Is MR version of the Evo X undesirable for tuning?

[Jim in Tucson]

Originally Posted by Noize

...the Evo is a tuner car and bought mostly by people who mod.

Absolutely correct; my point exactly. Until some shop pursues the R&D process with modding the MR, and producing the upgraded parts, no one will be able to buy an MR and mod it.

[goofygrin]

Originally Posted by Jim in Tucson

I understand the SST is considered weaksauce. In fact, so is the motor to a lesser extent. Yet AMS quickly figured out that the engine needs to be sleeved, so that's just what they did.

I don't think that AMS said it *needed* to be sleeved (and isn't it sleeved from the factory), it's that they wanted to sleeve it to play around. At least that's how I read the thread.

[Clark_Kent]

Correct. It doesn't NEED to be sleeved. It appeared that they wanted to sleeve the motor to explore the possbilities of the motor and its tolerances.

[navidf]

It is interesting no MR owner has chimed in yet!
It is true that the MR can not be modded to hold more than 340-350 HP or 350 torque, but for a lot of us that is not so important because, at least I, don't track the car. I just want a fast car with incredible handeling that gives me options: It is quieter, nicer interior, easy as a DD specially in traffic, yet can be driven completely on a manual way with freaky gear shift or allowed to do its thing automatically with freaky gear shifts. I also wished they kept the hood and side vents black, but it is an easy fix.
Now the stock MR leaves a lot to be desired for, so one needs to at least do a catback or TBE, UPIC, a drop in filter and a tune. Sways bars also make a big difference in feel and handling.
That all said, if racing/tracking is a priority over DD, then MR in its current form does not make sense with its extra price tag and weaker clutch. If otherwise, the MR wins hands down, no contest.
I am quite satisfied with my MR for my needs.

[Noize]

Originally Posted by navidf

It is interesting no MR owner has chimed in yet!

Maybe nobody knows what MRX and pariah mean... Here, I'll fix the title?

[bvliz]

i own a 08 evo x mr,this is my wifes daily driver and has the same opinion i do,we both hate the sst transmision.either get a automatic or manual,this in bewteen transmission is for the birds.using the paddle shifters or console shifter is just not the same.I hated the way the gsr shifter felt sloppy,the evo 8/9 thats what is was used to,nice and stiff,you can feel the shifter going into gear.i could not test drive the mr before i bought it,as soon as i traded my evo 9 in and left the dealership with the mr after going wot,i realized i just made a 40k+ mistake.the mr is a great car,just needs a manual transmission in it.

[kyle18]

I am surprised that people still are saying that MR isn't tunable, because there are some good results on this forum, "Project SST with Blouch Dom2 and cossie cams" is a very good example because that EVO has SST transmission and engine produces more then 63.2kg/m of torque which way more then 470 Nm Limit. So in my opinion SST transmission is Highly underestimated.
Can somebody show me a thread about blown SST transmission(may be I misted it) but I haven't see any.
I have 08 MR and planing on tuning a bit later, because for me there aren't a lot of opitions for ECU tuning. As I live in Latvia, and we don't have a lot choose for tuning. So the only choise for me is Z-Chip or ECUFlash(if it will work with EDM EVOs)
I think the main reason why tuners aren't making a lot specific parts for MR is because there fewer people who driver MR(sale are not good) so the market for MR is smaller then for GSR and taking into account difficult finance situation nobody whats to take big risk in developing something which might not give good sales. For example clutch pack, it expensive for research but how many people accentually will buy it. I am not sure that a lot.(may be I am wrong)
(It is my first post so if something wrong then I am sorry)

[LVSBB6]

My MR is pushing way over 350hp or torque, no problems what so ever.

Best decision I made in buying the MR, no regrets.

[Eurorcr]

I bought an MR last summer and traded it in on a GSR after 3 months of ownership. The SST tranny was "fun" to shift though the gears with. I was greatly dissagpointed in the fact that I could not mod the car to the power levels I desired and that many people were having their SST tranny's overheat on the track. I bought the car for weekend track purposes so couldn't deal with that. I have now added "MR touches" to my SSS, Aero Kitted GSR (MR seats, wheels, etc..) and couldn't be happier. My car has the classiness that attracted me to the MR and now all I need to do is add a stronger clutch.

