+1 If money isn't the issue, why take any chances? Take it to GTM!

 

^^+1

 

Yea no worries the tune is a must. Money is always an issue! Lol... The self install is...very doubtful.

 

Dude i just finished installing the greddy twins in my g last week and i will never attempt to do that again.I left the engine in the car and it was the worst pita i have ever exp,let a pro do it and just pay the extra $,s.

 

Really, how long did it take you and did you do it solo?

 

Just pull the motor and be done with it. I swapped my built motor in over the winter and had to remove and reinstall the turbos and manifolds while the motor was on an engine stand in my garage and it was a *****. I couldn't even imagine how hard it would be with the motor in the car.

The motor isn't hard to pull at all. I had it out in 4 hours the first time I've ever pulled a motor on a Z and I just used jackstands and a hoist.

 

You will learn very soon that once you make the leap to FI, there is no such thing as a budget. [trying to say this as seriously as I can] Things cost what they are going to cost and the only way to 'maintain a budget' will be to sell the car

 

damn, you guys are going to scare the OP out of FI. I say just do it yourself, but be ready for anything that may go wrong. I have pulled and built honda engines with and without turbo's and it was a snap. I know the VQ is defferent but just take a lot of pics, get a good service book, and go slow. I would rather do my own install, then you know what everything is and what it goes to so if something goes wrong you dont need a shop to fix it. Just my .02. Just take it as a learning experience.

 

Well, I tried to tell my buddy its a better idea to take it to a shop but... he wants to install my TT's so badly that he insists... He knows what hes doing, built his own motor(KA24DE) and installed his own custom ST setup. After we(basically he with my assistance) install we will take it to a local shop to get tuned. Should be a great learning experience, and thanks to APS awesome instructions, everything is layed out and diagramed.

Ill keep you posted on details.

I appreciate all your help and advice guys. By the way Zivman, what you say about the budget is true, so I have thought about it and if my motor blows (which it probably will thanks to my luck..) then im prepared to build. Just hoping it doesnt for a while. Probably looking at what, 5k-8k in parts? :|

Thanks a lot.

 

@ least pull the motor for your own sake then

 

roger that!

 

My APS TT was self-installed with the motor in and the only PITA part was the LHS turbo. One of the nuts is almost impossible to tighten...hell, it was a b*tch just getting the nut started.

 

Having done mine both ways, engine in and out, I would never do it again with it in, it is much easier and stress free, you can get at the nuts/bolts much easier.

The time you save by not taking the engine out you will waste trying to figure out ways to do things with it in. Taking it out for a newbie will take about 4 hours or so.

 

Even if you ARE doing the install yourself, that does not EXCLUDE you from pulling the motor... just rent a cherry picker (that is what they're called right?)

 

How long did that take you?

 

I know this nut you speak of. I had to ask a girl with tiny fingers to get in there to get it started, lol. Then about 30 minutes straight of micro-wrenching with that crappy little wrench they give you

 

I suggest you pull the motor. You'll have a much cleaner and "better-torqued-down" install. Trust me.

 

I installed over a year ago so off the top of my head I'd say about 25-30 hours. If I ever did it again, I'd pull the motor like everybody else suggested. Save yourself the frustration.

LOL. The most irritating part was when I dropped the damn nut and I couldn't find it. That's why I'll never install with the motor in ever again.

 

I lost a nut in my crossmember somewhere.

^^that sounds really bad....

 

I did it in a 4 day period while running the shop and on my 2 days off.I still could not figure out the ic piping as the greddy instructions are the worst i have ever seen(props to dave at functiontuned for helping with that part....and the tuning).I would def rec pulling the motor.