Stillen supercharger long term reports

KratikosG37

That's not always the case. It's all about your goals and needs.

IMO Stillen S/C look nice, and give a different application.

Turbo's will make more power for our VQ's, but both will put a smile on our faces. I had both, and both did it's purpose.

People that want a more DIY project. and having that wow factor at the local car show. Stillen is actually a good option. What I would like to see is a stillen s/c with a 100shot.

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jwick

I DIYed my turbo build.

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'10 G37T 6MT Graphite/Graphite - BP - G37T Build

KratikosG37

Turbo is a DIY, but S/C just a easier install.

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Team_STILLEN

I think you need to stop taking a few cases here and there as bible and calm down. There are still cars that are problematic and tuning can be more difficult on some cars. For the number of kits we sell and tune without issues, one or two problems (seem show up on forums more than anything) are not enough to warrant a blanket accusation of us not "fixing" our tunes.

We have been working hard to develop tunes for every ROM code, altitude, latitude, climate, model, and difference in mods, but it takes time. Will we have some that prove to be more difficult, yes. Will we have some that go very smoothly with no issues, yes. If the tune out of the box doesn't work for someone we work hard to fix the issue. However, it can be difficult with the large number of install errors that cause issues, unknown parts installed in conjunction with the supercharger, etc.

I just learned of a car that belonged to a forum member that was having issues that was recently purchased by someone who knew nothing about the car. We got the new owner to send us pictures of the whole kit installed with the bumper off and they never installed the air shield for the intake. We replaced it and all "tuning" issues were suddenly solved. As you can see, it is not always cut and dry simple fixes or always the tunes fault. It always takes time to figure things about because everyone is human.

On that note, you can tune around installer errors, but we don't do this because the kit needs to be installed correctly to function properly and be reliable. If we have a lot of difficulty fixing a tune, more often than not it ends up being some kind of installation error (missing part, pinched wire, etc).

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STILLEN | Robin | Performance Specialist | rmoses@stillen.com| 800.576.2131 x133 |

ANMVQ

Yea with a custom tune it will, I made 342 LOL on their tune 3 years ago, custom tune netted me 412 WHP. Tune was SUPER RICH, Mine as so bad I couldnt start the car "hot" it would flood out :/ my tips where super dirty,

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14 Q50 AWD, ARK, ECUTEK (SEB), Takda,

Team_STILLEN

I think I can go back through this entire thread and every page you have referenced your canned tune issues from 3 years ago LOL.

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STILLEN | Robin | Performance Specialist | rmoses@stillen.com| 800.576.2131 x133 |

ANMVQ

You probaly can LOL , but its weird that all you do is say you've fixed things but the things I had go wrong 3 years ago are still going wrong. :/

I don't take anything as "bible " and am not upset so no need for the calm down comment. Just pointing out facts. I was and kinda still am a supporter of your kit( Just wouldn't run you tune) but that's me. I had talked with you guys a lot during my build and tried to help with some issues I saw with the kit, those same things are there now? But again when you have ZERO competitors you can do anything you like.

Don't get me wrong the kit is great for what it's designed for and that's 400-420 WHP and no more. 8-9 PSI and no more. I made the right choice 3 years ago buying your kit and not GTM ( Out of business) and Sam was a DONK. My only mistake was trying to get more power out of the kit.

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14 Q50 AWD, ARK, ECUTEK (SEB), Takda,

KratikosG37

Made 390whp and 310wtq on my vortech S/C, and only invested a total of 4.5k.

Yes it was still at 13 sec car, and yes turbo was a better performer.

Like I said, both will put a smile on our faces. I had both, and both did it's purpose.

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Riptide67

I go back and forth on Stillen, BP, and FI.

1. I have FI LTH (which more than likely will need removed)
2. I could possibly be stationed in California (need that CARB sticker lol)
3. I don't drive my car often and am unsure if it is really worth the overall cost.
4. Obviously spending the least amount of money is optimal, without sacrificing anything of importance or cutting any corners.

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2009 Nismo 370Z and 1975 Datsun 280Z 2+2 - PNW_INC - Legacy_Ohana
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theDreamer

Riptide, a couple questions to ask to help.
-What is your power goal that you can be happy with for the long term, or will it grow over time?
-What is your overall budget?
-CARB sticker, if you do get stationed in Cali do you have the ability to keep the car registered in another state during your time in Cali?

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Team_STILLEN

All very important questions.

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RadioFlyer

Team Stillen,

Can you speak to the on-track testing you have done with the supercharger kit? I'm very interested in getting a kit, but I'm also very reluctant about trying to go FI with this platform. In my experience, a day at the track (road course) ferrets out all the weak points in a car. I trust that you have done some on-track testing, so can you speak to the reliability of the car at the track?

Specifically, my reservations surround the cooling (for both the fluids and the brakes), and the stability of the electrical system (in reference to holding the tuned map, and not glitching out and throwing tons of timing/fuel when the sensors/ecu gets hot). Have you datalogged track sessions? Have you seen how much timing gets pulled throughout a session?

I'm not so interested in the longevity of the daily-driven kits you have out there since your kit doesn't see full boost until the top of the RPM range, so a bunch of people racking up miles, shifting at 5K are only seeing a few psi. That's why I'm asking about track sessions where you shift at redline, with your supercharger producing the full 8-9psi, ALL DAY LONG. Can it handle it? Thanks in advance, I appreciate your honest input.

