My Build: The Good, The Bad & The Progress
02-11-2009, 01:16 PM
#381
New Member
iTrader: (13)
..The fail continues on another note as well. I recently purchased a sub enclosure from a member in the classifieds and when it showed up it was very damaged!! The subs were shipped inside the enclosure and have chipped off large chucks of the fiberglass. I have been in contact with the seller, but I feel as if I am doing the bulk of the legwork here and have asked the seller repeatedly for him contact info so we can resolve this quickly. No contact info yet and no garauntee by the seller that I will be made whole if UPS denies the claim for insurance (that I had to call and setup, and then call UPS to set up an on-site inspection so I wouldn't be out the money and the parts).
- I hate you!!
02-11-2009, 04:33 PM
#388
I was just going to use the regular intakes from APS, or if you are speaking of the plenum I am using the APS Tallboy. I had it sanded smooth on both the inside and outside hoping for better airflow. I also had the stock intake smoothed as well, so there are no rough edges on the runners.
Any input on my turbo dilemma, does your shop sell replacement turbos? I am trying to make as informed a decision as possible. What size/type snails are you using??
Any input on my turbo dilemma, does your shop sell replacement turbos? I am trying to make as informed a decision as possible. What size/type snails are you using??
02-11-2009, 04:54 PM
#389
Registered User
I am running precision turbos, they are 54mm somewhere near a gt30 turbo but precision modifies housings, wheels, etc so its hard to compare.
I am also on stock cams which changes things a touch.
I made 546rwhp on 15psi but with very little timing. Larry at SP is of the opinion (as am I) why push it on pump when octane is cheap?
On 30psi I made 769rwhp (again very little timing) on 110octane. We stopped there, well, because I'm a pu$$y lol. Turbo's have about 36-38psi in them.
So not quite apples to apples compared to other kits, but just lets ya have another comparison point.
Could always give SP a shout too for turbo info.....remember the tuners have forgotten more about turbo stuff than we'll ever learn....
tom
I am also on stock cams which changes things a touch.
I made 546rwhp on 15psi but with very little timing. Larry at SP is of the opinion (as am I) why push it on pump when octane is cheap?
On 30psi I made 769rwhp (again very little timing) on 110octane. We stopped there, well, because I'm a pu$$y lol. Turbo's have about 36-38psi in them.
So not quite apples to apples compared to other kits, but just lets ya have another comparison point.
Could always give SP a shout too for turbo info.....remember the tuners have forgotten more about turbo stuff than we'll ever learn....
tom
I was just going to use the regular intakes from APS, or if you are speaking of the plenum I am using the APS Tallboy. I had it sanded smooth on both the inside and outside hoping for better airflow. I also had the stock intake smoothed as well, so there are no rough edges on the runners.
Any input on my turbo dilemma, does your shop sell replacement turbos? I am trying to make as informed a decision as possible. What size/type snails are you using??
Any input on my turbo dilemma, does your shop sell replacement turbos? I am trying to make as informed a decision as possible. What size/type snails are you using??
02-14-2009, 06:20 AM
#390
A little update
Just want to bring everything back to one thread, so some of this info may be slightly repetitive:
After over a week of phone calls, digital pics and many emails it looks as if I will get a refund from ups on my damaged sub enclosure. What I learned here is that although it is more expensive, if a UPS Store packs it and it breaks, it should be covered. Here of some pics of the box I got from member J350z101 - DB sub enclosure holding three 10" subs, two JL 10W6 subs, Full wiring and a JL 500/1 amp with a slightly marred cover (not show quality) - $902.50. Here are some pics of the damage:
I should get a refund for the seller for replacement cost on the box - $370 plus the shipping I paid - $264.59 if all goes smoothly.
Secondly, I have solved the turbo mystery surrounding the newer APS TT Tuner kit journal bearing turbos.
I have analysis of my APS turbos from the newer TT Tuner kit. This was done by Blouch Turbo in Lebanon, PA - they are an authorized Garrett distributor and know what they are talking about when it comes to Garrett products.
