I would not get the TT unless u have connections in either getting it smogged or having the kit taken off and on without a cost. U will get pulled over especially in LA. I would stay with the vortech and once u have the $$$ to do a built motor u can ezly make 450+ with the T trim kit without slippage.

 

To the non-cali guys.. it wasnt that big of a deal before.. but a lot of my customers here in socal are getting checked. Some cities are looking out for modded cars and these guys KNOW what modded is. Friend with an EVO just got a ref ticket for some misc junk like BOV, intake, larger FMIC x.x

The cars not staying blue.. its going to a cleaner less O.O color but never the less it runs 325 on giant 20s.. it draws some attention..

JWT has the win so far because I'll be spending about the same amount to get what I want.. vs the vortech already at its peak with not much to gain around +400.. and the JWT kit without modfiications can get me where I want right now. Plus the JWT kit IMO is quieter then the vortech and if driven correctly its actually stealthier and with some covers you shouldnt be able to see anything but the air filter up top..

soo that does it.. JWT kit =DD just gotta finish up my body work and the next question is should I tear down the engine? IMO if I'm paying labor to do cams, springs, shim kit then I might as well go the extra step of finishing the bottom end..

Hector when are you free lets meet up.. whens the next meet in your area? =P

 

Even a T-trim will stand out like a sore thumb if you get pulled over. All depends on how stealth you want to go.

 

JWT TT modded back to a SINGLE black intercooler.. SMOG is NP I know of lots of places to SMOG =P..

THe problem with a 450whp SC is that it sounds like a jet about to take off at idle.. =\ vs a 400whp TT with a mild exhaust would be =))

I'm dumping:
Kenstyle Rear - Chargespeed Rear
Seibon TS Hood - OEM or chargespeed
TS Front - Custom
FI - Exhaust with TI tips - motordyne? or borla.. something with a friendly looking tip
Lambo Blue - A type of black

Adding front plate to the next bumper and I'm dumping blacked out tails

- Eric

 

how would it stand out? it looks the same as the stock one just bigger :0

no one would no unless u tell them.

 

ya the jet noise is a little loud but once u get use to it it sounds normal to me, lol. Also if u add a filter to the bpv it quiets it about 30%

 

wow this is the prefect thred. im in the same possition exept im inbetween a greddy tt and vortech. I really like Hexxums comments and can see how he is right in everyway.

 

dang i want to see how your car turns out..

 

I was going through the same thought process. I'll end up doing either a Vortech or HKS sc later on in the year. Leaning toward HKS right now.

 

honestly eric i think that you should go with the JWT setup because for the amount of $$ that you will be spending to go FI, later on down the line you have ALOT more possibilities as far as the power is concerned . Also you mentioned that you wanna keep your car somewhat stealthy lol so then i would have to take your side on the JWT setup for that. Its definately possible to get 400whp with a Vortech but yet again with you mentioning how you want your car to be that doesn't seem possible( quiet, power, stealthiest..etc..) i mean the only reason i am going with a ST setup is because with a vortech i can't get the power i will WANT after i get used to the FI, also it will be somewhat more ''quieter'' than the vortech.
SO to sum it up JWT ftmfw and never look back bro

 

This is the exact same dilemma I came across in the beginning of this year and I went with the JWT because of defective blowers that Vortech provided with the kits. I'm not sure if they blowers are still going out, but that was a serious problem a few months back for recent Vortech owners.

With that said, the JWT is a very, very complete kit...only if your car is bone stock (absolutely no breather mods). You can run the JWT FMU with the SS-box fine, and you will generate 6.8psi and make around 350-370whp. You should also just dump the Walboro 190lph pump that the kit comes with and just go with the 255lph, you will end up upgrading later. I had the plenum spacer, stillen td, and test pipes and I generated 8psi. The stock injectors were running out of fuel at the top end so I had to upgrade to 550cc. And I did not stick with the ss-box, you should dump that ASAP, and go with at minimum the Turbo XS Utec. I have the Utec, and I actually regret not dishing out the cash and going with the FCon Vpro from the start. Also, with your intercooler question, you can just get the 350z kit and it will be one big intercooler in the middle. With these mods, I hit 400whp and 370whp on the stock block at 8psi. GTM's thread should be in here somewhere. You can upgrade the turbos later to the 700bbs if you want more power, only after you build your engine.

FI is the best and worst thing you can do to our cars. Just be ready to build AT ANYTIME if your boosting (especially TTed) on the stock block. Vortech seems to be the more reliable kit on a stock block, but the blower issues led me away from it. Check the FI section on my350z, its probably the most intense forum section I've ever been in, but its very very informative.

 

The only thing I wanna add is that I keep hearing people mention the noise of the Vortech. Well yes, it is louder than the JWT TT but so what? If you get pulled over, your SC is CARB exempt anyways. If you get pulled over with ANY kind of aftermarket turbo and the cop makes you pop your hood (in Cali), guess what, you are SOL. Like I said before, I struggled with this exact same issue because I really like the JWT TT kit too. But in the end, getting busted for having a TT kit in Cali is definitely NOT worth it IMO. Ask yourself this, how much $$$ is it gonna cost you to pay the fines and remove the TT kit if you get busted? That was my thinking and the exact reason why I went Vortech.

