NA vs FI

[Abstrak]

I'm not exactly an expert when it comes to engines on cars. However I have a general idea and a decent common body of knowledge. My question is I will have around 10 to 15k to play with hopefully by the end of this year and not really sure how to proceed with modding the car.

I want a NA 6 with atleast 400rwhp but I just dont see that happening with this car. So the next plan was to use half and get a '12/13 SS' if I could get lower payments then the other half to upgrade the performance, I could easily muster up 500 N/A in a 8 with 7500 i think. Next thought was to drop a LSX 376 but then it wouldnt be a 6 anymore lol. I love the whine and blow off of turbos but I'm not fluent in forced induction (I'm talking twins here).

I'm not a track guy so its mostly for my pleasure and cars shows. So please educate me and tell me the best route to this mod madness.

[BaylorCamaro]

Originally Posted by Abstrak

I want a NA 6 with atleast 400rwhp but I just dont see that happening with this car. So the next plan was to use half and get a '12/13 SS' if I could get lower payments then the other half to upgrade the performance, I could easily muster up 500 N/A in a 8 with 7500 i think. Next thought was to drop a LSX 376 but then it wouldnt be a 6 anymore lol. I love the whine and blow off of turbos but I'm not fluent in forced induction (I'm talking twins here).

Def don't drop a huge engine in a LS/LT because the retuning would be a b!tch along with many other things and then you would prob need to beef up the trans and stuff.

Originally Posted by Abstrak

I'm not a track guy so its mostly for my pleasure and cars shows. So please educate me and tell me the best route to this mod madness.

The thing with the FI on a 6 is you wont have the tq of a V8 so you may not smoke big (moded) V8's at the drag strip. However the FI on a 6 cylinder is amazing if you gun it from a roll, that's where the beauty of the system is. So if you're not really a track guy and it's more for pleasure and car shows I personally think that a FI 6 is the way to go, definitely more unique to have a boosted 6. Moded out V8's are dime a dozen.

[PQ]

Agree with BaylorCamaro.

Also, there's no way in hell you get a TT LSX installed for 15k. Not with the supporting mods you'd have to have.

[SIXJAK]

They are also working on cams for the six as well as ported heads. It is quite feasable that with said cams and porting along with all current bolt-ons you will easily be at 400HP at the crank mind you but that is L99 territory minus the extra weight of the SS and assuming you get a manual, less parasitic loss in the drivetrain. So you'd be putting down more HP to the road with less torque of course. That is a drivers race. I used to kick my brother's butt off the line and up to about 80 when his L99 was stock. Prolly the main reason he SC'd it. LOL.

[scrming]

Couple of random thoughts....

It is VERY HARD to show V6 cars at Car Shows... be ready for the CONSTANT BARRAGE of "Should have got a V8"... I know... been there done that! You have to have some pretty thick skin to show a V6 when there are also V8 model available...

If you do want to do FI on your V6 AND you want to show it, then I would go with something up front IN the engine bay! Not twin turbos underneath!!! When I was showing my Supercharged V6 Mustang (Vortech), i would park next to the MRT TT V6. The MRT TT V6 had the turbos under the car, out of site... Everyone would walk by the MRT car and head right over to check my Vortech out!

Done right, a turbo setup on the V6 should be able to produce some pretty significant TORQUE! There are still some builds still going on... Hopefully they get everything sorted out... Would love to see an LLT/LFX see the torque i'm currently getting out of my EcoBoost... based on dynos, track times, 0-60 MPH and estimated calculations i'm at about 500 HP / 500 TQ at the crank... this is out of a 3.5 V6, very similar to the LLT/LFX...

So... if I was in your shoes... I would look at a SINGLE turbo, up front in the engine bay... dress the car up nice... then keep some extra $$$ in your rainy day fund...

[scrming]

Originally Posted by BaylorCamaro

Def don't drop a huge engine in a LS/LT because the retuning would be a b!tch along with many other things and then you would prob need to beef up the trans and stuff.




The thing with the FI on a 6 is you wont have the tq of a V8 so you may not smoke big (moded) V8's at the drag strip. However the FI on a 6 cylinder is amazing if you gun it from a roll, that's where the beauty of the system is. So if you're not really a track guy and it's more for pleasure and car shows I personally think that a FI 6 is the way to go, definitely more unique to have a boosted 6. Moded out V8's are dime a dozen.

That's the nature of a CENTRIFUGAL system, not necessarily ALL FI! On a centrifugal system your are going to slowly build boost at the RPMs go up... but say on a turbo you hit max boost MUCH EARLIER! Also, with the turbos, i am actually able to launch under BOOST... i could never do that with my Vortech!!!

