Car Hacks & Mods for Dummies

Beefing up a car today usually involves hacking its computerized ECU (engine control unit). This expert guide walks the first-time modifier through programming the ECU for maximum performance, choosing and installing aftermarket electronic devices, and making physical modifications.

Turn the car you have into the car you want Here's how to get faster acceleration, shorter stopping, better handling, and more
Ever wish you'd been invited to the design and engineering meetings when your car was being created? Well, here's how to add what they forgot and change what bugs you! This handy guide steers you safely past warranty pitfalls, shows you what modifications are legal, provides performance tips, and helps you make your car look cool.
Discover How To:

• Set up your car for better cornering
• Improve appearance with detailing
• Choose add-ons that work with your car
• Match your braking power to your horsepower
• Boost mileage by hacking the computer

Foreword xxi
Introduction 1
About This Book 2
How This Book Is Organized 2
Part I: Owning a Performance Car 3
Part II: Safety 3
Part III: Rims and Rubber 3
Part IV: Stylin' 4
Part V: Slowing Down 4
Part VI: Corner Carver 4
Part VII: Let's Go! 4
Part VIII: Faster Thinking 5
Part IX: The Part of Tens 5
Icons Used in This Book 5
Part I: Owning a Performance Car 7
Chapter 1: Cool Car Basics 9
Keeping It Legal and Keeping the Warranty Intact 9
Federal regulations 10
Local regulations 11
Warranty requirements 13
Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act 13
Event participation 15
Setting Realistic Expectations 16
Making It Cool 18
Not All Platforms Are Created Equal 19
Chapter 2: Planning It Smart 21
Choosing a Car 21
Defining the Scope of the Project 23
Compromises 24
Contingency Plan/Exit Strategy 26
Delays 27
So long, farewell 28
Part II: Safety 29
Chapter 3: Balanced Performance 31
The Concept of Active Safety 31
Building a Balanced Car 32
Chapter 4: Safety Gear 37
Passive Safety Essentials 37
Roll Bars and Roll Cages 39
Materials 39
Design 41
Installation 46
Seats and Braces 47
Factory seats 47
Competition seats 48
Braces 50
Harnesses 51
Straps 51
Latches 54
Installation 55
Part III: Rims and Rubber 57
Chapter 5: Tires 59
Knowing When to Say When 59
Reading a Tire Sidewall 60
Tire Shopping 63
Tire Selection 64
How tires work 65
Street tires 69
Race tires 72
Dual-purpose tires 74
When There Isn't Any Air There 75
Pressure monitoring 76
Run-flat tires 77
Chapter 6: Wheels 79
Buying Right 79
Fit 79
Appearance 84
Performance 84
Materials 88
Forged wheels 88
Cast wheels 89
Semi-solid forged and modular wheels 89
Want to Super Size That? 90
The look 91
The life 91
Part IV: Stylin' 93
Chapter 7: Fashion Is a Fickle Thing 95
Mild to Wild 95
Graphics 98
Design 99
Custom cutting 100
Installation 100
Chapter 8: Vanity? Performance? A Little of Both? 103
Aero Add-ons 103
Rear-mounted spoilers and wings 103
Underbody diffusers 105
Front add-ons 106
Bodyside styling 108
Materials 109
Fiberglass 109
Carbon fiber 110
Polyurethane 112
Chapter 9: Detailing 101 113
Car Wash Basics 113
The Weekend Detail 115
Paint 116
Wheels 120
Tires 120
Windows and lenses 121
Trim 122
Convertible and fabric tops 123
Interior 123
Under the Hood 126
Part V: Slowing Down 127
Chapter 10: Slowing Down 129
Deciding Whether to Upgrade Your Car's Brakes 130
Brake Fluid 131
Specifications 131
Maintenance 135
Chapter 11: Basic Braking Bolt-Ons 137
Wheel Components 137
Pads 137
Rotors 138
Calipers 141
Cooling 143
Brake drums 146
Control Components 148
Master cylinder 148
Proportioning valves 150
