Me and Automotive World

Yup, kali ni aku menulis dalam bahasa melayu... kenapa? mungkin sebab kerajaan menyeru penggunaan bahasa melayu, dan mungkin jugak sebab aku rasa nak tulis dalam bahasa melayu... dan ini la permulaan penulisan aku dalam bahasa melayu.

Permulaan, dalam kehidupan mesti ada permulaan, tak kire ape jenis permulaan, dari kita lahir, itu permulaan kita dilahirkan, tak bererti ia satu permulaan hidup, kita mula belajar bergerak, mula belajar merangkak, berjalan dan bercakap, semua itu permulaan, adakah ia berkesudahan? dan bila kita boleh katakan sesuatu permulaan itu berakhir?

Sedar tak sedar semua permulaan kita dah tempuh, tak kurang aku... aku mula masuk tadika, mula masuk sekolah rendah, mula masuk sekolah menengah, mula masuk kolej. Semua tu permulaan untuk proses pembelajaran. Aku ingat aku masuk kolej, dah habis kolej, permulaan tu berakhir, tapi permulaan utk pembelajaran aku terus bergerak ke arah yang lagi rumit. Apa yg lebih rumit dari matematik dan fizik tu?

Kehidupan, ye, sesuatu yang kita tak pernah mampu huraikan, yang kita sering tersalah langkah. Dan tak kurang jugak ade yang jatuh tersembam dan terus mengorek lubang kubur sendiri menuju ke neraka. Imbas kembali, sejauh mana korang berjalan. Dari kecik, kita dibimbing dengan penjaga, tak kire la sape pun, kalau yg takde mak ayah pun mesti ade bimbingan jugak, kalau tak ,tak hidup sampai sekarang. Masuk je alam persekolahan, penjaga kita dibantu oleh guru2 di sekolah. Tak kurang juga kawan2 yang baik atau yang buruk. Yang telah mempengaruhi kita. Tapi sedar tak sedar, ade lagi satu garis panduan dan pembimbing yang sedia membantu kita, cuma kita tak teringin nak tau atau nak faham. Kita selalu je baca, atau mungkin tak pernah baca, atau pernah baca masa kecik, kite jugak tau ape dia. ape itu? Al-Quran!

Yeah, bukan nak berdakwah di sini, tapi kalau korang peka, itu adalah garis panduan terbaik untuk diri sendiri. Aku pun bukanlah orang2 warak, tapi jika difahamkan ape yang tertulis di dalam kitab tersebut, ia akan banyak membantu anda. percayalah.

Berbalik kepada permulaan tadi. Permulaan aku bermula sebaik sahaja tamat satu cerita, satu cerita sedih yang aku maksudkan. Aku bukanlah antara orang yg bernasib baik dalam dunia, mungkin orang lain banyak lagi yg tak bernasib baik, tapi aku ade cerita aku sendiri, aku dah jatuh, tersungkur beberapa kali, ape yg buatkan aku tak serik2 dan terus berlari? sedangkan orang yg baru je tersungkur akan berjalan perlahan2 dulu sebab takut terjatuh lagi? bagi aku kalau aku terus berlari, kalau aku jatuh tersungkur dan tak larat nak lari, aku mampu berjalan dengan lebih yakin esok lusa, jadi selagi aku masih mampu, aku akan berlari!

Panjang tak mukadimah aku? dah name topik pun 'Permulaan yang panjang' memang panjang la kan? kat sini baru la cerita aku nak mula!

Cerita yang menarik bagi aku bermula setelah aku tersungkur tahun lepas... waktu tu aku 3 minggu bersendirian sebab ade masalah. Terfikir la ape nak jadi dengan aku lepas habis blaja nanti. Ape yang aku nak buat sebenarnye? aku tau ape yg aku minat, tapi kalau aku belajar dalam bidang automotif, tak semestinya aku jadi mekanik atau duduk di bengkel tak kire la sebagai sales advisor, service advisor atau ape je yang ade kat bengkel? Ape yang aku nak buat? Aku mula cari ape pekerjaan yang sesuai, mula merancang strategi aku, dan muhasabah diri aku balik, ape yang aku nak. setelah berhari2 berfikir sorang2 kat rumah tu, aku fikir balik, ape yang founder tuning company kat jepun tu buat, takkan la aku nak wujudkan satu bengkel dengan kereta laju? pandai ke aku? jadi aku setkan matlamat aku seterusnya untuk jadi macam tuner2 tu, tanpa aku sedari aku sendiri masih keliru degnan keputusan aku.

