H/C vs. FI
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,098
Likes: 0
From: Dallas TX
H/C vs. FI
Opinions? Which is the better choice? Why? 
I am entertaining the idea for the future... want to know which I should save for. Can't decide, wanted to know some opinions. I figure they are relatively around the same price and make around the same power (Except if I go for more boost). H/C vs about 5-6psi. What are the advantages/disadvantages of both? Let me know. Thanks guys! 
I am entertaining the idea for the future... want to know which I should save for. Can't decide, wanted to know some opinions. I figure they are relatively around the same price and make around the same power (Except if I go for more boost). H/C vs about 5-6psi. What are the advantages/disadvantages of both? Let me know. Thanks guys!
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,969
Likes: 8
From: NJ
With the stock bottom end you will limited to the amount of boost you can make but I think it will still out perform a H/C setup that is pretty reasonably priced and drivable. I would get a blower on the stock bottom end because its easy power. H/C cars have to have all the stars in alignment to get serious power and many of the shops here do that, but slap a blower on and you are forcing the motor to make power, pun intended. Then, if you want you can unbolt it, sell it, trade the car in and its all good. I'd get a quality kit from A@A or ECS then over the next few years save up for a bottom end. If the bug hits you again, forge the bottom and turn up the boost. My car makes a little over 500rwhp all motor but its a stroker and expensive. You can spend $6k on a good complete and safe blower and eclipse that easy. Its more power than you can use on the street and you get hella cool points when you pop the hood.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,098
Likes: 0
From: Dallas TX
With the stock bottom end you will limited to the amount of boost you can make but I think it will still out perform a H/C setup that is pretty reasonably priced and drivable. I would get a blower on the stock bottom end because its easy power. H/C cars have to have all the stars in alignment to get serious power and many of the shops here do that, but slap a blower on and you are forcing the motor to make power, pun intended. Then, if you want you can unbolt it, sell it, trade the car in and its all good. I'd get a quality kit from A@A or ECS then over the next few years save up for a bottom end. If the bug hits you again, forge the bottom and turn up the boost. My car makes a little over 500rwhp all motor but its a stroker and expensive. You can spend $6k on a good complete and safe blower and eclipse that easy. Its more power than you can use on the street and you get hella cool points when you pop the hood.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 12,094
Likes: 197
From: Colorado Springs, CO
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11
The stock bottom end routinely handles 600rwhp.
I suggest you go for a ride in a H/C car and one with a supercharger to feel the differences. If its just mashing the pedal and looking for the pull then the S/C is the way to go. If throttle response and low end immediacy are your tweaks then the H/C can be very rewarding. I have been in quite a few S/C cars and they are great up top but the low end isnt what a stroker would give you even with a Magnuson.
You have to drive both to know what I experienced.
If its a street car and will use a street tire, get a H/C package and gears. You will far exceed the tire's ability to handle that power under 80mph.....any size street tire. Overpowering the car is a great way to spin tires and that isnt going anywhere fast.
Drive both.
I suggest you go for a ride in a H/C car and one with a supercharger to feel the differences. If its just mashing the pedal and looking for the pull then the S/C is the way to go. If throttle response and low end immediacy are your tweaks then the H/C can be very rewarding. I have been in quite a few S/C cars and they are great up top but the low end isnt what a stroker would give you even with a Magnuson.
You have to drive both to know what I experienced.
If its a street car and will use a street tire, get a H/C package and gears. You will far exceed the tire's ability to handle that power under 80mph.....any size street tire. Overpowering the car is a great way to spin tires and that isnt going anywhere fast.
Drive both.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,098
Likes: 0
From: Dallas TX
The stock bottom end routinely handles 600rwhp.
I suggest you go for a ride in a H/C car and one with a supercharger to feel the differences. If its just mashing the pedal and looking for the pull then the S/C is the way to go. If throttle response and low end immediacy are your tweaks then the H/C can be very rewarding. I have been in quite a few S/C cars and they are great up top but the low end isnt what a stroker would give you even with a Magnuson.
You have to drive both to know what I experienced.
If its a street car and will use a street tire, get a H/C package and gears. You will far exceed the tire's ability to handle that power under 80mph.....any size street tire. Overpowering the car is a great way to spin tires and that isnt going anywhere fast.
Drive both.
I suggest you go for a ride in a H/C car and one with a supercharger to feel the differences. If its just mashing the pedal and looking for the pull then the S/C is the way to go. If throttle response and low end immediacy are your tweaks then the H/C can be very rewarding. I have been in quite a few S/C cars and they are great up top but the low end isnt what a stroker would give you even with a Magnuson.
You have to drive both to know what I experienced.
If its a street car and will use a street tire, get a H/C package and gears. You will far exceed the tire's ability to handle that power under 80mph.....any size street tire. Overpowering the car is a great way to spin tires and that isnt going anywhere fast.
Drive both.
I would love to sit in both of these cars and feel them out. It's just too bad that where I am, there are no vettes around!
