what kind of wear n tear/problems/repairs occur when a SC is on a maxima?
06-03-2003, 04:16 PM
#1
what kind of wear n tear/problems/repairs occur when a SC is on a maxima?
hey guys:
i was originaly going to buy a 2001 AE, but i figured i would head emax02's advice and just buy a 2000 SE, and put a super charger on it. with the money i save from getting a older car and the non-AE i should be able to afford the SC. but my question to you... is the super charger bad for the car? i have talk to ethan about this before but i want diffrent opinions... i have it set in my mind that a SC is bad for the car and will make things break alot quicker. not to mention that the life of the car will be limited. does anyone have any info on how a SC affects the car? does it or the car break alot? should i buy a used SC? please help me out! thank you very much.
Chris
i was originaly going to buy a 2001 AE, but i figured i would head emax02's advice and just buy a 2000 SE, and put a super charger on it. with the money i save from getting a older car and the non-AE i should be able to afford the SC. but my question to you... is the super charger bad for the car? i have talk to ethan about this before but i want diffrent opinions... i have it set in my mind that a SC is bad for the car and will make things break alot quicker. not to mention that the life of the car will be limited. does anyone have any info on how a SC affects the car? does it or the car break alot? should i buy a used SC? please help me out! thank you very much.
Chris
06-03-2003, 06:34 PM
#2
![[maxi-overdose]'s Avatar](https://maxima.org/forums/customavatars/avatar1856_1.gif){kind=avatar}
boosting = adding a lot of stress to your engine and makes everything wearing out faster too.
it depends on the driver, your car condition and preventive maintenance. if you boost and launch every single red light, it will shorten its life signifcantly.
it depends on the driver, your car condition and preventive maintenance. if you boost and launch every single red light, it will shorten its life signifcantly.
06-03-2003, 08:32 PM
#3
what kind of preventive mantenance? my new car is going to be in very good cond. with under 25k miles. i just want to slap it on and not have to worry about it too much. i was reading about broken belts, but that usally only happens by user error right? i am def. going to keep the stock pully no matter what. i am not going to beat on it all the time, just when i feel the need, or i want to give a mustang gt a surprize. 
06-03-2003, 11:02 PM
#4
Originally posted by Blkmax95c
what kind of preventive mantenance? my new car is going to be in very good cond. with under 25k miles.
what kind of preventive mantenance? my new car is going to be in very good cond. with under 25k miles.
i just want to slap it on and not have to worry about it too much.
i was reading about broken belts, but that usally only happens by user error right?
i am def. going to keep the stock pully no matter what. i am not going to beat on it all the time, just when i feel the need, or i want to give a mustang gt a surprize.
06-04-2003, 04:37 AM
#5
Anytime you add a lot of forced induction like boost you'll have to do more preventative maintenance. I got my blower when I had like somewhere in the 40K mile range and now I have 55K or so. Been through 2 trannies. The stress that the blower puts on the car is a lot especially if you boost daily or drive the car hard.
06-04-2003, 09:34 AM
#8
Not DAVEB the parts guy
Join Date: Aug 2000
Posts: 8,555
The Vortech blower does add HP and TQ which can stress the motor, but the blower's advantage is that it's power is added progressively which reduces shock to the drivetrain. This is particularily good when launching because the motor and driveline really isn't under any more load than NA. It's not until 4500rpms when the real power of the SC starts building stronger power and not till 6000rpm is the blower at full steam. The automagics are definately under a lot more stress with the blowers simply because autos, for the most part, have no mechancial connection to the engine (autos rely on fluid pressure, not true gears).
From what I've gathered through a lot of research is this:
1) Use the stock 3.6" pulley and reliability stays pretty good because this is how the system was designed. Vortech will also warranty the blower for one year assuming you run the 3.6" pulley.
2) Make sure to tighten your belt tight, but not too tight. Too little and you run the risk of the belt slipping and possibly shredding. Too much and you'll run the risk of possibly smoking the bearings in the SC.
3) The Fuel Management unit included in the kit makes the SC VQ run very rich and is effectively a "band-aid" solution. Stillen/Vortech does this because this kit is non-intercooled and a ton of heat (incoming air) is generated. This heated air increases the chance of detonation. By making the SC VQ run rich under full load cools the combustion chamber and reduces detonation, but ends up killing ultimate performance. This is where your options get expensive. You can end up getting your ECU programmed by JWT for the SC (assuming you have a 95-98 Maxima). This will require use of different injectors and possibly a new fuel pump if you upgrade the pulley. This setup could end up costing $800 if you don't have any kind of JWT programming yet.