Sebulan selepas aku memencilkan diri, aku kembali melepak dengan kawan2, masa tu dekat kolej bulan 12 2008. Keadaan aku pun dah stabil, luka2 parah yang tak nampak pun dah hilang, aku lebih waras dari aku yang beberapa minggu yang lalu. Kwn2 aku selalu sangat tanye pasal kereta kat aku, aku pun selalu jadi free consultant, pengalaman 4 tahun dlm sukan bermotor aku bukan sesuatu yang sia2, lambat grad kolej pasal bende2 ni la ni.

Hari demi hari kerja aku sebagai consultant free dah macam kerja sepenuh masa, aku ajar teori dan praktikal pada kawan2 aku, seorang demi sorang aku ajar,soalan dari mudah ke rumit aku jawab, dan kadang2 sampai menguji logik akal aku sebab aku dah tinggalkan dunia kereta aku untuk jangkamasa 3-4 bulan waktu tu. Dari huruf A aku mulakan, memang cukup jauh aku nak sampai ke Z, tibe2 datang lagi seorang bertanyakan aku soalan A, maknanya aku kene mulakan balik dari awal untuk terangkan dia! Dengan tiba2 terkeluar sesuai dari mulut aku. 'Aku kene tubuhkan kelab untuk korang la..'


-bersambung...

First it born as Ferrari F430, an upgrade version of 360, then it has a name, Scuderia which been a better Ferrari. And here comes another 430 from Hamann, 'The Black Miracle'. It has extra 50 horsepower make it jump from 490 horsepower to 540. It also receive a new suspension and aerodynamic kits, lightweight wheels from Hamann and a new leather. It's black and its a miracle!

This is computer generated proposal made from someone called GRID, a refining shape from impreza version 10. An idea for the next Impreza. Too low for a rally car? but it looks better.

Touge, drifting and autocross, this 3 games is a choice for a high revver. This 3 require a skilled driver and well tuned car. Its all about a sharp corners. But what about rally? and circuit racing? Both rally and circuit has a corner, but they dont need a high revver to complete the race. Rally is a racing that require a very high torque, an instant power. Sometimes you brake too much, and you need alot of power to push back your car. Your engine speed will always running up and down and the track is very long. And circuit racing depends on your strategy, and setup. The race may go for hours. You need a very stable engine which has less stress.

But touge, drifting and autocross born from the street racing. The race take only few minutes, less straight means you dont need your top speed. So you can set up your machine to the max. These machine are build with very small torque but big horsepower. The engine has no output on low RPM. How to drive this machine? Drive them like you dont need a brake. Of course you will step on the brake pedal while racing, but not to slow down the car, but to transfer the weight.

Still cant figure it out difference between touge/drift and rally/circuit racing? try 3 different track, a small street with sharp corners, a highway with alot of curves, and a very slippery surface such as sandy road with curvy and uneven condition. and try your car on this 3 different track. and please, do it at your own risk.

Naturally aspirated engine or NA engine stand for engine which has no forced induction such as Turbocharged or supercharged. This type of engine depend 100% on the engine to suck all the air to provide a better Volumetric Efficiency.

Most super car like Ferrari and Lamborghini use NA engine for their car. NA engine usually rev higher than forced induction engine. This type of engine is more complicated. 5 valve per cylinder, very high compression, short stroke engine are the criteria for NA engine. Some manufacturer playing with NA engine for a quite long time such as Honda. Honda are well known with their v-tec engine. A Variable Valve timing electronic control. It use both electronic and mechanical thingy to switch their 2 camshaft. Mitsubishi motor comes with such a system called MIVEC (Mitsubishi Innovative Variable Valve Timing Electronic Control). And Toyota with their VVT-i system. These Japanese car manufacturer are not alone. A German car manufacturer called BMW has their own style of variable valve timing system called VANOS. Why these people wasting time playing with NA engine while we can easily gain more power from forced induction? The answer is the response of NA engine.

