Exo's '04 Rallycross Aveo SVM

So I'm totally unmotivated at work at the moment, and never did a "My car" thread, so I though I would start one!

Current Setup:

2004 Chevy Aveo SVM 5spd hatchback.

Modifications:

ebay ghettotake SRI.
Slotted/Dimpled front rotors from brakeperformance.com

Goals:

Build a competitive rallycross car as cheaply as possible.

I'd like to RallyX the aveo into the ground, with as few modifications as possible, with the limited mods being focused where they count the most. After it gives out, then I'll decide whether or not I want to put the money into a swap and make a monster car, or move on to something else. The decision will be made on my experiences with the car, as updated in this thread. Hopefully my findings will be useful to others looking at competition with the aveo. My Rally X experiences should carry over mostly to the AutoX crowd.

Must have future mods:

Spare set of wheels and tires.

Preferably 14x5.5 or 15x6, with rally or snow tires. This should have the largest impact on run times. Will likely look at used wheels with the ability to cover the front hubs. I'm currently running on the stock steel wheels, which leaves the center hub exposed. I worry about the impact of dirt and other junk on the wheel bearings. Rally tires are ideal, as it reduces the chance of debeading, but that comes with a significant pricetag.

Suspension.

I'm really all over the place on this one. Should I just replace the worn components and use the KYB excel-G/GR2s... or try to use something else? Coilovers are out of the question. Street setups will be entirely too stiff. Custom built ones will be out of my price range, and overkill for my application. Ideally I want to find a compatible setup from another vehicle. Will the VW MK3's work, if the spring pearch can be removed from the rear shock? Will the front strut and springs work? I want to get a spare set of knuckles to find out, in order to avoid modifying mine for no reason. $$$... looking more like just refreshing the OEM setup with a set of KYBs...

Questionable modifications:

Rear disc conversion.

Is the cost/benefit there? The rear brakes need a refresh. I have the money for shoes, hardware refresh, and resurfacing the drums. I don't have the equipment or fab skills to create the custom carrier, or modify the drum. It would be nice to have the ability to set the brake bias myself, but beyond that I don't know if the conversion would really have that great of an effect on my stage times, or in the correct direction.

Engine Modifications.

The course we use is pretty tight, but not tight enough to justify dropping into first gear. Tight enough to where I can bog the motor in second. I don't want to go near the internals on this engine. Where do I get the low end torque? 4-2-1 header, has anyone ordered from that russian pitstop company, the price is right? AEM CAI with a sock over it?

I would like to find a device so that I can pull RPM telemetry and review it afterwards. This could give me an idea in what RPM range I am the most, and drive my engine modification decisions. Does a scan gauge provide this functionality? It's way out of my price range, especially for the limited usage it would get, so would definitely need to find a loaner.

Chassis Bracing

Again, is the cost/benefit there? Are the strut tower bars worth the premium and would that have a significant impact on stage times? The additional bracing would put me into M2 class, so I'm definitely not considering that, and I would be concerned about them clotheslining objects, which drives me to get skid plates, which means more $$$.

Current Impressions

Overall the car does well in the dirt. It's surprisingly agile, and well mannered. Using left foot braking you can get the car to do what you tell it to in most situations, the only exceptions I have found are mud and ice, where even some 4wd guys would have a hard time finding traction.

On the other end of the spectrum: My biggest problems are low end torque and the suspension. I've found it quicker on start to rev up to 3k and dump the clutch. Sitting and spinning takes less time than bogging the motor. Even at 3k, I can bog the motor even on dirt, this will only get worse with the addition of better tires.

The suspension: I find myself peg legging around some corners (when I happen to be in a good RPM range for torque). I think if I could get better travel and ensure both front tires have good contact with the ground, it would resolve most of this. Currently, Left foot braking helps to mitigate this issue, acting as primitive traction control, but also slowing me down, as I need to stay on the brake longer. I would like to be able to trail off even earlier.

