy as the 01r tires that dad has on his S but it was still way faster around corners (weight you know). And they're cheap and lasted me two summers before I sold then with very minimal wear. I only sold them because I was getting rid of the wheels and at that point didn't have a 4k in the cards. I'll probably buy them again for the 4k because the toyo proxes are worn and not nearly as good. And$$$