Quote:
Originally Posted by SouthArk370Z
If you are the least bit worried about reliability, up-time, etc, adding FI is not the way to go. If you are willing to sacrifice those things to increase your Smiles Per Gallon, I say go for it.
Installation is seldom a straight-forward affair - be prepared to spend 2 to 3 times what your original estimate is. And it's definitely not a job for the average weekend mechanic - don't forget to budget for labor. Make sure you have the resources to do the extra maintenance and fix what breaks. It helps to have a second vehicle.
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All of this is good advice. I hope I didn't make it sound too simple...
I DIYed my install with the help of my brother in law and we are just weekend mechanics.. but because we weren't skilled that install took more than two weeks working 10+hours a day on it.. we are also both engineers so we have a knack for thinking things out and spotting potential for problems. It helped that I bought a kit that can be installed without pulling the motor, and my brother in law has a lift in his garage... I went halfway across the country to do the install in his garage with his help and then be able to get the car tuned at a known good VQ tuner (JTRAN) that was local to him.
I also have a second vehicle (beater ford ranger) for when I am working on the Z, which does happen as I continue to add preventative mods like upgraded diff bushings, catch cans, etc.... if you are the type to DIY a turbo kit you'll certainly keep tinkering and improving. I don't DD my Z because it's my only vehicle... I DD it because I want to drive it every day.
If you are going to farm the work out... as SouthArk has said the price and time for the labor can start creeping on you. If I was going to a shop, I would only go to one of the handful of well known Z shops in the country so I could be confident they'll understand the scope of the project and be realistic with me about the timeline and budget. Even though it took me so many days to install my kit the first time, we think we could probably install one now 5 or 6 days... If we did it often, maybe 4. Find a shop that regularly builds these things.