9lbs on stock bottom end ?

[SmokinSS]

Hey everyone, I just got finished putting a vortech V-9 G-trim supercharger on my 1998 Camaro SS. I am setup to run 9lbs of boost. However, I'm not intercooling. The guys at Vortech said I'd be ok as long as I have it programmed, which I'm having a dyno-tune done next wednesday. A local performance shop said my bottom end should be good up to 600hp. Wondering what you guys think, because I was thinking it might get to warm and build up to much pressure without the cooler. What'd you think ?

[Ed Blown Vert]

500 rwhp is as far as I would go. And since your are not intercooled I would be careful.

[FasstChevys]

Hey everyone, I just got finished putting a vortech V-9 G-trim supercharger on my 1998 Camaro SS. I am setup to run 9lbs of boost. However, I'm not intercooling. The guys at Vortech said I'd be ok as long as I have it programmed, which I'm having a dyno-tune done next wednesday. A local performance shop said my bottom end should be good up to 600hp. Wondering what you guys think, because I was thinking it might get to warm and build up to much pressure without the cooler. What'd you think ?

My first instinct tells me that you will not be okay at 9 psi without intercooling. I think you'll have problems. Good luck!

[ss~zoso~ss]

if it blows up

:sux2bu:

[JAMES RODRIGUEZ]

I'd say 9 psi non-intercooled is a little too high.

[KraZy]

I wouldnt do 5lbs w/o some way to cool the incoming air.

[Motorboatin]

Yeah definitely cool that air before pushing it that hard.

[Packy]

Hey everyone, I just got finished putting a vortech V-9 G-trim supercharger on my 1998 Camaro SS. I am setup to run 9lbs of boost. However, I'm not intercooling. The guys at Vortech said I'd be ok as long as I have it programmed, which I'm having a dyno-tune done next wednesday. A local performance shop said my bottom end should be good up to 600hp. Wondering what you guys think, because I was thinking it might get to warm and build up to much pressure without the cooler. What'd you think ?

Vortech kits have an aftercooler on them. An intercooler would have to be fabbed up. Does your kit have the aftercooler on it? If it does you should be fine with a good tune. If you have no aftercooler or intercooler 9 PSI will definitely be too much boost unless you have your compression dropped a little from stock. I think you will still have problems with detonation in the high rpms!

[Blown SS]

You may want to look into meth injection . It will give you a killer intercooling affect as well as adding some much needed octane .

[FantaZGuy28]

500 HP on a stock bottom end is pushing it bad. A guy I knew who had a STS on his 02 w/under 20k on the engine blew his bottom end and he had 500HP then again he wasnt intercooled and had high boost.

[JAMES RODRIGUEZ]

500 HP on a stock bottom end is pushing it bad. A guy I knew who had a STS on his 02 w/under 20k on the engine blew his bottom end and he had 500HP then again he wasnt intercooled and had high boost.


Anything over 10 psi on stock bottom end is asking for trouble. I have been pushing 500 at the whhels for a while with no issues. So far so good.

[topgun1851]

i have 20,000 miles on a procharger set up for 9-10 psi... with a good tune from bob at EPP, im putting down 490rwhp on their mustang dyno... and things are still running really well! but keep in mind, im not redlining it at every stop sign/light

[CODE4LS1]

I would not go over 4-5lbs.......stock LS1 bottom ends usually break after crossing the 520-530 threshold

[Vols Fan]

I have the exact setup you are talking about on my 98 with aftercooler. I am running 5-8 pounds with a fuel/air of 12:1 an making 475 at the tires. 9 is pushing it better rethink that move.

[cailey37]

Ok....I would say 9lbs is pushing it because depending on the method you use to force the air in there....turbo....supercharger....you have to keep an eye on your inlet air temps.....you get past 6-7lbs on some and the temps start climbing.....I had a stock LS1 and threw 9lbs to it and it didn't last that long....the 98 blocks dont have the best cylinder walls compared to the LS2's. I ended up putting an SLP 402 in mine with a 76mm turbo.....I know a lot of guys talk about intercoolers and all but I'm totally sold on methanol injection!! I purchased the kit from Snow Performance and I love it!! It dropped the inlet air temps 60+ degrees!! And you dont have to worry about pressure loss thru an intercooler....when I say I'm running 15lbs of boost....I'm running 15lbs of boost....if you have an intercooler you'll lose a few pounds.......bottom line...I dont know if I'd put 9lbs of boost on your stock bottom end.......but hey....it's your motor.....

