For those of you who have had one or the other or experience with both, Which of these systems would be best for a powerful daily driver? As far as maintenance, reliability, overall power production and headache free enjoyability.
My previous plans to sell my Z and buy a Vette have fallen through, Due to the fact that I will be a father very shortly after deployment and ETS from the Army. So now I have to build a better Z. The strano suspension will be the first mod, including shocks, springs and possibly sway bars. then a new rear end(undecided which) and drive shaft. Then comes the power adder.
Any sugestions and first hand experience from both systems will be great thank you.
I should add that the STS system will more than likely be the TRT stage 2.

 

procharger!

 

i like procharger but in the end it is all about what you like and will be happy with!

 

i love my STS .. weekend install and very easy to upgrade like i have-- pushing 9psi making 500rwhp

 

I've always been a fan of procharger or vortech. The STS kits really interested me at first, but I have subframe connectors and was told I couldn't use the kit with them.

 

I knew that someone would say procharger, but Ive actually read alot of procharger horror stories, in as much as replacement parts, part quality, customer service and reliability. I dont know if what I read was truly the result of the system itself or operator error, (operator head space and timing, as we say in my line of work) and the fact that procharger is as popular as it is is going to increase the amount of "incidents". Yet Ive RARELY read ANYTHING bad about the STS system from people who actually own it, more so from front mount and super guys than actuall STS people. The main reason I dont want a procharger is that I dont want to make that much power, between 420-470rwhp, 500 at an absolute max. That and the fact that I will be running it on a stock block so i wont be pushing much boost, very little more than 5-7lbs I should think for the sake of engine longevity.
Also taking into account the every important cost factor. the vortech kit is approximatly 6000 dollars, the TRT stage 2 sts kit seems to come with all the supporting mods needed(fuel pump, injectors, intercooler etc...) to run safely on a stock block for less than 5500 dollars. The Procharger kit is well over 6000 dollars the last time I looked, and dosent come with anything much more than the head unit piping and intercooler.
In summation...Procharger is a no-go. Thanks anyway!

 

Another one for procharger!

 

I vote for the STS. I have had a Procharger, Vortech and STS. The STS was the most fun on the street to me. I like when you are just cruising around it drives exactly like stock until you stomp on it. I was making 525 rwhp on 9 psi 475 rwhp on 7 psi. I did have a FMIC as well.

 

Im in my third year with the sts and the only issue so far is my oil pump went out. my car is my daily driver also Im not sure how many miles i have on it.

 

Vortech. You'll be happy with it.

In Procharger's defense they have resolved all the issues that have been wrong in the past. Its funny when they were having those problems back in early 2000-2003 they were in total denial that it was happening. Now its a pretty decent kit.

 

Procharger because it will provide 500 easy rwhp and also it has Bob's support from EPP.

 

thanks for the posts guys keep em coming. only one guy here wants to say anything about vortech?

 

There isn't much Vortech support on this site. It is a good product. It makes great power and is a very efficient setup given that the headsize is less than half the size of the Procharger setup. Vortech isn't a sponsor and doesn't have a sponsor that stays on this site 24/7 that pushes their product.

In the end its what you want to do, but don't be afraid to be different. There is a member here name Caveman who doesn't post much on here but his car is about to hit 9's full weight with a 10 pt cage in it.

 

i vote sts w/intercooler as well......exhaust if free......driving a belt costs power.....not much power after it hits boost.....but still.....turbo spool sounds way better

 

NOT STS!! I don't have either setup, but I have tuned each and helped people get their stuff up and going... Almost *everything* about the STS is junky, simple, and cheap. Consequently, it will cost you more money and time in the long run. Some examples include:

STS has no bevel or bead around their charge piping, and the **** blows apart until you do SOMETHING to change that. Whether it be roll the ends of every charge pipe or what not. This seems like basic common sense. The couplers it comes with are garbage; all of them will have to be replaced. They WILL come apart, so save yourself some grief and drop the cash on HTS couplers up front.

Procharger is nice because it has it's own oiling. I hate that about the STS, that scavenge pump and having to pull oil to the back of the car for it and then back up front. The Vortech is guilty of needing engine oil moving through it also. Vortech does offer (at least for the vettes, so I assume F-bod) a nice cogged belt system that is easy to setup and doesn't slip.

Add to that, if you have an STS setup and an M6, you might make 1-2psi in first gear.. not enough load there. Don't want to be labeled a hater for telling you the truth (some STS owners are just itching for debate) so I will say that if you have a stalled A4, the STS will be much more enjoyable (than an M6) and much faster/quicker as well.

Personally for any car that I had to drive regularly, after seeing lots of setups would be an ATI powered car. You have some odd grudge against them based on internet folklore so I guess that leaves the vortech up for reliability and low maint as opposed to the STS.

-edit- Oh yeah, forgot about STS's charge pipe that goes UNDER THE K-MEMBER, scrape scrape.
/2cents

 

Yes I will admit it-I just plain dont like procharger. Everything I have read about them makes me just want to avoid them, also Im going to be running on a stock block with 60000+ miles, I dont really need something that will destroy my engine. However due to the increased amount of procharger votes ill have to check them out again, Ill try to be un-biased.
Thanks again guys

 

I'll add to this, seeing as I actually have an STS.

The upgrades and double-work alone will make the APS system look cheap.

NEG's

1. The oil pump sucks. So does the high-flow upgrade pump.
2. Count on losing boost by the time the air hits the manifold.
3. 11ty-billion extra places for a boost leak
4. Hot-side piping is ***.
5. No ground clearance, and watch the f*ck out when backing up near a curb.
6. Turbo = not a muffler. NO stealth factor AT ALL.
7. Remote turbo: good for cooling intake charge, also good for cooling exhaust...bad for heat-loving turbochargers. Requires exhaust wrapping.
8. Spools in about the same time as it takes a 4cylinder car to pass you.

PLUSes:

1. Initially cheap. (You'll find out why when you bolt it up).
2. Fairly simple install.
3. Sounds terrific if you like to hear the turbo...it's f-in loud.
4. " " " " " the sound of open headers.
5. Oil pump noise gives the car that "racecar" feel.
6. Scares children, small animals, and most would-be challengers at a light.
7. After you upgrade everything in the kit: Mother of Christ they are fast and make good power.
8. Referring to #8 above, that 4cyl car enjoys precisely 1/16th a second of victory before his paint is ripped off the car as your fully spooled turbo passes him like he threw on thrust reversers. This also works with V8's, V10's, etc...

 

Where are you reading all of this bad stuff? Link it, support it.... after being fully immersed in F-body FI for several years, the most common gripe is belt slip. What do you not like so much about a system that you don't have any experience with? As for not wanting a hurt engine, don't get greedy. It's not the power adder's fault that your engine dies; in most cases it's yours. I will say, between a turbo and a SC, the turbo is much easier to hurt your engine with for a lot of reasons. I guess what strikes me so much about this post is that in the years of being into this, I've never seen anyone take a stance against ATI, unless they only want a turbo...

Why not link in some of all of these ATI horror stories you have? You say "everything you have read makes me want to avoid them". Have you read this thread?

I'm not giving you a hard time, but for FI and reliability, they are just the way to go. I am toying with the idea of a C5, M6, D1sc, longtubes, and 9-10psi just after the new year. Awesome performance and reliability all rolled up.

 

I eventually am going FI ....a Procharger for sure.

 

Why not build your own turbo setup for cheaper?