Longevity and reliability with Turbos or superchargers?

[Bad Dad]

Originally Posted by 1KillerSS

I used to work in Naples. I am selling my home in the Cape if your interested lol na actually the house just went under contract, we are closing on the 18th of December and after that ill be a northerner. Not a snowbird anymore.

I am really impressed with all the great responses I have had in this thread. I did not expect to get such good feedback. My head is still spinning over the cam though.

What you doing in Toledo besides shoveling snow

[1KillerSS]

Originally Posted by Bad Dad

What you doing in Toledo besides shoveling snow

I've lived in SW Florida for almost 25 years, but I'm originally from Ohio and all my family is here. When I rented my house out I figured a change of pace would be in order. Little did I know we would have our worst winter in like....FOREVER!

So now I'm a northerner again......PS $20 goes a long way to having your driveway cleaned. However when your storage unit has 4 feet of snow accumulated over the winter and its time to bring the car out, $20 doesn't quite get it. You either wait till it melts or call a slow plow.....I pick the latter. I'm not a very patient person when my car has been sitting in the garage for months.

For those that care...I have decided to do the cam and the 3inch Magnaflow exhaust. I can see myself regretting not doing it, but cant see myself regretting doing it.

[SSE 4 2SS]

Originally Posted by Fraxum

I want to get this incscribed on my cross brace: "There is nothing to see here."

If you don't have copy rights on that I might borrow it... Frick'in classic...

Funny like story, I was at 800 rwhp at the time, Friday night gathering... Maggie Camaro on one side of me, polished KB on the other... Peeps were Eww'ing and ah'ing over them and would look under my hood and pass right on by... Lol, nothing to see... The guys that had the other two cars were directing them back to mine stating I had way more power than they did.. None of em figured it out.. Then this 15 y/o kids walks up, bends over and looks through the lower grill, looks up at me and grins... Looks under the hood and grins some more, then asks where are they... So I pointed out the twins and he was drooling.. His dad, not a car guy walks up and kids lights him up with info... Sleeper, etc... We talk, the kid and I for an hour,... Then I look at dad and grin... He gives me this sure go ahead... So, I told the kid to hop in and strap up.. I took him down the road a bit on the access road, jumped on the highway, and made a couple mile jaunt... He couldn't walk for shaky knees when we got back ten minutes or so later... Freaked him the %^€{out... We have talked several times since then... Smart kid and certified Motörhead...

Heres a lil dyno pull video...



http://youtu.be/ouPy2VbyD4U

[1KillerSS]

You guys are killing me! I can't wait till my kit is ordered and installed.

Poor Matt is probably thinking the same thing, only I am sure hes thinking "man I gotta get this guy off my back with all the freekin questions I hope he orders his kit soon!"

Matt if your reading, when you read, thank you for all of your help, and for fielding all my questions. I look forward to seeing you this week and dropping my car off. FINALLY

[Js2fst]

I have had Paxton vortech, whipple, kb, and turbos. I was done with fi!! I was talked to by Procharger and did a trade for my boat, then the trans am 100 k trouble free miles! I am going to install one on the fifth gen. Look on ls1.tech at how many problems with turbos. Yes they are cheaper. You have oil breakdown, higher iats, and heat on bearings on turbos. Your Maggie's have too much leverage on bearings livability is not there.

[Bo White]

I've got over 40k miles on my Paxton.

[1KillerSS]

I am not now, nor was I before, under the impression that either system would be trouble free. I am interested in knowing the pro's and con's of each. There are hundreds of members here on C5 that have had no issues. Ls1.tec has them too. As I stated, I am not thinking I'll be trouble free. If your against FI then why post here? To talk me out of it? I am not sure I understand.

[SSE 4 2SS]

Originally Posted by Js2fst

I have had Paxton vortech, whipple, kb, and turbos. I was done with fi!! I was talked to by Procharger and did a trade for my boat, then the trans am 100 k trouble free miles! I am going to install one on the fifth gen. Look on ls1.tech at how many problems with turbos. Yes they are cheaper. You have oil breakdown, higher iats, and heat on bearings on turbos. Your Maggie's have too much leverage on bearings livability is not there.

