70MACH1OWNER

Looks like you are coming back strong Bill

They say "lean is mean" but as you and I know it can surely cost you some green!!
Scott

StangMahn

450 is about the general limit. going over is just more reason to get forged internals, and boost it way up

TB is gonna have one super-bad@$$ machine

Rebel73

yep, I plan to run with my stock motor til next tax season, then pull the trigger on the forged guts myself.

tom281

Yeah, except he'll only be running around 6-8psi of non 'cooled boost......

TacoBill

Thanks Rob.. I really feel like a ******* because I could've prevented this catastrophy.

Install of the non-cooled Vortech kit went in smooth. Part of the Brenspeed kit included the KB Boost-A-Pump. The included instructions from KB sucks big time.. wrong reference instructions, crappy pics of a SN95 install, and nothing specific to the S197. I searched for any installed pics/instructions here on TMS and other Forums, but all I found was 'I think it's in the trunk area'....'sorry, no pics, I didn't install it', etc., etc.
Soooo, in my infinite wisdom, I decided to go for 1st start without the BAP hooked up. I thought I was safe being the boost switch (for the BAP) doesn't activate until ~2500 rpm's or so. 1st start went well, all sounded great.

Then (here comes the bad part), I decided to have my mechanic take it out for a test drive to check the drivability, boost, and overall integrity of the installation.
It was reported that it ran fast and hard and that nothing sounded unusual or any detonation detected. I think the damage was already done at this point.

2nd test drive, just a mellow drive by my mechanic. Engine under slight load going up a hill, accidental mishift from 1 to 5, then a loud clunck sound, rod knock.

3rd and final test drive by me. Sounded like the knocking sound was coming from the bellhousing. Thinking that it's the clutch/flywheel, I took it out for a spin to check gear engagement and whatever else I notice with the clutch. Got to around 4500 rpm's in 3rd gear, and all hell broke loose. Sounds of rattling metal from the bottom end, shut down the engine immediately, and coasted to the side of the road. And that was all she wrote.

I say that this was all my doing because I failed to hook up the BAP, got impatient (ie. excited), gave my mechanic the green light to test it out, and lastly failed to recognize a rod knock sound.

Lessons learned.

SONICBOOST

What fuel pump will you be using next time. Gt500 and a boost a pump....?

RadBOSS

TacoBill

Sorry to hear about your mishap. Should be a lessons learned for all others to not take a short cut, even if the installation details are flakey. That's an expensive lesson. I'm sure you will be a lot more careful, because even a expensive rotating assy can be destroyed if the rest of the system is not properly completed.

yur1279

While we are on the topic, what is the best options out there currently to build up/forge the 4.6 3v's at this time?

Rapture

Bill, sorry hear about your problems. Makes me want N/A running 12s vs F1 running 11s. I was thinking Saleen IV Stage 2

I hope your car was paid off! Mine is. worried about warranty delete

max2000jp

I just had my car re-tuned by James at RWTD. What an amazing tune! The car put down 474/412. Like others said, the tune is key. Also making sure that you have the proper injectors and fuel pump makes a difference. A wideband A/F gauge should be standard equipment with any forced induction install. Keep and eye on it!

Rebel73

BNBill,

thanks for sharing that with us. I know I've done some stupid things out of impatience. Sounds like you're rebuilding better, stronger, and faster than before. Best of luck with that.

Faber

Sorry to hear about your motor Bill. It really bums me out that a guy who has done so much to help all of us out with great write-ups has been the victim of bad instructional material.

I want to share something that I recently learned about the GT fuel pump system:

The fuel pump is actually up to the task of providing plenty of fuel pressure up to and beyond 475 rwhp. the shortcoming of the system is the wire feeding the fuel pump control module. this wire is a 16 gauge wire which comes from the kinetic energy fuel cutoff switch. this wire can't feed the fuel pump the current it needs to perform in a supercharged car. I recently had a problem with my fuel pump duty cycle maxing out at wide open throttle, and a friend told me about a wiring mod that can give the fuel pump the extra power it needs. this mod consists of a relay, some spade connectors, and about 30 feet of 10 gauge wire.

you basically run 10 gauge wire from the battery back to the trunk and using the white wire from the fuel cutoff circuit you wire in a relay which uses the fuel cutoff circuit as a trigger, and provides current straight from the battery into the fuel pump control module. you then replace the black and pink wire from the fuel pump control module to the fuel pump with 10 gauge wire as well. this allows the fuel pump to get all the current it needs when it needs it. this reduced my fuel pump duty cycle by about 10% while also allowing the fuel pump to draw less current and pump more fuel. no need for a boost a pump at all.

I will take pics and post a how to on this tommorow.

RRRoamer

Faber,

Most people just don't realize how much of a difference the proper wiring can make! Thanks for the heads up.

Zip34

Wow Bill. Sorry to see that. I was thinking of staying NA after seeing that! The major mods might roughly be long tube headers/cia/torque converter/gears/cams/ported heads/control motion plates. Don't think I'll be at 450 rwhp with this set up. Still, even if I was close, Bill's pics make me nervous...