Who would do HCI over a SC??

[stprorolla49]

if this were a GT then i'd say go ahead and do the h/c/i then save up for a blower because the heads on the GT arent the greatest, but since you've already got a good starting point since you have a cobra, then i'd ahve to agree with these guys and say go for some boost

 

[94TURBO5 O]

Damn man 1K for a tune is waaay too much. I'm not sure about your area but around here it's around here with a tune and an SCT chip is around $4-600.
I know it's not what you want to hear but....go turbo.
If you want a blower a KB is simple to install.
BOOST IT!

 

[VibrantRedGT]

If you want a maintenance free car, meaning get in it and beat the hell out of it without any worries do bolt on's (heads, cam, etc.). Just too many variables with a power adder. I'm going back to simplier times=N/A.

 

[Killercanary]

If you want a maintenance free car, meaning get in it and beat the hell out of it without any worries do bolt on's (heads, cam, etc.). Just too many variables with a power adder. I'm going back to simplier times=N/A.

And THAT is why I am NA. Boost is great don't get me wrong, but boost is a lot less forgiving when it comes to tune, gas quality, air quality, detonation, etc. I have literally beaten the snot out of my car for YEARS and I NEVER had any motor problems until I screwed up and went from 3rd to 2nd gear at ~80mph. I agree with the others here in that you would get more power per dollar right now in your car with a blower, but be forewarned that the grass isn't totally greener on that side either. If you get it dyno tuned with a nice safe tune, then you "should" be fine with a blower car at modest boost levels though.

 

[Pokageek]

I would agree with KC on that one. I had a boosted car. Damn if I wasn't always tuning something all the time. H/C/I, just get in it and beat the heck out of it running 12's all day long.

 

[wytstang]

Spray It....

 

[final5-0]

If you want a maintenance free car, meaning get in it and beat the hell out of it without any worries do bolt on's (heads, cam, etc.). Just too many variables with a power adder. I'm going back to simplier times=N/A.

I also think along these lines like Vibe when I see these kinds of threads.

My little combo could be a dd with no probs whatsoever.

I think many peeps are kinda naive about forced induction in the fact that they think you just bolt the blower on and thats all there is to it.

OTOH ... A Zilla Dilla 2200 is going on my car ... someday

Later
Grady

 

[FlyBy763]

How long did it take you to complete the install?

A little over 2 days...but I did more than just the kit (injectors, MAF, fuel pump). I usually didnt get started until after 12, and I didnt work real hard either cuz the heat was kicking my butt.

 

[Nobody]

If you want a maintenance free car, meaning get in it and beat the hell out of it without any worries do bolt on's (heads, cam, etc.). Just too many variables with a power adder. I'm going back to simplier times=N/A.

Wait up here. That's the whole reason I factor in the $1000 (yes that's how much it costs out here in rip-you-off Seattle) it is my understanding that a good dyno tune will make a Vortech maintenance free. Is this a misconception? Is there more to a blower that required constant fiddling?

 

[Nobody]

Spray It....

My car is currently on the spray.

 

[VibrantRedGT]

Wait up here. That's the whole reason I factor in the $1000 (yes that's how much it costs out here in rip-you-off Seattle) it is my understanding that a good dyno tune will make a Vortech maintenance free. Is this a misconception? Is there more to a blower that required constant fiddling?

See that's just it. Today people think a blower or turbo is a bolt on. It's far from it. When I had the Vortech on my car I was constantly monitoring guages, listening, inspecting, tightening blower belt, etc., etc. My car ran worse in cold weather but great in 100 degree heat. You will be fiddling with the car and if you don't have a daily driver I suggest you invest in one. Keep in mind that the blower is the easy part. It's the supporting hardware that's the issue. Fuel (injectors, inline pump, intank), ignition (BTM, MSD, Coil, Plugs, Wires, gapping, etc.) and finally tuning (chip or tuning device, weather changes, etc.) are the maintenance items. Yes a dyno tune is great. BUT, it's tuned on that day with that temperature at that time. Doesn't mean it will make that A/F ratio and that power everytime the hammer is dropped.

Here is the list of power adder casualties (head gaskets or motor issues) off the top of my head in a few seconds. I'm sure there are many more.