[Abstrak]

Thanks!! fellas loads of information here. Are there any benefits of a twin turbo over a single turbo other than faster spooling? And if I do take the single turbo route I would also need to upgrade the fuel system and tranny? I figure a suspension upgrade would be necessary to for the torque increase?

[matt6589]

Originally Posted by scrming

i'm at about 500 HP / 500 TQ at the crank... this is out of a 3.5 V6, very similar to the LLT/LFX...

But would the v6 camaro powertrain be able to handle 500 tq without excessive wear?

[scrming]

Originally Posted by matt6589

But would the v6 camaro powertrain be able to handle 500 tq without excessive wear?

Good question! Automatic, perhaps... for while.... without running too sticky a tire....

[KMPrenger]

My thoughts...

Even though I can see how it may not make sense to some...I think a moderately to well modded V6 is kind of cool compared to seeing a plain SS out there. Yea...its still not as fast but I still think it is cool b/c is not something you see everyday. Plus today's modded V6 cars are pretty damn quick. A full bolt on Mustang V6 is probably closer to the speed of an L99 SS than a stock V6 Camaro....of course the V6 Camaro being a bit of a heavy pig is harder to get to those kinds of speeds.

Now comparing a modded V6 to a modded V8....well its really difficult to argue a win for the V6 in any way besides cost savings. The V8 will pretty much automatically win the cool factor.

The game changes though when you add FI to the V6. Now you have a car that can run with and may even spank some of the light to moderately modded V8s out there. If you want something fun and something to show, then I think you have to go with one of the available SC kits, or find someone to do a fron't mount Turbo (so basically I agree with scrming!). I've not really seen a fully complete front mount turbo though, so that could be a tough option.

That said....I REALLY can't wait to see a fully built N/A V6 with ported heads and cams. My goodness it would sound killer and with likely 400 or so HP (maybe more, maybe less) it would be just plain awesome. Again...some jealous haters are going to see a build like this and just shake their head and think "why would you ever do all this to a V6????" but to me, these guys just can't see past their thick skull and realize how unique, challenging, exicting, and just plain cool this is. If I was showing a car like this I'd create a show sign to put under the hood and proudly list "400 HP V6 Camaro" on that sucker in big letters lol.

Whatever you do...and even if you do decide to go V8 (nothing wrong with that) good luck to ya! Keep us updated.

[V6owner]

I would hav loved a NA v6 in the 400's rwhp but I don't see that happening for a little while. Besides how can you pass on the "PSHHHHH" of the BOV and the instant power of the Supercharger?!?!?

[67 GTO]

Originally Posted by matt6589

But would the v6 camaro powertrain be able to handle 500 tq without excessive wear?

Although not anywhere near 500 tq, I have well over 100 1/4 mile passes along with the burnouts and off track hard launch 0-60 mph runs on my auto.

No problems, still shifts great. I did change my tranny fluid & dif lube at 15K.

Just passed 30k and will change the fluids again soon.

[smoke1lt]

Originally Posted by KMPrenger

My thoughts...

Even though I can see how it may not make sense to some...I think a moderately to well modded V6 is kind of cool compared to seeing a plain SS out there. Yea...its still not as fast but I still think it is cool b/c is not something you see everyday. Plus today's modded V6 cars are pretty damn quick. A full bolt on Mustang V6 is probably closer to the speed of an L99 SS than a stock V6 Camaro....of course the V6 Camaro being a bit of a heavy pig is harder to get to those kinds of speeds.

Now comparing a modded V6 to a modded V8....well its really difficult to argue a win for the V6 in any way besides cost savings. The V8 will pretty much automatically win the cool factor.

The game changes though when you add FI to the V6. Now you have a car that can run with and may even spank some of the light to moderately modded V8s out there. If you want something fun and something to show, then I think you have to go with one of the available SC kits, or find someone to do a fron't mount Turbo (so basically I agree with scrming!). I've not really seen a fully complete front mount turbo though, so that could be a tough option.

That said....I REALLY can't wait to see a fully built N/A V6 with ported heads and cams. My goodness it would sound killer and with likely 400 or so HP (maybe more, maybe less) it would be just plain awesome. Again...some jealous haters are going to see a build like this and just shake their head and think "why would you ever do all this to a V6????" but to me, these guys just can't see past their thick skull and realize how unique, challenging, exicting, and just plain cool this is. If I was showing a car like this I'd create a show sign to put under the hood and proudly list "400 HP V6 Camaro" on that sucker in big letters lol.

Whatever you do...and even if you do decide to go V8 (nothing wrong with that) good luck to ya! Keep us updated.

All good points as always KMP,just to add I think there is 2 V6 Camaro's at HPS right now getting front mount turbo installs,so im guessing we will see that option out soon as well.

[matt6589]

Originally Posted by scrming

Good question! Automatic, perhaps... for while.... without running too sticky a tire....

What about the manual? Any difference?