fi vs big ci
Thread Starter
Launching!
Joined: Jan 2004
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fi vs big ci with reliability in mind what is the best way to go? heads cam, nitrous, stroker, or super/turbo charger. i hear that turbo/super involves more tuning than others. and constant tuning is something i would like to avoid. anyone have experiences both with strokers and fi????? 
I had a 422ci and now have a 348ci + supercharger.
A stroker is easier to tune but the faster you want to go the more radical the motor will get... And it will get loud, have a crazy idle, etc. I made 472rwhp with the stroker and today I bet I could have hit 500rwhp just with the advances that I could have taken advantage of...
My 348ci/Vortech YS trim combo has dynoed 746rwhp so far (on 110 leaded gas), but I am using a $2600 aftermarket engine management system. And I have a $1400 fuel system.
A stroker is easier to tune but the faster you want to go the more radical the motor will get... And it will get loud, have a crazy idle, etc. I made 472rwhp with the stroker and today I bet I could have hit 500rwhp just with the advances that I could have taken advantage of...
My 348ci/Vortech YS trim combo has dynoed 746rwhp so far (on 110 leaded gas), but I am using a $2600 aftermarket engine management system. And I have a $1400 fuel system.
Joined: Jan 2003
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From: ThirteenHundredPostsVille, CA
Yeah I was leaning either way. I was almost ready to oust my TR224-112 to go with a the new T-Rex cam. I was hesitant to purchase do to the super rough idle and such. I ended up buying an ATI D1-SC which will be going on next month, along with a split cam thunder racing cam on a 114 LSA. I am expecting some some decent numbers out of the setup with pretty good drivability.
Thread Starter
Launching!
Joined: Jan 2004
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that brings up another question, i know that a turbo kit or a supercharger kit is cheaper than a big cube stroker. but after you spend all that money you have to build the motor anyway so thats why i am thinking of just getting a big cube stroker. that way it will already be durable enough to last a while.
TECH Fanatic
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From: F.H,Waterford,Port Huron, MI
I am going to let you in on a secret I is all expensive and as you become addicted to the power and have to have more, you will spend more money!
If you try to save money say H/C and NOS you blow up the rear end. As you just fix that for what $2000 for a 12bolt then the motor goes! And if it all holds together you will then ask yourself "what can I do to make it just alittle faster (suspension,drag tires,gut it out. well maybe it isn't a big secret?
If you want fast and cheap get a yamaha R1. If you just want cheap used GEO Metro.
I have came to the point that this car is way to much money and time it has been in the shop for about a year and cost some 60k. I want it done and in the garage. There comes a point that it isn't much fun anymore!
If you try to save money say H/C and NOS you blow up the rear end. As you just fix that for what $2000 for a 12bolt then the motor goes! And if it all holds together you will then ask yourself "what can I do to make it just alittle faster (suspension,drag tires,gut it out. well maybe it isn't a big secret?
If you want fast and cheap get a yamaha R1. If you just want cheap used GEO Metro.
I have came to the point that this car is way to much money and time it has been in the shop for about a year and cost some 60k. I want it done and in the garage. There comes a point that it isn't much fun anymore!
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9 Second Club
Joined: Jul 2003
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When was the last time you have seen a solid roller 427 car with 13.0 compression driving around on the street. That is right, you don't see that. Yes they can make 500-550 rwhp but it is not a drivable car. You can make 700+ on a FI car and drive it to work everyday. The cam is small and you don't have to get into the boost if you don't want to. I have a 408 right now that has a big 250 duration cam and I don't really like it. I am running the bottle on the car right now while I am waiting for some money to buy the FAST stand alone. I already have the fuel system,turbo,intercooler,and so on. I can't wait to get it on the car so that it is easier to drive the car. I am hoping to make close to a 1000rwhp with a 88MM.
Don't suffer with the big cube huge cam beast motors, when you can have a little cam lots of boost setup.
Don't suffer with the big cube huge cam beast motors, when you can have a little cam lots of boost setup.
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Mar 2002
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I'm not silly enough to think that mileage really matters to the types that lurk on this board, but I'd rather feed my 500rwhp turbo/blower car mass quantities of 93 octane, and only when I'm all the way in it, instead of feeding my 500rwhp big-cube car mass quantities of 100+ octane all the time, in it or not.
JMO.
JMO.
cr133r seems to have made a fair amount of power for a little stoker FI setup 
If you dreampt of power, speed and exotic ****, then FI. If you want this car to whoop on most others out there and then sell it and find a new project use Nitrous. No such thing as too loud, too raunchy an idle, or "unstreetable".
If you dreampt of power, speed and exotic ****, then FI. If you want this car to whoop on most others out there and then sell it and find a new project use Nitrous. No such thing as too loud, too raunchy an idle, or "unstreetable". 
I ruin the end of films...
iTrader: (2)
Joined: Nov 2002
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From: Taking back some video tapes
I think you'll pull just as good of times with a stock cube H/C nitrous motor as you would with a 800hp super/turbocharged motor. If you want big fancy numbers, then you really can't beat the blown LS1 setups. However, the number that really sucks on those setups are the ones that start with a $. 
