Edelbrock SC or sell for something faster?

[Mike_ZN6]

When you price out everything you will actually need it ends up being more like 10k to boost your car. You will need the SC, EcuTek license/tune, oil cooler, clutch, clutch fork, catch can, engine mounts, gauge mounts, gauges, and labor to install it all. When you have spent that much it only makes sense to do headers and exhaust, too. And there is a lot more you could do to make it truly reliable.

[86TOYO2k17]

Originally Posted by Mike_ZN6

When you price out everything you will actually need it ends up being more like 10k to boost your car. You will need the SC, EcuTek license/tune, oil cooler, clutch, clutch fork, catch can, engine mounts, gauge mounts, gauges, and labor to install it all. When you have spent that much it only makes sense to do headers and exhaust, too. And there is a lot more you could do to make it truly reliable.

You really don’t need majority of that. Depends entirely on car use, and power lvls.
4k turbo 1k tune. At 7-9psi with 91-93octane will run 240-270whp depending on combo. With no other supporting mods needed. Those are all good added insurance for reliability especially if tracking. But for a DD to do a few hwy pulls. You really don’t need anything else. 3-400$ for oil cooler 1-150$ for catch can if you want to drive harder for longer on the street.
People would be surprised how easy it is to DIY this if they just tried, most kits of simple step by step instructions.

[weederr33]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

But you can't blow shit up!

Well, you can I guess. Once.

[Z06ZN6]

Originally Posted by HachiRokuX

I appreciate the different perspectives shared so far. Just to clarify:

-I will use the car as a DD and for monthly/semi-monthly autocross.

-I would not be installing it. The all in cost with install+tune+Jr dual oil cooler would be 5200-$6000.

-I guess my main concern is not spending more money, but dumping more money into an 86. No matter what, it will always be an entry level Toyota.

-It has been dead reliable in the 40k miles IÂ’ve driven it. I donÂ’t want it to be my life, spending weekends troubleshooting boost leaks, part failure etc.

LetÂ’s say itÂ’s a $45k Toyota after all my mods+a replacement engine. ThatÂ’s too much to spend/reserve for the 86 imo. I truly feel like IÂ’m at a crossroad where I either cut my losses and get something else or gamble with the 86.

BUT the fact that itÂ’s been reliable so far makes me think it could potentially handle boost.

Basically, IÂ’m a mess.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hi. You know, only you can make this decision. Nobody is going to understand from a forum post what makes you tick, what makes you happy, what's worth it to you, etc. You know all the variables, no one else.

The worst thing to do is get paralysis over it and do nothing. Life is too short to waste being a mess over procrastinating supercharging and dumping money into a s-box car or moving on to a different platform. Both could end up the right answer. Both could end up the wrong answer. It depends only on you. But, moving forward with something is almost always better that procrastinating to that point.

Reading your thoughts, it doesn't sound like heavy investment and modifications to a cheap DD vehicle, and any perceived reduction in reliability as a result, are your thing. And if you are in a position to have to pay someone everytime something goes wrong, or you don't enjoy the occasional issue as a fun weekend (or late night after work) project to diagnose, it may be better for you to move onto a different platform and gamble that the OEM reliability you get will be better. The 86 isn't anything special. There are lots of fun, OEM cars out there to replace it. But this is all up to you.

For me, I bought the entry level 86 as my DD with the plan to extensively modify everything and knowing it could lead to engine, trans or other major failures. It's all ok with me because cars to me are a life-long love and hobby. If and when the motor blows, I will build it to handle more power. This is the way I am, I know it well and nobody else could answer what is right for me or change my mind. I am now in my entry level 86 $20k deeper than when I bought it used. Could I have bought a more expensive normal DD like 99% of people in LA driving around in entry level C, 3 or P cars for the same cost as what I have in the 86 now, of course. Would I have been happy, no. Thats because I know what makes me tick. I preferred to build soemthing different and build the exact car I wanted. And the 86 was the right base for me.