Kyle@STILLEN

Radioflyer, I would be the best person to speak to about the track testing as I have done the majority of the test driving. I'd like to address a few of your concerns right off the bat that are somewhat unrelated to the supercharger kit.

As far as fluids and brake temps go. The supercharger will not have an impact on these areas that the car does not already have issues with. Meaning, while the 370Z is a high performance sports car. NISSAN did not build it to spend its life at the track. Therefore it is not uncommon for typical "road car being used on race track" issues to emerge such as; engine oil temp, brake temp, and in some cases coolant temp. You can completely remove the supercharger from this equation as the 370Z from the factory needs enhancements before taking the car to the track and pushing it hard. In my opinion any car hitting the track with a driver capable of pushing the car hard should have the following modifications at a minimum:

engine oil cooler
brake ducts
high performance brake pads

With that being said, whenever you have a vehicle with forced induction you are talking about having higher than ambient air discharge temperatures entering the engine. The vehicles ECU will protect the engine and powertrain to the best of its ability. If the oil temperatures start getting high, the car will go into a limp mode like many early adopter NA owners discovered. If the knock sensors pick up detonation the ECU will pull timing accordingly. It is not possible for any company to say that their product will perform flawlessly in a racing environment because it depends heavily on many factors; quality of the installation, condition of the vehicle prior to forced induction installation, maintenance of the vehicle during ownership, track day weather, track elevation, fuel quality etc. Hence the reason why no OEM manufacturer will warranty a vehicle if it is found to have been used on a race course.

As far as your concerns about holding the tuned map when pushing the car hard. You can rest assured that the UPrev software is a complete replacement for the factory map. Think of it like buying a new computer and removing the Windows 7 operating system and replacing it with Windows 8. If you move houses and unplug the computer, when you set up the computer again and plug it back in...it still has the Windows 8 operating system. If a sensor, wiring harness, or ECU is going to have an issue when being used on the race track. It will have that issue with or without the presence of forced induction.

As far as our track testing goes, here is a video we recorded during our initial testing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWPApekHWSE

You can see in this video all of the data logging equipment that our engineers had hooked up to the car to ensure the car would be safe and reliable when pushed hard on the track. We were tracking a whole host of parameters such as:

knock (the head phones are tapped into the knock sensor)
EGT's of all 6 cylinders
Water temp
engine temp
intake air temp
intercooler water temp
and a whole lot more that I can't remember to be honest.

Aside from our testing we always like to direct our potential customers to our current customers who are successfully using these kits at tracks around the world.

If you do plan on tracking the car regularly I would recommend ordering one of our tuner kits and finding a shop and tuner that can support your race track efforts. It is important to work with a local shop that can service, inspect, prepare, and support you and your vehicle in order to give you the best experience possible. This shop should be familiar with the 370Z platform ideally and should have experience in setting up a car for track use. Your local Big O is most likely not the best option. For a list of shops that STILLEN works with please visit our site here: http://www.stillen.com/authorized-dealers-i-385.html

JWillis72

While I'm sure Kyle has more experience that I do I have been tracking their supercharger for a 1 1/2 years in Florida. As Kyle said the biggest problem with this car is keeping temperatures under control. My car has been running great lately but don't think you will install the SC and your done, you will need to do a lot to fight heat. It can be done, my oil didn't go over 220 at Sebring 2 weeks ago.


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RadioFlyer

Thanks guys, I really appreciate the responses. Unfortunately, a video of donuts and drifts on a closed airfield doesn't sell me on the car being able to handle a day of hot lapping. I have a lot of experience building track cars, and I know what goes into building a car that can handle the heat of the track. For example, as a shakedown for the Long Beach, Speed World Challenge event a few years ago, we completed the 25hrs Of Thunderhill event. We didn't win our class, but learned a lot about what will go wrong with the car under race conditions. We ran the car for 25hrs straight under race conditions as a test. I was also an instructor at Auto Club Speedway, and used my personal car for Lead/Follows. That meant a whole day on track and tank after tank of race gas. I know what it takes to make a WRX withstand 8 hrs at the track, running to redline. The question here is, can the VQ motor handle it with a supercharger? If not, what needs to be changed to make it handle a day at the track? Shift at 6,500, run a lower psi pulley that tops out at 6psi or something like that? On a 400whp WRX, assuming you have the braking sorted, you drop the max boost a few pounds, run race gas for safety, and you're good. That leaves you with a ~350ish whp car, but the motor will take it all day long. With the VQ, I'm not so sure.

As for the tune, I understand how tunes work. I've tuned a bunch of other platforms, but just not a Z/G37. So far, since owning this car, the electrical system seems to really be taxed with so many sensors, and they commonly have a battery drain problem. That makes me worry about the general stability of this electrical system, and it supporting a tune on the engine that cuts in to the margin of error that the car was originally engineered with. Afterall, the first thing I check for before tuning a car is to make sure the battery is strong, and the electrical system is stable.

And just so you don't think I'm just speculating for the sake of being a pain, I picked up a G37 because I was interested in a Z, but the G has more grill openings for heat exchangers and duct work. It also makes a hell of a daily driver. And yes, I am very seriously considering picking up a supercharger, so please don't take my concerns as a forum troll who is just armchair quarterbacking, or whatever the phrase is. Thanks again, this is a really helpful discussion!