Worth it, to go F.I.???
 

Mods, if this is in the wrong section, I apologize and please move. But I wanted to post this in the general discussions section because I wanted to pick the brains of non-F.I. folks as well.

I usually keep my sports cars for about 7 or so years... then I eventually sell/trade for another better one at the end of that time. I have never gone F.I. before, though I did own a twin turbo RX7 a few years back. So I figured, it might be cheaper (and more fun???) to just go F.I. and keep the Z much longer.

What are everyone's thoughts on going this route? Is it worth the $6-$7k to go F.I.? Is the extra hp really worth all that? Also, I live in a small town where there really isn't a tuning/install shop but 3-4 hours away :( So my big worry is that going F.I. will require lots of maintenance, issues, etc. What happens if I need work done to it???? Hopefully it's something I can do on my own..... but.....

Anyways, just wanted to start a conversation on what all your thoughts were on going F.I. or just sticking with basic bolt ons. Pro's, con's, concerns, comments, etc.

Thanks guys.

I think you will find you are going to spend well over $6-7k to do everything right. If this is your daily driver, I wouldn't do it. If it's not, do more research into total cost and then think about it.

my .02 after going FI on my 350z and C6, is no, its not worth it in the end. Its going to cost more and be less reliable, and then when you do make the big power, you can't really use it on the street. 650 whp in the C6 was cool, but only in 2nd gear, by third I was too fast for street driving conditions.

Yah, driving a fast car slow on street is the most boring thing.

Unless u track it, all these specs are just in your head as conversation topics just dreaming wat it might do.

You all bring up very good points, guys. Keep em coming.

Yes, my Z is NOT a daily driver by any means. She will only get about 2k to 3k miles a year if that. Only driven on sunny days.

You bring up good points about driving a really fast high powered sports car on the street. It's pretty much useless when a Prius can start passing you on the street LOL Also, I don't track or plan to track my car, even if I went F.I. So yeah, that $7k or so, will be worth naught?!?!?!?!

If you're happy with ur car the way it is, no need to mod it. :)

My Z is also a weekend car and I have to say, I'm happy with the car the way it is. I only did some dressup tweaks without affecting the overall performance of the car. You know, the basic wheels, CF bits, headunit, etc. I don't even consider those "mods."

So you don't have an exhaust, Ken? My Invidia I definitely consider a "mod". Yeah the rest are minor cosmetic... shift knob, filters, etc...

I am definitely happy with Zena the way she is.... but you know, any chance to get more hp, I would definitely entertain the thought :)

sub'd for arguments and for full blown epic thread fights.

Off topic was this the inspiration behind your car name?

my Z has a fujimura muffler and the manufacturer claims gains and weight reduction. i got it for the sound. :p im also currently running HPS hose and KN drop-ins. would i consider that a mod? not sure, it's borderline gains. :)

as for the wheels and tires it's a definite improvement in appearance (for me) and ride quality so there's gains there. is that a mod? not sure... more of a customization to reflect the kinda guy i am, i guess. :D hahaha.

If I could get about 380 whp out of a built motor I'd be happy.

Go for a ride in someone's car who has gone FI. I think you'll change your tune.

6k for Stg1 GTM SC kit.. add an oil cooler and maybe exhaust if you'd like. (although not required)

Totally worth it IMO.

not wanting to thread jack but when OP mentions F.I. is maintenance even a Bish if you don't go with some crazy high WHP numbers....maybe like a 'tamed' F.I. application?

I sold my C6 for the 370 because the C6 was too powerful for me to enjoy on the street. Do I miss the power? Of course. But I also want to keep my license and not crash.

:iagree: Stock feels slow! I drove my shops stock 370 the other day and its night and day difference.

LOL.... yes, I was hoping to hear opinions from both sides of the fence. I wanted to hear a lot from those folks who have F.I.'d. Do they like it? Was the cost worth it? Maintenance/repair nightmares? Streetable? etc etc

And btw, to respond to your Zena question, that's Xena, not Zena ;) But yeah sorta.... I wanted to name her Zoey, but I couldn't get Zena out of my head... It means something in greek too. I forget what it is.... :)

Never heard of Fujimura, Ken. So it's just the muffler and tips? The rest of the piping is Stock? How you like it? Got a video clip? I'd love to hear it.