Brake booster 150
Abs 151
Lines 152
Rubber 153
Stainless steel 153
Part VI: Corner Carver 155
Chapter 12: I Just Want to Hang (Onto the Road) 157
Understeer 157
Oversteer 158
Controllability 159
Chapter 13: Basic Handling Bolt-Ons 161
Wheel Control 161
Shocks 162
Springs 163
Coilovers 165
Suspension Components 167
Sway bars 167
End links 168
Chassis Reinforcement 168
Strut braces 168
Foam 169
Seam welding 170
Suspension links 170
Performance Differentials 171
Viscous (fluid type) 172
Clutch type 173
Gear type 174
Traction Control 174
Chapter 14: Get on the Diet! 175
Dr David's Four-Step Diet 176
Balancing the Scale 177
Rotating weight 178
Unsprung weight 180
Static weight 181
Part VII: Let's Go! 185
Chapter 15: Basic Power Bolt-Ons 187
Combustion Theory 187
Air Intake 189
Drop-in performance air filters 191
Open-element air intake 191
Intake manifolds and throttle bodies 196
Camshafts 198
Exhausts 200
Header/exhaust manifold 204
Exhaust systems 208
Ignitions 213
Grounding kit 214
Amplifier 215
Spark plugs 215
Chapter 16: Building a Strong Foundation 217
Engine Essentials 217
Basic maintenance 218
Testing 218
Fuel 220
Gauges 220
Driveline Upgrades 220
Clutches 221
Flywheels 224
Axles 225
Engine and transmission mounts 226
Chapter 17: Thinking of Adding Boost 229
Do You Want Boost? 229
Forced induction 231
Turbochargers 231
Superchargers 243
Nitrous oxide 247
Supporting a Boosted Engine 249
Fuel systems 249
Timing 250
Cooling 250
Engine internals 251
Intake and exhaust 251
Gauges 252
Chapter 18: Have Boost, Need More 253
Living with More Boost 254
Cams and Tuning 256
Intake Charge Cooling 257
Intercooler upgrades 257
Water injection 260
Part VIII: Faster Thinking 263
Chapter 19: Scanning the Codes 265
On-Board Diagnostics (OBD) 265
OBDI scanners 266
OBDII scanners 267
Switching Generations 269
Chapter 20: What's inside Your Car's Brain 271
What Is the ECU/ECM? 271
Deciding to Upgrade 273
Closed and Open Interface Systems 275
Closed interface 275
Open interface 276
Selecting an Upgrade 276
Reflashes and EPROM swaps 276
Black boxes 277
Piggybacks and standalones 277
Chapter 21: Reflashes and EPROM Swaps 279
ECU Reprogramming 279
Should you reprogram? 280
Reprogramming factory ECUs 281
Chapter 22: Black Boxes 285
Mixture Control 285
Air/Fuel Controllers 286
Auxiliary Injector Controllers 288
Ignition Timing Controllers 290
A'PEXi 290
Msd 291
Turbo Boost Controllers 291
Mechanical controllers 291
Electronic controllers 292
Manifold Air Pressure Sensors (Speed Density Systems) 293
Fuel and Speed Defencers 295
Fuel cut defencers 296
Speed cut defencers 296
Chapter 23: Integrated Piggybacks 299
Piggyback Controller Functions 299
Controller Models 299
GReddy e-Manage 300
Chip Torque Xede 300
TurboXS UTEC 301
Chapter 24: Full Standalone ECUs 303
Deciding on a Full Standalone ECU 304
Plug and Play 306
A'PEXi Power FC 307
Aem Ems 308
Some Assembly Required 308
Motec 309
Haltech 309
Autronic 310
Electromotive 310
MegaSquirt 310
Part IX: The Part of Tens 311
Chapter 25: Ten Online Resources 313
Enthusiast Sites 314
Asian brands 315
European brands 318
American brands 319
General Information 320
Autospeed 320
How Stuff Works 320
Autopia 321
Babel Fish and Google 321
Grassroots Motorsports 322
Motorsport Sites 322
Scca 322
Nhra 323
Drifting. com 323
Aftermarket Parts 324
Taka Kaira 324
Sema 325
Chapter 26: Ten Car Modding Problems 327
Budgeting Time 327
Budgeting Finances 328
Legal Concerns 329
Warranty Concerns 330
Resale Value 330
Free Advice 331
Knowing When to Stop 332
Selling Parts 332
Buying out of Desperation 333
Selling a Failed/Incomplete Project 334
Index 337