The first person I knew personally that did forced induction to a 5th Gen had a Procharger... his system lasted less than three months... I had a pair of turbos go out within one week of installing the system. Why, Both systems were poorly designed. My turbo kit shipped with the wrong size orifices in them, first turbo went out on the way to Phoenix for the Camaro Fest, and I ended up trailering and fixing them there, but that's another story. I've blown up several turbos as well. So, it happens, especially when pushing them as hard as I do...

With any performance system the parts are being pushed, it's the nature of it...

A properly designed and managed system, regardless of it being turbo's a maggie, KB, Whipple, Paxton, Procharger or any other brand is likely to have failures whether it's the FI component itself or the motor, or some other part of the drivetrain. It's the nature of the beast... I know beyond a shadow of a doubt, that you can take your build budget and double it and then hold some more in reserve, cause stuff will break, problems will crop up... ask me how I know...

Originally Posted by 1KillerSS

I am not now, nor was I before, under the impression that either system would be trouble free. I am interested in knowing the pro's and con's of each. There are hundreds of members here on C5 that have had no issues. Ls1.tec has them too. As I stated, I am not thinking I'll be trouble free. If your against FI then why post here? To talk me out of it? I am not sure I understand.

Killer, first off, there is no need to go to some other website forum to find information.. There are plenty of horror stories right here, and there are also many more stories of success...

My strong recommendation is to read everything you can find, and then MOST IMPORTANTLY, find a builder tuner you like and trust. Discuss with them your goals and driving style. Be brutally honest... Let them ask questions... A good tuner builder has the ability to determine what will fit you and allow for many miles of pleasant driving.

The type of forced induction will be largely determined by the style of driving you choose and the degree to which you want to push the car.

For example, within a turbo system, the way my car is set up, if I came out of a corner on a road course and hammered it, I would literally spin out into the next area code. not the tires, but the whole damn car...

Having said that, any forced induction can be tailored to the driving style, by limiting boost, the rate at which boost comes on, etc...

I know a couple of guys that have 100K miles on Maggies, I know a guy with 70K on a KB, couple of guys with Whipples that are high mileage... and some procharger guys that have pretty high mileage on their cars...

Bare in mind the horror stories you will hear in most cases are either, insane people pushing the limits every time they go out, or those that decided to cheap out on some part,....

I started with a goal of 800 RWHP and went the turbo route.... I'm now looking at around 2,000 rwhp with my new motor... My car is and has been a test bed... and yes, I push my car for absolutely everything it's worth every time I go to the track (standing Mile or more events). Yet at the same time I can drive it nice and sedately on the street...

[1KillerSS]

Originally Posted by SSE 4 2SS

The first person I knew personally that did forced induction to a 5th Gen had a Procharger... his system lasted less than three months... I had a pair of turbos go out within one week of installing the system. Why, Both systems were poorly designed. My turbo kit shipped with the wrong size orifices in them, first turbo went out on the way to Phoenix for the Camaro Fest, and I ended up trailering and fixing them there, but that's another story. I've blown up several turbos as well. So, it happens, especially when pushing them as hard as I do...

With any performance system the parts are being pushed, it's the nature of it...

A properly designed and managed system, regardless of it being turbo's a maggie, KB, Whipple, Paxton, Procharger or any other brand is likely to have failures whether it's the FI component itself or the motor, or some other part of the drivetrain. It's the nature of the beast... I know beyond a shadow of a doubt, that you can take your build budget and double it and then hold some more in reserve, cause stuff will break, problems will crop up... ask me how I know...



Killer, first off, there is no need to go to some other website forum to find information.. There are plenty of horror stories right here, and there are also many more stories of success...

My strong recommendation is to read everything you can find, and then MOST IMPORTANTLY, find a builder tuner you like and trust. Discuss with them your goals and driving style. Be brutally honest... Let them ask questions... A good tuner builder has the ability to determine what will fit you and allow for many miles of pleasant driving.

The type of forced induction will be largely determined by the style of driving you choose and the degree to which you want to push the car.

For example, within a turbo system, the way my car is set up, if I came out of a corner on a road course and hammered it, I would literally spin out into the next area code. not the tires, but the whole damn car...

Having said that, any forced induction can be tailored to the driving style, by limiting boost, the rate at which boost comes on, etc...

I know a couple of guys that have 100K miles on Maggies, I know a guy with 70K on a KB, couple of guys with Whipples that are high mileage... and some procharger guys that have pretty high mileage on their cars...