Yeah no K&N drop ins for me. I had it on my G, but I dunno.... didn't really notice much gains, plus the filter just felt and looked dirty to me all the time. I know it probably had nothing to do with it, but my Mobil 1 full synthetic oil was ALWAYS black even when changed after 3 months ever since I got my K&N filter. Can particulates enter the combustion chamber from the intake???? hmmmmmm Right now I just have Wix filters in the OEM box. Really happy with them. More filter media than OEM, but yet slightly better air flow. And best part, it's dry.

Please talk more about your FI setup.... what kind? how much invested? you like it? install a pain in the rear? any issues? streetable? best part about it is........??? worst part about it is.............?

yah, they're based in Kyoto, Japan. maido, ookini!

http://www.fujimura-auto.co.jp/image/onecclick-130.jpg
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about your K&N... not sure. ive only used the factory filter in my G35C so dont know. my oil is kinda dark but then the color does not reflect how worn the oil is. need to send it into a lab to know for sure. i only change my oil once a year using Mobil1 silver cap. :)

Eeeek.... clicked on the site, I can't read Japanese :(

Perhaps you can just post a pic of your exhaust and a sound clip ;)



But I digress.... to others on the forum, especially those that are FI.... please chime in with what you did, why you did it, how much was the entire set up/install, and what you like/dislike about it.

thanks!

im pretty sure it'll cost way over $6-7k for F.I. some guys over here went to get a quote on the price and it came out to around $13k for everything. personally, i think its very expensive for a "mod" where you can't fully use its full potential on the streets but that's just me. and it kills the reliability of the car. the shop said that under 500whp, you'll need an engine rebuild at around 60k miles which would be another ~$7k according to them.

I have the GTM stage 2 TT on mine and it's my daily driver. I love it so far but it depends on the area your in I suppose. I drive 30 miles to work (all highway) so it's practical for me. 15 of those 30 miles is down an abandon road for the most part so I have my fun out there. The only down side I've had with going forced induction is the car eats gas when your getting on it. If you can manage to drive normal though it stays the same lol. I have the shop that did the build and the shop that tuned it 5 mins away from me though so that's a nice peice of mind if something goes wrong. I drive around at 8psi which doesn't put much strain on the car. It cost me right about 10k for my setup, parts and labor.

I want a ride in your car dude. I might be hitting up HP Logic on the 17th or 18th for an UpRev tune. Perhaps I'll see you around.

Yeah for sure man! I'll even let you take it for a rip if you want. I'm off on the weekends so if it's the 18th I'll be around for sure. If you end up doing it on the 17th I'll be around in the afternoon but I leave for work at 2. I'm only 5 minutes away from HPLogic lol.

The Z would be perfect with about 400rwhp. I say do the research. Hook up with a few FI guys on here and ask a lot of questions. See what went wrong and how they fixed things. Get all facets of what their expectations were vs. the realities. I think its a great idea. You just gotta ask yourself. Are you willing to deal with the extra maintenence of an FI modded car?
I too had a tt rx7 and modded it. Honestly its a little easier to deal with a stock turbo'ed car and mod it than a NA car gone FI. (Excluding rx7 lol) I still think its worth it.

I had modded cars too, but it's not worth putting the money in and doing it yourself. You are better off buying a faster car to begin with.

If its not your daily driver than whats to loose. In your position I would run a low boost set up that would be cost effecient. You dont want to look back and wonder " Man I wish I did that when I had the chance" !!!

$10k eh? I might be happy with just the GTM SC kit, or maybe a Stillen kit. But see, from your post above, you have to peace of mind of having the shop being so close to you. For me, living in timbuktu Iowa, I'd have to go to Missouri or Chicago for anywhere even remotely resembling a reputable installer/shop. And alas, those locations are at least 4 hours away.

Interested in this discussion even though I don't plan on going FI with the Z.

Yeah it's nice being close to the shop, but it's also my daily driver and I have no other transportation. If it wasn't my daily driver I could live with not being right around the corner from one. The supercharger is a great option as well. If your not going for a full blown racecar I think you would be perfectly happy with either one. Ultimately it has to be something you really want. The maintenance is going to increase on the car without a doubt. At the end of the day, I would do it again. This is my first time going the FI route and it's been a lot of fun. I wouldn't recommend it if your not a people person though lol. Everywhere I go somebody stops me to ask about the car, even at stop lights cause they hear the BOV's lol.

