Looking for impressions of GTM or Stillen Supercharger kit 2-3 years in
 

I'm currently debating whether to go FI and have narrowed down potential choices to either the Stillen SC or GTM Stage 1.5 kit. I've read extensively about both kits, have talked to both Stillen and GTM directly about each and understand the pros and cons for the most part. The only other unknown for me is long term reliability - how will the stock motor or transmission hold up over the next 2-3 years of driving. Other considerations:

• What did you do come smog time (this is for the GTM owners, probably more applicable for Cali drivers like myself)?
• Overall reliability - have you had any issues with the engine, transmission, etc?
• Would you buy this kit again based on your experience?

What I'm looking for is insight from folks who have either kit installed on their car since the kit was released or after 1-2 years of driving. I've seen reviews on the site but they are a little dated and am looking for something more current. I'm sure that there are a lot of people on the fence like me and understanding long term reliability would give me confidence to pull the trigger on this mod.

I'm not normally one to drop the "search noob" on someone, but this topic has been discussed ad nauseum on this forum. The final verdict seems to be Stillen if you care about CARB, GTM if you want power.

I'm glad you didn't drop that noob BS on me because I'm not looking for reviews, if you read my post I'm looking to hear about overall reliability from folks that have had the kit installed over the last 2-3 years.. I haven't found a recent thread about SC reliability; I've only seen ones that are at least two years old.

For GTM 1.5 results, talk to baer383. He's had the kit on two 370s. The vast majority of stillen sc guys on this forum have switched to other providers.

That's pretty much it. And no one has gotten the 500hp from the stillen kit that's claimed. One guy came close...

it's 500 crank.

GTM sells a 500 crank kit and haven't seen those get past 450whp very often.
GTM's 1.5 is rated at 550, Those have reached 475-510whp
GTM Stage 2's are over 500whp
All numbers based on STD dynojet.

I would look at people journals. There are a lot of guys with journals that have FI'd cars. Mine should be done shortly, then I can start racking in the miles and smiles :)

Baer383 is a joke. I wouldn't trust him with a potato gun.:icon23:

Actually the stage 1.5 performs better than the stage 2 plus with the stage 1.5 you get better low and midrange torque.

Yeah that's why you keep calling me for advise.:stirthepot:

Chucks #2 post summed it all up. No need to spoon feed anyone.

Reliability is gonna to depend on how far you want to push each kit and how hard you are on the pedal. With a good custom tune each kit should be reliable, but as you increase boost and power other parts of your car will need to be re-inforced to take the power ( I.e. clutch, Csc, valvebody, trans, oil temps).

No one really knows how much harm these kits are doing since people that still have the kits are either still running them or have removed them and sold the car. I have not seen any people do post-force induction compression/leakdown tests of their engines. I have not see any recent threads about blown motors. Proper installation and TUNE are key to "reliability". Define it how you want.

I remember someone having some bent rods, maybe more damage after he decided to build his. He was pushing 550whp on his GTM TT kit for a while. I'd have to run a search and find it. Torque is what really kills things though.

Good points. I'm really thinking about things in laymans terms. Reliability to me means things "the car's running well and I don't have to take it into the shop every month" and "I don't have to constantly spend $1000s of dollars fixing stuff to get it back on the road".

That was a G37 pushing almost 600rwhp and it was a GTM TT kit.:tiphat:

I've come to know the word reliability is more synonymous with stillen supercharger than any other brand FI kit...

Not on this platform.

What are you basing this knowledge on? Not trying to be a smart ***, just want to know what it is.

I always thought stillen was synonymous with sucking. It might be reliable in the fact that it won't make much power over stock. If that's what u mean then Yea.

My comment was meant to be a smart azz.:hello:

Baer, I want to grab your dog's skin rolls...

The Stillen kit in a sense is more reliable because it produces less torque compared to GTM's kit but if you want CARB legality then Stillen is the only option for now. GTM has applied for CARB on their GTX turbo kit and are claiming that they will eventually try to get CARB for their Stage 0 SC kit but CARB is tough to get.

The Stillen kit is not as efficient as the current GTM's SC kit. When GTM's SC kit initially came out it produced only about 410 whp on 91 OCT and 8spi but they have modified it through out the years to produce more power.

SC setups are pretty reliable if installed properly, just need to check the belts and tensioners once in a while. Have not heard of any tensioner assembly issues, this is where headaches could occur with belt slippage and belts walking off the pulleys and tearing things apart.

So Stillen if you want CARB but will sacrifice total power potential (420-440whp average with kit; extreme modification to kit up to 480whp, see Motionlab threads) versus GTM that does not have CARB but proven to produce 500+whp power or as much psi as your block can handle or dare. And with the coming of ECUtek and UPrev VVEL tuning we'll see how much we can get from these SC kits.

My opinion is that Stillen produced a CARB approved kit and just said OK, we're done, whereas GTM continued to tinker with their kit to be more efficient and powerful.

No CARB when you have to tune the Stillen kit to not kill your car. CARB for that kit isn't really what it is. That's why it consistently sucks. It doesn't make bad power with some supporting mods and a good tune, but GTM really has opened up some great options for supercharging and left Stillen so far behind it's not even competitive.