Regarding " upgrading cars", my other DD street car is a C6z06. It makes 600hp with minimal mods. It also has basic suspension and brake mods. Realistically, the day I bought it stock, it could have been called "done". Stock, it did everything better than the modded 86, and now modified, the modded 86 has even less chance. It gets more looks, more thumbs up and more conversation at the pump, if that is something an owner wants from a car. The only thing the 86 does better than the Z06 is pull into a parking spot faster. Wait, actually it does do something better. It continues to provide me a long list of fun and rewarding projects to keep me occupied, get my mind off life's other stresses and teach my 11 year old (who is now an Initial d maniac and wants an AE86). So while my entry level Toyota 86 will never "out brake", never "out handle", never "out accelerate" my "better" z06, to me, it's maybe even more fun than the Z for what makes me tick.

So bottom line here, only you know what's right for you to do. You seem to love cars and finding out where you get the enjoyment from them is what's important. Sorry for the long rant, in the past I used to struggle with the same things.

[Dadhawk]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

A sport bike is a horrible answer to replace a car.
If you want something fast get an F-22 Raptor.

Please, you want speed you want an SR-71 Blackbird, now there's speed.

Originally Posted by Tcoat

But you can't blow shit up!.

Well, OK, you got me there. Raptor it is, at least until the US Space Force takes delivery of their first X-301!

[Ernest72]

Originally Posted by Z06ZN6

Hi. You know, only you can make this decision. Nobody is going to understand from a forum post what makes you tick, what makes you happy, what's worth it to you, etc. You know all the variables, no one else.

The worst thing to do is get paralysis over it and do nothing. Life is too short to waste being a mess over procrastinating supercharging and dumping money into a s-box car or moving on to a different platform. Both could end up the right answer. Both could end up the wrong answer. It depends only on you. But, moving forward with something is almost always better that procrastinating to that point.

Reading your thoughts, it doesn't sound like heavy investment and modifications to a cheap DD vehicle, and any perceived reduction in reliability as a result, are your thing. And if you are in a position to have to pay someone everytime something goes wrong, or you don't enjoy the occasional issue as a fun weekend (or late night after work) project to diagnose, it may be better for you to move onto a different platform and gamble that the OEM reliability you get will be better. The 86 isn't anything special. There are lots of fun, OEM cars out there to replace it. But this is all up to you.

For me, I bought the entry level 86 as my DD with the plan to extensively modify everything and knowing it could lead to engine, trans or other major failures. It's all ok with me because cars to me are a life-long love and hobby. If and when the motor blows, I will build it to handle more power. This is the way I am, I know it well and nobody else could answer what is right for me or change my mind. I am now in my entry level 86 $20k deeper than when I bought it used. Could I have bought a more expensive normal DD like 99% of people in LA driving around in entry level C, 3 or P cars for the same cost as what I have in the 86 now, of course. Would I have been happy, no. Thats because I know what makes me tick. I preferred to build soemthing different and build the exact car I wanted. And the 86 was the right base for me.

Regarding " upgrading cars", my other DD street car is a C6z06. It makes 600hp with minimal mods. It also has basic suspension and brake mods. Realistically, the day I bought it stock, it could have been called "done". Stock, it did everything better than the modded 86, and now modified, the modded 86 has even less chance. It gets more looks, more thumbs up and more conversation at the pump, if that is something an owner wants from a car. The only thing the 86 does better than the Z06 is pull into a parking spot faster. Wait, actually it does do something better. It continues to provide me a long list of fun and rewarding projects to keep me occupied, get my mind off life's other stresses and teach my 11 year old (who is now an Initial d maniac and wants an AE86). So while my entry level Toyota 86 will never "out brake", never "out handle", never "out accelerate" my "better" z06, to me, it's maybe even more fun than the Z for what makes me tick.

So bottom line here, only you know what's right for you to do. You seem to love cars and finding out where you get the enjoyment from them is what's important. Sorry for the long rant, in the past I used to struggle with the same things.