If you ever heard a v-tec from any Honda civic type R, Honda Integra or NSx, your definitely love the sound. Or maybe a sound coming out from drifting ae86 which has converted to AE111 engine. Or perhaps, engine sound from M3 and M5 car. All these car has the sound that will make any car lover cried.

Sadly I cant afford any variable valve timing engine. Not right now, so I guess im just happy with my NA engine without variable valve timing. I love to tackle a corner, and NA engine is perfect for me so i can rev high without worrying too much since NA engine is a high end engine. Any short stroker NA are born to rev as high as possible, BUT term and condition must be apply!

Hi there, Im still here. Yeah, and I still with my friend who 'talks about cars'. On the weekend, I usually hang out with those guy. We don't really had a good plan but we try to have a great time. We hangout and drink a coffee at night. We gather a small group and calling everyone who want to join us and set a new meeting place. The fun begin when we moving from a point to another. Some people called, 'racing' but we actually having fun with our cars and friend. And my advice is... please, dont try that on the road! We drive at full speed like a mad bee chasing each other but we not really chasing each other. Using the maximum lane on the highway and changing lane like nobody cares... yes, thats what we love to do.

Highway and sharp corner is really different thing. Again I realize my car is not good enough, this time, on the highway. Why I can keep up with them on the small road and sharp corner, but i cant get closer on the highway? changing lane and drive on the straight lane is easier but its something that my car cannot do.

Back to my car setup, its an automatic transmission. a 4 speed transmission with 1.5liter dohc engine producing 115bhp. People will ask me why automatic? The only transmission my parent allow me to use so i wont go racing. Automatic gearbox made for a city life, and nice cruising. But i use them to tackle a sharp corner and chasing cars on the highway. basically, im not using the gearbox the way it should. Forget the gearbox.. the power. why i dont have the power? at least The power of 115bhp can take me to the highway.

Again with advice from a friend, i redo my exhaust setup. Now with a bigger piping size, and n new catalytic converter, I now spent total RM800 for my exhaust system. I'm upgrading my air filter with HKS hybrid drop in air filter hoping the car can breath better.

Trying my luck on the highway alone, I notice I lost a big power on the low end... feeling disappointed i never rev higher. For me, this setup has gone wrong. Until i saw 2 car chasing each other, I feel like i want to join them. So i step on the gas pedal harder, and notice a big power coming when the tachometer reach 4500rpm. Now it goes better on the highway then before. But i lost the low end power and i have to rev higher every time i need that power.

So what just happened to my car? A change of power band perhaps. OK, here is our first lesson. Car has 2 power, called torque and Horsepower. Torque is a power of pulling. and horsepower is something like stamina. Imagine theres a two guy, a big guy tough guy and athletic man. Both riding the same mountain bike. At the first, the big guy speeding and left the athletic man behind, he start with big gears, but he maintain his speed and get slower after a few minutes. The athletic man, he start with small gear, and slowly change the gear with a constant cycle. He didn't use too much of his power but he just ride constantly.

In this case, the big guy has a lot of torque, but the athletic guy has more horsepower. The big guy can carry alot of weight, and pulling the heavy gear easily because he is strong. but the athletic man only can carry a small weight, but he go faster because he constantly cycle the bike and keep on cycle. The big guy exhaust faster than the athletic man, but if the big guy racing while climbing a hill, he will win, because he climb faster. but on the straight surface, he don't need such a power. What he need is a stamina. That is what going on to my car, I sacrifice my torque to gain more horsepower. At the low RPM, the car has very little horsepower but after 4500rpm, the power taking over and pull me hardly.

While Im doing a windows shopping at zerotohundred.com, the Malaysian automotive biggest trade center, I attracted to a front suspension. A Mitsubishi Evolution 3 front suspension which cost me RM300 per pair. Seeing the very cheap price make me forget about buying a new wheel. I called the person, and later I had a new suspension on my car. Super stiff suspension.

Fow a few week, I was happy with the new suspension. It stiff, it grip well, It helps me alot to go faster on the corner except on the bump. The suspension is too stiff, driving on the speed bump is like hitting a curb for me. And later i found, this suspension wont help me if the road is bumpy, my car like jumping-jumping on the road. I suffer a back ache, really hurt until i had to see the doctor and physiotherapists. A friend told me, stiffness is not everything. The suspension is stiff because my car and my engine is lighter then lancer evo3. Plus, the suspension is not a stock suspension for the car.

