The 86 Returns! : The DDPR FR-S Part 1

The 86 Returns! : The DDPR FR-S Part 1
LEARN MORE AT: http://www.ddperformanceresearch.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=2
After some diabolical group of bean-counters decided to ax the Supra (and later the Celica
and MR2) Toyota entered a long performance dry spell. The release of the FR-S/BRZ platform is
a welcome break to those who thought the brand with the cowboy hat was doomed to an
existence of beige Camry people movers and eco-friendly Priuses (Priusi?...Priusee?). The
long awaited Toyota-Subaru RWD coupe has apparently payed off as the car is generating
massive interest in the aftermarket industry. Everything from bolt on intakes and exhausts
to full turbo systems and engine swaps have cropped up in the year since the car came out.
While there are literally hundreds of reviews touting its “bang-for-the-buck” aspects, DDPR
decided the only surefire way to see what was up with this new car was to snag one of our
own.
So we did.
The virgin stock DDPR FR-S in appropriate virgin stock white.
The 86 Returns! : The DDPR FR-S Part 1
LEARN MORE AT: http://www.ddperformanceresearch.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=2
First things first: the engine is a boxer, but not the “oh, I seem to have lost a bit of my
ear” kind; the good kind. The 2.0L 4 cyl engine (the 4U-GSE or FA20) uses the horizontally
opposed cylinder arrangement that Subaru owners have come to love while integrating
Toyota’s D-4S injection technology that utilizes both direct and port injection.
The 2.0 liter horizontally opposed boxer engine that powers the FR-S/BRZ.
This coupled with a 12.5:1 compression ratio yields a stout 200 hp at 7,000 rpm and
151 lb-ft of torque at 6,000 rpm. The low profile of the boxer engine also affords the ability
to move the engine back and down in the chassis, giving the car a 53/47 weight
distribution. With the six speed transmission and torque sensing LSD, the car has a claimed
0-60 of about 6 seconds and a ¼ of 14.7 seconds. A MacPherson front suspension and
double wishbone rear help keep the car pointed where you want, and the propensity to
understeer is delightfully subdued for a production vehicle (you can throttle oversteer! No
really!).
Some Sunday morning hooning. All joking aside, the FRS has a nicely neutral feel for a factory suspension.
The 86 Returns! : The DDPR FR-S Part 1
LEARN MORE AT: http://www.ddperformanceresearch.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=2
So what’s it like to drive? While the straight line performance isn’t all that
impressive the car handles well. The stock suspension does an excellent job of keeping the
rear planted and manageable, even in “traction control off, oversteer on” situations.
Pivoting the car in a corner is easy and predictable and the feedback from the suspension
and steering is superb. The shifter feel is another welcome surprise, with almost no slop
and a very positive feel during gear changes. After driving the car for a couple hundred
miles though we began to want just a little bit more. While the torque delivery and power
of the little boxer is good (sadly it doesn’t have the header setup from other Subaru
engines, so no wookie-esque exhaust notes) it felt like it had a torque dip somewhere
around 4k, and the overall acceleration just wasn’t as “butt-thrusty” as some of the other
cars around the shop (300hp+ two seater roadsters will do that to you). So what’s an
The interior of our FRS. The layout is simple with the tach and gear indicator front and center.
aftermarket tuning shop with an in-ground dynamometer and a penchant for Toyotas to
do? Yea, tune it. The nice thing about the ECU in the FRS/BRZ is that unlike Toyotas of the
past which have had near-DARPA level encryption for their software, this rendition can be
controlled and tuned via EcuTek. Fortunately, DDPR just happens to be an authorized
EcuTek Dealer with access to their ProECU tuning suite software so tuning the vehicle was
The 86 Returns! : The DDPR FR-S Part 1
LEARN MORE AT: http://www.ddperformanceresearch.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=2
a piece of cake. First things first though, a baseline pull had to be made to see where we
stood in terms of stock power and torque:
The stock dyno pull with fresh oil and break in vs the previous "new car" pull.