OP, this is some good advice and it made me think about different kind of car people. Z06 is a person like me, that likes the process of doing things, making something better, often with your own hands and generally cheaper. Others, like my brother in law would rather just purchase something ready to go. Neither are right or wrong just depends on you. For example, my brother in law worked very hard to earn the money to get his 911 and then maintain it via a dealership (big money). He still loves the car and sure maybe he does not have the skill to do the work, but at least he knows that about himself.

So his project is about earning enough money to pay for all he mods and stuff necessary for a performance car. His free time is for other things like golf. He can feel good that he is good at his real job and leave the wrenching to the pros.

Where as my project is about learning how to do new things and improving the car little by little (sometimes worse!). This is one of my hobbies and I get that added benefit of feeling good about accomplishing something on my own.

Some people argue over built vs bought, but honestly that’s just BS. It’s about your personality, skill set and how you want to spend your limited time and money.

So which project do you want?

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Dadhawk

Please, you want speed you want an SR-71 Blackbird, now there's speed.



Well, OK, you got me there. Raptor it is, at least until the US Space Force takes delivery of their first X-301!

You sound like the 2JZ guys that want to use 30 year old tech!

[Pgh_Area]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

You sound like the 2JZ guys that want to use 30 year old tech!

30 year old tech, 30 year old women. Both are 30. Both are fun. What's the problem?

[StraightOuttaCanadaEh]

Originally Posted by Dadhawk

Please, you want speed you want an SR-71 Blackbird, now there's speed.

ever heard of the consistent issue they had with one of the engines freezing at altitude while going something like 3200 mph, causing a snap spinout, making the pilot's head hit the inside of the canopy so hard that they passed out?! The main test pilot went out to investigate for himself and surely enough, it spun out, he banged his head and blacked out but regained consciousness before crashing. Balls of steel going up there to trigger something like that on purpose lol

[B T]

Originally Posted by mrg666

Can you briefly summarize your setup, please?

Old engine was stock, edelbrock supercharger with stock pulley, DW700 injectors, Delicious tune, Ace A350 header, CSG exhaust, Delicious E85 conversion, Setrab oil cooler. Died while on cruise control on the interstate around 70-75 mph. Short block was entirely unsalvageable.

[toast]

I second this. Ace headers and a tune and call it a day. I went Edelbrock on my car; worked well, I did some things that made it even better. The extra power was great but like someone said above you don't use it very often. Good headers get you at least half way there for less than half the price with none of the concerns about installing a window in the block.

Edit: I somehow seconded a post from the second page

[SUB-FT86]

I've been boosted for nearly 3 years now and at first I felt like you did but now I have no regrets plus a short block and a gently used transmission isn't that expensive at all. I also spent a whole lot less than most people who boost their cars for everything yet I thought that would destroy me for going cheap.


SBD400x 4th of July 2017 sale installed and dyno tuned new was $3900 otd!
Magnaflow CB $575 on sale new
Tanabe catless FP $125 on sale new
Tsudo OP $70 new
Varis vented hood with NACA duct $700(2k new) used.
P3 Boost guage $200 used(400 new)
JDL oil cooler $400 used(675 new)
Radium CC $250


July will make 3 years reliably boosted and I redline the thing everyday.

[imprezive]

Following this because I'm in a similar situation. Thanks to Z06 and Ernest for sharing their thoughts. There are definitely different type of car people. I'm one of the people that doesn't really enjoy "tinkering". I also don't mind paying somebody else to do the work. The end result is what I'm after.

[CSG Mike]

Originally Posted by imprezive

Following this because I'm in a similar situation. Thanks to Z06 and Ernest for sharing their thoughts. There are definitely different type of car people. I'm one of the people that doesn't really enjoy "tinkering". I also don't mind paying somebody else to do the work. The end result is what I'm after.

Counterpoint: I'm at 350+whp, 130+ track days, 50k+ miles, championships and records, and am still on the original engine.

It's all about doing things without shortcutting, and considering if youre just "bolting on parts" or extensively modifying and trying to look at things from an OEM reliability perspective.