4) Many people end up going with smaller pulleys in order to gain more power and they use different fuel "discs" and/or AFCs to tune for the additional fuel. The smaller pulleys increase the chances of belt problems and blower wear.
5) Another option for more power, but in a more reliable setup is to run an intercooler. I don't know how hard this is to do, but this really is the way to go from a reliability/power standpoint. Intercoolers drop intake temperatures dramatically which obviously help performance. The IC reduces the need to run lots of fuel to cool the chambers, they increase fuel MPG, reduce fuel pump wear, and you gain more power even when running a larger pulley. A non-intercooled cetrifugal blower really only runs with 45-50% effiency. By adding an intercooler, you'll be looking at 65-70% effiency. That's like running three stages smaller pulley (3.6 to a 3.2)!!!! There is a small drop in boost when running an IC, but it's overall gains far outweigh the small loss in boost. ATI Procharger runs ICs on all their blowers and there's a reason why their blowers put out a lot more power than non-intercooled Vortech's. The biggest problem with the IC is running the plumbing and the price of the IC ($500+). IC SC Maxima's are out there so it has been done.
IMO, the ideal setup with maximum reliability and strong power is this:
1) SC with the 3.6" pulley ($3500)
2) Gatorback belt ($30)
3) MEVI ($600)
4) JWT ECU SC program/injectors ($800)
5) IC ($500)
I'd estimate this setup should be good for a reliable 270fwhp/240fwtq on a 5 speed 4th gen.
Dave
From what I've gathered through a lot of research is this:
1) Use the stock 3.6" pulley and reliability stays pretty good because this is how the system was designed. Vortech will also warranty the blower for one year assuming you run the 3.6" pulley.
2) Make sure to tighten your belt tight, but not too tight. Too little and you run the risk of the belt slipping and possibly shredding. Too much and you'll run the risk of possibly smoking the bearings in the SC.
3) The Fuel Management unit included in the kit makes the SC VQ run very rich and is effectively a "band-aid" solution. Stillen/Vortech does this because this kit is non-intercooled and a ton of heat (incoming air) is generated. This heated air increases the chance of detonation. By making the SC VQ run rich under full load cools the combustion chamber and reduces detonation, but ends up killing ultimate performance. This is where your options get expensive. You can end up getting your ECU programmed by JWT for the SC (assuming you have a 95-98 Maxima). This will require use of different injectors and possibly a new fuel pump if you upgrade the pulley. This setup could end up costing $800 if you don't have any kind of JWT programming yet.
4) Many people end up going with smaller pulleys in order to gain more power and they use different fuel "discs" and/or AFCs to tune for the additional fuel. The smaller pulleys increase the chances of belt problems and blower wear.
5) Another option for more power, but in a more reliable setup is to run an intercooler. I don't know how hard this is to do, but this really is the way to go from a reliability/power standpoint. Intercoolers drop intake temperatures dramatically which obviously help performance. The IC reduces the need to run lots of fuel to cool the chambers, they increase fuel MPG, reduce fuel pump wear, and you gain more power even when running a larger pulley. A non-intercooled cetrifugal blower really only runs with 45-50% effiency. By adding an intercooler, you'll be looking at 65-70% effiency. That's like running three stages smaller pulley (3.6 to a 3.2)!!!! There is a small drop in boost when running an IC, but it's overall gains far outweigh the small loss in boost. ATI Procharger runs ICs on all their blowers and there's a reason why their blowers put out a lot more power than non-intercooled Vortech's. The biggest problem with the IC is running the plumbing and the price of the IC ($500+). IC SC Maxima's are out there so it has been done.
IMO, the ideal setup with maximum reliability and strong power is this:
1) SC with the 3.6" pulley ($3500)
2) Gatorback belt ($30)
3) MEVI ($600)
4) JWT ECU SC program/injectors ($800)
5) IC ($500)
I'd estimate this setup should be good for a reliable 270fwhp/240fwtq on a 5 speed 4th gen.