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,955
Likes: 22
From: Lehigh Valley Pennsylvania
It's been debated 1000 times and Spin has some good insight. I would imagine FI will effect our cars differently than most due to the already light vehicle. FI was always a good choice with the GTOs due to the fact that the car is heavy and the added low range torque really helped get them moving. But the primary detractor for me is adding 100 lbs of weight directly over the front wheels, which is why it will be H/C for me.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,098
Likes: 0
From: Dallas TX
It's been debated 1000 times and Spin has some good insight. I would imagine FI will effect our cars differently than most due to the already light vehicle. FI was always a good choice with the GTOs due to the fact that the car is heavy and the added low range torque really helped get them moving. But the primary detractor for me is adding 100 lbs of weight directly over the front wheels, which is why it will be H/C for me.
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Drifting
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,844
Likes: 12
From: Alpharetta Georgia
I have 477whp here on a cam only Z51 LS3 w/ stock gears and on warm days(~85deg), my car will either hook first gear or haze it(not completely spin) on a good road surface. Whether thats because my car is down on power because of the temp or because the Z51 tires are that good when the temps are hot, I am not sure. Either way, it would appear based off what my car does when its hot, that there are street tires out there that can hold relatively high whp H/C cars.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,098
Likes: 0
From: Dallas TX
I have 477whp here on a cam only Z51 LS3 w/ stock gears and on warm days(~85deg), my car will either hook first gear or haze it(not completely spin) on a good road surface. Whether thats because my car is down on power because of the temp or because the Z51 tires are that good when the temps are hot, I am not sure. Either way, it would appear based off what my car does when its hot, that there are street tires out there that can hold relatively high whp H/C cars.
I am hoping to hit 450 with Cam only, with supporting bolt ons.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,844
Likes: 12
From: Alpharetta Georgia
Vararam, 160t-stat, Kooks headers, Kooks X, B&B Rt. 66, and ASP UD Pulley. Still on the stock uported intake mani and TB. Would like to high 490's~500's when the FAST becomes available w/ a ported TB. Cam is a Vengeance Racing VRX6 cam. I cannot release the specs per their request. I am sure you could call them and coax some details out of them 
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,098
Likes: 0
From: Dallas TX
Vararam, 160t-stat, Kooks headers, Kooks X, B&B Rt. 66, and ASP UD Pulley. Still on the stock uported intake mani and TB. Would like to high 490's~500's when the FAST becomes available w/ a ported TB. Cam is a Vengeance Racing VRX6 cam. I cannot release the specs per their request. I am sure you could call them and coax some details out of them
Those are great numbers. I am expect the cam to be a pretty big cam. How is idle? Drivability? How does it feel compared to stock? I want to try to stay close to stock, but I don't mind a little lope. Thanks!
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,844
Likes: 12
From: Alpharetta Georgia
low low 230's intake duration, low low 240s exh. duration. above .600 for lift both int. and exhaust. Car drives great! No stalls, hot starts, cold starts, idles @ 850rpm . Remember that these LS3's don't need as much cam to make some pretty good numbers. Check out this post of my a buddy of mine. He has an LS2 such as yourself and hit the number your after. http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=2027360
. Remember that these LS3's don't need as much cam to make some pretty good numbers. Check out this post of my a buddy of mine. He has an LS2 such as yourself and hit the number your after. http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=2027360
Last edited by 1.8t; May 23, 2008 at 06:52 AM.
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 4,537
Likes: 1,405
From: Bethesda MD
Keep in mind that 1.8T has an LS3, so his potential on stock heads & stock intake manifold is a bit higher than a LS2. You might look at some of the faster LS2 cars if you are not touching the heads.
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 1,651
Likes: 125
From: laguna niguel ca
i've had both, Vortech blown Z-28'2, and stroked modded N/A motors. I prefer Big inch N/A motors. The low and midrange power of a stroker is much more to my liking. My current motor is a stroked LS3 427, with CNC'ed L92 heads. With a somewhat small street cam 232/234/595/598/112+1 cam it makes 525rwhp/500rwtq with a speed density tune. Midrange is where we spend most of our time, so why not make your power there. Also I don't notice any real drop off at the high end. It pulls strong to 6800 rpms in a heart beat. Personally, I think with an N/A motor set up right you can have the best of both worlds.
Especially for street driving.
Especially for street driving.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,098
Likes: 0
From: Dallas TX
i've had both, Vortech blown Z-28'2, and stroked modded N/A motors. I prefer Big inch N/A motors. The low and midrange power of a stroker is much more to my liking. My current motor is a stroked LS3 427, with CNC'ed L92 heads. With a somewhat small street cam 232/234/595/598/112+1 cam it makes 525rwhp/500rwtq with a speed density tune. Midrange is where we spend most of our time, so why not make your power there. Also I don't notice any real drop off at the high end. It pulls strong to 6800 rpms in a heart beat. Personally, I think with an N/A motor set up right you can have the best of both worlds.
Especially for street driving.
Especially for street driving.