Mike Blouch and another guy at the shop both confirmed that the APS turbos contain zero Garrett internals. They said that these turbos are a knock off of the Garrett GT2860RS, but with journal bearings instead of BB. They were able to point to specific hardware that Garrett uses on all their products as well as the fact that the markings on these new APS turbos indicate that they are hand balanced and Garrett's are machine balanced and show a completely different type of tooling mark. Both of these guys are aware that I was planning on making this information public and said that they have no issue with putting their professional name behind these findings.
I was told that these turbos are more than likely rated at appx 350hp each (crank - not wheel) and in their opinion would most likely reach a choke point where the air cannot be pushed through fast enough to realize their full potential. That being said, they did say they were well made and will make power, just not the power I am looking for, so here are my upgrade options:
1. Upgrade to a BB design keeping everything else the same - $791.54 ea. - 350hp rating and comparable to a Garrett GT2860RS
2. Upgrade to BB and Garrett internals - $879.29 ea. - 400hp rating and comparable to a Garrett GT2871R (this is basically the original BB APS TT kit turbos)
3. Upgrade to BB and larger Garrett internals - $982.89 ea. - 440hp rating and comparable to a Garrett GT3071R - this is on par with a Greddy turbo and is very similar to the APS Extreme turbos - THESE WILL MAKE 700+WHP
I'm thinking option 3 -
Again I am not trying to cause any drama with shops or vendors, I'm mearly trying to reach my goal and help clear up some of the confusion surrounding these turbos. If any shop/vendor wants to take issue with what I have found I suggest that you contact Blouch Turbos directly and ask for Mike, he can speak intelligently with you on the specifics of what he saw and how he came to his conclusion. All I know is turbos make me go fast, are pretty when they are new, and cost a lot to repair/upgrade.
Just to clarify, I really like my APS kit - except the turbos. In reality, I got such a great deal on this kit through Z1motorsports that although the turbos are disappointing, I can upgrade to the performance level of the APS Extreme kit with a full Garrett turbo setup (internals) and still be under the cost for a new Greddy TT tuner kit.
I will swap out the internals and make the power I want and keep my build on schedule as well. This has been a setback, but I knew it wouldn't be all sunshine and roses through this process. I am just happy that I may have been able to help out some other members along the way.
The APS TT tuner kit is fine right out of the box if your max power is 500whp or less, basically stock block power.
After over a week of phone calls, digital pics and many emails it looks as if I will get a refund from ups on my damaged sub enclosure. What I learned here is that although it is more expensive, if a UPS Store packs it and it breaks, it should be covered. Here of some pics of the box I got from member J350z101 - DB sub enclosure holding three 10" subs, two JL 10W6 subs, Full wiring and a JL 500/1 amp with a slightly marred cover (not show quality) - $902.50. Here are some pics of the damage:
I should get a refund for the seller for replacement cost on the box - $370 plus the shipping I paid - $264.59 if all goes smoothly.
Secondly, I have solved the turbo mystery surrounding the newer APS TT Tuner kit journal bearing turbos.
I have analysis of my APS turbos from the newer TT Tuner kit. This was done by Blouch Turbo in Lebanon, PA - they are an authorized Garrett distributor and know what they are talking about when it comes to Garrett products.
Mike Blouch and another guy at the shop both confirmed that the APS turbos contain zero Garrett internals. They said that these turbos are a knock off of the Garrett GT2860RS, but with journal bearings instead of BB. They were able to point to specific hardware that Garrett uses on all their products as well as the fact that the markings on these new APS turbos indicate that they are hand balanced and Garrett's are machine balanced and show a completely different type of tooling mark. Both of these guys are aware that I was planning on making this information public and said that they have no issue with putting their professional name behind these findings.
