[Z06] Low boost on a C5Z06?
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Low boost on a C5Z06?
I've had my car for ~10yrs and am thinking of selling but at the end of the day still really like it so I've been contemplating boosting it with a centrifugal s/c.
At low boost (5psi) and casual street driving (i.e., non-track) can the stock engine survive without any work? My tuner says yes and most threads I read online seem to indicate it's okay, but others seems to say it's 60/40, not to mention I can't quantify realiability. I.e., assuming I'm not unlucky could I expect another 40k miles out of the engine boosted or would I need to be looking at my engine in 10k, or .....
At low boost (5psi) and casual street driving (i.e., non-track) can the stock engine survive without any work? My tuner says yes and most threads I read online seem to indicate it's okay, but others seems to say it's 60/40, not to mention I can't quantify realiability. I.e., assuming I'm not unlucky could I expect another 40k miles out of the engine boosted or would I need to be looking at my engine in 10k, or .....
Race Director
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From: Think BEFORE hitting "Submit Reply"
There is no hard and fast answer.
I turboed my Z06 at about 24k and ran it with 10-12 psi for 50,000 more miles and had no problems ever.
It will come down to the tune and how often you hammer on it.
I drove my car all the time and wasn't easy on it and it stayed together.
At 5-10 psi, you'll probably be OK as long as the tune is on the money.
I turboed my Z06 at about 24k and ran it with 10-12 psi for 50,000 more miles and had no problems ever.
It will come down to the tune and how often you hammer on it.
I drove my car all the time and wasn't easy on it and it stayed together.
At 5-10 psi, you'll probably be OK as long as the tune is on the money.
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I totally appreciate that it can vary.
From my research it seems like most people are happy they boosted on the stock engine, but every so often I find a thread about somebody's engine who let go, usually not while hard driving. Of course what led up to the damage I dunno, but it does make me leery given the motor was never really meant for boost.
I seem to have **** poor luck - I've picked up bad gas twice before and had to drain the tank (thankfully my n/a motor just started knocking and running like crap, but no damage) - so I'm kinda worried about going boom.
Is there any type of motor work that can be done like forged this and that so the motor can easily handle a few pounds of boost without any type of worry......or at that point is it basically building a new motor if I were to do that?
I think to over-analyze everything so I'm wondering if maybe i'm over-thinking this ... my car's only got 40k, is not driven hard (never done a burnout, lol) and just for brief squirts so maybe i should just save f-it and boost it?
From my research it seems like most people are happy they boosted on the stock engine, but every so often I find a thread about somebody's engine who let go, usually not while hard driving. Of course what led up to the damage I dunno, but it does make me leery given the motor was never really meant for boost.
I seem to have **** poor luck - I've picked up bad gas twice before and had to drain the tank (thankfully my n/a motor just started knocking and running like crap, but no damage) - so I'm kinda worried about going boom.
Is there any type of motor work that can be done like forged this and that so the motor can easily handle a few pounds of boost without any type of worry......or at that point is it basically building a new motor if I were to do that?
I think to over-analyze everything so I'm wondering if maybe i'm over-thinking this ... my car's only got 40k, is not driven hard (never done a burnout, lol) and just for brief squirts so maybe i should just save f-it and boost it?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2000
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From: South FL
I kind of revert back to my days when I messed with import cars for posts like this. You'd be surprised at how much an engine can handle when the tune is on point, and when you respect things like rpm.
A quick example. A 1990-92 (using that year range for a reason for those in the know - it has better rods than the 93-94) Eclipse/Talon/Laser is rated at 195hp from the factory. I've tuned those cars to over the 500 wheel hp range with completely stock motors (cams only) and boost levels approaching 30psi. Completely different applications I know, but you are talking dispersing 600 crank hp over 2.0L of displacement and only 4 cylinders.
Point being, you have 5.7L and 8 cylinders, so adding maybe another 100hp with a low boost supercharger is by all counts barely taxing the motor, provided you are smart with how you drive, and your tune it on point. I was tripling the factory horsepower with early 90's Japanese cars. While I am not saying you can triple the horsepower on a C5 Z06 with stock internals, it will certainly handle a modest bump in power, and handle it well, as long as things are done right.
A quick example. A 1990-92 (using that year range for a reason for those in the know - it has better rods than the 93-94) Eclipse/Talon/Laser is rated at 195hp from the factory. I've tuned those cars to over the 500 wheel hp range with completely stock motors (cams only) and boost levels approaching 30psi. Completely different applications I know, but you are talking dispersing 600 crank hp over 2.0L of displacement and only 4 cylinders.
Point being, you have 5.7L and 8 cylinders, so adding maybe another 100hp with a low boost supercharger is by all counts barely taxing the motor, provided you are smart with how you drive, and your tune it on point. I was tripling the factory horsepower with early 90's Japanese cars. While I am not saying you can triple the horsepower on a C5 Z06 with stock internals, it will certainly handle a modest bump in power, and handle it well, as long as things are done right.
Last edited by NosLaser; Jul 6, 2016 at 08:10 AM.
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as long as you have enough octane and the tune is done properly I wouldn't worry about it at all
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2005
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From: Pasco WA
Just installing a SC, and you will be fine, for now. Any high RPM work will make your clutch fail. A hard shift can twist a diff into a pretzel. IF you can restrain yourself, and squeeze the trigger, slowly, it may not break anything, for a while. Long story short; the engine is the least of your problems, when you add a SC.
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Safety Car
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From: pueblo co
i boosted my z06 at 45k miles and been on there for 3 years now..not one single issue at all...its not a daily driver i am still at about 65k now and still runs flawless...running a ecs kit i am at 9 psi of boost
Last edited by momo20; Jul 9, 2016 at 02:16 PM.
