5psi on a stock F-body
Thread Starter
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 715
Likes: 7
From: Houston
5psi on a stock F-body Hey all,
I have been reading up on FI and have been trying to get a handle on longevity and specific needs for running ~5psi on a stock motor. I have read a number of people running the ATI kit at 7psi with twin intercoolers and they have not had any engine troubles (just belt problems). I have also been reading up on the STS kit which does not have an intercooler and seems to be making good HP gains at 5psi.
My biggest question is will a stock 02 WS6 be able to handle a 5psi STS kit for 100K miles? I would really love to add the STS kit but I want to make sure that the car will not have any issues and I don't want to have to replace fuel injectors, pumps, etc.
Like I said, I've read a lot of posts from ATI folks stating that they've been running for 30-50K miles and no problems, but that's intercooled, and the STS kit isn't.
Thanks for any help.
Russell
I have been reading up on FI and have been trying to get a handle on longevity and specific needs for running ~5psi on a stock motor. I have read a number of people running the ATI kit at 7psi with twin intercoolers and they have not had any engine troubles (just belt problems). I have also been reading up on the STS kit which does not have an intercooler and seems to be making good HP gains at 5psi.
My biggest question is will a stock 02 WS6 be able to handle a 5psi STS kit for 100K miles? I would really love to add the STS kit but I want to make sure that the car will not have any issues and I don't want to have to replace fuel injectors, pumps, etc.
Like I said, I've read a lot of posts from ATI folks stating that they've been running for 30-50K miles and no problems, but that's intercooled, and the STS kit isn't.
Thanks for any help.
Russell
12 Second Truck Club
Joined: Feb 2002
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From: Sacramento, CA
Originally Posted by smokinHawk
Fact: if you add FI your going to break stuff
Fact: if you add any power adder your going to break stuff
Fact: if you add any power adder your going to break stuff
If you barely ever drive the car or only got WOT on occasion then chances are good you will not break anything. If you are like 98% of the rest of the F-body owners then don't mod the car unless you can afford to break something.
Ohh, at 5psi there is no neeed for an intercooler on the STS kit. At 13psi I was only seeing 160deg IATs before spraying with Meth. Most people generally agree that unless you live in very hot climate that intercoolers are not needed below 7-8psi.
Thread Starter
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Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 715
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From: Houston
SmokinHawk,
I agree that if you add any power adder you're going to break stuff. I am fine with that. When I break the 10 bolt I'll put a 12 bolt in. When the clutch goes, I'll get a Spec stage 3. What I don't want to do is grenade my engine. I also don't want to get hit by surprise expenses like fuel injectors, fuel pumps, etc.
F8L Z71,
Well, I am in Houston and it does get over 100F and 98% relative humidity so I am definitely in a hot climate. If the IAT's get above 160 won't the computer pull timing to combat knocking? Like I said, I don't want to grenade my engine.
I won't be going all out, just want to add some pep to my daily driver. I think it's a great $/hp addition.
Russell
I agree that if you add any power adder you're going to break stuff. I am fine with that. When I break the 10 bolt I'll put a 12 bolt in. When the clutch goes, I'll get a Spec stage 3. What I don't want to do is grenade my engine. I also don't want to get hit by surprise expenses like fuel injectors, fuel pumps, etc.
F8L Z71,
Well, I am in Houston and it does get over 100F and 98% relative humidity so I am definitely in a hot climate. If the IAT's get above 160 won't the computer pull timing to combat knocking? Like I said, I don't want to grenade my engine.
I won't be going all out, just want to add some pep to my daily driver. I think it's a great $/hp addition.
Russell
I am in Dallas and we get plenty hot. I am on a stock LS1 with 5psi. I have not had any issues at all. I do drive my car hard, only because I use it to show people the STS kit. So far, so good.
P.M. if you have any specific questions.
P.M. if you have any specific questions.
12 Second Truck Club
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 5,574
Likes: 0
From: Sacramento, CA
Personally I would still recomend getting a good methanol kit even for the lower boost you are looking at. You can just mist the intake air and it will cool it down considerably AND add octane so you can get away with a slightly smaller fuel system or not have to upgrade much beyond injectors.
You can run the stock kit with zero other mods but IMO if you want a good safety margin then do the meth kit also.
You can run the stock kit with zero other mods but IMO if you want a good safety margin then do the meth kit also.
Thread Starter
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 715
Likes: 7
From: Houston
Thanks for the input trtturbo! If and when I get the STS kit, it'll probably be from you 
F8L Z71, adding the meth kit is definitely a good safety margin. I'll have to think hard about doing that. How much does the meth injection cost/gallon and how long does it last? Since this is my daily driver I put about 300miles per week on it and that needs to be factored into the package cost.
Thanks for the input guys,
Russell
F8L Z71, adding the meth kit is definitely a good safety margin. I'll have to think hard about doing that. How much does the meth injection cost/gallon and how long does it last? Since this is my daily driver I put about 300miles per week on it and that needs to be factored into the package cost.