With the little advice, I start to survey for a new suspension. Eibach is very confortable but stiff, the only problem is, on that time, they have no lowered spring. I want my car to go abit low than stock, so i pass. Plus Eibach cost me around RM1000 for a set of spring.

APM adjustable, quite cheap. RM1200 with one year warranty. A friend told me it wont help me alot due to my driving style. And the after the warranty finish, the absorber might need service. cost me rm600 for full service. I guess i cant afford that.

GAB adjustable, tasted on my friend car. Not really comfortable but it helps alot at the corner. Cost me RM1600. But again, i cant afford that.

My search end up with a monroe sensatrac front absorber, monroe reflex rear absorber, and sparco sport lowered spring. A combination of a heavy duty and long lasting absorber and a lowered sport spring. Why Monroe? Many people told me it long lasting and quite comfortable. And Sparco? because it lowered and cheaper then tein or cusco. I dont know why im not choosing GAB spring. I dont trust them perhaps.

And yeah, this time i really satisfy. My new suspension setup which is comfortable and stiff. Now i had a fun and faster ride no matter how the road surface was.

Losing is something people dont want to talk about. But Its a fact, i lose easily to that guy. He pass me like im not speeding at all, every sharp corner makes more distance. I wonder how the hell he can beat me with the same car but 2 or 3 times faster in the dark night.

Knowing that there is a problem with my engine, i was thinking to just overhaul it. Too many leaking on the engine and the gearbox. Cost estimated is RM2000. But change my mind after i saw a Mitsubishi 1992 lancer 1.5 twincam engine selling at rm2500. 4g91 engine code, 4 speed automatic transmission, I get a new dashboard, meter panel, digital aircond, and the whole set of engine, wiring, transmission, brake and suspension.And another thing i know for sure that i just get a horsepower increase from 89bhp to 115bhp. It took 3 days to convert the engine. Done it in my college workshop. I dont know how to express the feeling when i saw a twincam engine under my hood.



The engine was too smooth for a 1992 engine. doing 140kmh is just like driving 80kmh. But i just realize i need a new suspension for the new speed and a new exhaust setup since the muffler cant take the pressure anymore.Buying a new muffler without changing the piping size cost me RM300 for twin tip Pro-1 muffler. Very bassy sound but not too loud. Planning to change the whole exhaust system but my pocket wont allow me to do so. So I have to satisfy myself with the muffler. There is no change in performance but now the stock car had a little sound.

My journey from college to my house had a little fun with the increase of a little power, but I start to notice I going slower in the corner. Actually im not going slower, but I feel like I am. Maybe because Im going faster on the straight road and hit the brake pedal alot then before. Im going faster but still the same speed as before at the corner. Suspension or tire? I still cant figure it out. On that time I was planning to get a new wheel, a 15 inch wheel. Downgrading to 15 inch so perhaps I can afford a better tire. Maybe the only solution for me.

Almost a year I own a car, and the only modification i does is the wheel, change the wheel from the heavy 15 inch wheel to Ace cyclone 16 inch wheel. But with ordinary Silverstone kruizer 1 tire. If you ever heard about Initial D movie, try to watch the 4 season cartoon. You might learn a lot about cars. As I do, on semester 2 I drive from my house to my college, it took almost 15-20 minute driving, and the road are not straight line. More like Mount Akina from initial D. Too many sharp corners and sometime hairpin.



It took 20 minute from my house to college, and 20 minutes to go back, i decide to go class as early as 7am, and go back as late as I can. I dont want to miss anything that happen in the college. So almost everyday I go home at 12pm-2am. There is no street light along the way, not until I reach my home area. So the road which hard to drive become harder when my high beam light just like a small like to me. Dark and quiet, all I see around is tree and darkness.

For a first few week, the road and the darkness scare me a bit. but when i getting used to it, I think I love it! You gonna love it when you can drive faster and faster on the road which had too many sharp corner in the dark. And tomorrow when you drive it in the morning, with crystal clear day you can drive even faster than the night. You practicing in the dark night then you can apply on the day.

