FA20Club tuned Vortech kit 93 octane

[Foobar]

Originally Posted by Dezoris

I have a complete install video and review being done the entire process. The reality is I am not happy about the install. But I want want to give the vendors time to address the issues I have before I go off half cocked.

It's a professional courtesy really because it is rare to have vendors actually being apart of the community. One of my goals was to see exactly how it would be to do a major install like this and what type of support you would get doing a complety online purchase and tune.

Did the install so now we will see how the support is.

Still curious as to what issues you ran into - I did my install without any help or power tools aside from my drill and dremel and the only thing I needed from Brian was to know if there was a recommended torque spec for the fasteners (the instructions say to torque them, but I didn't see the specs anywhere).

Only Vortech-related challenges for me were drilling into the bumper support for the FMIC brackets, Lining up the driver-side plumbing and windshield washer reservoir was a bit challenging, lining up the airbox between the SC and the OEM snorkel was trouble until I took the snorkel out and attached the coupler on the SC side first rather than on the airbox first.

Saw the pictures on your build thread and I see one of your pipes appears to have a crimp on one of the ends - shipping damage?

Originally Posted by draggin_az

- Be prepared to drop a few bolts. A magnet on a stick really helps.
- I left the car on the ground as I installed everything and my back was paying for it the next 3 days.
- I had to remove the dip stick holder in order to move the tensioner far enough to slip the belt on.
- When drilling into your bumper brace (or whatever its called) use the smallest bit you have then continuously use the next size up to drill the hole bigger and bigger until you get the right size.

- I removed my underpanels/bumper first, so nowhere for anything to fall onto and get caught. Straight to the ground for me, and it happened *alot*. Even as I was holding on to a bolt or something, I'd be thinking "This thing's probably gonna fall, I better be careful. Oops, it fell."
- I had my front end on ramps and my back was still completely wrecked from leaning over for extended periods of time!
- Kept mine in place, I went in from underneath with my crescent wrench to get the tensioner to open up, so it didn't interfere at all - was that not an option for you?
- Damned good advice on the progressive drill bits. I went straight to the desired size and that was somewhat of a pain in the ass.

[Dezoris]

Originally Posted by Foobar

Still curious as to what issues you ran into - I did my install without any help or power tools aside from my drill and dremel and the only thing I needed from Brian was to know if there was a recommended torque spec for the fasteners (the instructions say to torque them, but I didn't see the specs anywhere).

Only Vortech-related challenges for me were drilling into the bumper support for the FMIC brackets, Lining up the driver-side plumbing and windshield washer reservoir was a bit challenging, lining up the airbox between the SC and the OEM snorkel was trouble until I took the snorkel out and attached the coupler on the SC side first rather than on the airbox first.

Saw the pictures on your build thread and I see one of your pipes appears to have a crimp on one of the ends - shipping damage?

Yes bent pipe inside box it was not shipping damage it was shipped that way. Had to bend back. Many things mirrored your problems and more.
But as said not going to go off in this thread about it, but will post up after things are addressed.

[Foobar]

Originally Posted by Dezoris

Yes bent pipe inside box it was not shipping damage it was shipped that way. Had to bend back. Many things mirrored your problems and more.
But as said not going to go off in this thread about it, but will post up after things are addressed.

Fair enough - looking forward to seeing how this plays out.

[draggin_az]

Originally Posted by Foobar

Still curious as to what issues you ran into - I did my install without any help or power tools aside from my drill and dremel and the only thing I needed from Brian was to know if there was a recommended torque spec for the fasteners (the instructions say to torque them, but I didn't see the specs anywhere).

Only Vortech-related challenges for me were drilling into the bumper support for the FMIC brackets, Lining up the driver-side plumbing and windshield washer reservoir was a bit challenging, lining up the airbox between the SC and the OEM snorkel was trouble until I took the snorkel out and attached the coupler on the SC side first rather than on the airbox first.

Saw the pictures on your build thread and I see one of your pipes appears to have a crimp on one of the ends - shipping damage?



