Would I boost this car again if I had the chance?

[DarkSunrise]

For me, my FRS with catless header and tune (running east coast 93 octane or 100 on the track for extra safety margin) was about perfect. Reliable, sounded great, was near even with stock s2000's on the straights.

Now that I've moved to socal, I'm back to stock header and tune on 91 octane. It's noticeably slower. I'm going to try e85 to see if that is enough.

Was trying to stay NA for reliability, but if e85 doesnt cut it, I'll probably look into an Edelbrock SC.

[pgranberg11]

for the amount of money i spent, supercharging, blowing a motor, going turbo and buying a used motor I would DEFINITELY not do it again. It's a great platform don't get me wrong, but if I knew I would spend this much, I would rather have invested in a k-miata and shit on everything at the track with 500+whp on a stock k block with 0 problems in a car that I could get to weigh around 2000lbs.

knowing that I would have spent this much I probably would have gotten an M235i or Porsche Cayman S and left either of those cars both stock. But that's boring so that's why I got a BRZ to modify to my heart's content which I think which appeals to a lot. There's a lot you can do with this car and I think it's just a matter of doing it right.

[WRBrzRX]

Originally Posted by pgranberg11

for the amount of money i spent, supercharging, blowing a motor, going turbo and buying a used motor I would DEFINITELY not do it again. It's a great platform don't get me wrong, but if I knew I would spend this much, I would rather have invested in a k-miata and shit on everything at the track with 500+whp on a stock k block with 0 problems in a car that I could get to weigh around 2000lbs.

knowing that I would have spent this much I probably would have gotten an M235i or Porsche Cayman S and left either of those cars both stock. But that's boring so that's why I got a BRZ to modify to my heart's content which I think which appeals to a lot. There's a lot you can do with this car and I think it's just a matter of doing it right.

Similar boat, on engine 3, blew one NA, one on Edelbrock with Jackson dual rad, the "safe setup". Lot of money but I really love the chassis! I know plenty of guys who have popped them and every built FA20 I've seen popped as well so that option doesn't feel safe either. They're a **** to tear down and rebuild from the RTV. They're highly strung, high revving, 12.5:1 comp on rod bearings that are dying to spin.

Doesn't exactly stop me from hitting the track but I don't know why the wife puts up with me or the car.

If I had to do it again I would either get a used 15+ for cheap now ($12k) and leave it NA and spend minimally for e85/headers/tune/tires, swap in a 2J / LS or get a Cayman S.

[CSG Mike]

Originally Posted by DarkSunrise

For me, my FRS with catless header and tune (running east coast 93 octane or 100 on the track for extra safety margin) was about perfect. Reliable, sounded great, was near even with stock s2000's on the straights.

Now that I've moved to socal, I'm back to stock header and tune on 91 octane. It's noticeably slower. I'm going to try e85 to see if that is enough.

Was trying to stay NA for reliability, but if e85 doesnt cut it, I'll probably look into an Edelbrock SC.

Tons of E85, depending on where you're located.

Come check out 86cup!

[GrabTheWheel]

Originally Posted by WRBrzRX

Similar boat, on engine 3, blew one NA, one on Edelbrock with Jackson dual rad, the "safe setup". Lot of money but I really love the chassis! I know plenty of guys who have popped them and every built FA20 I've seen popped as well so that option doesn't feel safe either. They're a **** to tear down and rebuild from the RTV. They're highly strung, high revving, 12.5:1 comp on rod bearings that are dying to spin.

Doesn't exactly stop me from hitting the track but I don't know why the wife puts up with me or the car.

If I had to do it again I would either get a used 15+ for cheap now ($12k) and leave it NA and spend minimally for e85/headers/tune/tires, swap in a 2J / LS or get a Cayman S.

Glad I’m not the only one! If you want boost buy a closet full of used FA20’s. These engines are disposable with power. Can’t wait to have a setup that makes great power on 91 without boost!!

[DarkSunrise]

Originally Posted by CSG Mike

Tons of E85, depending on where you're located.

Come check out 86cup!

Planning on it! Just need to find some time

[Irace86.2.0]

Originally Posted by CSG Mike

Tons of E85, depending on where you're located.

Come check out 86cup!

I’m on E85 now. It is awesome! I’m working on trying to get a pump in my area because, as of now, it is about thirty minutes away, which is part of my temporary commute. By the end of next year when I no longer do a long commute, I will be sadly missing E85.

[olsonpg]

Originally Posted by WRBrzRX

Similar boat, on engine 3, blew one NA, one on Edelbrock with Jackson dual rad, the "safe setup". Lot of money but I really love the chassis! I know plenty of guys who have popped them and every built FA20 I've seen popped as well so that option doesn't feel safe either. They're a **** to tear down and rebuild from the RTV. They're highly strung, high revving, 12.5:1 comp on rod bearings that are dying to spin.