If that's the case stay NA.

:icon14:

From talking to Stillen, they are allowed to "update" their canned CARB tune so I would think they have tuned out all of the bugs. The confidence is not there right now with their tunes.

The CARB placard will come installed on the blower, whatever you do afterwords is on you. So you could theoretically get Stillen and CARB and then do a custom tune, impeller upgrade and smaller pulley to push 10psi and try to get 460-470whp and then return to "stock" Stillen CARB kit when needed. Plus CA is supposedly implementing a not rolling emission test, just uses the OBDII scanner link to check the computer for mods. We will see.

Yeah, you don't get as much as GTM's kit's but a +130whp and +80wtrq bump is nothing to sneeze at if you're just coming from NA. After a few months though it will be a different story. That is the limitation of Stillen's kit. If you want to expand your HP/TQ goals, GTM will deliver.

How much are the stillen kits?

I just got my Stillen VQ35HR Tuner S/C for $5200. Made 140HP/70TQ over my bolt-on N/A tune. Same dyno. Same conditions. Biggest pulley they sell (3.125"), water/meth injection, and custom tune.

Thats good for a 350z but the op has a 370z.:shakes head:

Same kit buckaroo.

I thought the Stillen kit was going for $6300. How'd you get that price?

Different engine, Tonto.

And on your registration it says 370z too right.:rolleyes:

And with all that kit and meth injection all you got was 140hp and 70tq over stock

When my GTM got me 236hp and 133tq over stock (@ the wheels) with no meth,so I guess the Stillen is a good buy.

Yep. Totally different engine and kit. I'm wrong. Sorry for posting in 370Z threads. I'm out.

HR motors aren't drastically different, Pro's gains would be similar if they were on a VHR motor. It may be argued the HR motors can be tuned better because of better control of the cams.

On that note, it took a heck of a lot to make 140whp/70lbft over bolt on mods.
Meth on a GTM stage II kit is a 543whp and 405lbft/tq. (Staples)
Baer383 is using GTM's 1.5 kit and no meth.

GTM's stage 1 SC kit pushed 460whp which is similar to a Full bolt on Stillen kit on high octane.

Long term reliability really comes down to how you take care of your car. If you get a solid install, tune and proper supporting mods it is all on the owner. Both kits are well made and will last for years, but it is the owner which will determine reliability.

-Doing all maintenance in time, oil changes (both motor & SC unit), filter changes, etc.
-Keeping an eye on the system in extreme use, super hot days, tracking abuse, etc.

I have over 40k miles on my GTM Stage 1 SC kit and still going strong. Going to be doing some maintenance soon, oil change for the unit & filter changes. Only issue I have had is I blew a belt around 25k miles into my install, they are suppose to last 40-50k, but things happen. Towed it back & put a new one in, no problems.

Also, determine what your goal is for going boost. Do you just want more power? What are your plans, DD, track, etc. Make sure you over budget and over plan for everything. If they say 3-4 days for something estimate 5-6 as problems can occur.

Tuner means it doesn't come with injectors, fuel pump or tuning license/maps.

You can get it pretty cheap. You have to spend for all that stuff though, so he's pretty much lying out his *** if he is trying to say it cost him $5300 out the door.

I'd venture a guess and say he's around $8000 spent total, if nothing had to be done and re-done multiple times (racking up lots of labor cost).

Who pays over 5k for a 140hp and 70tq bump????????? Just further justifies the argument against going stillen. For that kind of money your better going of with a proven kit that makes real power.

You are right. I already had fuel pump, injectors, and uprev sitting in the garage. They can be found used very cheap, because people constantly upgrade. "Tuner kit" goes for $5200, just as I stated. No need to call me a liar. I never said out the door. And I'm not trying to be "pro Stillen", because their salesmen are a bunch of idiots. I wanted what I wanted ( a vortech blower), and I'm happy with my purchase. I didn't come here to argue. I saw a question I thought I could answer, so I made a huge mistake and commented in a GTM vs. Stillen thread. Something I hope to never do again. There is no perfect kit for everyone's goals. Thats why there are options. If your goal is max power at every Rpm, go TT. If your goal is to have a DD that your wife can drive on wet pavement, but still have good power above 4500 RPMs, get a Stillen. That is my opinion. That is not fact. Now please continue with the endless debate.

I have to agree if I had to do it over I would not have gone with the Stillen kit
That kit is a one shot kit the way it's make limits it's power and 99% of every one that goes for boost always want a little more

I made 430rwhp ok power but not for the money i paid
If you go forced induction go turbo or go home....

No offense to the supercharged guys just my 2cents

That's a pretty ignorant thing to say, especially coming from someone with a SC kit. They drive entirely different. Just because a turbo makes more power does not make it the only way to go. My kit can be upgraded to 800hp... It's a SC kit. I won't be coming close to that, but I'm not limited. When you have to say "no offense", that's offending. You told us we were wrong for going SC, you didn't even explain why. Enlighten me why going SC shouldn't be an option. I'll reply with a truck load why it is.:tup: