educate me on turbo-charging an S197 (and other questions)

[ridezx6r]

This is long so bear with me...

So I bought a 2006 STI and it's great, it really is. It's practical, has 4 doors, doesn't get looked at twice by the police (has no wing on the trunk), is decent on gas and is pretty quick.
However there's a problem, well a few actually...
1 - it's not RWD
2 - it's fun, but not as fun as I thought
3 - All my friends drag race and I managed to buy a road race car and it'll cost an easy $7k to go low 11s/high 10s in it.

So the only car I actually like enough lately to consider buying is an S-197. It seems like you can pick up a low mileage one (under 30k miles usually) for under $22k (which is actually 4k cheaper than I paid for my used STI with 22k miles on it).
If I would buy one of these, I'd consider the Hellion turbo kit as it seems to be a decent bolt-on affair, and if I read correctly the Mustang itself will only need a fuel pump upgrade and a tune to support the kits components to make decent horsepower/trap speeds.
So what I'd like to know is this...
1 - What type of whp (or even trap speeds) can a 3v motor make while at the limit? i.e. don't tell me whats safe for day-in day-out... but what the limit of the motor is, because I plan on only have the boost cranked while at the track.. otherwise it'll be very low boost and driven very gingerly to work and back
2 - Am I missing anything on the last paragraph? i.e. - do i need more than a fuel pump and a tune to make decent power (perhaps a clutch as well) ?
3 - What other upgrades to support the car do you recommend? (besides slicks for the track, a clutch, and perhaps gauges, all of that stuff and what I listed above is the obvious to me).


Thanks

 

[belzebub2u]

the s197 can take about 12-14 psi before boom (it really depends on the tune) at 12PSI (without cats) i was making 514.5rwhp and 522.6rwtq. im not saying thats the limit, but its pretty close. as for other upgrads, i would consider lowering it, upper control arm, lower control arm, adjustable panhard rod. this will help your launches tremendously

 

[justinschmidt1]

the s197 can take about 12-14 psi before boom (it really depends on the tune) at 12PSI (without cats) i was making 514.5rwhp and 522.6rwtq. im not saying thats the limit, but its pretty close. as for other upgrads, i would consider lowering it, upper control arm, lower control arm, adjustable panhard rod. this will help your launches tremendously

Whats this car run?

The thread starter was talking about running high 10s/ low 11s.

I guess 500 rwhp could get him there with the right suspension/tires right?

Your gonna spend 7k before you go that fast in an s197 too

 

[Hoboattacker]

There are a bunch of S197 mustangs with the Saleen supercharger on them running high 10's. I would honestly consider that...a lot.

You will need your power adder of choice (turbohorsepower is the cheapest and is good quality. Hellion/Powerhouse are more expensive)

You will NEED lower control arms, upper control arm, and possibly a drop of some sort

You will NEED a clutch. At those HP/TQ levels you will need a clutch. The stock clutch would go out in about 3-4k miles if not faster for the most part.

You NEED to get gauges. Wideband air/fuel, boost, fuel pressure along with a good pillar pod (I chose speed of sound because of the fit and look. www.speedofsoundllc.com)

You would WANT a 1 piece driveshaft w/ safety loops (cut down on rotational weight)

You will NEED a damn good dyno tune. If you go with a saleen supercharger, get JDM to tune it for you. They have quite a few bone stock motors with their supercharger running high 10's at the track.

To run those times at the track, you need et streets or drag radials.

"Bad" thing about superchargers is that you can't turn down the boost when you are going to work unless you do a pulley change. Turbos you can use a boost controller to only push 4psi when going to work.

The consensus for most is that the stock motor is good to around 500rwhp. I've seen a few in the 520~rwhp range last a while and I've seen a few at 450 blow. There were also a few people that had their cars at 700+rwhp (racing shops, not individuals) and last quite a while down the track. These weren't daily drivers, they were track only cars.

At 450-500rwhp you can run mid 11's with the right mods and seat time.

 

[ridezx6r]

There are a bunch of S197 mustangs with the Saleen supercharger on them running high 10's. I would honestly consider that...a lot.

"Bad" thing about superchargers is that you can't turn down the boost when you are going to work unless you do a pulley change. Turbos you can use a boost controller to only push 4psi when going to work.

Answered yourself there. I plan on -footing the car around to work and back. Low boost, real conservative tune for DD.

You will need your power adder of choice (turbohorsepower is the cheapest and is good quality. Hellion/Powerhouse are more expensive)

Is turbohorsepower all inclusive?

You will NEED lower control arms, upper control arm, and possibly a drop of some sort

No problem with that

You will NEED a clutch. At those HP/TQ levels you will need a clutch. The stock clutch would go out in about 3-4k miles if not faster for the most part.
You NEED to get gauges. Wideband air/fuel, boost, fuel pressure along with a good pillar pod (I chose speed of sound because of the fit and look. www.speedofsoundllc.com)
To run those times at the track, you need et streets or drag radials.

I was planning on those ... I know I forgot to add that I was planning on gauges, but they were indeed on my mind as it's an obvious mod.

You would WANT a 1 piece driveshaft w/ safety loops (cut down on rotational weight)

I'm assuming, from how you worded this, it's something I don't have to do immediately but isn't a bad idea?

You will NEED a damn good dyno tune. If you go with a saleen supercharger, get JDM to tune it for you. They have quite a few bone stock motors with their supercharger running high 10's at the track.

We would do the tuning ourselves, we've had no issues with the AEM in the 331T fox-body. However I'd use SCTflash probably as its cheaper than AEM.

The consensus for most is that the stock motor is good to around 500rwhp. I've seen a few in the 520~rwhp range last a while and I've seen a few at 450 blow. There were also a few people that had their cars at 700+rwhp (racing shops, not individuals) and last quite a while down the track. These weren't daily drivers, they were track only cars.

I figure if my buddy corey can run a 10.88 with his bloated ass Cobra... I can run a 10 as well check out SVTPerformance for him breaking the 6speed/IRS record.
GTs are a little lighter than 03/04 Cobras and I'd be making more power at the 500whp mark... I drive well, not as well as him ... but not bad.

Whats this car run?

The thread starter was talking about running high 10s/ low 11s.

I guess 500 rwhp could get him there with the right suspension/tires right?

Your gonna spend 7k before you go that fast in an s197 too

The money I'll save on buying an S-197 over the STI will pay for the mods to run 10s.
And yeah I'd like to see 500rwhp and a high 10.

 

[belzebub2u]

i picked up my turbonetics kit for 3700 and it was all inclusive. have to do some modding to make it run perfect, but hey its aftermarket right? high 10's with a stock motor will be difficult. not impossible, just difficult. the solid driveshaft will help, and drop as much weight as you possibly can. you are on the right track tho. question. . are you going 5 speed or auto. . you will get better times with a turbo from an automatic. with a 5 speed and a turbo, every time you hit the clutch, you drop boost, even for a split second. an automatic will stay in boost the entire time.

 

[stangdude2000]

For the 1-piece driveshaft w/safety loops... Its exactly as you say. You don't have to do it now, but something to definitely look into. Its a great way to reduce some rotational inertia in the driveline (and regular weight) and will definitely make a difference at the track with the type of power you'd be making. Obviously, safety loops will keep everything in place and stop things from flying around if you break it.

 

[Hoboattacker]

Is turbohorsepower all inclusive?

Yes. www.turbohorsepower.com. It comes with everything you need as well as some upgradeable components. I would suggest getting the upgraded intercooler option (700 bucks but well worth it)

I'm assuming, from how you worded this, it's something I don't have to do immediately but isn't a bad idea?

Exactly. I'm installing a supercharger right now and I don't have one. I'll upgrade to one eventually, but it's not going on right now.

We would do the tuning ourselves, we've had no issues with the AEM in the 331T fox-body. However I'd use SCTflash probably as its cheaper than AEM.

Unless you have a budget of about $8k leftover after all of this, I would HIGHLY suggest getting a VERY reputable shop to tune your car. It is 100% in the tune. The ONLY way the cars ran 700rwhp and beat on it down the 1/4 mile was because they adjusted every single individual fuel table in their tune and took HUNDREDS of hours doing it. The two shops were PSI and STmotorsports, great shops and GREAT tuners. AT the 500rwhp mark you are going to be pushing it and I would very very very highly recommend getting a pro tune (unless you are a pro tuner, of course). As I said, I've seen turbo cars pop at 440rwhp and some last at 520rwhp. It is ALL in the tune. If you are tuning yourself, I wouldn't go above 18˚ of timing, tops.

I figure if my buddy corey can run a 10.88 with his bloated ass Cobra... I can run a 10 as well check out SVTPerformance for him breaking the 6speed/IRS record.
GTs are a little lighter than 03/04 Cobras and I'd be making more power at the 500whp mark... I drive well, not as well as him ... but not bad.

It's possible with weight reduction of some sort, sticky tires, GREAT traction, a GREAT 60', and some power. 10's are pretty elusive but well worth shooting for

 

[forensicsteve]

There are a lot more people out there blowing up stuff (blocks, transmissions, rearends), than forums would suggest and at less than 500 rear wheel.

 

[ridezx6r]

The two shops were PSI and STmotorsports, great shops and GREAT tuners.

I know the owner of PSI personally... there's a good possibility he'd be doing the tuning. So no worries there