And to answer heyitzalex's question, the defective SC's only went out last summer. Vortech resolved that issue already. They are actually coming out with new stuff all of the time that is pretty exciting for those that want more power.

 

Now Hector, if I could get 450rwhp and about the same amount of trq out of the Vortech without going to the T-trim then I would ask Sam to swap my system over now and start adding all the other fun stuff I have to the car like the Kenstyle rear and Karuma Z front bumper, but alas I don't think that hp and trq goal are attainable without getting the bigger trim and on pump gas

 

The horsepower is definitely attainable. It's just the torque that will never add up to what you can get from a T/TT setup. But sometimes you gotta sacrifice in one area to get in another. You know what I mean? I admit, I wish that I could get a little bit more torque out of my setup but it is definitely enough to light up my Toyos on the streets. Hell, I had trouble keeping traction with DR's on at the track.

 

Yeah its very possible to peak out at 450whp, I can probably picture the curve with the right combination of intake manifold, headers, pully upgrade, and some misc junk for fuel and tuning you can easily PEAK at 450 with the loss of low end torque and only having high end power. What I'm looking for is a fatter more rounder curve with more useable power towards the low end.. something that both SC and TT can provide.. I've driven an OEM JWT TT kit on a stock G and IMO the lag is next to none and power is very controlable at that point. Same as a Vortech.. very controlable and very easy to use.

Money isnt the issue if an emissions ticket is given.. either with a 450whp vortec or TT you'll need to spend some money to demod yourself to pass emissions. Money isnt a question when your goal is around 450whp.. while the vortech kit is cheaper you'll need to spend more $$ on misc items (around $8-9,000 without any hook ups) versus the JWT kit out of the box some minor misc things and your good to go with a $10,000-$11,000 price tag.. both able to get you where you want to be but the end result is that the charger will be working harder..

As for the vortech issues.. superchargers will always have more problems then turbos with more mechanical parts moving around. But its not like turbos do not fail either which is why I out rule the JWT TT kit when compaired to APS TT cause I'd love to send my blown snail out of country and see how long it'll take for me to get a replacement x.x while JWT is local to me. Vortech has a good history of standing up to their warranty as well so as for as build quality goes you're getting what you're expecting for either kit.

Vortech Pros:
1. CARB Badge - I've seen guys get off the hook from cops once they see the badge and of course vortech is a brand reconized by MANY enthusiasts from us to off-roaders.
2. Great power band for daily driving and a good bump when compaired to stock without going too far into the motor - from seeing the history of guys with vortech kits its pretty reliable
3. Warranty, great warranty and everyone with a bad chargers gotten a replacement or repaired in a fair amount of time
4. Price - cheaper..
5. Resell.. lots of demand for this kit and sells pretty fast
6. Install.. can be done at home and taken to someone for a tune

Vortech Cons:
1. Noise level.. once modded its not as quiet as everyone thinks and sounds IMO alright but unless you're punching it is =\ (this is just IMO) and a high hp setup does NOT sound stock in anyway.
2. Potential.. if I want to run anymore power it'll be harder for me to get more out of it and knowing me I'd want more then 400whp in a short amount of time. Especially when I have the ability to run even fatter tires then what I can run now =P
3. Starting price for the vortech is cheaper but in the end moneyower the TT kit takes the win
4. Its an obvious mod.. with half a brain anyone can figure out you're supercharged with a polished charger sitting inplace of your factory intake box
5. More mechanical parts... need to check condition of belts and pullies frequently and as always IMO (again) chargers are doomed to fail over time because of its mechanical setup worst on a screw and root type charger

JWT TT Pros
1. Quiet.. no BOV.. very quiet at idle keep in mind JWT was trying to push this kit to pass CARB and even delayed its release for almost a year!
2. Complete.. you get everything you need to turbo a stock VQ and if you throw up some $$ for cams =) you'll be a happy person easily pushing past 400whp and into the 12second quater mile times.. There isnt much to buy but a bigger radiator if you plan to track, boost controller, and some misc goodies..
3. if a turbo fails.. replace it.. very simple...
4. Potential.. start off in the 300-400hp range and enter the 600whp range in the future.. course its easier said then done but to the guys who are doing it.
5. Price.. $$ower..
6. PSHHHH..

JWT TT cons
1. Cant install myself.. some guys with a lift can but I don't have one =(.. and has to removed when you get a emissions ticket.. so more labor involved
2. No carb stamp, although I want to bet it'll pass the sniffer o.o
3. Its turboed.. the uncontrolable want of boosting more and more.. how most guys end up blowing their stock engines..
4. For me at least, I'll want to do a flat black intercooler. While I probably wont find one I'll still need to mod it to a single intercooler.. two will stand out a bit ._.


Also this is something I'd like to offer.. anyone with a Vortech Kit - as original as it gets - would like to see if their car passes california emissions give me a call at 626-636-6678 I can do SMOGs here (no I wont do an illegal smog) and we can run a test on it just to see if it'll pass.. As much as we talk about how we love the CARB badge.. I havn't seen a vortech pass smog yet lol and the ones whos kept their G long enough to have to be smoged as already modded the hell out of their original kit anyways