Replace your short ram intake with a longer tube to gain some low rpm torque. Also, make the tube a bit smaller. Just over 2" should work well.

A real annoying thing I find with the Aveo is the lack of pedal feel. The gas pedal is very spongy and hard to dial in rpms while downshifting. I'd like to find a way to tighten it up so it feels more solid. I think the rubber mounts where the cable attaches to the intake manifold need to be replaced with some form of solid clamp. That should really help you with your bogging by giving you more feel.

I definitely wouldn't bother with rear discs. The rear wheels do so little braking IMO its not worth the huge cost.

The tires I'm sure would help you out a ton.

A scangauge will not log data like you want. Something like a gtech might work out for that though.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Daox

Replace your short ram intake with a longer tube to gain some low rpm torque. Also, make the tube a bit smaller. Just over 2" should work well.

A real annoying thing I find with the Aveo is the lack of pedal feel. The gas pedal is very spongy and hard to dial in rpms while downshifting. I'd like to find a way to tighten it up so it feels more solid. I think the rubber mounts where the cable attaches to the intake manifold need to be replaced with some form of solid clamp. That should really help you with your bogging by giving you more feel.

I definitely wouldn't bother with rear discs. The rear wheels do so little braking IMO its not worth the huge cost.

The tires I'm sure would help you out a ton.

A scangauge will not log data like you want. Something like a gtech might work out for that though.

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I agree on the longer/narrower intake. Does anyone know the diameter on the AEM kit? Anyone able to fab one up to the same diameter as the throttle body port, estimates?

I haven't had the issue with the mushy throttle, I've become accustom to it, and in RallyX I'm usually at WOT the whole time.

I tend to agree with the rear discs. A refresh on the drums should suffice.

I checked out the gTech, would give me what I want, but totally out of my price range. If the bug hits me again maybe I can find someone I can borrow one from.

Who had a lot of questions in the first post so i doubt i will address them all at once..

as for the intake, go buy some 2 1/8" exhaust piping. and use it to make an intake. just buy a couple silicone couplers, i bet your whole intake will cost @ $20-30.. plus a filter. I dont know the diameter of the aem kit though.

For chassis bracing, the key from what you said, is you want to run the aveo into the ground. Dont spend money on braces in that case, go buy some tubing, cut it to sizes, (flat edges etc) and weld them in where the really expensive bars would bolt up, or drill holes in them and put bolts through. function over form. Dont buy a bar that looks good for the 150x the cost.

rear brakes, only thing i can say is i have head the aveo rears getting wet cause lots of issues with the pads, so semimetallic pads would solve that, and offer "better" braking. I am working on a rear disk swap next, finished cost on your car depends on the parts you buy, could be finished for as little as $200-250..

as for tires, i am not sure what your needs are, but if you go to a 15" wheel you could run vw bug baja tires. i am guessing from your wheel sizes you posted skinnier is better (for mud i am guessing. not dry packed?)


i dont know about your pedal feel as i have drive by wire.

mk3 struts should work without the spring plate on them, (how they come). I am not sure about how they will work with stock height springs however. i would, if i were you measure your shocks and buy some rancho shocks by length.. even a slightly taller air shock to stiffen and raise the rear?

I have a set of of low mileage front spindles i would be glad to sell you, only thing i am keeping them around for is building the big front brake kit.

What kind of cell phone do you have? what kind of computer do you use? there are "cheap" options for obd2 hook up data logging etc depending on what you have.

good data logging programs for pc will run about $150, rabbit found a cheap one for mac, also works with iphones and other phones as well

aem intake is 2.75-3" wide i think? bigger than what you want though

Love this Post--bookmarking and following! I'm no racer (Especially after having strokes) but my '05 SVM does see a lot of dirt roads and snow/ ice. :)

with cross country rally you need height I would stick with the use the KYB excel-G/GR2s shocks and maybe the airbag in the back.