I was told that these turbos are more than likely rated at appx 350hp each (crank - not wheel) and in their opinion would most likely reach a choke point where the air cannot be pushed through fast enough to realize their full potential. That being said, they did say they were well made and will make power, just not the power I am looking for, so here are my upgrade options:
1. Upgrade to a BB design keeping everything else the same - $791.54 ea. - 350hp rating and comparable to a Garrett GT2860RS
2. Upgrade to BB and Garrett internals - $879.29 ea. - 400hp rating and comparable to a Garrett GT2871R (this is basically the original BB APS TT kit turbos)
3. Upgrade to BB and larger Garrett internals - $982.89 ea. - 440hp rating and comparable to a Garrett GT3071R - this is on par with a Greddy turbo and is very similar to the APS Extreme turbos - THESE WILL MAKE 700+WHP
I'm thinking option 3 -
Again I am not trying to cause any drama with shops or vendors, I'm mearly trying to reach my goal and help clear up some of the confusion surrounding these turbos. If any shop/vendor wants to take issue with what I have found I suggest that you contact Blouch Turbos directly and ask for Mike, he can speak intelligently with you on the specifics of what he saw and how he came to his conclusion. All I know is turbos make me go fast, are pretty when they are new, and cost a lot to repair/upgrade.
Just to clarify, I really like my APS kit - except the turbos. In reality, I got such a great deal on this kit through Z1motorsports that although the turbos are disappointing, I can upgrade to the performance level of the APS Extreme kit with a full Garrett turbo setup (internals) and still be under the cost for a new Greddy TT tuner kit.
I will swap out the internals and make the power I want and keep my build on schedule as well. This has been a setback, but I knew it wouldn't be all sunshine and roses through this process. I am just happy that I may have been able to help out some other members along the way.
The APS TT tuner kit is fine right out of the box if your max power is 500whp or less, basically stock block power.
02-14-2009, 09:37 AM
#393
Registered User
Mine still spool great, but spool can be over-rated.
Whats your rev limit (turbos that will flow up top are better than ones that will flow down low in my opinion)....you spend you "Spirited driving" at high rpms afterall right?
If you are racing someone from a roll (thats my main stuff, from a stop is when you break drivetrain parts), you are gonna be at what, 3000rpm at the lowest, so lag isn't really an issue anymore.
High rpm flow, and recovery between shifts means more TO ME than spool.
tom
Whats your rev limit (turbos that will flow up top are better than ones that will flow down low in my opinion)....you spend you "Spirited driving" at high rpms afterall right?
If you are racing someone from a roll (thats my main stuff, from a stop is when you break drivetrain parts), you are gonna be at what, 3000rpm at the lowest, so lag isn't really an issue anymore.
High rpm flow, and recovery between shifts means more TO ME than spool.
tom
02-14-2009, 09:58 AM
#394
Mine still spool great, but spool can be over-rated.
Whats your rev limit (turbos that will flow up top are better than ones that will flow down low in my opinion)....you spend you "Spirited driving" at high rpms afterall right?
If you are racing someone from a roll (thats my main stuff, from a stop is when you break drivetrain parts), you are gonna be at what, 3000rpm at the lowest, so lag isn't really an issue anymore.
High rpm flow, and recovery between shifts means more TO ME than spool.
tom
Whats your rev limit (turbos that will flow up top are better than ones that will flow down low in my opinion)....you spend you "Spirited driving" at high rpms afterall right?
If you are racing someone from a roll (thats my main stuff, from a stop is when you break drivetrain parts), you are gonna be at what, 3000rpm at the lowest, so lag isn't really an issue anymore.
High rpm flow, and recovery between shifts means more TO ME than spool.
tom
- Lag doesn't bother me much and with the Vi-PEC EMS Dave should be able to bring the boost on with either speed+gear or throttle position, so I can truly roll on the power and not have it hit like a sledgehammer.I believe Dave will set the redline somewhere between 7200-7600rpm, he is so busy with other cars right now that I haven't gotten into the full specs of my build (full valvetrain and headwork) with him until just recently. He said he can help eliminate the lag by pushing the redline higher since my motor should be able to handle the abuse.