[dementia]

Sure with an IC you have to deal with pressure loss but the safety and reliability surpasses that of a meth kit. With the meth kit you'll have to keep a close eye on your meth levels and make sure its always full. You have to worry about your pumps failing which could be disasterous for your engine. I'm sure theres more things that could go wrong with the meth kit which could hurt your engine but the possibility of a pump failing is whats going to make me go IC when my time comes. I say run an IC and if you need/want more cooling throw a meth kit on top of that. At least that way when the meth kit fails you'll still have the IC backing you up.

Although I'm not Force fed as of yet I've done my fair share of research and I'm pretty sure 9 lbs is way too much to be running without some form of cooling. I think its safe to say that you shouldnt be running more than 5 lbs without cooling from an IC or meth.

[cailey37]

Sure with an IC you have to deal with pressure loss but the safety and reliability surpasses that of a meth kit. With the meth kit you'll have to keep a close eye on your meth levels and make sure its always full. You have to worry about your pumps failing which could be disasterous for your engine. I'm sure theres more things that could go wrong with the meth kit which could hurt your engine but the possibility of a pump failing is whats going to make me go IC when my time comes. I say run an IC and if you need/want more cooling throw a meth kit on top of that. At least that way when the meth kit fails you'll still have the IC backing you up.

Although I'm not Force fed as of yet I've done my fair share of research and I'm pretty sure 9 lbs is way too much to be running without some form of cooling. I think its safe to say that you shouldnt be running more than 5 lbs without cooling from an IC or meth.

You know...I used to think the same way until I gave the kit a try. I use the Snow Performance unit on my car and all the worries you talked about are gone with some carefull planning. I plumed the system into my windshield washer resevoir. If you run low then will see the light come on....as far as the pump goes you can make a fail safe......I have a buzzer that will come on if there is no pressure detected coming from the pump.....kinda like the STS oil system has on it's turbo if it's not getting oil.......I'm a believer in methanol now....you cant get any intercooler that will cool as well......

[tadz28]

I would say you will be pushing it!!

[robb4964]

My first instinct tells me that you will not be okay at 9 psi without intercooling. I think you'll have problems. Good luck!

I think 9lbs without an intercooler is insane.

No one could ever convince me it would be fine.

If I was you Id look for a used intercooler setup at least.

[Nhra Firebird]

i blew my motor up with 9 psi with the aftercooler, so goodluck if you don't have the aftercooler.

[SmokinSS]

I went with the smaller 5lb pulley and had a dyno-tune done by Bryan Herter at PCMS For Less. I made 460.8 horsepower at the wheels. Thinking about doing a Low compression 402 stroker kit and then bumping it up to 9 lbs.

[meanlx]

9lb dangerous on a stock 349 bottom end? Why? I've got 14# on my stock 302 w/ no intercooler (methanol injected though) and my motor's running strong and I have not problems. It's ALL in the tune. 5# can blow a motor up if the car isn't tuned properly. Find yourself a reputable tuner and you'll be fine.

[ANUTT1]

Been there done that 2 times with the LT1 motor. Both only 6lbs, one intercooled the other not. I dropped the compression to around 9.5 and I have a 95 HAWK with 157k miles on motor with 6lbs. Sold my 92 intercooled vette with 30k on blower /intercooler which I dropped the CR to 9.5 and it was still running strong. I would say NO WAY unless you plan on a rebuild soon especially if you live in the south with all the Hot air to help the situation.

[Breadfan]

I agree with the above to a point - it's all in the tune. But to me running 9lbs of boost with no intercooler or aftercooler is going to raise the air inlet temps so high the tune will be retarding timing way to much.

It seems to me you'd be better off running less boost with an intercooler or meth injection. You'll make the same power with a good tune and be safer in the long run.

In any application, heat is the enemy. If I went with a non-intercooled kit on virtually anything it would be with the intention of adding an intercooler later (or doing a custom setup or meth kit) and in the meantime run low boost until I got something in to cool the incoming air.

Yes a tune could make it safer, but all in all it's terribly inefficient IMO.

Have you looked into the meth kits yet? I think the kit from Snow is only about $500 and they're very easy to install.

After the cost of a blower and install, plus the potential cost of a motor, something like that becomes cheap insurance.

And oh yeah, tune tune tune. :)