I feel you. I just got my 240z going and drove it as my DD for 2 weeks. Then the other day I got back in the 370TT and almost sh*t myself :driving:

To Op. 500hp on a street car is a little much.. I rarely see above 5k rpms in 3rd or above because you are going just to fast by that point, but the 20mph-80mph boost is worth it IMO.

I just finished my GTM SC install. Did it myself with a bit of help from my friends. If you can turn a wrench and follow directions you can bolt in the SC.

The tune that Sam sends you out of the box is pretty spot on so you can be comfortable that your car will not go boom till you get it to the shop of your choice. I took mine to ZdayZ (1800 miles all told with my 300 miles of shakedown) after Sam and a very experienced F.I. Friend looked at the logging info to ensure that the a car was running right. When I get home I am taking it in to do some dyno runs and get my aftermarket a/f welded in.

All told my kit was 7k with PLX a/f and boost gauges and an oil cooler and thermostatic kit for when it gets cold around here.

I think the power levels that I have are perfect. Not so much power that you are roasting tires, but more than enough for fun. I am not sure about the additional maintenance yet but aside from oil changes and a belt replacement I am not seeing much. Hopefully it will just run, much like my Ford Lightning.

Am I happy with it? Yes I am. Would I do it again? In a heartbeat.

:icon18::icon18::icon18:

LOL. You are just interested in getting your post count up...
:stirthepot:

So Kirkster... I was interested in the GTM SC also. Pure bolt on? So does the kit come with an ECU reflash, and therefore, no need for me to take it to a shop for tuning (since I live so far away from one)? If I have to I have to... but just wondering if the kit comes with the full flash/tune.

Yes it does come with uprev and a base tune that Sam provides. Pretty solid tune. But you will want to run it on a dyno to be sure where it is at eventually. The kits have come a long way from the 350 days where the car might not even run out of the box. No need to run right out and get a tune.

Yes it is a pure bolt on...

:iagree:

The price of FI can vary greatly. Supercharger kits are less than turbo kits for the 370. Installation, if you don't plan on doing it yourself, will run $1k-2k. Then do you want accessories? Oil cooler? Gauges to meter oil, water, air/fuel, boost, etc? Aftermarket clutch/flywheel? Wider wheels/tires? Oh man...I can list more if you need me to, haha.

Wow.... thanks for the info Kirkster. So around 7k or so, plus a little bit of wrench time (how long total for the install?), and I've got myself a reliable 460whp monster? Someone you recommend at GTM to speak to?

Well that too :p

So far I am very happy with my TT kit.
I have the Stage I from GTM with external waste gates and the 34 row oil cooler.

I did the install myself and have been running the car with the canned tune from Sam. It isn't my daily driver but if I lived in a warmer climate, I wouldn't be concerned about using it that way.
I still need to upgrade the clutch but right now I have about $9k invested.

My total wrench time was around 25~30 hours, which seems to be the typical run time for us do it yourselfers...

I would say that the 400 ~ 420whp is a realistic number for the GTM kit. That is also going to keep things conservative and hopefully in the long run keep the car going without too many problem.

Call GTM up and talk to Sam. He has been very helpful with me and I told him what I wanted to do with the car and he suggested the Oil cooler (which I was already going to do as my car ran hot in NA form), I chose the PLX stuff and the thermostatic kit on my own which is really what drove the price to the 7K mark.

I think with the other car options on the market it is harder to justify FI. For ~$7000, you can swap your Z for a Mustang, and basically get the results of FI on the Z, plus more headroom.

I've generally not been impressed with the results of FI on the Z as well. I know the SC works well for guys like Kirk who autocross a lot, and I've actually toyed with the idea of SC just because I've never owned a supercharged car. I still don't really think I can justify the inevitable issues that often come with forced induction, when I could pick up a warrantied vehicle that would perform on the same level.

Yea but the Rustang violates my no more than 2 seats in a car policy. Been running strong on that policy since 1986 and am not violating it now..

If I was going to give up the Z for something else it would be an 08 Z06...