95CobraMike
BlueOvalStangGT
JR (Head gasket King)
Green 94 5 0
Buggapimp 5.0
Myself

 

[Black95GTS]

You guys are crazy... go turbo if you can manage it and know what you're doing.

http://www.turbosn95.com/cobra/dyno/

This is a STOCK HCI Cobra. It produced 427hp and 440trq off of pump gas. The only mods at this time were a fuel pump, injectors, ignition, and a chip. Thats it. With 110 octain and a timing bump, the car made 505rwhp and 560rwtrq. Thats block splitting power with 4 easy upgrades and a turbo kit.

Even the Tbody and MAF were stock. Turbo rules the power game.

- .02

 

[Nobody]

Here is the list of power adder casualties (head gaskets or motor issues) off the top of my head in a few seconds. I'm sure there are many more.

95CobraMike
BlueOvalStangGT
JR (Head gasket King)
Green 94 5 0
Buggapimp 5.0
Myself

How many people on that list were pushing 6-8psi? I think everyone on that list had at least a smaller blower pulley. If anyone has broken on 8psi or less, please let me know what the problem was. It would sure suck to put a stock Vortech on my car and have the head gasket poop out on 6-8psi.

 

[VibrantRedGT]

How many people on that list were pushing 6-8psi? I think everyone on that list had at least a smaller blower pulley. If anyone has broken on 8psi or less, please let me know what the problem was. It would sure suck to put a stock Vortech on my car and have the head gasket poop out on 6-8psi.

Now that's funny, if you think your sticking with 6-8psi.

I'm not trying to talk you out of a power adder, it's not my choice. Just giving you my experience. I loved my blower somedays. On others I wanted to drive the car off a cliff. I did 3 head gasket changes in 5 months. The first one was my fault. The other 2 was the car having a mind of its own (even with the chip). Ring damage in my #8 cylinder was hearbreak because the motor only has 62,000 miles on it. Boost spiked from 9psi to over 13psi. That's all she wrote.

 

[Nobody]

Now that's funny, if you think your sticking with 6-8psi.

LOL - Yeah that isn't very common eh but if stock boost levels mean reliability, I will do that.

But on the rest of your story - Were you running the stock pulley when all this happened?

What a mess! I have been running a 100shot of nitrous for over two years now with no drama. The reason I did nitrous was so that I wouldn't have to live with any tunin gissues if they arose - I could just turn it off and deal with it when time allowed. I started to get with this whole SC mantra of "power available all the time" but it seems to come at a pretty annoying price, possibly moreso than having to refill a bottle. If a SC requires constant monitoring and tweaking, then it's not really a viable option on a daily driver.

 

[VibrantRedGT]

LOL - Yeah that isn't very common eh but if stock boost levels mean reliability, I will do that.

But on the rest of your story - Were you running the stock pulley when all this happened?

What a mess! I have been running a 100shot of nitrous for over two years now with no drama. The reason I did nitrous was so that I wouldn't have to live with any tunin gissues if they arose - I could just turn it off and deal with it when time allowed. I started to get with this whole SC mantra of "power available all the time" but it seems to come at a pretty annoying price, possibly moreso than having to refill a bottle. If a SC requires constant monitoring and tweaking, then it's not really a viable option on a daily driver.

I think we all started with the stock Vortech 3.33 pulley. At the end I had a 2.95 pulley on it. It made 9-11psi all the time. The two times is went over the 11psi it did damage (head gasket at 13psi and ring damage at 14+).

I would opt for Nitrous over the rest.

 

[Steeda90GT]

Ive been supercharged since 1996, almost 10 yrs now and it's been great! Never had a valve cover off, all stock from intake to pan!

I have heard horror stories though, usually when people aren't properly set up.

 

[Nobody]

I would opt for Nitrous over the rest.

Well that's just fantastic. Where the heck do I go from here then?

I just talked to the local shop for 40 minutes and they said that heads and cam are more intensive install than a Vortech - I've only done HCI on carbed motors. Is there something that makes this more difficult on an EFI car?

 

[Synned]

ttt...I want more input on supercharging / maintenance. Anyone else like Steeda90GT?

 

[wytstang]

So just up the n2o to 150, NOS sells a progress controller that allows you to adjust exactly hom much n2o (percent wise) and how fast to introduce the rest. Say you set it for 25% every 1 sec that way it's slowly introduced and not as violent that just 150 all at once. .02