Dave
06-04-2003, 09:35 AM
#9
why have you gone through two trannys? is it a 5spd? i would think that the tranny could hold up to it...
i am not too sure what i should do now... i really want the extra power but you guys are making me nevous about things going bad... i don't want to have to keep on replacing hundreds of parts just to keep this thing running.
maybe my 4grand can be better invested in something else? i don't know, i am confussed.
i am not too sure what i should do now... i really want the extra power but you guys are making me nevous about things going bad... i don't want to have to keep on replacing hundreds of parts just to keep this thing running.
maybe my 4grand can be better invested in something else? i don't know, i am confussed.
06-04-2003, 09:41 AM
#10
Originally posted by Blkmax95c
why have you gone through two trannys? is it a 5spd? i would think that the tranny could hold up to it...
i am not too sure what i should do now... i really want the extra power but you guys are making me nevous about things going bad... i don't want to have to keep on replacing hundreds of parts just to keep this thing running. maybe my 4grand can be better invested in something else? i don't know, i am confussed.
why have you gone through two trannys? is it a 5spd? i would think that the tranny could hold up to it...
i am not too sure what i should do now... i really want the extra power but you guys are making me nevous about things going bad... i don't want to have to keep on replacing hundreds of parts just to keep this thing running.
maybe my 4grand can be better invested in something else? i don't know, i am confussed.
scroll down this forum to read our history. esp the post I left in Dave B's poll thread.I just want you to be prepared.
06-04-2003, 09:48 AM
#11
Originally posted by Dave B
The Vortech blower does add HP and TQ which can stress the motor, but the blower's advantage is that it's power is added progressively which reduces shock to the drivetrain. This is particularily good when launching because the motor and driveline really isn't under any more load than NA. It's not until 4500rpms when the real power of the SC starts building stronger power and not till 6000rpm is the blower at full steam. The automagics are definately under a lot more stress with the blowers simply because autos, for the most part, have no mechancial connection to the engine (autos rely on fluid pressure, not true gears).
From what I've gathered through a lot of research is this:
1) Use the stock 3.6" pulley and reliability stays pretty good because this is how the system was designed. Vortech will also warranty the blower for one year assuming you run the 3.6" pulley.
2) Make sure to tighten your belt tight, but not too tight. Too little and you run the risk of the belt slipping and possibly shredding. Too much and you'll run the risk of possibly smoking the bearings in the SC.
3) The Fuel Management unit included in the kit makes the SC VQ run very rich and is effectively a "band-aid" solution. Stillen/Vortech does this because this kit is non-intercooled and a ton of heat (incoming air) is generated. This heated air increases the chance of detonation. By making the SC VQ run rich under full load cools the combustion chamber and reduces detonation, but ends up killing ultimate performance. This is where your options get expensive. You can end up getting your ECU programmed by JWT for the SC (assuming you have a 95-98 Maxima). This will require use of different injectors and possibly a new fuel pump if you upgrade the pulley. This setup could end up costing $800 if you don't have any kind of JWT programming yet.
4) Many people end up going with smaller pulleys in order to gain more power and they use different fuel "discs" and/or AFCs to tune for the additional fuel. The smaller pulleys increase the chances of belt problems and blower wear.
5) Another option for more power, but in a more reliable setup is to run an intercooler. I don't know how hard this is to do, but this really is the way to go from a reliability/power standpoint. Intercoolers drop intake temperatures dramatically which obviously help performance. The IC reduces the need to run lots of fuel to cool the chambers, they increase fuel MPG, reduce fuel pump wear, and you gain more power even when running a larger pulley. A non-intercooled cetrifugal blower really only runs with 45-50% effiency. By adding an intercooler, you'll be looking at 65-70% effiency. That's like running three stages smaller pulley (3.6 to a 3.2)!!!! There is a small drop in boost when running an IC, but it's overall gains far outweigh the small loss in boost. ATI Procharger runs ICs on all their blowers and there's a reason why their blowers put out a lot more power than non-intercooled Vortech's. The biggest problem with the IC is running the plumbing and the price of the IC ($500+). IC SC Maxima's are out there so it has been done.
IMO, the ideal setup with maximum reliability and strong power is this:
1) SC with the 3.6" pulley ($3500)
2) Gatorback belt ($30)
3) MEVI ($600)
4) JWT ECU SC program/injectors ($800)
5) IC ($500)
I'd estimate this setup should be good for a reliable 270fwhp/240fwtq on a 5 speed 4th gen.
