Iexcel:
Hi, My name is Tim Zacher. I live out in Seattle, WA. I have a 1991 Hyundai Excel GS Hatchback, 5 speed Manual. As far as the 5 speed goes its outstanding! With the five speed I normally around at about 2500RPM, I can be down to 1500RPM and still have some power, and at 4500RPM It holds there. As hills go, I drive over a steep mountain pass just about ever weekend and I got about 65-70 up the pass. That is mainly in 5th gear and it runs at about 2500RPM up the pass. But if I shift to 4th I'll go up at 3000RPM and I can go 75-85 no problem. My mom has a Suzuki Vitara that is 5 speed auto and it goes up the pass in 4th gear at abou 4500RPM. The excel engine is great for the mountains. I've never gotten close to an overheating problem either. For drag racing my best shift point is 5000RPM, I feel that anything higher doesn't produce enough since my horsepower is low. I don't have a quarter mile time yet. But I have beaten a Honda Civic. The one thing you'll see is the Hyundai will pull off the line fast than the civic but the civic will catch up, thats the superior horsepower it has. One thing about Hyundai's in general is the higher torque over horse power ratio. Stock a Excel has 81HP and 92 lbs of torque. Compared to a Civic of the same year we are a little low. But can be competative. A civic has something like 95hp and 85 lbs of torque if I remember. Hespala a guy that lives in Australia has a X-1 excel and a X-2 excel. X is like generation. Me and you have a X-2. Hespala has his X-1 damn fast! It has a early Mitsubishi Lancer engine with Turbo in it. Very fast! I've heard that NOS might be ok up to 65psi shot in a stock Hyundai Engine. Our engine is really a Mitsubishi engine, Hyundai made its own engine in the Accent when it was made. So if you go to any performance shops don't tell them you have a Hyundai engine. If you want a turbo, my suggestion is get a Hyundai S-Coupe turbo engine, from a junk yard, or someplace like that. The s-coupe engine should be able to bolt in very easily. Other engines, be it mitsubishi, or honda have to be squished in. If you want to add a turbo to the stock motor you have now, you can, but for best performance you'll need to have to sent to a place that specializes in adding more valves. The Excel is a 8 valve engine and a conversion to 12 valve will make a turbo a good investment. If you get it converted to 12 valve then ask some of the Accent guys around here they can help you with a turbo. 150 HP is easy in the engine. As far as cold air intakes go, the Excel is a hard car to work with. The intake has a sensor in it called a MAFS (Mitsubishi Air Flow Sensor), with out it, the engine won't run. I've tried a few ways around it, but all unsuccessful. Some people say upgrade the fuel injection system to the 1994 excel, or go to a Accent Injector, that will change the sensor out. The sensor is like the whole size of the tube, and the airbox is big to get a bigger burst of air (i.e. more torque at first) is you need to know any suspension upgrades, H & R I believe has lowering springs, and so does Intrax I think it is. (Somethine Trax). I'm building my excel to rally it so what I'm doing is getting stiffer shocks and struts. I'll probably order a Shark Racing front strut bar. I'll be putting in 5 point harnessess, wheels and tires. The engine isn't changing much. If I do do anything to it, it will be a engine swap to turbo and a 4wd conversion.
Timothy Zacher
1991 Excel Evo II Rally Project
#346 N
Des Moines, WA