Looking to get into some boost...but have some questions

[go_go_gadget88]

Hey all. I have known since I bought my car, that it was eventually going to be under some PSI before I was happy with it. I have been on the fence deciding what type of boost I want to go with, as they all have their ups and downs (pd, centri, turbo, etc..). Had been leaning between turbo setup, or an LSA supercharger (I DO like the factory look to it, and the instant torque of a PD blower would certainly be fun on the street, I imagine)

That said, I hopped on a couple days ago, and saw that HuronSpeed is doing a group buy on single turbo kits at the moment. This is really appealing, as it would allow me to split up the cost some (helps keep the wife from asking too many questions), and I think it is a nice looking kit. However, I have some questions about what else I would need for this.

The first, is what size turbo I want to go with? I am currently a little over 500rwhp. Was hoping to bump up into the 650+ range. 700 would be sweeeet. I don't get to the track much, so this is mostly a street toy/show car. e85 is not close to me though, so looking to be running on 91 pump gas, so that is certainly something to consider. Not sure what the limits are on a single turbo setup either, as I know you can only get so much air thru a 3" downpipe. Is this a realistic goal? I don't want to cage the car, so I don't have plans to hit over 135 at the track, or start running single digit ETs.

The next question then, is what do I need for fueling? Right now my fuel system is 100% stock. The ZL1 pump route sounds appealing, mostly due to the price, but not sure if that is going to be enough? Sounds like turbo cars can get away with a little less pump than a blower car, is this true? And what size injectors would be good for the 650-700 range (if that is feasible)? I am thinking I will just do a trap door, so that I can get to the pump easier if I would ever feel the need to upgrade. Have not ruled out dropping cradle yet though.

I am not necessarily trying to do this as "cheap" as possible, as cheap and boost are usually not synonymous with reliable....but the jump here is a lot, and I don't want to spend $1000 on a pump, if a $250 pump will suffice for what I am wanting.

Suspension wise, I believe I am fine. All my mods are in signature. I am sure this will put my axles/DS/ and clutch onto very borrowed time...but I know they will eventually need replaced as well.


Hoping some of you with experience out there can help guide me in the right direction! Thanks

[Redgt03]

I am in almost the exact situation - big cam/stall....and ready for some more power. Would love to hear some answer on this.

[dreksnot]

You can do any route with the money you have to spend. The LS3 is boost happy so any of the routes you mentioned will put a nice smile on your face. I understand the appeal of the group buy route but I will mention what I've heard from more-than-one individual. The Huron single-turbo route was nightmare. Do some more searching before making that commitment, please. That said, I'm sure there a others who praise the setup immensely. Converse with them.

You will need more fueling. A ZL1 plus boost-a-pump can get you 650-700whp. Up slightly to a CTS-V plus boost-a-pump and add 50whp more. A comparable matching setup of 850 injectors will achieve your target. Add a little buffer with 1000's. Watch out for injectors that don't have data for tuning readily available as your tuner will hate you.

Your axles/differential/clutch will likely be fine for messing around on the street as long as you don't do a 5,000rpm clutch dump everywhere you go. If you start tracking the car, then yes, those three items will need upgrading. The driveshaft is the least of the worries, but up that as well at the time.

[jeff657756]

91 octane will be your limiting factor.

[bayarea408]

I personally have not attempted to press the ceiling of this kit. But i have seen several other members with the same kit similar turbos have seen high 700 low 800's wheel hp. It can be modified to push more power but then you hood exit exhaust and the likes of that.

650-700 sounds like a good number for this kit, if you run pump and meth 80lb / 850cc injectors should do it. E85 will need more pump and injector.

Im all for turbo, but looking at some of your signatures in the post, you might be happier with a Centri blower with these allmotor style cam's

[eLeSthree]

If I was in your current position with your mods, I would stick with a centri blower. Especially since you dont really care what kind of boost you get. However, if you were to go turbo, I would say AGP for sure.

You will have to swap your cam if you go turbo or PD.

I'm extremely happy with the ESS Tuning kit so far... and still have room to grow.

[Greenhornet2]

I have never been a fan of turbo's for street driving but that is just preference. I was told by Jannetty I could run my pump with a fuel pump "booster" and be safe up to 750WHP. see my signature for build. I will be doing the Cam shortly and aim to be around 700WHP. I currently have the JRE fpcm and ZL1 pump fuel pressure is perfect now through the pulls, doesn't drop at all. LSA chargers can be done super cheap they are around used.

[RealQuick]

LSA is clean, simple and budget friendly. However, it’s a limited setup with a low ceiling(650rwhp is a realistic cieling... some can get ~700rwhp).

My fuel system (ZL1 pump, AMD FPCM and 1000cc injectors) supported 817rwhp/758rwtq turbocharged because I was spraying methanol. Between the meth and larger injectors, the small fuel pump wasn’t an issue. I would go bigger than the ZL1 pump though as you may want to go higher hp down the road.

Don’t go less than 1000cc injectors...

[go_go_gadget88]

Wow, thank you all for your input thus far! Very helpful and gives me things to consider

Originally Posted by dreksnot

You can do any route with the money you have to spend. The LS3 is boost happy so any of the routes you mentioned will put a nice smile on your face. I understand the appeal of the group buy route but I will mention what I've heard from more-than-one individual. The Huron single-turbo route was nightmare. Do some more searching before making that commitment, please. That said, I'm sure there a others who praise the setup immensely. Converse with them.

You will need more fueling. A ZL1 plus boost-a-pump can get you 650-700whp. Up slightly to a CTS-V plus boost-a-pump and add 50whp more. A comparable matching setup of 850 injectors will achieve your target. Add a little buffer with 1000's. Watch out for injectors that don't have data for tuning readily available as your tuner will hate you.