- I removed my underpanels/bumper first, so nowhere for anything to fall onto and get caught. Straight to the ground for me, and it happened *alot*. Even as I was holding on to a bolt or something, I'd be thinking "This thing's probably gonna fall, I better be careful. Oops, it fell."
- I had my front end on ramps and my back was still completely wrecked from leaning over for extended periods of time!
- Kept mine in place, I went in from underneath with my crescent wrench to get the tensioner to open up, so it didn't interfere at all - was that not an option for you?
- Damned good advice on the progressive drill bits. I went straight to the desired size and that was somewhat of a pain in the ass.

i forgot about airbox coupler to the SC. i had to do the same thing.....take it off and put it on the SC first, then slide the air box in. thanks for reminding me....adding it to the tips list.

i didnt think about using a crescent wrench to move the tensioner. that might of worked. i just used a regular wrench.

[King Tut]

Nice to see some information sharing going on in here, and always nice to see guys installing forced induction kits themselves.

[DJCarbine]

I was able to rotate the airbox in place with the coupler installed on the airbox, just loosened the clamp and it slid right on.

Bumper beam/support drilling was no problem, but I have a nice set of bits I use on my drill press... went through the steel like butter. I would have prefered if they included self tapping screws that cut their own holes, as the included screws were a pain to start.... at least for me.

One other issue I had was the PVC hose. There are no hoseclamps on it, and none included in the kit so I just used small hoseclamps I had lying around to secure it to the valve/manifold. They did include clamps for the check valve you install, but I did not have any for the actual manifold/PCV connection

I also had a very leaky windshield washer resevoir where the pump goes. I had to remove/re-tighten that connection a few times before it sealed properly. I think the rubber gasket twists when tightening and goes out of place.

[MATTrocity]

I think the vortech owners should make an install tips thread

[Dezoris]

Originally Posted by MATTrocity

I think the vortech owners should make an install tips thread

I called tech support just to see how it was and asked three basic questions about the kit. One of the things I asked for was an FAQ. I was told that the installer should handle all questions. (Hard to do when you install yourself) Granted I could ask Perrin but I don't think they want to be bothered by a laundry list of crap.

A FAQ about install issues, problems and what to expect before and after is a must. My buddy Turbowski has been wrenching for 15 years and worked with spec race teams as a mechanic and he said installing this kit made him feel stupid. I think a lot of that was going in semi blind much of which could have been avoided by having a real no BS FAQ.

I would be happy to help contribute to this, and hopefully get Brian to throw in his 2 cents.

[DJCarbine]

Originally Posted by Dezoris

My buddy Turbowski has been wrenching for 15 years and worked with spec race teams as a mechanic and he said installing this kit made him feel stupid.

I've installed my fair share of turbo kits, and this install was by far the easiest in terms of bolting on forced induction.

I would rather install another vortech kit than do some of the maintenance items for an E36 bmw... talk about PITA.

[Dezoris]

Originally Posted by DJCarbine

I've installed my fair share of turbo kits, and this install was by far the easiest in terms of bolting on forced induction.

I would rather install another vortech kit than do some of the maintenance items for an E36 bmw... talk about PITA.

I was talking about pure time to install, cutting this, grinding that, bending this etc. Obviously I can't compare it to anything else.

[draggin_az]

There are a lot of little things you have to do, but thats part of installing this kit. Its all simple, but there are a thousand little things and it makes this kit time consuming.

Thats part of the "give and take" with this system. Its easy but its going to cost you in time. You cant have your cake and eat it to.

[Dezoris]

Originally Posted by draggin_az

There are a lot of little things you have to do, but thats part of installing this kit. Its all simple, but there are a thousand little things and it makes this kit time consuming.

Thats part of the "give and take" with this system. Its easy but its going to cost you in time. You cant have your cake and eat it to.

Well if we had an FAQ about owners install experiences maybe the next owners can be more prepared.

[draggin_az]

Originally Posted by Dezoris

Well if we had an FAQ about owners install experiences maybe the next owners can be more prepared.

I agree with a FAQ however thats the main reason @Brian@Vortech created this thread http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=27374

[killerkid08]

Originally Posted by draggin_az

My experience with the Vortech STG 1. It's on 93 octane and no other mods.

I've had some highs and lows through out this experience. As you read this tid bit I want you to know that I am overall happy with my decision. I think it was money well spent and after having the car for 10 months, she finally drives how she looks.

Little bit of a back story. I'm in the navy and currently transitioning between commands. I got 3 weeks of vacation so I decided to go to IN to visit friends and family. Mainly because I'm set to deploy in July. I had Vortech ship my kit there, where I cold install it over the course of a few days.