TECH Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 9,246
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From: Troy, AL
"Yes they can make 500-550 rwhp but it is not a drivable car."
My MTI 422 was making about 525 RWHP with 11:1 CR. Ran just fine on pump gas.
It was making about 500 RWHP when it was my daily driver (small R1 cam and LS1 heads.)
IMO, 550 streetable RWHP is doable nowadays with a hydraulic cam.
My MTI 422 was making about 525 RWHP with 11:1 CR. Ran just fine on pump gas.
It was making about 500 RWHP when it was my daily driver (small R1 cam and LS1 heads.)IMO, 550 streetable RWHP is doable nowadays with a hydraulic cam.
Thread Starter
Launching!
Joined: Jan 2004
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everyone says something different, thats why i am having trouble on deciding which way to go. the only thing that scares me with fi is the tuning.... i do like the idea of a bored/stroked motor though too
TECH Fanatic
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From: F.H,Waterford,Port Huron, MI
well I have one of each a strocker SB with NOS and a procharger on it. And a 348ci twin turbo 2stage nos car.And the first question is how much power do you want as a supercharger and a stock motor say 450hp but then it weights allot. The nos 404ci car is faster than the supercharger car at the same power same car. In therory!
What I am saying is if you only want 500hp H/c! Forced Induction is for money and pain that motor at high hp!
What I am saying is if you only want 500hp H/c! Forced Induction is for money and pain that motor at high hp!
TECH Apprentice
Joined: Jan 2004
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From: Frisco TX (Dallas Area)
OK, here's my take. I did both. 383 stroker N/A for now. Next year about 8 psi. I built the stroker with good forged parts and kept the CR fairly low (9.7) so it would take boost easily on pump gas. Mild cam (224/228), Stage 2 heads. Should be about 450 at the wheels and go to about 700 with the boost, again on pump gas. My numbers aren't exact, but in the ballpark. If I decide next year not to go the next step, I still have a very strong, reliable engine! Stroker=higher torque. As far as tuning goes, you should only need to get the tune right one time for any combination and then go with that setup. Getting the setup right takes a good tuner and a little time, but it's done every day. Mine is a daily driver and reliability was very much part of the plan. Here's the caveat to reliability: The drivetrain will probably have to be upgraded to handle that kind of HP, so expect trans (or clutch for an M6), driveshaft and rear end to need massaging. HTH 
tell you what, in the long run a supercharger will cost you less money. You can run fi and make at least 450 to the wheel conservatively all day. Heck if you can find a used kit from someone you trust you can really go fast for cheap.
I can't wait to throw my vortech on, its getting polished right now.
bling bling
i'd like to smack the person head who said a supercharger is gonna make your car heavy...
.at most you are talking 50lbs. you can always offset that by going with a kmember. In addition the gains in torque and horsepower will easily offset the "extra" weight.
I can't wait to throw my vortech on, its getting polished right now.
bling bling
i'd like to smack the person head who said a supercharger is gonna make your car heavy...
.at most you are talking 50lbs. you can always offset that by going with a kmember. In addition the gains in torque and horsepower will easily offset the "extra" weight. TECH Apprentice
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 337
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From: Frisco TX (Dallas Area)
There you have it. Two (or more) ways of doing the same thing, making unreasonable power! lol. The real answer is as posted a few replies back, HP costs money, how much you want to spend? Reliability depends on what you put under the HP. Good luck deciding!
Reliability depends on what you put under the HP. Good luck deciding! 
10 Second Club
Joined: Mar 2002
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From: ATLANTA
Originally Posted by TeeKay
There you have it. Two (or more) ways of doing the same thing, making unreasonable power! lol. The real answer is as posted a few replies back, HP costs money, how much you want to spend? Reliability depends on what you put under the HP. Good luck deciding!
Reliability depends on what you put under the HP. Good luck deciding!My car drives like stock and uses 93 octane gas with no problem. 500rwhp. Its not unheard of to have a 500rwhp daily driver on just motor. Yellowhammer is another example.
Thread Starter
Launching!
Joined: Jan 2004
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Originally Posted by TeeKay
OK, here's my take. I did both. 383 stroker N/A for now. Next year about 8 psi. I built the stroker with good forged parts and kept the CR fairly low (9.7) so it would take boost easily on pump gas. Mild cam (224/228), Stage 2 heads. Should be about 450 at the wheels and go to about 700 with the boost, again on pump gas. My numbers aren't exact, but in the ballpark. If I decide next year not to go the next step, I still have a very strong, reliable engine! Stroker=higher torque. As far as tuning goes, you should only need to get the tune right one time for any combination and then go with that setup. Getting the setup right takes a good tuner and a little time, but it's done every day. Mine is a daily driver and reliability was very much part of the plan. Here's the caveat to reliability: The drivetrain will probably have to be upgraded to handle that kind of HP, so expect trans (or clutch for an M6), driveshaft and rear end to need massaging. HTH