Being a DIY sort of guy, I honestly have to say that when you call a shop and say "I just blew up my engine, I want 400-500hp", they might need to play a little CYA and install a good A/F monitoring system for everyone's peace of mind. I would never run a high powered FI system without one, personally.

SGP is a good shop, but there are also plenty of posts like this about them, too.

 

If a customer calls up and says "My budget is tight, but I really want to make 400WHP in this car, what do I need to do it safely?", it's perfectly reasonable to recommend stock internals, lots of cars are doing it. I've never heard of weisco/eagle parts, but I know that probably 95% of the built VQ35's out there aren't using them. The well known forged component makers' parts are going to have a differential of more than $500.

Don't get me wrong here, I'm not defending Mike or AAM, it just urks me when people don't understand the cost of what they're getting into and when they get enlightened, they get all pissed off about it and start pointing fingers at the shop. F/I is EXPENSIVE and the more power you want, the more components it takes and thus the more money it takes.

 

I agree with you on the ignorance some ppl have regarding the costs involved but trefling had a decent idea based on his estimates so I'm not going to fault him. Regarding the internals, SGP builds blocks with Eagle/Weisco, so I'd say they're pretty good and definitely better than the oem stuff.

BTW I'll be adding APS twins to my 06 but I'll be shooting for ~440whp. Just waiting for the car to show up.

 

I dont know anything about the company, but a plenum spacer and w/b seems like very good advice. I couldn't imagine anyone spending $$ on a rebuild and not having a w/b with a FI system.

 

I think a wideband is a waste of money. It averages out the AFR of 6 cylinders. Tells you nothing about what's going on in each cylinder. You can have a great AFR with one cylinder running really rich and one running really lean.

If you want to know what's going on put an exhaust gas temp sensor at each exhaust port.

Let's jump on the AFR bandwagon.

Respect
JET

 

Grouch

 

Hey Kelly.....

I'll get you a wideband for Chanukah next year.

Respect
JET

 

I'm not quite sure how to take that...

 

Wow this is a really touchy subject(AAM) but all Im gonna say is the real car enthusiasts in the area know the truth. To the poster of the thread do your homework before taking your car ANYWHERE-to me thats common knowledge. I do think some of what they said was true, and some maybe false-such as a $500 WB-my Innovate WB which is regarded as the best one on the market was $350 shipped.....thats all I will say sorry you had a bad experience. And BTW David dont think because a shop has cars they are "good" it just means they are busy, doesnt mean customers are 100% happy. I have seen some of the work AAM has done on a buddies Z, and I was under it one night at a local car meet pulling wires out from the crank pulley/belts among many other things. Take this as a lesson and do you research on a shop, most shops will have BBB complaints, but do a serach on Celica forums, other Z forums, any forum and see what you find, many will be surprised.

 

Alberto, I'm curious what you think....Forget the fact that AAM is the shop in question, do you think the OP's concerns are warranted, or is this more a case of "sticker shock" at the cost of going F/I?

 

Safe Forced Induction = Money. Plain and Simple.

As for wiseco and Eagle and their $500.00 price tag. I think I will stick with my Arias Pistons and Pauter Rods. (you get what you pay for)

If you want cheap, go to Tijuana and get your car built. If you want something done right, be prepared to pay top dollar for it.

 

Both, If they told him XXX amount, then it was more, I understand and so should Trefling that other things will always come into play, but if they are alread $3-4000 over what they ballparked, they shouldnt be trying to sell him a plenum spacer(1-4whp) and Widebands for WAY to high of a price. I dont liker to see people get taken, even if they dont know any better. I guess some could just say its business but Ive heard it all too many times with AAM-and Ive discussed AAM with other forum sponsors/local shops/other Z owners(who wont bad mouth AAM btw) and youd be shocked how many people would agree....but this isnt my post nor do I want to get into all of this.

 

Yea ive had a hell like experience with the shop in question and although legally i cant discuss it in public, lets say i fully agree with alberto and the starter of this thread and everything mentioned is 100% true. It seems performance tuning, and building solid engine builds comes 2nd to quality work and ethical business pratices.

 

LOL.....tell us how you really feel?

 

Agree. However if I drive to a shop and find it empty, I’m turning around fast and getting the hell out of there.

 

If they add the UTEC to tune your car, and I guess they would for 500hp, they will need a Wideband and something else (TunerREG) as the UTEC logs the AFR and the tune is done accordingly.

I got a quote from them and my first reaction was OMG...

Danny

 

Before you mouth off with your smartass remarks, why don't you go call up SGP and tell them their Eagle/Wiseco engine package is crap, even though they rate it for 550whp. I'll take SGP's engine building experience over your non-existent experience anyday. I guess for you, only the most expensive parts are worthwhile, even if a lesser cost part can do the job.

 

wow, someone's c*nt hurt?

Did I say anything about them being crap? I just said I would stick with my set-up which with my sleeves will go well beyond 550whp. And to answer your question. Yes I would rather pay more for a quality part that has been proven time and time again.

You should take some anger management classes or something. Everyone is entitled to an opinion and I gave mine, so suck it up tough guy.

 

Hey man, take it easy. Nobody is attacking anybody and opinions are fair game on the internet (as long as you're nice about it). Honestly, I had no idea that SGP was using these brands, since they're hardly even mentioned in the F/I forums.

Does anybody have a price comparison between a stock block replacement and a rebuild they can post? (this wouldn't of course include labor which is a huge variable.

 

LMAO. It sucks to get caught with your foot in your mouth eh? I proved your smartass remarks wrong and you just can't stand it. It takes a man to admit he's wrong. Why don't you grow up.