We had previously dyno’d the car when we first bought it and obtained the 165 whp/ 137
lb-ft torque result. Not too shabby if you factor in a 15% drivetrain loss. However, a couple
hundred miles later after a “proper” break-in and a fresh oil change, power had climbed to
170 whp and 147 lb-ft of torque; almost exactly what it should be considering the
drivetrain losses.
During tuning some interesting things on how the stock ECU operates were
discovered. This is all explained in detail in the discussion forum concerning this topic here
(there’s also a bit of exhaust and intake filter testing from various manufacturers):
http://www.ddperformanceresearch.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=95
but the short of it is this:
1) The computer allows the engine to produce more power in 5th gear than in 4th.
2) Resetting the ECU and making a dyno pull will result in a higher power reading than
if the ECU had a chance to “relearn” via normal operation or a series of pulls and
rests.
The 86 Returns! : The DDPR FR-S Part 1
LEARN MORE AT: http://www.ddperformanceresearch.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=2
3) The VVT (variable valve timing) of the engine is locked at 0 for a short period of
time immediately after an ECU reset, thus leading to substantially lowered power
figures.
4) The flash from the EcuTek can be altered by the stock ECU which will learn and
adjust itself to minimize knock. For instance, if a flash is performed and low quality
gasoline is put in the car the computer may see knock, learn it, and adjust itself via
its learning strategy at the point where knock occurred in order to prevent it from
happening again. These overlayed, learned values will be erased and the flashed
EcuTek tune fully restored if the ECU is reset.
It’s important that owners of the FRS/BRZ are aware of these facts as an unscrupulous
individual could put on a mediocre product or tune and make it look fantastic simply by
resetting the ECU, letting the VVT unlock and making a single dyno pull in 5th gear.
So how did we do? Well after tuning the VVT and timing for a couple hours we were able to
get a good solid tune to use as a base for further testing. We were also able to gain about 14
whp and 7 lb-ft of torque over the stock ECU flash. Didn’t even have to pick up a wrench….
Our tune increased power and torque across the board with gains at EVERY rpm.
“But what about that torque drop at 4k rpm you were talking about?” you may ask. Well, while we
tried to eliminate this via VVT adjustments we found ourselves limited by the stock hardware. The
The 86 Returns! : The DDPR FR-S Part 1
LEARN MORE AT: http://www.ddperformanceresearch.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=2
good news is we have a pretty good idea on what’s going on and are taking steps to produce a
product to rectify it. Until then you’ll have to stay tuned and wait for part II of project FRS.
…Now where did I put those keys…….
We have the technology. We've made it better, stronger, faster than it was before....
The 86 Returns! : The DDPR FR-S Part 1
LEARN MORE AT: http://www.ddperformanceresearch.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=2
SPECS
VEHICLE
Year/Make/Model:
Chassis:
2013 Scion FR-S
ZN6
Engine
Engine Code:
Displacement:
Bore & Stroke:
Peak Horsepower:
Peak Torque:
Redline:
Block:
Compression Ratio:
Camshafts:
Head:
Intake:
Fueling:
Engine Management System:
Ignition:
Exhaust:
Oil System:
4U-GSE (FA20)
1,998 cc
86mm x 86mm
191 hp
155 ft-lbs
7,400
Stock
12.5:1
Stock
Stock
Stock
Stock
Stock ECU/ EcuTek
Stock
Stock
Stock
Chassis/Drivetrain
Springs F/R:
Shocks F/R:
Additional:
Transmission:
Transmission Gearing (1-6-Final):
Clutch/Flywheel:
Differential:
Axles:
Wheels:
Tires:
Brake Calipers:
Brake Rotors/Pads/Lines:
Stock
Stock
N/A
Toyota RA62
3.626-2.188-1.541-1.213-1.000-0.767-3.437
Stock
Stock
Stock
Stock
N/A
Stock
Stock
Interior
Seats:
Stock
Kit:
Hood, Trunk:
Stock
Stock
Exterior