INSTALL

I get the kit and as I open it up I'm in awe. It was packed so well, I probably could have chucked the box and it would have been ok.

Install went ok. It took 13 hours and the instructions are pretty straight forward. The average Joe could figure it out but here are a few tips

- Be prepared to drop a few bolts. A magnet on a stick really helps.
- I left the car on the ground as I installed everything and my back was paying for it the next 3 days.
- I had to remove the dip stick holder in order to move the tensioner far enough to slip the belt on.
- When drilling into your bumper brace (or whatever its called) use the smallest bit you have then continuously use the next size up to drill the hole bigger and bigger until you get the right size.
- When connecting the air box to the SC, take the coupler off the air box and attach it to the SC first

FA20Club @FA20Club.com

I bought this kit from @Pure Automotive through another tuner. I received the kit on a Friday and after many texts, calls, and emails, I was informed I had to go on said tuners website and submit a ticket to request a base map. That happened on a Monday also the same day I installed my kit. 4 days go by and I still dont have a tune. I was on vacation visiting friends and family. I didn't have time for my car to be down and had to cancel plans with a few friends. So I contact FA20Club to see if I could purchase a tune off him. 2 hours after the initial contact I have a tune. Keep in mind I didnt pm him until 10pm on Thursday night. Over the next few days he provided me with several updates (some with multiple updates on the same day) and was quick to respond to any questions or requests I had. The other tuner has a record (with me) of about a 5 day respond time. While waiting on my tune, I asked said tuner where it was and his response...."if you put in the request, it'll get done. please please please don't email me unless your car is on fire".

FA20Club has great customer service and is pleasant to work with. I fucked up the first few logs I did and he patiently worked with me until I got it right. Granted I had to spend a little extra money to go through another tuner, but I don't regret it one bit. For any tuning needs, I highly recommend him.

VORTECH

I can't say enough about how great of a company Vortech is. I've had a couple of issues along the way and every time I called, they are happy to help. The biggest issue I had was with my inter-cooler. Where you mount the side brackets, there are 2 holes on each side of it. Well the top hole on each side had some shit in it that was about the consistency of hardened epoxy. Needless to say it wasnt coming out nor was the bolt going in. When I called, dude immediately went to check the ones they had in stock and made sure it wasn't a continuous issue. After I was able to send some pics they shipped a new one out to me free of charge. Hats off to you guys.

DRIVING

The car is a whole new animal. We all have seen the videos but to be in the drivers seat is something else. The kit doesn't kick in until 4k but when she does, amazing things happen. The engine feels stronger and more powerful. 0-100 is more fun and you get there a lot faster. And a lot of times by accident from the shear fun of driving it. The kit was described to me as "you feel superior on the road but it isn't over powering" and that's exactly how it is.

PROS (minus the obvious power gains)
- Driving is a blast
- It's much easier to pass a car when your on the highway and in 6th gear
- Gas mileage stayed the same
- When driving from IN to VA and through the moutains, I had the cruise control set to 79. As I drove up 5-7% grades, it never once bogged down. It maintained a steady 3500 rpms as I drove up the mountains.
- When cruising around 65 you can drop it into 3rd, smash the gas, and have instant power. I mean she really comes alive.

CONS

- From the extra weight up front, the steering is now a little heavier
- When the engine is not in positive boost and your cruising, there is a constant "air leaking" sound coming from the bypass valve. Its not too bad but if your listening for it, you can hear it.
- When you're blow 3k, you cant stomp the gas and expect power. It pulls better then N/A, but doesnt have that "get up and go" unless you downshift and stomp the gas.
- It deletes the sound tube (sounds stupid but I loved it)

GAS MILEAGE

On the back from my trip I averaged 31 mpg (highway). Before I left I was able to get 1 tank of hard driving on the back roads with a little bit of highway thrown in there and I got 26 mpg. Since I'm back home and will be in a more "realistic" driving scenario, I'll update this section later on.

You mentioned a well spoken for tuner with an extended turn around time(5days...wtf....personally ive seen six*** from a well spoken for tuner) and a relatively rude response to inquiries related to the expected delivery of your tune. Is there a reason you didn't mention said tuner by name, and if not, will you so the community can also take heed and adjust to possibly better, more available, personable tuners ?