The Official Cheap Mods Thread

[kimokalihi]

I searched for cheap mods and came up with 2 threads but they were basically worthless so I'm going to attempt to make a solid cheap mods thread with pictures. This thread is for any sort of mod that you deem relatively cheap. Form or function, doesn't matter. Everybody likes economy mods so let me start this off with one of the first neat mods I did to my car.


Amber turn signal lens delete

Full writeup here.

Before and after:





Wagon

[kimokalihi]

Chrome Trim Electrical Tape Blackout

This one is pretty much self explanatory. Buy a roll of 3M Scotch electrical tape and cover up the ugly chrome trim on the sides of your car. You can also cover the front and rear bumper trim with tape. My rear bumper trim was peeling off so I just tore it the rest of the way off and it looks great. It actually lasts a long time and even if it eventually comes off you can replace it in a few minutes for next to nothing!





Front bumper done.









Side finished.







Rear bumper trim removal.









Before







After

[kimokalihi]

Throttle Body Coolant Bypass Mod

There's a coolant line that runs through the throttle body which runs 195-200 degree coolant through it. I have heard this is to keep the throttle plate from freezing in place in very cold weather. Around here there is no such thing so a lot of people bypass the throttle body by removing both hoses from the TB and using one of them to bridge the gap. This should help to reduce intake temps. How much, I'm not sure. The air is traveling quite rapidly through the intake but I'm sure every little bit helps.

One member added this -

Just in case anyone was wondering why they run coolant throught the throttle-body: It is to prevent icing. Not because it is cold outside like in the winter time. Any time air goes from an area of higher pressure to an area of lower pressure, it drops in temperature. If you cruise for extended periods of time without moving the throttle plate, it can actually stick in that position for a few seconds! Summer or winter...

Full Writeup Here

And Here


This member on NASIOC posted temp graphs before and after while he driving down the road showing a 15-20 degree drop in intake temps!

NASIOC TB bypass thread

[kimokalihi]

Windshield Wiper Fluid Reservoir Relocation

Full Writeup Here

[kimokalihi]

07-08 WRX Shift Knob and Boot w/STI Trim Piece

6MT (6 speed) boots do not fit 5MT knobs. When I tried using the 6MT STI boot with the 5MT WRX knob the boot was far too wide on the top and did not have the plastic piece that snaps onto the 5MT knob so it just fell down and there was no way of attaching the boot to the knob.

STI trim piece requires small amount of cutting to widen the hole in your OEM console piece.










The WRX shift boot was much taller than the 6spd knob and the WRX shift linkage and shifter combined with my console leaves a lot of slack on the bottom of the boot. I plan to trim it and find some nice hex bolts to bolt the STI trim piece to my console piece and hold the boot in place at the bottom.

STI boot on the left, WRX boot on the right.

[kimokalihi]

WRX Hood Scoop And Custom Grill

Full Writeup Here

[cj91legss]

i second the coolant bypass on the TB

Also i think the FCD should be listed as a cheap mod.... (I build them BTW)

[beatersubi]

Shifter improvements in a manual and power mode mod for autos really make the cars more fun to drive for not much coin.

[kimokalihi]

I will be adding everything I can think of, feel free to add anything you feel fits the theme. I was going to add the shift linkage bushings and part numbers but looks like you beat me to it.

[Apex3]

Don't forget the obvious coffee cup and desnorkel.

Wish I could do the throttle body thing, but it gets below 0 here every winter, and I go skiing a lot, seems like a bad idea for me

[Grayguy]

^ I've run with it bypassed for a winter in northern MN with no issues.

[206er]

the coolant hose bypass on the TB is no biggy. its not a carb its a throttle body. ive done it on NA and turbo cars and run em through all sorts of weather. if you have the engine out fine, do it but if not it is too much a PITA to bother with for basically zero improvement other than in your mind. would be interesting to see hard data on a dyno about it though.

one awesome thing for 4eat cars would be Duty solenoid C switch for 4x4 if youre into that kind of thing.

i didnt come up with the concept but i did come up with this variation of the idea and it was about $1 and 1 hr to build

[kimokalihi]

if you have the engine out fine, do it but if not it is too much a PITA to bother with for basically zero improvement other than in your mind. would be interesting to see hard data on a dyno about it though.

I too thought this wasn't going to drop the intake temps much at all but that thread from NASIOC suggests otherwise. That member took measurements via the OBDII scanner he had installed while driving his car (not idling) on the same stretch of road at the same speed and saw 20 degree drop in intake temp.

Before



After

[Jester808]

Someone throw down some links on Grounding Mods.

[cj91legss]

don't know what everyone else has done about the grounding mod, but i upgraded in wire size for the one from the negative terminal to shell, negative to engine, and added one 4 gauge to LH strut tower, and 1 or 2 to the engine.

[kimokalihi]

I upgraded the battery to ground from the tiny 10 gauge or smaller stock wire to 4 gauge, then upgraded the same size wire from the pitch mount to tranny to 4gauge and the battery to engine ground to 4 gauge. Also upgraded the battery to fuse box to 8gauge which is what is was before but this was new wire and the starter to some new 4 gauge wire. And the battery to body ground to 4 gauge.

Tranny Ground









Battery To Body Ground








Fuse Box






More pics in my build thread about page 25 and 26.

[skid542]

Grounding Mod, per sticky in Engine forum - http://bbs.legacycentral.org/viewtopic.php?t=1520


There is a thread about upgrades and what order to do them in. It has a lot of this information that is relevant to this thread already pulled together. I dont have the link off hand but it is a very useful thread for those wanting to know what can be done to these cars.

[SILINC3R]

when i get back from being underway i am for sure doing these. thanks for a great write up

[kimokalihi]

My pleasure. I'm going to add more one of these days. I saw the other thread I think but there's no pictures and I don't think they were all cheap.

[n2x4]

Urethane filled transmission mount!

3M Window Weld Liquid Urethane. You can see that one of the bolts is different. I managed to snap the stud when I removed it from the car. Oh well. Take a look at the before and after though. It's rock solid. I also shot some into the rear diff bushings.

[kimokalihi]

Pretty sweet mod there! Where did you get the urethane?

[n2x4]

Advanced Auto Parts. They use this stuff for sealing windshields in cars. I've had good luck with it holding up once the surface has been well prepped.

[Legacy777]

Just an FYI, I tried the urethane mod, but never got the urethane to cure.

[SILINC3R]

did the tail light mod and i like it

[scottahicks]

Here is the link to the Ultimate Free Short Shifter modification

http://bbs.legacycentral.org/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=45464