02-14-2009, 10:06 AM
#395
Registered User
Plus a little lag gives the other guy a false sense of hope for a second...hehehehe
- Lag doesn't bother me much and with the Vi-PEC EMS Dave should be able to bring the boost on with either speed+gear or throttle position, so I can truly roll on the power and not have it hit like a sledgehammer.
I believe Dave will set the redline somewhere between 7200-7600rpm, he is so busy with other cars right now that I haven't gotten into the full specs of my build (full valvetrain and headwork) with him until just recently. He said he can help eliminate the lag by pushing the redline higher since my motor should be able to handle the abuse.
- Lag doesn't bother me much and with the Vi-PEC EMS Dave should be able to bring the boost on with either speed+gear or throttle position, so I can truly roll on the power and not have it hit like a sledgehammer.I believe Dave will set the redline somewhere between 7200-7600rpm, he is so busy with other cars right now that I haven't gotten into the full specs of my build (full valvetrain and headwork) with him until just recently. He said he can help eliminate the lag by pushing the redline higher since my motor should be able to handle the abuse.
02-15-2009, 11:30 AM
#398
Headlight mod switches installed
So to day I decided to finish the install on the headlight mod switches. I had CiNcity wire all the mods separately so I can turn them on/off one at a time. The first thing I did was carefully measure the switches since these push in from the frant and then snap in place. Unfortunately there is only appx 1/32" of a cover ring around each switch so there was not much room for error. After measuring I made a template to follow so everything would be evenly spaced and level:
Gotta have the right tool for the job as well:
I decided to mount the switches right next to the hood release latch. There was the right amount of space and it keeps them out of eye level since they light up blue when turned on. Template taped up for cutting:
I was trying to be very careful as I cut, so I did not make the openings too large. Lots of test fits as I went:
Almost finished, the hole on the left was still way too small:
Gotta have the right tool for the job as well:
I decided to mount the switches right next to the hood release latch. There was the right amount of space and it keeps them out of eye level since they light up blue when turned on. Template taped up for cutting:
I was trying to be very careful as I cut, so I did not make the openings too large. Lots of test fits as I went:
Almost finished, the hole on the left was still way too small:
02-15-2009, 11:52 AM
#399
Here is a look at the finished product, I am slightly disappointed that the switches show just a bit of gap in a few areas, but the fit was so tight that was to be expected, they look slightly crooked in this pic, but I was able to line them up nicely. They all fit snug and worked perfectly the first try, so I will consider this a win 
.
From a foot or so away the fitment looks perfect, you can't see any gaps. The second pic is with the switches lit:
Just for fun I thought I would check the fitment on my damaged sub enclosure. Too bad its beat to hell, this looks great IMO and I'm sure it would really thump too. I think I will take it to a body shop, probably the local Nissan dealer, to see if it can be repaired. I have to go there anyway to get my new front fascia painted as well. If it wasn't so darn cold out I would try and fit the new front, but 40* is just too cold.
I will be working on running some of the EDFC wiring and moving some of my radio components in the next couple of weeks so I can make room in the cubby for the EDFC and meth gauge. I need to do a lot of reading in the DIY section to see how things come apart first, damaging parts is not an option.
The countdown to install has started: T-15 days and counting
.From a foot or so away the fitment looks perfect, you can't see any gaps. The second pic is with the switches lit:
Just for fun I thought I would check the fitment on my damaged sub enclosure. Too bad its beat to hell, this looks great IMO and I'm sure it would really thump too. I think I will take it to a body shop, probably the local Nissan dealer, to see if it can be repaired. I have to go there anyway to get my new front fascia painted as well. If it wasn't so darn cold out I would try and fit the new front, but 40* is just too cold.
I will be working on running some of the EDFC wiring and moving some of my radio components in the next couple of weeks so I can make room in the cubby for the EDFC and meth gauge. I need to do a lot of reading in the DIY section to see how things come apart first, damaging parts is not an option.
The countdown to install has started: T-15 days and counting
