What is the safest mode of forced induction for a Z with an automatic transmission?

 

Possibly a Super Charger kit at stock psi. ST and TT's have higher torque power, which puts more stress on the auto tranny and motor. Valve body and TC upgrade would be recommended, as well as a tranny cooler.

 

I would also say S/C.

 

I would recomend a supercharger as well. A customer and freind of ours, (SungNamZ) is making great power, 416 RWHP SAE corrected, and his tranny seems to be doing great.

 

I was askin these very same questions...and I chose the Vortech S/C. If all goes as planned, it will be installed in a few weeks. The turbos just have too much torque. I'm keeping the tranny stock for now (except a cooler) but plan on doing the VB upgrade sooner or later...

 

Go with what you really want, either way it's all good.

I have a TT kit with my auto tranny and no problems...yet.

Greddy TT @ 7-8 psi and still all is good, just a bigger smile
but I do recomend some sort of tranny upgrade just to be safe.


Tasso-

 

i give another vote for superchager

 

Gosh! A "customer and a friend". Notice I spelled "freind" correctly. I have been very happy with my S/C. I would suggest that while the install is taking place, send your ECU to TS and get the "limited flash". Avoid some of the AT problems associated with rev limiter in the "Auto" mode.

 

Around how many miles did u guys go the FI route

 

As much as i would rather have a turbo of some sort (ST or TT) i just dont see the tranny holding out. The 5AT tranny may start to hold for the first few months, but ive seen a few guys that after first couple months, tranny just gave out. Even with the valve throttle upgrade and tq converter.
SC would be alot easier on the tranny, and be alot safer. So i say go SC. Even though i think a SC is for V8 + :P. They are wicked cool, i love the whine of them. If i do plan to go FI and i keep my 5AT i will most likely go SC. But i may just buy a 6MT Z and swap over my mods.

 

You can always get a ST/TT and turn the boost down. When you feel you need that extra power, you can dial it up for the short sprints or get some forged internals.

 

The problem really isnt the internals of the engine, lucidazn. Its the problem of the weaker 5AT tranny.

 

No no, I know it's not the problem of the internals of the engine. I still believe most of the blown engines we have so far is due to tuning. Not because of the rods. I am still convinced they can handle up to 400hp. APS TT's, APS ST's, and Turbonetics ST's are really showing the truer colors of our engines. It'll just take more time to really show what our engines are capable of, a lot more time. Until then, my convictions stand.

I was just offering an alternative solution. In case he does indeed want more power one day, he can go that route by simply turning down the boost if he feels that it's not safe to be running at stock boost on whatever kit he may get. Since he is already in that train of thought, unless something persuades him otherwise, he is probably not going to go up to higher hp numbers till he gets something that diminishes the risk by a certain factor. By turning down boost, you have a machine that has the potential to gain performance easier and cheaper. Let's say year one you just want 350hp, then the year afterwards you want 450hp, the price for going from these stages is cheaper versus a supercharger. If you want full blown power of 500, then that is another story.

 

get a good torque converter and u should be fine plus if u leave it in stock boost for a while until more knowledged is known about the AT tranny it should hold up perfect plus like lucidazn said turn it up turn it down whenever u need the power and of course get a good tune even if it takes u a month more to get the extra money to pay it its worth the wait. im personally waiting a little more until more new turbo kits come out and also more tranny upgrades but do as u like

 

I was thinking about the same thing with a M35 im planning to buy soon. I was thinking stage 3 Stillen/headers/alky injection(after 3-4psi) so it give me the low bottom end TQ to move the heavy car through every day traffuc with less peak HP and TQ numbers compared to the othe kits. I just hope the AT will hold.