I'm going faster every day and night. It was fun! Yes it was until one night I driving quite fast at the corner, suddenly comes another car from behind, which i wira aeroback easily pass me at the corner. How stable the car was, no bending on the body, and no sound from the tire. The car might not using 100% of its ability to pass me. And the driver really know what type of driver i am.

My first semester in my college dint really teach me about car. Ive learn Physics, Mathematics, Chemistry and the other boring subject that may disappoint everyone who really curious about cars. Nobody tells me that those subject are really useful for tomorrow, I think the lecturer never figure it out that those subject for my future. They just teach me because they have to. And they get paid by teaching us. And we never realize we really need to understand the boring subject before we take a step into more complicated world.

Until the next semester, the semester 2 begin. Still got boring subject such as math, physics, and chemistry. Engineering drawing is fun. Giving me idea how to draw better perspective. But I cant wait to attend an Automotive Engines class. There i met someone who i can really discuss about cars. His name is Mr. Thomas.

An old and fun guy, what he do is making people laugh, but he is better in making people understand. As the subject called Automotive engine, we learn a basic about cars engine. Every time we talk about engine, there are some imagination will pop out, and it was piston and valve. But what do we know about engine? If you used to V8 engine, you probably imagine a big engine with 8 piston and V block. If you driving a Japanese car, an image of Turbine, or maybe v-tec engine will pop-up. and definitely a 2.0 liter or 1.6 liter engine. In Malaysia, student like us can only afford small car or national car which most of them are below 1.6 liter. So we only imagine an inline 4 engine with a displacement of 1.3 or 1.5 engine because it the only engine we can afford to touch and look at it.

But this old guy keep telling us about the old day vehicle. The 1982 Toyota corolla, or the old mini. Most of them are carburetor, Single Overhead engine, below 1.5 engine and very little horsepower and ugly looks. Our first impression is.... Yes! its boring. but until he tell us about how he race the car, how he modified the boring car so it can go faster. Webber? what is webber? have u ever heard about it? Its the old day story, your grandfather story I guess. No turbocharge? no supercharge? a drum brake? wheres the hell is Brembo 6 pad calipers? The old days really weird but the fun has just started.

Dont act like you know everything and dont always think you always right. Some people might know better than you, but he just keep it in mind and share it with someone who really can take it. So be humble and always pretend like you know nothing at all.

I maybe know how to drive fast, but i realize i dont really have too many friend to share my experience, to discuss about car. So what did i do? I go on to internet and start searching the car forum in Malaysia. I've join few Malaysia forum, most of them seems very normal, they discuss about car, what is the best car for this purpose, what engine can be fitted in this car, which place can they hangout... but there is one unusual forum. They talk alot about modification, not just a normal modification, its a discussion about power band, torque, horsepower, how to setup your car for a certain purpose, suspension setup, engine management system, exhaust setup and tire and braking system. For a beginners, I'm stunned! the first forum i ever found which discuss seriously about car performance.

Hangout with those guy has open my eyes to a new world. Our first meeting they already tell me how small an 89bhp cars is. while im doing 150kmh on the highway, they easily pass me and disappear from my eyes, very nice control of their car, good response, I never see such behavior of a car like those before! And when i talk back to those people, i start to realize how stupid i was before. Driving a stock car with a stock setup but try to run it like a track machine everyday. I spent nothing but they spent thousand of their money just to get faster but safer. The engine was build just to maintain the high speed, the chasis full of strut bar to minimize the bending of their car, the suspension.. it was fully adjustable suspension and the braking system, fitted with vacuum modification and quality brake pads that i never heard. And they still telling me the car is not good enough for 200kmh.


Join any car forum and involve with their meeting. You may learn alot about your passion on your vehicle, your driving style and what suit you the best. Before you start anything, join any club or forum and have more friends. Theres alot of car forum and club with different purpose. some prefer body styling, some prefer drag racing, some playing with sharp corners, some are for drifters, and theres a club for enthusiast. For someone who concentrate on something else like turbo enthusiast, or vtec enthusiast, or car manufacturer or car model itself. Which one suits you? performance? bodywork? or enthusiast? you choose!

