FI Question. too cold? which to choose?
 

Hey im new here and i have been browsing the forums for months doing research on which FI i want to go and its down to 2 systems. My question is which would be better suited for my location? im stationed in Minot, ND and we see -20 to -40 for almost 4-6 months of the year. My too choices are either a Vortech SC or a FullBlownMotorsports turbo system. Either way my goal is 300hp. Which would handle better in the cold north?

go for the turbo, I think I read that vortech has issues with very cold temps.

Vortech says in their documentation somewhere that you void the warranty by running it below 0c.

Have you looked at PTuning?

- AdrianG

Why not Minot?

The Vortech is not super cold friendly from what we have been told. The turbo would be your best bet. I drove my car through our harsh winter without any issues at all with our turbo kit. Just be slightly cautious with boost on the snow and ice:thumbsup:

If you go SC the JR kit does well in the cold. Ask me how I know

oh man :( really liked the vortech setup. but hey i guess i just gotta deal with it. I've looked at allot of the kits for turbo's and FBM works best for me and i think they are really close too (MN).

Make the drive to LJ @FullBlown . You Air Force or up there for the oil moneys?

Air Force. How far away is he?

Isn't the Rotrex in both JR and KW kit viable in cold temp ?

So vortech would probably break something if i drove it in the winter? I believe skatery1989 has a vortech and he is up in colorado, any proof its bad in real cold? how would a turbo handle this differently? this car is my DD and i do not plan on tracking or autox'ing. just a fun DD. Any and all replies appreciated. This will be my first FI car ever. coming from mustangs to the brz now. Never going back ;)

I have a Vortech, 2 winters in the northeast. No problems.

Just be sensible, warm it up properly before beating on it. Same goes for turbo or NA for that matter.

There are plenty of us with winter driven vortechs and real world conditions in the northern climates that have no issues.

In sub freezing weather, you likely use an engine block heater anyway.

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Vortech paperwork says they don't recommend using it in low temps. Obviously it's to limit warranty claims due to stupidity.

That wording in the manual translates into "has issues in the cold" on an online forum. Nobody I know has ever actually seen or heard of a Vortech head unit dying because of the cold.

My brother in law is stationed there currently, and my sister has driven, flown, and taken the train to the MSP area a couple times as we have family just over the border in Wisconsin. She has made the drive in under 8 hours.

Calling @Dezoris for opinion on Vortech SC in the winter

Dezoris' Vortech sounded like absolute shit in the winter, but I'm convinced it had issues outside the norm. There are other Vortech owners here from the same location that didn't share his issues.

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What do you guys think of the innovative supercharger complete kit stage 1. I love the design ad the use if factory air box and maf. Also does anyone know what kind of hp can e made with that kit I'm having trouble finding info on it .

Turbo would be great in the cold temp. Could really tune it aggressively.

Below 40 degrees it sounds like grinding noise until it gets heat in it.
But I have 15k on the Vortech blower with 5 oil changes now including at least 5 track days worth of time on it, excluding autox.

I never started mine below 25F out of fear. I just drove my other cars. @DJCarbine started his below 0F and his survived but not sure what type of usage his car sees, as we stopped doing couples massages a few years back.

O.o

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After he installed his MaxxBlow valve he changed.

I'm not sure how/why people can say turbo is a better alternative in cold weather, has anyone heard or experienced boost creep/spike during cold weather? it's no fun :)

I vote for Rotrex SC kits (KW or JR) simply because boost is naturally limited by the pulley size so overboost is not an issue and they don't produce huge amount of TQs in low RPMs (meaning less load on our engines)..

Over boost is fun :)

oh I bet.. if you have deep pockets and until you get a boost cut ..
some people may like the feel of hitting an invisible wall on higher gear pulls, not me :D

I drove 6 days a week through the winter with 2 cold starts a day parked outside, pretty sure it saw -10F* for a week or so during a cold snap, and plenty of sub 25*F.

Just waited for the temp gauge to start moving, and kept it under 2500rpm until I was sure it was warmed up.... not that I could flog the car anyways due to lack of traction. Getting a saabaru as a winter beater, only because I need to be sure that I can get where I need to go when the weather gets cold/snowy. Lowered 1.5 inches and chicago snow do not mix, especially when you deal with unplowed streets sometimes

Also obligatory "You never had me, you never had your car!" :brokenheart:

Additionally, the Rotrex fluid is still *in manufacturer specified operating temperature* at -40F/-40C. That's not a typo!

As soon as the USAF ordered me to Minot AFB I got the f*#< out of that assignment. Why not Minot? Seriously?
That was in 1977, when a fella named Jimmy Carter was running the country. I have visited the state of ND since but would never live there. Too cold in winter, too hot in summer.

As for the OPs car situation, I would invest in a bottom mount turbo system -AVO. The system will reach operating temps faster, can be tuned for all the power you desire (300whp), and is as reliable as any turbo system out there so far with the proper tune. Also stays cool in the heat of summer better than front and top mount turbo applications. You owe it to yourself to take a serious look at it.

I just may have to do more looking around. The vortech was always my first choice and if it can handle the cold then i still want it. Of course i wouldnt floor it without letting the car warm up, im just worried about reliability. Driving in the cold/snow has never been a issue. These cars with snow tires are awesome :)! Drift alllll dayyyyyy

Are there any Vortech owners that drive in the winter?

Yeah, I thought I said that earlier.

2 winters now in the northeast. No problems. I considered getting an engine blanket or block heater if it ever got below 0 for prolonged periods of time, but it only happened a few times so I didn't bother.

If you see sub freezing weather on a regular basis up where you are, isn't using an engine block heater standard procedure?

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with older cars, not needed with newer cars if you store in a garage. If you have a good battery you dont need one either. its more of a nicety than a neccessity

I would apply that same general rule of thumb to the Vortech then.