If an aftermarket forms for strengthing the SST (Like has happened for the VW's DSG tranny) than I'd consider going back to an MR.

Just my humble opinion for the original poster

[punker462606]

No one commeted on this earlier but the autmated manual is not readily used in road racing, i'm not saying its never used but what your thinking of is a sequential shifter which still uses a regular manual transmission with a specially designed shifter to shift down if pushed forward and upshift when pulled back for quicker shifting. Sorry just wanted to put my .02 in. I have no problem with the new mr, it will eventually be a potent machine as soon as someone upgrades the clutches and the tranny valve train. Somewhere I heard vishnu was working on adjusting the mr's tranny maps.

[Shabarivas]

Originally Posted by Jim in Tucson

Why so many haters of the SST equipped EVO X MR, but so many lovers of the same type of tranny in actual racecars? And in the GT-R? And in many other high-end cars?

Is the EVO perceived primarily as a white-trash type of car, so the SST is simply excessively sophisticated for the average EVO owner?

Why are the same EVO owners that insist on manual trannys perfectly happy with automated engine fueling and timing? Why are computer-controlled engines OK, but computer-controlled trannys are an abomination?

Ok let me put it to you this way... what if the car did the turning of the steering wheel MUCH more precisely than you ever could? then would you get that too? the line has to be drawn somewhere... and for me... the paddle shift system is just not proven itself yet. It is still to hold big power, still costs an assload to replace... etc etc... now with that said.. .i have driven one.. and it would absolutely run circles around my GSR @ the track...

[MKULTRA]

Originally Posted by Noize

Are you off your head or did you buy your VIII last week? "White-trash type of car?" This isn't an autotragic Mustang GT, its one of the best handling and tunable sedans in the world.

No, the Evo is a tuner car and bought mostly by people who mod. If the GTR's robust transmission can't handle a few launch control launches on stock power without failure, what chance do you think an SST has when modified? Answer: None.

Not only that, the SST saps more energy through the driveline, so they dyno lower. Its a fast shifter, but when the car starts making acceptable or appreciable power, its reliability is lessened and it starts going into lockdown to protect itself. Lame.

well said

[skylinegtr35]

I am loving my MR! I like the freedom to choose if you want to manually shift gears or not especially during traffic

[CatalystGod]

Originally Posted by Jim in Tucson

I understand the SST is considered weaksauce. In fact, so is the motor to a lesser extent. Yet AMS quickly figured out that the engine needs to be sleeved, so that's just what they did.

Why isn't some shop doing the same with the SST? Turn up the wick, find out what breaks in the SST, then figure out how to make a better stronger part. Rince and repeat.

First off, The motor has not yet proven to be "weaksauce". It has pretty much taken everything that's been thrown at it like a champ.

Second, AMS did not sleeve it because they deemed it necessary. They did it purely for exploring the motor, as others have already stated.

Thirdly, the SST is a completely closed unit. Meaning, in order to do any work on it, one will actually need to cut through the transmission box without damaging the internals beyond repair. I do not know much about the GTR or the VW auto clutch trannies to compare, but I do know that the VW trannies can have the clutch plates replaced when needed. This is not a possibility with the SST. You break it, you gotta pay to get a whole new tranny. And you only get one if you ship the damaged part back to the manufacturer. Sucks huh!!!

The basic thing to understand is that Mitsu designed the tranny to be friendly for daily drivers who were intimidated by a manual tranny, but wanted an Evo. It was designed to hold just the stock power levels plus a little more. Don't test its limits recklessly, or it'll test your pockets and hard earned money with equal disregard.

[Mendo]

I know there are multiple threads out there on the SST "torque protection" and what not, to be honest I'm not the most mechanically inclined but I have also found a couple of threads with good numbers on the MR. I have seen a thread ( couldnt find it) where a guy actually blew his trans up do to too much torque. But common guys this trans is new. There is still lots of R&D to be done.

I know currently XtremeBoost is working on clutch packs for the SST:
Evo X MR, can u upgrade the clutch?