18 years old, quite a small number of age to own a car. At this age, some maybe over confident to drive faster and more dangerously. They will drive recklesly, trying to get ahead of everyone just to show off. I get my first car at this age. 1999 Proton Wira aeroback with automatic transmission. Originally Mitsubishi lancer 1992 chasis, stock 1.5 SOHC engine, stock suspension, and 16 inch 205/45/R16 wheel . Just like most of those people who had their first car at the young age, i feel very proud!

Driving almost every night wasting 5 liter of petrol a day, the only thing I do when i got my car and driving license. My speedometer always stay above 100kmh on the road, driving recklessly, changing lane from right to the middle to the left to the right again and keep on changing whenever i saw a car in front of me just to stay ahead of them. Taking corner without knowing my car limit, revving the engine like i don't need the engine for tomorrow,its a normal thing for a young blood to have fun.


Driving a car is an exciting activity for us, a new driver. Without thinking anything coming, we drive like the road has never end. Enjoy your driving, but please drive safely. And dont you dare to disturb others by doing something annoying on the road. One thing you must remember, no matter how good your driving skill is, you never good enough to reach professional level. Because professional driver never drive to faster, they just profesional.

Hi there, welcome to my blog or should I say welcome to my life. Im not telling you about my life, but about me and the automotive world from my perspective. Well, who am I to tell you about automotive world? an engineer? professional racer? tuner? car maker? Sorry to disappoint you, im just an ordinary guy who's new in this automotive world. Not really new, been here for few years but still a newbie! So why the hell you should read my blog? This blog is from beginners for beginners, if you interested to join automotive world, read this and you might learn something so you wont wasting your time doing the thing iv been doing for the past few years.

Before i start telling you about my automotive life, let me introduce myself so i wont become an unknown to all of you. I was born in November 1987, so theoritically I am 21 years old. Born and lived in a country called Malaysia located in the ASIA, a country where a car manufacturer called PROTON (perusahaan automobil nasional) was born. I start to love car at the age of 14 when I play a Playstation game called Gran Turismo. I found car is very interesting when i buy, modify, the car get fast and easy to lose control, and choosing a different car for a different track is a must. Just like I just jumping into a new big world which I must participate. GT Japan championship is the only race I never missed. For me, watching a Formula 1 race is so damn boring. I love GT Japan and WRC better. My first dream car is Toyota Supra RZ. For the 14 years old kid, i attracted by the shape and their performance. In Gran Turismo game, it suprisingly fast and easy to add the horsepower, with a little upgrade it gain a big horsepower but it became wilder and harder to control. But again, for a 14 yr old kid i don't give a damn about the stability, i just race and hit here and there and win the race. I become exited when i saw Toyota Supra in GT Japan championship always win the race. For me, Toyota Supra is the best car ever without understanding it weakness and advantage.

Growing at the age of 16 years old, I still don.t understand what is a car. But I fall in love to another car, it was Nissan Silvia S15 as i seen in Gran Turismo 2, the Daishin Silvia. Knowing that i cant afford the both supra and silvia, i attracted to Malaysia nasional car call PROTON PUTRA, the first sport car from proton. It looks more like Silvia but it based from Mitsubishi Mirage, and it quite affordable. I had a friend who own Proton Wira. The original engine is 1.5 liter SOHC carburator who converted the engine to 1.8 liter DOHC turbocharged from 1992 Mitsubishi Lancer. Jumping from 79bhp to 170bhp is a massive decision, and sitting inside a 170bhp instead of 79bhp car is shocking. Shocked by a big power change i become exited to own my very own car.

At the age of 17, I receive my first bike. It was SUZUKI FXR 150. 150cc, and 20bhp, kinda big bike for beginner who knows nothing about bike and car. I cant even name the part of the bike beside the tire. Every time I go to the workshop I keep asking every part from the bike. So I know which is the carburator, engine block, cylinder head, camshaft, sprocket, timing chain and the important thing is, i start learning the powerband, the pickup, mid range, top speed, what is high revving engine, how to tackle a corner and every other thing that u cannot find in the manual or even the wikipedia. Something that people cannot explain briefly how it works! the beauty of automotive world!



I get my first car when I start my college at the age of 18. It was 1999 Proton WIRA 1.5 SOHC fuel injection. 89BHP with automatic transmission. Of course it not a fast car, owned by my mother before me. Oh yeah, I go to college to study a Diploma in Automotive engineering... and there my story began....