Nope very common despite the level of hp or install. Design flaw + it's a characteristic of Vortech blowers. It seems if the belts aren't perfectly lined up and tight as hell, it slips. It also seems that the mounting plates from Stillen are not always 100% true. So again inherent belt misalignment problems. I've been reading about sc related problems for more than a few years now.

True and it happens regardless of car. But problems happen to the most experienced of tuners also. More than one big time tuner of FI'd Gs and Zs have torn up their VQ35 engines.

I believe they are. Why? Because you are asking an NA engine to operate on postive pressure vs vacuum. Because you are asking an engine to handle 150% to 200% more hp than it was designed. Because you are asking engine parts designed around NA strength to handle boosted pressures.


Some of it is. But ALOT of it applies to the G and Z. I didn't know all SC and turbo kits for the G and Z fit perfect and work perfect. I think they don't as seen by the multiple blown VQ35 motors I've read about.

IMHO the VQ35 is relatively fragile and finicky animal. Once you start skirting the line right where the injectors are going static and the MAF runs out of voltage, you WILL have problems. ANY tiny problem + the absolutely no room for error = a blown engine. Hell I've read about VQ35s running low boost and still getting hurt. THAT scares me.

 

I'm scared to go FI on my stock block as well. Even if I had enough money to do a kit+install+tine.

As for the belt issues, I met a guy recently with a vortech on his coupe. He used a belt for a smaller pulley and stretched that sucker out. IIRC, he's been like that for over 20k miles without a single problem with his unit.

My point is that the problems that Dave mentioned, like how the car drives, rides, smoothness, noise, etc, all of those issues apply to the NA world as well. Example: I really want some test pipes. I don't want to spend a fortune on labree or fast intentions. I could go with megan. But I've spent enough time around the forums to know that megan pipes have problems. Now, should I extrapolate the problems with that particular brand to problems with test pipes in general? Or should I extrapolate even further into problems with exhausts in general? No. I'm intelligent enough to discern the differences.

 

You have to realize even the biggest NA mod mistake most likely won't cost you an engine. Even a minor or mild mistake on a SC/Turbo engine could cost you an engine very easily.

The bottom line is, if you want to play, you gotta pay. You can see it many ways. If you want the hp, you gotta pay. If you want big FI hp on a NA engine, you gotta put up with all the minor issues that go along with it.

I suspect that is the reason you see very few factory backed FI packages. The only one that comes to mind is TRD's SC for Toyota. But those SCs feature pretty low boost.

 

I agree that many cars do not have the aftermarket support that some do, ... making it very difficult to have a PnP solution to aftermarket FI, ... but that doesn't mean it can not be done, ... nor does it mean that some cars will not have an abundance of support making the job that much easier.

There are many manufacurers going begining to go with factory FI options on new models, ... why? b/c the technology is there to support it more than ever, and the power hungry market of today needs that 'easy power'.

All of the issues you mentioned about SC's are the very reasons I would never choose to go that route. To me, ... a turbo system makes just more sense in general, i've thought that ever since i was a kid.

And there are many more options available today as far as engine management goes too, ... you don't have to pay an arm and leg for a decent EM that will work well into the 500 HP range, ... plus you can use many of them on any car, regardless if factory FI or not. Granted there are not PnP solutions for everything, ... but it doesn't get much easier than installing a Split Second FTC of EU.... both of which will work well for the majority.
All of that makes it a bit easier Not to make a mistake, or have a mishap, "IF" people would just make sure they are getting a GOOD Tune. It's why HKS, APS and others will only alow 'authorized' dealers tune their stuff, ... they're 'trying' to ensure that safe tune.

like you said though, ... if you want to play, you've got to PAY.
IMO, anyone looking to save money while modding is in the totally wrong mindset to be doing it in the first place. They should stick to body kits and neon lights. lol

 

off topic, ... but what is this about?? Did he get kicked off the board or something???

 

You just stated much better what I was trying to get across in my responses to Dave and Jeff. I was attempting to disconnect the false correlation between going FI on an NA application and the maturity of kits/the aftermarket as a whole.

 

This is probably better suited for a different thread, but one thing I like about s/c kits in general is the basic simplicity. In the interest of full disclosure, I've never owned a car with either a turbo or s/c kit(factory, or stock), so in many ways I don't know what I'm talking about. But I just get the "feeling" that a kit like the stillen(minus the hood) and the vortech are inherently simpler designs.

 

I'll just state this then. Go with a very mild FI setup = reasonably easy and should have no big problems with drivability.

Go big into the HP range (I guess the high 300/400ph+ WHP) where you need to run bigger fuel injectors, different MAF and the chances of drivability issues cropping up goes up greatly. Possible? Sure. Difficult? You bet.

 

Well said!

 

Read up on the JWT kit. It's out of the box setup doesn't deliver huge power; I've seen numbers in the 360 to 380 range. It retains the stock injectors; I don't know about the fuel pump. From 3rd party reviews, it seems to be extremely "stock-like". And I don't know how it's tuned; if it uses the MAF or a MAP sensor; it uses a SS box IIRC.