Thanks for the input guys,
Russell
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Verdad Gallardo 12 Second Truck Club
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 5,574
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From: Sacramento, CA
At 5-6psi I doubt you will have to spray much at all. More like a light misting so you will go through very little.
In my area it goes for about $3.25 or something /per gallon. It is VERY cheap IMO since you only use it when you floor it and start seeing a certain amount of boost. In my case it doesn't even really turn on till I switch to high boost and hit 7psi or more. On your truck at 5psi I bet you'd probably only have to fill the tank once every couple weeks or so depending on how hot footed you are. I'd try to get a big 1ga cell and put it where your Volant box is now. Remember that you can also buy the methanol and mix it with water in the tank for a 50/50 mix and it will save you even more money and take away any flammability issues. You wont get MAX power but it works great. Some people even use full water, or they get agood winter windshield washer fuild. Julio could tell you more about it at AlkyControl.
In my area it goes for about $3.25 or something /per gallon. It is VERY cheap IMO since you only use it when you floor it and start seeing a certain amount of boost. In my case it doesn't even really turn on till I switch to high boost and hit 7psi or more. On your truck at 5psi I bet you'd probably only have to fill the tank once every couple weeks or so depending on how hot footed you are. I'd try to get a big 1ga cell and put it where your Volant box is now. Remember that you can also buy the methanol and mix it with water in the tank for a 50/50 mix and it will save you even more money and take away any flammability issues. You wont get MAX power but it works great. Some people even use full water, or they get agood winter windshield washer fuild. Julio could tell you more about it at AlkyControl.
I agree that any poweradder will break stuff eventually.
See sig for my #'s with 10lbs on a stock LS1 Intake temps go to 128degree's on a 90 degree day.The front mount works great.
See sig for my #'s with 10lbs on a stock LS1
Intake temps go to 128degree's on a 90 degree day.The front mount works great. 
On The Tree
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 131
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From: Orlando, FL usa
Over the past 9yrs that I have been involved with cars I found that there are a lot of boneheads in this business. My friends and I have always been known as the crowd that "did it right" or had "nice ****."
We never broke anything and STILL went fast and were respected(turbo,charger,N20,heads&cam etc). The problem is that people do stuff with no attention to detail and don't do things correctly etc. People who slap on a #10 charger with no fuel upgrades and leave a Power Programmer in the computer are idots. Those are the people who break things.
The other crowd is the smart/dumb crowd. They know the weak parts of these cars..10 bolts, clutches, etc. and don't respect them. You'll see them time after time at the track launching at 10 bolt at 6500RPM on a full slick and they look at their buddy and say "why did the rear end fall out?"
In my opinion if you add an ATI charger correctly and do the proper additions and most importantly respect the car and the fact that you have an additional 100HP, you should be fine for a long time.
Doing it correctly is the name of the game.
We never broke anything and STILL went fast and were respected(turbo,charger,N20,heads&cam etc). The problem is that people do stuff with no attention to detail and don't do things correctly etc. People who slap on a #10 charger with no fuel upgrades and leave a Power Programmer in the computer are idots. Those are the people who break things.
The other crowd is the smart/dumb crowd. They know the weak parts of these cars..10 bolts, clutches, etc. and don't respect them. You'll see them time after time at the track launching at 10 bolt at 6500RPM on a full slick and they look at their buddy and say "why did the rear end fall out?"
In my opinion if you add an ATI charger correctly and do the proper additions and most importantly respect the car and the fact that you have an additional 100HP, you should be fine for a long time.
Doing it correctly is the name of the game.
Thread Starter
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 715
Likes: 7
From: Houston
trtturbo,
Yeah, I'd love to get a look at it next time you're in Houston. I'll definitely keep in touch.
F8L Z71,
I don't have a truck, it'd be for my trans am But thanks for the heads up on the cost/gallon and mixing techniques.
Pewter SS,
That's exactly what I'm trying to figure out. What does it take to add 5psi of boost "properly". Would 5psi actually need bigger injectors and fuel pump? Do I need to add a front mount intercooler or methyl/H2O cooling. Those are the kinds of things I want to know ahead of time so I can plan for them properly and not sabotage my car.
Russell
All the literature on the STS kit suggests that the stock injectors work fine for 5psi of boost and that there is no need for any cooling system.
Yeah, I'd love to get a look at it next time you're in Houston. I'll definitely keep in touch.
F8L Z71,
I don't have a truck, it'd be for my trans am
But thanks for the heads up on the cost/gallon and mixing techniques.Pewter SS,
That's exactly what I'm trying to figure out. What does it take to add 5psi of boost "properly". Would 5psi actually need bigger injectors and fuel pump? Do I need to add a front mount intercooler or methyl/H2O cooling. Those are the kinds of things I want to know ahead of time so I can plan for them properly and not sabotage my car.
Russell
All the literature on the STS kit suggests that the stock injectors work fine for 5psi of boost and that there is no need for any cooling system.
