YaoNYC

hi all,
opinion,

which choice is a better idea?

1. Vortech V2 supercharger/install labor, everything else stock

or

2. Cai, Tune, LT headers, catted h-pipe, driveshaft, UDP, 3.55 or 3.73 rear gears, install labor

when i do the math, the $ value is very close but which option would be better?

Altnative auto did tests on a vortech with a pretty much stock Auto. GT mustang and the results were amazing. I doubt bolt ons can get that performance and with the $ so close, im thinking supercharger is the way to go...

tom281

The only thing that beats a supercharger at cost-to-HP ratio is nitrous. Unless for some reason you are dead-set on staying naturally aspirated and NEVER going to force induction, there is no reason to not supercharge compared to adding a half-dozen bolt on parts.

YaoNYC

hi tom,
thanks brother.

i was on the naturally aspired wagon...then i did the math on all the BEST bolt-ons....it was so close to the cost of the supercharger Vortech!

so, i can keep all my other areas stock and just do a vortech and i'll be GREAT.

your thoughts on that?

ps. no nitrous but i hear you! u are right about that

Bullitt995

Supercharger then build around it later.

tom281

Sure, do the blower and no other mods- you'd be in love! Plus if you leave the stock exhaust like it is, you'd have one heck of a sleeper- no one would know you're packing a bunch of power.

officespace56

Its a tough decision because when you get a CAI first, you will likely have to change it for the blower. But if you get longtubes, they will benefit alot with FI.

don_w

Or maybe not...

Adam at S.T. Motorsports recently made 811 rwhp/712 rwtq with the stock exhaust manifolds in place. And for the curious, the combo is:

KB 2.8L blown engine built and tuned by ST Motorsports
Diablo Tuned with MaFia
Livernois stage 3 heads
comp stage 3 cams
JE custom pistons
Manley billet rods
Cobra crank
custom cometic head gaskets
arp hardware
60lb injectors
gt500 fuel system
KB Mamouth 4.5 inch inlet system with Dual 75 mm t-body
KB 40 amp BAPs X2
Stock coils assisted by a KB BAS(boosta-spark) which was needed after 700 hp!
Clutch Masters stage 4 clutch
autolite HT0 sparkplugs gapped @.028
ST Motorsports ice box
Fluidyne heat exchanger
Ford Racing intercooler pump
STOCK exhaust manifolds
STOCK H-PIPE

JonCo

+1. Forced induction then build around

officespace56

hmm, i was always told that if you have the 1 3/4 LT's you get large gains if you have FI?

SilverBossGT

Wonder how much KB/ST Motorsports would gain if they did put on 1-3/4 LT's?

don_w

So, when you said "But if you get longtubes, they will benefit alot with FI" this was based on what you've been told, rather than what you know for a fact? That is the problem with the internet... anyone can say anything, and other people think they know what they are talking about. If I post something that is my opinion, I usually try to include "IMO" in my statement somewhere. I don't want people assuming my opinions are always a "fact".

Anyway, here is a fact: I didn't see "large gains" from my LTs.

don_w

Maybe some... maybe nothing.

We may never know. Last I heard (2 days ago), he was going to de-tune it and swap trannies (stick out, auto in) to hit the track looking for 9's.

SilverBossGT

I would really like to see someone do before and after LT's.

9's should come easy with that setup as long as they can get some grip.

subzero05

supercharger...

don_w

Think of it this way... the stock manifolds apparently are good for 800+ rwhp, even with an enormous TB, 2.8L blower, and P&P heads. That is a ton of air coming in, so it must be getting out OK.

SilverBossGT

Yeah sure. That's the obvious. I'm not disputing that or trying to argue a point.

I see where you are coming from. What's another 20-30 hp for an additional 800-1600 bucks?

Just curiosity.

SilverBossGT

What type of gains did you see?
And, at what RPM's did you see them?
How did those gains relate/help your times at the track?

YaoNYC

alternative auto did a test.

they added LTH and catted xpipe later on with their vortech v2 blower on an auto. mustang.

they only saw 10-15hp increase and very little torque vs. stock headers, catted hpipe.

so...my conclusion is that $1400+ installation for that little gain is not worth the money.

so...if u decide to go the blower route, then almost every other mod is pretty much waste of $ from a PURE hp/torque perspective. however, if u want to continue to mod for fun and enjoyment without $ considered, thats totally cool too

so this goes back to my original topic. it seems vortech blower/installation seems the way to go. and leave everything else stock. i might just do axle back exhaust for sound and looks.

UDP: $400-500 installed
CAI/TUNE: $600-700 installed
LTH/Catted xpipe: $2100-2200 installed
rear gears: $700 installed
delete plates: $400 installed
driveshaft: $800-1000 installed
approx. total: $5500
320hp rwhp? if lucky? (plus headache of doin all this work and time)

or

vortech v2 installed by Alternative auto: $5600
450 rwhp

thanks all..

don_w

First of all, I couldn't care less about "gains" on a dyno. Those are typically meaningless numbers to me. As far as the track goes, I only had a couple trips to evaluate them while still N/A before the KB went on, and I saw maybe a tenth gain in the 1/8 mile... nothing major.

SilverBossGT

A tenth is a tenth. But of course not worth the extra $800-1600 to get it, unless you are in a very competitive field of racing where there are big prizes being handed out.