thinking about going from SC to TT, only way I would do this is with a built motor. few questions if you dont mind?

1. cost wise cheaper to build the motor first before you blow it so what would that cost without the TT installed?

2. ball park total cost?

3. could a greddy TT be installed without forged internails and be safe if I keep the boost at 8psi? then save for motor work

reson I am asking is I just had some SC problems and if my kit needs to be replaced I just might go TT so if I get 5k rembursment from my SC braking in under 2k miles I might as well go TT.

 

also would I need to take off any mods like plenum,headers, test pipes ect? right now I have all them and the AAM fuel sestem with 440cc injectors, also nismo exhaust,

just thought 350whp would be enough but its not

 

you would need to remove the headers as TT kits have exhaust manifolds that bolt onto the block

i'm going forged internals first, just to preclude blowing the engine (though that would give me a reason to build the engine) just incase a rod accidentally goes through the block (necessitating purchasing a new block).

i'd estimate an engine build at $5k in parts and $2k in labor (for the shortblock... that's with buying a new bottom end to build up... if you just buy the parts, look to spend $2.5k (labor stays the same)

www.sgpracing.com has a good line on some baseline prices

 

After researching this topic TO DEATH, here's what I have concluded. Certainly, a built motor is the best way to go for TT safety. However, engine building is a difficult thing even for most tuning shops. Companies like SGP are experienced, but what do you do if something goes wrong? Are you going to remove your TT kit, pull your motor, and send it back to SGP? Even if you have gobs and gobs of money, what a PITA that would be. If you want a built engine and FI, you really need to find a tuner CLOSE TO YOUR HOME that can do it all. If you can't do this, don't build your engine. The question then becomes whether or not you put TT on your stock motor. The answer, in my opinion, is yes. However, from all I've seen, read, and know personally about turbo design, engine management, and fabrication is that there are only two systems I would ever consider in "kit" form. Those two systems are APS and JWT. APS has proven reliability now, and I would blindly trust ANYTHING Jim Wolf produces for Nissan. They are, without a shadow of a doubt, in my mind, the premier tuner for the Z. Both kits with out-of-the-box tuning run less than 7 psi boost and produce very safe power levels. Greddy's "kit" on the other hand is like walking into Harlem wearing a KKK outfit and hoping not to get shot. It is FAR from complete, uses generic components and requires significant custom tuning to run safely. The turbo units themselves are good if you want to run a high boost system, but you will need a lot of custom fabrication, and tuning to get it all to work. Also, a number of tuning shops have told me that the e-manage is impossible to get properly tuned.

Anyway, this is, as always, just my opinion, but I believe it to be based on sound knowledge and reasoning.

 

The only mod I see that you won't be able to use on the TT are the headers. Everything else you can keep. The Greddy is a safer kit than many people make it out to be. The people that don't have a Greddy kit and have no experience with it are the one's that bash it so much. I do agree that it isn't complete out of the box, but for about $2K you can make it pretty much safer than any other kit. I think that as long as you get a good tune and you keep it below 400rwhp then you shouldn't have to worry about internals. IMO a TT kit at 350rwhp (just using that number because you said that didn't satisfy u) will give you more of a rush than a S/C at 350rwhp because it will give you that power almost instantly. While with a S/C you would only get that power at around redline, so u first have to climbe up to that power, and also the TT will have a lot more torque than the S/C.

Westpak has been running his Greddy TT for 12K miles now I belive, and he hasn't had any problems. I belive he is also running at 8 or 8.5 psi, not sure though, but I'm sure he'll chime in if he reads this thread. He is running very safe. There are also a lot of other people that have no problems with their Greddy kit whatsoever.

Forged internals are nice and all, but they are not neccessary if you're not going to go over 400rwhp. I know there have been people that have blown their motor with less than 400rwhp, but that is most likely due to bad tuning (running to lean), bad installation, or they hadn't gotten the neccessary parts that were needed to make the kit safe.

 

$5k would buy all but $600 of a GReddy TT kit with FMIC.

 

Headers would need to come off. Everything else can stay.

 

Generic components? Might want to reconsider that, almost every kit does. Because the maps GReddy supplies SUCK. Those tuning shops don't have any patience, there are many running with the E-Manage just fine. Tuning is the most important part of taking a N/A car to F/I, therefore, you must trust your tuner above all others.

I would bet that if you did some more research you wouldn't think the GReddy is such a bad kit after you upgrade some stuff. The GReddy kit is basically a tuner kit, the APS is a great out-of-the-box kit though.

 

Completely agree on everything stated, well said.

 

thanks guys also I am running the fcon v now so tuning shouldnt be a problem