Has anyone else been through this?

[Riptide]

This meaning flip flopping and unable to decide what you want?

For a while now my plan has been to pay the car off (got 2 pmts left) and then save up for a whipple. Get the car up to around 450whp on the stock engine with the 10psi pulley and be happy with it.

The thing that keeps bugging me is that I've heard enough stories about people blowing a stock motor it makes worry. If I blew my stock motor, worst case scenario, and it takes the whipple out along with it then I'm out the door at least $16,000. I simply cannot afford for that to happen.

I know lots of people say I'm worrying about nothing. But are they ready to write me a check to cover it if the worst ever happened?

The car is almost paid for and I'd take a big loss on a sale. But part of me keeps thinking... Lightly used GT500? The peace of mind a built engine offers and for only $1100 I can get the car up to 600hp. It would take me another 2-3 years to pay it off after I applied the sale of my car to the loan. And yet... my current car is nearly paid off. And I know what my parents would tell me about going into debt on another car.

Gah I just can't make up my fucking mind!!

 

[702GT]

Bro, anything making mild to wild power is always at risk of destroying itself.

You could have a stock GT and floor it everywhere you go and at some point, it's gonna tell you to get pounded, and fall apart.

Boost adds the fun factor to it. What happens if your fuel filter decides it's had enough of your shitty gas, leans the motor out, and boom. What happens if your tuner guy blows your shit up while he's got it strapped to the dyno? What happens if you just happen to get a shitty blower that takes 5,000 miles to fail and it grenades your motor? What happens when you line up with some 17 year old punk with a haircut much better fitted for "That 70's Show" casting call in a beefed 2010 Camaro SS? I'll tell you what!! You strap on a set of big fvckin hairy balls, throw a 2.65" pully on that fvcking whipple, blow that fvcker to 22+ lbs of blown 3v flaming fury, and put the hammer down on that mutha fvcka and blow the sticker stripes off the kid's daddy's fatass GM!!!! That's what's gonna happen damnit!!!!

No but seriously, don't run the motor to the rev limiter at every stop light with 10psi and you'll be just fine. And even if you did, it would take the abuse for a while before it pops. Drive it like a normal enthusiast and you'll be fine at 450rwhp for a very long time. 450rwhp isn't even breaking a sweat for the 3v.

 

[LAK3RS]

^^^^^^^^ Fuck..........

On a serious note, you are about to have you car paid for. Enjoy that extra money you'll be saving and put it back for a bit to pick up something at a later time. At the same time, you can use a bit of it for a few parts here and there. Be smart!

 

[Blxcklist]

Or build a forged stroker motor then save for the Whipple and destroy 99% of cars out there

 

[Riptide]

I told my wife last night that if I do decide to keep the car it won't be done after the blower. I'm going to have to save the extra $3400-4000 for a shortblock. Then and only then will I be completely satisfied.

I know 450whp is fine a lot of the time. But when you read posts by JDM here on this forum about cars 'sploding on the dyno at 360whp it kinda makes you say hmmm..

 

[wildman97]

Bro, anything making mild to wild power is always at risk of destroying itself.

You could have a stock GT and floor it everywhere you go and at some point, it's gonna tell you to get pounded, and fall apart.

Boost adds the fun factor to it. What happens if your fuel filter decides it's had enough of your shitty gas, leans the motor out, and boom. What happens if your tuner guy blows your shit up while he's got it strapped to the dyno? What happens if you just happen to get a shitty blower that takes 5,000 miles to fail and it grenades your motor? What happens when you line up with some 17 year old punk with a haircut much better fitted for "That 70's Show" casting call in a beefed 2010 Camaro SS? I'll tell you what!! You strap on a set of big fvckin hairy balls, throw a 2.65" pully on that fvcking whipple, blow that fvcker to 22+ lbs of blown 3v flaming fury, and put the hammer down on that mutha fvcka and blow the sticker stripes off the kid's daddy's fatass GM!!!! That's what's gonna happen damnit!!!!

No but seriously, don't run the motor to the rev limiter at every stop light with 10psi and you'll be just fine. And even if you did, it would take the abuse for a while before it pops. Drive it like a normal enthusiast and you'll be fine at 450rwhp for a very long time. 450rwhp isn't even breaking a sweat for the 3v.

Brotha you just motivated the shit out of me...