Dave
The Vortech blower does add HP and TQ which can stress the motor, but the blower's advantage is that it's power is added progressively which reduces shock to the drivetrain. This is particularily good when launching because the motor and driveline really isn't under any more load than NA. It's not until 4500rpms when the real power of the SC starts building stronger power and not till 6000rpm is the blower at full steam. The automagics are definately under a lot more stress with the blowers simply because autos, for the most part, have no mechancial connection to the engine (autos rely on fluid pressure, not true gears).
From what I've gathered through a lot of research is this:
1) Use the stock 3.6" pulley and reliability stays pretty good because this is how the system was designed. Vortech will also warranty the blower for one year assuming you run the 3.6" pulley.
2) Make sure to tighten your belt tight, but not too tight. Too little and you run the risk of the belt slipping and possibly shredding. Too much and you'll run the risk of possibly smoking the bearings in the SC.
3) The Fuel Management unit included in the kit makes the SC VQ run very rich and is effectively a "band-aid" solution. Stillen/Vortech does this because this kit is non-intercooled and a ton of heat (incoming air) is generated. This heated air increases the chance of detonation. By making the SC VQ run rich under full load cools the combustion chamber and reduces detonation, but ends up killing ultimate performance. This is where your options get expensive. You can end up getting your ECU programmed by JWT for the SC (assuming you have a 95-98 Maxima). This will require use of different injectors and possibly a new fuel pump if you upgrade the pulley. This setup could end up costing $800 if you don't have any kind of JWT programming yet.
4) Many people end up going with smaller pulleys in order to gain more power and they use different fuel "discs" and/or AFCs to tune for the additional fuel. The smaller pulleys increase the chances of belt problems and blower wear.
5) Another option for more power, but in a more reliable setup is to run an intercooler. I don't know how hard this is to do, but this really is the way to go from a reliability/power standpoint. Intercoolers drop intake temperatures dramatically which obviously help performance. The IC reduces the need to run lots of fuel to cool the chambers, they increase fuel MPG, reduce fuel pump wear, and you gain more power even when running a larger pulley. A non-intercooled cetrifugal blower really only runs with 45-50% effiency. By adding an intercooler, you'll be looking at 65-70% effiency. That's like running three stages smaller pulley (3.6 to a 3.2)!!!! There is a small drop in boost when running an IC, but it's overall gains far outweigh the small loss in boost. ATI Procharger runs ICs on all their blowers and there's a reason why their blowers put out a lot more power than non-intercooled Vortech's. The biggest problem with the IC is running the plumbing and the price of the IC ($500+). IC SC Maxima's are out there so it has been done.
IMO, the ideal setup with maximum reliability and strong power is this:
1) SC with the 3.6" pulley ($3500)
2) Gatorback belt ($30)
3) MEVI ($600)
4) JWT ECU SC program/injectors ($800)
5) IC ($500)
I'd estimate this setup should be good for a reliable 270fwhp/240fwtq on a 5 speed 4th gen.
Dave
thanks for you help dave, is there anything else you would sugest? i know i have to get guages, i think they are the fuel, and one other...i forget. maybe i should worry about that at the time of purchase. do you think it is wise to buy a used SC? some one is selling one in my area for $2995, but i am not sure what kind of cond. it is in, or how to tell what kind of cond. it is in for that matter. Chris
06-04-2003, 11:35 AM
#12
Originally posted by Blkmax95c
why have you gone through two trannys? is it a 5spd? i would think that the tranny could hold up to it...
i am not too sure what i should do now... i really want the extra power but you guys are making me nevous about things going bad... i don't want to have to keep on replacing hundreds of parts just to keep this thing running. maybe my 4grand can be better invested in something else? i don't know, i am confussed.
why have you gone through two trannys? is it a 5spd? i would think that the tranny could hold up to it...
i am not too sure what i should do now... i really want the extra power but you guys are making me nevous about things going bad... i don't want to have to keep on replacing hundreds of parts just to keep this thing running.
maybe my 4grand can be better invested in something else? i don't know, i am confussed.
Just invest in a sc. Start with no more boost then 3.33". That's safe enough and you won't have to worry about upgrading like your fuel pump,injectors,etc.
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