Your axles/differential/clutch will likely be fine for messing around on the street as long as you don't do a 5,000rpm clutch dump everywhere you go. If you start tracking the car, then yes, those three items will need upgrading. The driveshaft is the least of the worries, but up that as well at the time.

Yeah, I have heard good and bad from the kit. But it seems like most camps have those things. Also, I had not heard of using a CTS-V pump before. Are those a drop in upgrade like a ZL1 pump is? I was hoping a ZL1+bap would be enough, but I also hate to waste the money and immediately need more too.

Originally Posted by jeff657756

91 octane will be your limiting factor.

Sadly :( There is 1 e-85 station but it is 35 miles away from my house. If I could get it in town, I would surely consider that as an option (meaning I would need a bigger pump for sure)

Originally Posted by bayarea408

I personally have not attempted to press the ceiling of this kit. But i have seen several other members with the same kit similar turbos have seen high 700 low 800's wheel hp. It can be modified to push more power but then you hood exit exhaust and the likes of that.

650-700 sounds like a good number for this kit, if you run pump and meth 80lb / 850cc injectors should do it. E85 will need more pump and injector.

Im all for turbo, but looking at some of your signatures in the post, you might be happier with a Centri blower with these allmotor style cam's

Appreciate you input. Since it appears you actually have this kit, what are your thoughts on it? Love it, or wish you had gone a different route? I do wonder if I would like the linear power delivery of the Centri. Plus I get the belt whine that I admittedly like lol. It seems to be the most expensive of the 3 to do though as well. Looks like for the system I would want, plus fuel and injectors, is going to easily push past the $8k mark....so thousands more than this turbo setup would end up :/

Originally Posted by eLeSthree

If I was in your current position with your mods, I would stick with a centri blower. Especially since you dont really care what kind of boost you get. However, if you were to go turbo, I would say AGP for sure.

You will have to swap your cam if you go turbo or PD.

I'm extremely happy with the ESS Tuning kit so far... and still have room to grow.

I have certainly never taken it off the table. I know a centri would work best with my current cam...but I would not pick my boost option based off the bump stick, as I could always change that out to suit my FI decision. That IS an upside to centri though, for sure! Have never even heard of ESS supercharger (have heard of ECS ones), will have to look into it!

Originally Posted by Greenhornet2

I have never been a fan of turbo's for street driving but that is just preference. I was told by Jannetty I could run my pump with a fuel pump "booster" and be safe up to 750WHP. see my signature for build. I will be doing the Cam shortly and aim to be around 700WHP. I currently have the JRE fpcm and ZL1 pump fuel pressure is perfect now through the pulls, doesn't drop at all. LSA chargers can be done super cheap they are around used.

It DOES seem like most turbo cars see the track a lot more than mine does. I think any would be fun, but for pure street, I feel like a PD blower would be the most fun. I had thought of LSA because I keep hearing they are cheap, but I never seem to see a whole lot of them...or the ones I do, by the time I get everything, are similar in price to this kit as well.

Originally Posted by RealQuick

LSA is clean, simple and budget friendly. However, it’s a limited setup with a low ceiling(650rwhp is a realistic cieling... some can get ~700rwhp).

My fuel system (ZL1 pump, AMD FPCM and 1000cc injectors) supported 817rwhp/758rwtq turbocharged because I was spraying methanol. Between the meth and larger injectors, the small fuel pump wasn’t an issue. I would go bigger than the ZL1 pump though as you may want to go higher hp down the road.


Don’t go less than 1000cc injectors...

Maybe I misunderstand how they work...I thought bigger injectors meant you needed a bigger pump to keep pressure the same. Didn't know you could do more injector to get by with less pump.

I just wish there were in betweens. It goes from a $250 fuel pump to a $1000 fuel pump with like no options in between. I know you have to pay to play, but doing that on top of the supercharger kit makes my wallet start cringing!

[RealQuick]

Bigger injectors flow more. In the simplest form... bigger injectors flow more at a given pulse width than smaller injectors.

[bayarea408]

In regards to me and the kit, i absolutely love it. I know it doesn't have the highest ceiling for power just 1 T4 turbo... but the way a smaller turbo mannerism drives on the street its really fun. I have a blast and it causes ALOT of attention..

The kit installs really well, you just have to be smart about things to wrap and clearances. I would absolutely do the kit again if i could. Twins are REALLY attractive, but you as a enthusiast have to know what you eventually want to end up with. If you want to build a 1K+ monster definitely go twins. If you are more street car this kit serves well in my opinion.

[SYNGSS]

Originally Posted by eLeSthree

If I was in your current position with your mods, I would stick with a centri blower. Especially since you dont really care what kind of boost you get. However, if you were to go turbo, I would say AGP for sure.

You will have to swap your cam if you go turbo or PD.

I'm extremely happy with the ESS Tuning kit so far... and still have room to grow.

I'm going to second that! Scroll down to the bottom of the page in this link: https://www.camaro5.com/forums/showt...=210592&page=3

[go_go_gadget88]

Yeah, the more I really think about it, the more a centri seems to make sense. Looked into the ESS kit that eLeSthree mentioned, and that looks like a great deal for the price. More money, for sure, and all at once...but I guess that just means I will keep saving up for the time being.

Since I am planning to run 91, I think I may just go with their ZL1pump/880cc injector route and see how it does. I do like that with this boost route, if I ever wanted to do so years down the road, I could swap out my blower, pump, and injectors, and really start getting rowdy.

[Greenhornet2]

I am on a stock cam with pd. Drives like stock until you mash it. So no you don't have to change the cam at all if you don't want to. Just dynoed at 595whp at slowhawks on a mustang dyno... and there is plenty of room to grow on a 2.9 liter whipple. I'll never see it's peak, that's for sure.