Doesn't exactly stop me from hitting the track but I don't know why the wife puts up with me or the car.

If I had to do it again I would either get a used 15+ for cheap now ($12k) and leave it NA and spend minimally for e85/headers/tune/tires, swap in a 2J / LS or get a Cayman S.

every built fa20 you know of has popped? I just had one built and your scaring me now lol..

[GrabTheWheel]

Originally Posted by olsonpg

every built fa20 you know of has popped? I just had one built and your scaring me now lol..

Be afraid very afraid. I would only do it if it was either built, installed, and tuned by you or under one roof. If one shop builds the motor, another installs it and then someone else tunes it there is nobody to accept responsibility when shit hits the fan. Tuner will blame the engine builder and mechanic, engine builder will blame the tuner it's the circle of blame game. Just be careful of a shop telling you they warranty their engine because in reality they won't. I could of had a stock pile of 6-8 used FA20's for the money I wasted on my 2 built motors.

[olsonpg]

Originally Posted by GrabTheWheel

Be afraid very afraid. I would only do it if it was either built, installed, and tuned by you or under one roof. If one shop builds the motor, another installs it and then someone else tunes it there is nobody to accept responsibility when shit hits the fan. Tuner will blame the engine builder and mechanic, engine builder will blame the tuner it's the circle of blame game. Just be careful of a shop telling you they warranty their engine because in reality they won't. I could of had a stock pile of 6-8 used FA20's for the money I wasted on my 2 built motors.

Well it was completely all under one house. Not like even then a shop will accept responsibility and front a repair/replacement.

You've blown 2 built fa20's? Were you going for some big numbers or keeping things reasonable. I'm at 420 wheel, 10.5 compression, 85. Trying to keep things dialed back for longevity.
I feel your pain brotha.

[Jaden]

Originally Posted by Cal3000

It's slightly faster with e85, but not by much. A stock wrx will walk away from a stock frs pretty easily.

I literally just yesterday was dead even with a seemingly stock 2017 wrx from a dig on Cali91with just a catless header and cat back. My car is flex fuel but I'm running Cali91right now.

Jaden

[Jaden]

Originally Posted by CSG Mike

Care to place a wager on that?

My daily driver is a wrx.

While the absolute power gain may not be big, the usable power difference is massive, and a stock wrx will walk away from any header/ethanol/tune FRS, no matter what header and tune it is.

To keep it apples to apples, since a base wrx is approximately the cost of a base brz, for the price of a header + flex + tune on a BRZ, you can have a 400whp WRX.

See my last post. Every wrx ive ran into was the same. Id walk it with e85 in the tank...

Jaden

As has been said the way boost comes on in the wrx makes it seem faster than it is, you're driving it separate from your twin. Besides your twin is boosted isn't it? It shouldn't even be close between your cars.

[GrabTheWheel]

Originally Posted by olsonpg

Well it was completely all under one house. Not like even then a shop will accept responsibility and front a repair/replacement.

You've blown 2 built fa20's? Were you going for some big numbers or keeping things reasonable. I'm at 420 wheel, 10.5 compression, 85. Trying to keep things dialed back for longevity.
I feel your pain brotha.

Yep. Mine were both standard compression because I was almost always running E85. You were smart to lower compression. My other suggestion would be to shift at 7K. Neither were making big power at all. I was just shooting for 400 plus WHP supercharged but never even got close. First set up was on a Rotrex and I quickly learned you cannot make big power with a C38 on an FA20, don't care what anyone else tells you. That engine blew on the dyno after a very gentle 3K mile break in on less than a bar of boost.

2nd engine was on a TVS1320 on the standard pulley on E85 so like 330 WHP and blew after only 1K miles. I've been close to giving up on the platform many times but always come back to it because of how well it fits me and the analog feel. There will never be another new car that's as back to basics as the 86 and I love that about it. Finally made the call to eliminate arguably the 2 biggest weaknesses of the platform the engine and transmission. I know it will hardly be an 86 anymore but steering feel and handling characteristics should still remain intact.

[mrg666]

JRSC C30 (factory tune) totally transformed my car. I have installed and I am doing all of the maintenance. There has not been a single down day, car never refused to start after 20k miles in all weathers of Northeast. It is my everyday car. I can't imagine the car without the supercharger anymore. I think most of the problems we see here are installation errors, tune problems, or too much boost (especially at low rpm), or just bad luck that can happen even without boost.

I would boost again with the following simple rules.
- This is a high revving, high compression engine. Keep the boost low. Don't aim for low rpm torque.
- Use an oil cooler
- Install properly!
- Get the best tune, not the cheapest