Bare in mind the horror stories you will hear in most cases are either, insane people pushing the limits every time they go out, or those that decided to cheap out on some part,....

I started with a goal of 800 RWHP and went the turbo route.... I'm now looking at around 2,000 rwhp with my new motor... My car is and has been a test bed... and yes, I push my car for absolutely everything it's worth every time I go to the track (standing Mile or more events). Yet at the same time I can drive it nice and sedately on the street...

Thank you for your input and advice. Its posts like this that have really helped me, not only make up my mind, but inform me on what I need to look for, and the questions I should be asking.

My HP Goal's are not very large only 700 to 750ish and I know that I have the right builder/tuner, in Matt@FSP. I have asked him so many questions that I am affraid he will go to New Orleans and consult a Voodoo priest on how to shut me up.

Again thank you, and all the other people who have posted for your help.

[SSE 4 2SS]

Originally Posted by 1KillerSS

Thank you for your input and advice. Its posts like this that have really helped me, not only make up my mind, but inform me on what I need to look for, and the questions I should be asking.

My HP Goal's are not very large only 700 to 750ish and I know that I have the right builder/tuner, in Matt@FSP. I have asked him so many questions that I am affraid he will go to New Orleans and consult a Voodoo priest on how to shut me up.

Again thank you, and all the other people who have posted for your help.

Great choice.... I've never had the fortune to meet him in person, but Matt steered me in the right direction when I was looking for a high performance clutch... He could of sold me a clutch I was convinced would serve me, and after discussion with him about the style of driving, and my goals, he flat told me the clutch he has would not work. He could of sold it right then and there, but was honest and he has a lifelong fan in me...

Matt is top tier... nuff said...

[1KillerSS]

***A little update***

So I took my car to FSP today so they could start the transformation. Here is what were going to do. I fly back home on the 15th of January to pick the car up!

AGP Twin turbo kit
54/57 Turbos
AGP CAI kit
Large Intercooler
ID850's
Livernois Dual fuel pump system
Alky control dual nozzle
FSP custom grind cam
AEM Truboost Controller
Autometer A Pillar pod
MSD shift light
3" inch Magnaflow Catback Exhaust with X pipe
Mantic Twin 9000 Clutch


BMR Trailing Arms,
Rear, Polyurethane Bushings
BMR Toe Rods,
Rear, Polyurethane Bushings

Im hoping for 750ish at the wheels but to be honest I would like to be over 750 and closer to the 800 mark.

[Hyeride00]

Originally Posted by 1KillerSS

***A little update***

So I took my car to FSP today so they could start the transformation. Here is what were going to do. I fly back home on the 15th of January to pick the car up!

AGP Twin turbo kit
54/57 Turbos
AGP CAI kit
Large Intercooler
ID850's
Livernois Dual fuel pump system
Alky control dual nozzle
FSP custom grind cam
AEM Truboost Controller
Autometer A Pillar pod
MSD shift light
3" inch Magnaflow Catback Exhaust with X pipe
Mantic Twin 9000 Clutch


BMR Trailing Arms,
Rear, Polyurethane Bushings
BMR Toe Rods,
Rear, Polyurethane Bushings

Im hoping for 750ish at the wheels but to be honest I would like to be over 750 and closer to the 800 mark.

Any further??

[1KillerSS]

Oh yea, picked the car up in Jan, drove it back to Ohio. Check out my build thread its got all the details in it. The car rocks, I am fighting traction issues big time, hopefully I can get that resolved soon and enjoy the rocket ship.

[BlaqWhole]

Have you tried DRs yet? That should help. Anyway, I'm glad you got your car back and it sounds like it runs great. They did a great job. If I may ask, how much money did it all come out to? If you don't wanna give out that info then I completely understand. Just curious is all. LOL!

When it comes to building cars I tend to always be over cautious. It ends in me getting ridiculed by others, but hey, these days you can get ridiculed for winning the lottery. In the other post I made statements regarding how much I personally feel comfortable with an engine making. I know there are lots of people who claim to put down over 700 to the wheels. Me personally, I've had soo many bad experiences chasing numbers or trying to keep up with someone else's numbers. For me, 550 - 600 is fine if I can get that out of 6-7 psi on a safe tune. And I always advise that. But I do enjoy seeing people make some crazy numbers.