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I've had my car for ~10yrs and am thinking of selling but at the end of the day still really like it so I've been contemplating boosting it with a centrifugal s/c.
At low boost (5psi) and casual street driving (i.e., non-track) can the stock engine survive without any work? My tuner says yes and most threads I read online seem to indicate it's okay, but others seems to say it's 60/40, not to mention I can't quantify realiability. I.e., assuming I'm not unlucky could I expect another 40k miles out of the engine boosted or would I need to be looking at my engine in 10k, or .....
At low boost (5psi) and casual street driving (i.e., non-track) can the stock engine survive without any work? My tuner says yes and most threads I read online seem to indicate it's okay, but others seems to say it's 60/40, not to mention I can't quantify realiability. I.e., assuming I'm not unlucky could I expect another 40k miles out of the engine boosted or would I need to be looking at my engine in 10k, or .....
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2015
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I think you'll be good as long as (like many mentioned above) the tune is right, you keep good gas in it, be religious on your maintenance.
Friend of mine is running a Kenne Bell on a stock 4.6 '02 Mustang. Has been on there for around 8 years and put over 60k miles. No issues at all and is daily driven as long as the weather is good.
Some guys on the Chevelle forum are running junkyard 5.3 turbo builds, weekend drag racing pushing much more than you will and lasting for quite some time.
Friend of mine is running a Kenne Bell on a stock 4.6 '02 Mustang. Has been on there for around 8 years and put over 60k miles. No issues at all and is daily driven as long as the weather is good.
Some guys on the Chevelle forum are running junkyard 5.3 turbo builds, weekend drag racing pushing much more than you will and lasting for quite some time.
Advanced
Joined: May 2014
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Unless you're identifying what specific compressor is being put on the car, saying that "x" psi is safe or unsafe isn't possible. Two different compressors at the same psi, output a different amount of cfm. One compressor could blow a motor to pieces at "x" psi, while the other will run like a champ.
Point is...boost psi is relative to the compressor...just so everyone is clear.
Point is...boost psi is relative to the compressor...just so everyone is clear.
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2002
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From: Melbourne FL
Unless you're identifying what specific compressor is being put on the car, saying that "x" psi is safe or unsafe isn't possible. Two different compressors at the same psi, output a different amount of cfm. One compressor could blow a motor to pieces at "x" psi, while the other will run like a champ.
Point is...boost psi is relative to the compressor...just so everyone is clear.
Point is...boost psi is relative to the compressor...just so everyone is clear.
Very good point. The quick answer is; Yes. It will work at low pressures and a good tune. If the clutch is stock. That will most likely be your first failure point. If you put sticky tires on it and do hard launches with the extra hp; you will likely tear up the rear end or the trans. Be careful with sticky tires and launching. From a roll; you should be fine.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2005
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From: Pasco WA
Very good point. The quick answer is; Yes. It will work at low pressures and a good tune. If the clutch is stock. That will most likely be your first failure point. If you put sticky tires on it and do hard launches with the extra hp; you will likely tear up the rear end or the trans. Be careful with sticky tires and launching. From a roll; you should be fine.
Thread Starter
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I twisted my diff into scrap shifting med-hard into 3rd gear, so from a roll is not a guarantee of safety. The drivetrain has a few areas of weakness, that a SC installation will expose, if used to it's fullest. I'm still running 11:1 compression, with 8.5lbs of boost, plenty of fuel, and a Tom Wong tune.
)
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2005
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From: Pasco WA
For me, in that instance, it was a lift throttle shift, but I have a clutch that hits real hard, and a Tick MC, which also firms up (understatement) the engagement point.
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2010
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From: Doylestown Pa
hey i figured i would chime in,
i have a 03 Z06, i put a used P1sc setup on, bumped up to 60lb injectors, everything else bone stock. Got a conservative tune from doug put down 545rw, when people say its like night and day, boy is it like night and day. I love every minute of it. The reliability has been amazing never had a problem "knock on wood" and i can't stay out of it (I am in my 20's) just put Longtubes with 3inch straight pipes not too long ago, now pushing close to 600 and its still running like a champ. The best part about it, drives like stock with a little more weight in the front, might sound weird, but i can notice the added weight, but when you lay in it, its amazing whole other animal. I apologize for rambling i dont usually respond but i hope this helps with your decision. I forget who said it, but the clutch is the weakest point so if you are on a stock clutch you shall be fine! Just put a mantic twin disc in last year, since the stock clutch started slipping, finally. have about 20k on it since the P1SC install. Good luck and you can't go wrong!
i have a 03 Z06, i put a used P1sc setup on, bumped up to 60lb injectors, everything else bone stock. Got a conservative tune from doug put down 545rw, when people say its like night and day, boy is it like night and day. I love every minute of it. The reliability has been amazing never had a problem "knock on wood" and i can't stay out of it (I am in my 20's) just put Longtubes with 3inch straight pipes not too long ago, now pushing close to 600 and its still running like a champ. The best part about it, drives like stock with a little more weight in the front, might sound weird, but i can notice the added weight, but when you lay in it, its amazing whole other animal. I apologize for rambling i dont usually respond but i hope this helps with your decision. I forget who said it, but the clutch is the weakest point so if you are on a stock clutch you shall be fine! Just put a mantic twin disc in last year, since the stock clutch started slipping, finally. have about 20k on it since the P1SC install. Good luck and you can't go wrong!
Last edited by zblkr1; Jul 20, 2016 at 09:02 PM.
