The Eclipse RS is one of the most popular Mitsubishis on the road today. With many people opting for the radical new styling (as compared to the previous generations of Eclipse) but not wanting to pay the sticker price or the insurance liability for the turbo models, one can find the normally aspirated Eclipse RS around every turn and in every parking lot across the nation.
The EngineThe 420A-it's the motor that Mitsubishi forgot. Well, sorta. The Little Engine That Could has long been pushed out of the limelight, relegated to stage right by the performance numbers of its big-brother engines (namely the 4G63 turbocharged motor). But with a median-level factory horsepower rating, 130 lb-ft of torque, and two liters of displacement, there is plenty to work with and plenty of room for improvement.
Performance ComponentsEveryone's favorite power adders, the intake and the exhaust system, make their debut here in the first part of our Power Pages session. The next logical step in the upgrade series would be a header to complement the faster and more voluminous air flow gained with the intake and exhaust.
Our intake of choice is the AEM Cold Air Intake. The tubing for the intake is constructed of lightweight aluminum, lighter than most comparably-sized plastic intakes on the market today. All of the connections from the tube to the mounting brackets are TIG welded for maximum strength, even under the most extreme of engine flexing conditions. The tube length and diameter are matched to each vehicle's specific rpm and powerband to extract the maximum horsepower and torque throughout. The specialized powdercoating on the tube facilitates easy cleaning and protection from the elements and comes in a choice of three finishes to match your other underhood accessories.
The exhaust tested comes to us complements of A'PEXi in the form of their World Sports system. According to A'PEXi, the World Sport series is designed with a real-world daily driver in mind. Styling and ride comfort converge with performance and a street-driven engineering ethic to produce the complete cat-back system, and the end result looks good. Made with a polished stainless steel muffler canister and piping coated with a high-tech anti-corrosive paint, the system is sure to last under the extreme conditions it is subject to in the vehicle's undercarriage.
GReddy's stainless steel header also makes its appearance underneath the hood of our test vehicle. Each GReddy header is engineered with car-specific runner lengths to insure maximum performance gains. The header primaries are large to allow the best exhaust pulse discharge without losing valuable low-end torque, but are also kept within certain parameters to prevent exhaust gas reversion, caused by primaries that are too large for the engine's output. Flanges are cast and then welded to the mandrel bent runners and the final product is polished to brilliant shine. The header is separated into two pieces to facilitate installation ease and bagged with the appropriate gaskets, nuts, and bolts.
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