 

[Five Oh Brian]

Get a well-designed blower and have it safely tuned for daily driver duties and you'll be happy and you'll have a reliable car. Many guys with blowers want every last horsepower and they run tunes on the ragged edge (too lean, too much timing, etc.). Tune it safe and you'll be in good shape.

I've been running a Vortech V2 blower for 2 years now. Very conservatively tuned and no issues even after very hard/spirited daily driving and dozens upon dozens of passes at our local dragstrips.

 

[Mylilpony]

I was thinking along the same lines as you except my car has been paid off since November.

I have an appointment on April 14th at a local shop for a Stage 2 Procharger P1SC!!!!

 

[Riptide]

Did 702GT tell me I'm gonna strap a set of hairy nads to my car?? I see people do that all the time with those balls underneath the back of their trucks. lol kinda makes my gaydar go bleep bleep.

Is the Whipple probably going to be the "safest" of all the options to put on a stock motor?

 

[pacettr]

Whipple
Saleen
Roush TVS



With the money it would cost to upgrade to a GT500, you could have a built motor, ported heads, cams, blower, fuel system, etc. Just start conservatively with your blower/tune combo and then start saving for a killer long block.

 

[Riptide]

This is true but for the 16 grand it would cost me to upgrade I would have more cubes, more valves, and a built motor to begin with. No labor necessary to install a shortblock and pull my current motor apart. A pulley swap + tune away from 600hp @ the crank. Plus you have the 6spd transmission. But the down side is being in debt again for 2-3 more years.

I keep my current car I spend 7-8 on the whipple and gauges plus another 3-4 on a shortblock. Time is money so factor in the labor even if I do the work on my own for the install and you're at just about 16 grand. The upside is I own the car and am not sharing ownership with the bank.

Really debatable to me which is why I've been having so much trouble being decisive on this whole issue. If I didn't fucking hate car payments so much I probably would've already got the GT500. Not to mention I'm cheap and I hate the idea of losing a ton on selling my car.

 

[pacettr]

Really debatable to me which is why I've been having so much trouble being decisive on this whole issue. If I didn't fucking hate car payments so much I probably would've already got the GT500. Not to mention I'm cheap and I hate the idea of losing a ton on selling my car.

You sound young, so get used to this.

 

[Riptide]

34 but I've been driving the same old honda civic since 96 and only had one or two other econoboxes before that. So yeah I haven't been through buying/selling a lot of cars especially performance cars.

 

[Mike Rousch]

Gt-500 hands down.

 

[Vapour Trails]

Run low boost until you have the funds for a shortblock. I'm currently running 7 psi around the city and the car is plenty fast, especially with 4.10 gears. Trust me I've thought a lot about the same issues you are considering, and thus why I'm being very conservative until I get my built shortblock installed.

When you look at the failures objectively, most guys were really pushing the wise limits or got a very poor engine calibration. I run low boost, 94 octane gas, conservative tune and will be relocating the IAT sensor for more accurate, post-compressor temp. data.

Also, most times the blower is unaffected by broken rod but I do worry about the head unit and cylinder heads.

 

[Riptide]

Thanks for everyone's input here I appreciate it. And if you guys want to be blunt with me that's OK - I wore my big boy undies to work today.

Vapour I understand. I have read of people here who had a Saleen end up ruined after crap ended up in the blower from a wrecked engine. I realize it's rare, it's not likely.

Quick question regarding the 2007 GT500. Is that one to stay away from? How big of a deal is the 2nd gear issue?

 

[702GT]

I'm glad you liked it Wildman lol.

Whipple has been a great blower on all the S197's I've seen. I've never heard of anyone blowing their motor up with a whipple at 10psi. I've heard of people blowing their motors up cranking the boost over 25psi and letting it rev to 7,000. I've heard of people popping their motors on 8 psi and leaned the motor out.

Do your install correctly, get it tuned safely, and never ever let a GM/Mopar pass you in the left lane, and your motor won't fail.

 

[Riptide]

http://www.autotrader.com/ATCarID/AT-10645CEA

Opinions?

 

[Five Oh Brian]

http://www.autotrader.com/ATCarID/AT-10645CEA

Opinions?

Fair price on a nice car. Only downfall (for someone who drives like me) is the "arrest me" red paint.

 

[US-1]

This meaning flip flopping and unable to decide what you want?

No. I'm a very decisive person. Perhaps a dose of Mydol would help since only WOMEN have that problem!!!!