Improving reliability with aftermarket mods?

[ScorpionStingz]

So I’ve done quite a bit of work on the car and I’m pretty sure I lowered its reliability by pushing more power and possibly voiding out my warranty.

I want to make the car last as long as possible so I was considering the following mods to improve reliability by mid to late spring of next year before the heat and humidity hits. Would love for everyone inputs. I’m fairly new to the car scene so please bare with my ignorance.

- Engine oil cooler with secondary radiator
- BMS transmission oil cooler
- Mishimoto intercooler. (This one’s more for performance but figured it might indirectly improve reliability with cooler air going in the turbo)

 

[KDM Racer]

I would also add a catch can to that list and if you are running a tune then some new spark plugs as well.

We carry all of those products and more:

KDMRacer.com

If you have any questions feel free to reach out anytime!

 

[Ohiocruiser]

Change engine and transmission oil more often. That will help. But obviously, once you start modding, you will never reach stock reliability levels.

 

[ScorpionStingz]

I would also add a catch can to that list and if you are running a tune then some new spark plugs as well.

We carry all of those products and more:

KDMRacer.com

If you have any questions feel free to reach out anytime!

Thank you for the response!
Yes I do have catch cans. I got the dual catch can
And hks spark plugs

 

[ScorpionStingz]

Change engine and transmission oil more often. That will help. But obviously, once you start modding, you will never reach stock reliability levels.

Would you say every 5k miles is good enough or every 6 months or whichever comes first?

 

[lil_lurking_stinger]

Would you say every 5k miles is good enough or every 6 months or whichever comes first?

Every 3k miles if reaching peak reliability is your goal. Especially with any spirited driving.

 

[Ohiocruiser]

Would you say every 5k miles is good enough or every 6 months or whichever comes first?

3k miles.

 

[ScorpionStingz]

3k miles.

3k miles.

Would you say the above mods I mentioned would help with reliability or am I just wasting money?

 

[StingerMG]

2018 - 2023 Kia Stinger GT Lower Grill Mesh Set by customcargrills

Three piece mesh grill piece set for a 2018 - 2023 Kia Stinger GT. This mesh set fits in a modified factory lower grille to protect your front end & increase air flow.

www.customcargrills.com

I would also like to add a mesh lower grill. The extra airflow help keeps oil, coolant, and trans temps lower when driving.

 

[Volfy]

- Mishimoto intercooler. (This one’s more for performance but figured it might indirectly improve reliability with cooler air going in the turbo)

Intercooler is DOWNSTREAM of the turbo.

Anyhow, by far the biggest boost to reliability is to go easy on the car. Do you really need to drive "spirited" on the daily commute? There is no right or wrong answer to that. Some folks just love to get the most out of their performance car every minute they're behind the wheel. Others only do it only when and where it makes sense. Wear and tear is very much proportional to the load/stress imposed on the drivetrain and chassis.

Stinger can be enjoyed as a plush luxury grand touring rig. To me, that's what's great about this platform.

 

[Thomby]

I would also like to add a mesh lower grill. The extra airflow help keeps oil, coolant, and trans temps lower when driving.

Have you watched your temps to see if anything is getting high? The JB4 will display intake air temp, coolant, and I believe transmission (but not oil, unless I have it backwards). If you're not tracking your car, there's a good chance that even on very aggressive maps you'll never be on the throttle long enough for temp to be an issue, unless you're in a very hot environment.

Anyhow, by far the biggest boost to reliability is to go easy on the car. Do you really need to drive "spirited" on the daily commute?

Stinger can be enjoyed as a plush luxury grand touring rig. To me, that's what's great about this platform.

Agree with this. I run Map 5 with E30, but 90% of my driving is cruising back roads like an old lady, with short bursts at WOT. I'm sure there's some level of added stress for those brief 20psi rips, but I'd bet the total wear on my car is less than that of an unmodified one that gets the cab driver treatment (half throttle away from every stop sign until it's time to stand on the brakes for the next one).

Those 3k oil changes are almost certainly overkill if you're not driving like a maniac (or on the track, dirt roads, etc). At 6k, my Blackstone analyses have shown minimal wear and enough additive package left over they recommended going 8-9k. I don't plan to, but it's good peace of mind.

 

[Volfy]

If you're not tracking your car, there's a good chance that even on very aggressive maps you'll never be on the throttle long enough for temp to be an issue, unless you're in a very hot environment.

This is correct. Even when we run track, the layout of a particular course could influence engine and trans temp. If the track is very technical, with few or no long straights, you fluid temp might stay fairly stable. You're throttle limited on light turns, sweepers, slaloms, switchbacks, etc. It's only on the straights where you'd pedal-to-the-metal.

It also depends on your car's HP/TQ output. All Stinger basically run the same torque-converted 8sp auto, so a 2.0T will not drive the tranny as hard - and raise its temp as much - as a 3.3T.

Those 3k oil changes are almost certainly overkill if you're not driving like a maniac (or on the track, dirt roads, etc). At 6k, my Blackstone analyses have shown minimal wear and enough additive package left over they recommended going 8-9k. I don't plan to, but it's good peace of mind.

This is a can of worms, of course. There are a lot more factors than just mileage traveled. For Mrs. Volfy's car, there were times where 3k mile could be an entire year. Under those conditions, I'd change out the oil at less than 3k miles.

Other times, I could run up 3k miles in one long vacation trip, which could be 95% highway cruising with far less cold starts and warmups than the same miles daily commuting. I would lengthen the oil change interval under those circumstances.

Then there are the track days. Some of them I've changed oil right before, then again right after. If it's in the middle of the Summer, I'd swap to a higher viscosity range oil just for the track day.

So, for my cars, very seldom do I ever go simply by mileage. But as I said elsewhere on this forum, every oil change should be done when the oil is still perfectly fit for service. So by definition, every oil change should be done excessively early. There is just no way of knowing exactly WHEN is perfect time for an oil change not to be excessive.

 

[oddball]

Are you running the car on the track? If not, then those mods are a waste of money. The stock oil cooler and trans cooler are plenty for any kind of non-track driving.
Intercooler won't have anything to do with reliability, regardless.

 

[StingerMG]

Have you watched your temps to see if anything is getting high? The JB4 will display intake air temp, coolant, and I believe transmission (but not oil, unless I have it backwards). If you're not tracking your car, there's a good chance that even on very aggressive maps you'll never be on the throttle long enough for temp to be an issue, unless you're in a very hot environment.


Agree with this. I run Map 5 with E30, but 90% of my driving is cruising back roads like an old lady, with short bursts at WOT. I'm sure there's some level of added stress for those brief 20psi rips, but I'd bet the total wear on my car is less than that of an unmodified one that gets the cab driver treatment (half throttle away from every stop sign until it's time to stand on the brakes for the next one).

Those 3k oil changes are almost certainly overkill if you're not driving like a maniac (or on the track, dirt roads, etc). At 6k, my Blackstone analyses have shown minimal wear and enough additive package left over they recommended going 8-9k. I don't plan to, but it's good peace of mind.

I don't track the car, the most I do is some spirited driving and some highway pulls. Things are cooling off but South Carolina gets very hot during the summer, regular 100 plus degree days. I noticed my temps being around 7 to 10 degrees F lower on. I do get the oil
changed every 3k miles (I add Liqui moly CeraTac each change).

 

[oddball]

Then buy stuff for fun, not for reliability, because it won't have anything to do with reliability.
About the only reliability thing is use HKS plugs and get the updated coils with all-rubber boots (if you have the older multi-piece boots).

 

[StingerMG]

Then buy stuff for fun, not for reliability, because it won't have anything to do with reliability.
About the only reliability thing is use HKS plugs and get the updated coils with all-rubber boots (if you have the older multi-piece boots).

Agreed! Enjoy the car, nothing last forever.