Fox Real Cost And Upgrades Needed For Vortech Blower

91gte303

Active Member
Mar 3, 2015
144
18
28
Lake city,SC
So I'm looking into the entry level vortech blower kit for the fox. I'm wondering what I will need to buy along with the kit. Also, what is the real world cost and headache etc. Kinda hoping this will help others that are looking to go down this road.
 
  • Sponsors (?)


There is "need" and then there is "want". If you're going entry level and aren't planning to drastically increase your horsepower levels beyond what the kit advertises, then you "need" nothing more than is supplied with the kit.

If you "need" to squeeze out additional horsepower beyond what the basic kit provides, then you'll "want" to consider upgrades that will compliment the blower. Intake/exhaust upgrades, blower pulley upgrades, fuel system upgrades, tuning options, etc.

The "need" for additional supporting hardware, cost and headaches involved will be governed by how far past the basic set up, you "want" to go. :)
 
4k buy the time you get settled in. This includes blower kit, injectors, MAF, A/F and boost gauges. Then sprinkle in other stuff along the way.

Many of us have done this and then had head gasket problems putting our cars out of service until we spend more time and money. So depending on the situation of your engine, you may want to first pull the heads and redo head gaskets. This includes milling heads, decking block and going with upgraded gaskets. I've blown the Felpro 9333's and I'm done with them. Now my block is at machine shop getting prepped. This time I'm using Cometic gaskets.
 
4k buy the time you get settled in. This includes blower kit, injectors, MAF, A/F and boost gauges. Then sprinkle in other stuff along the way.

Many of us have done this and then had head gasket problems putting our cars out of service until we spend more time and money. So depending on the situation of your engine, you may want to first pull the heads and redo head gaskets. This includes milling heads, decking block and going with upgraded gaskets. I've blown the Felpro 9333's and I'm done with them. Now my block is at machine shop getting prepped. This time I'm using Cometic gaskets.

well, my engine is as follows and only has about 2300 ,miles on it since rebuild.

stock bottom end with new rings,bearings,oil pump,etc
was built on the tight side with king bearings, but for the life of me, cant remember what i got my clearences at on the rods and mains..i just know it was in spec but on the tighter side. the block had been decked so much by previouse owner, the pistons just did come out of the deck. took a machinist straight edge to it and it looked straight, so i left it alone.lol

*Anderson n41 cam, stock lifters with unknown miles. but hey, they work.lol
*new pushrods after discovering the stock ones had 1 bent
*crappy proform 1.6 roller rockers that never seem to be shimmed right.....maybe i do need new lifters??...hmmm
* upgraded valve springs with 153lb/seat preassure on intake and 149lb/seat pressure in the exhaust. the set just ended up having that difference when i tested them.
* f3ze gt40's that i milled .015" off for 61cc cambers to end up with right at 9.7:1 compression.some light bowl work and cleanup/porting on the intake with a good bit of work on the exhaust side new seats,reused stock valves
*24lb injectors that were used(regretting that)
*china edlebrock clone intake.
*65mm TB
* c&l elbow and 76mm MAF housing and 24lb sampling tube and filter stuck on the end.
*long tube headers,offroad H-pipe and 40 flows 2.5" through out

rest of the car is
*ram HDX clutch rated for 400hp(? i think)
*new astro budget t5
*stock drive shaft
*3.73's and a posi thats starting to show its age.
* subframe connectors that i welded in.

car weights in a 3020lbs with a half tank of 112 and me in it. its a 91 gt.
i havent yet had it to the track. bench racing says with all things right, i would be around the low 12's very high 11's.
dynoed at 308WHP with no tune.

with all that in mind, i want to put a walboro 255 in the tank. previous owner said it had a 155 but he lied about everything else,so i dont trust that. what do yall think would be my best course of action? i cant remember the part number on the head gaskets but they were the blue felpros with the steel ring.
 
well, my engine is as follows and only has about 2300 ,miles on it since rebuild.

stock bottom end with new rings,bearings,oil pump,etc
was built on the tight side with king bearings, but for the life of me, cant remember what i got my clearences at on the rods and mains..i just know it was in spec but on the tighter side. the block had been decked so much by previouse owner, the pistons just did come out of the deck. took a machinist straight edge to it and it looked straight, so i left it alone.lol

*Anderson n41 cam, stock lifters with unknown miles. but hey, they work.lol
*new pushrods after discovering the stock ones had 1 bent
*crappy proform 1.6 roller rockers that never seem to be shimmed right.....maybe i do need new lifters??...hmmm
* upgraded valve springs with 153lb/seat preassure on intake and 149lb/seat pressure in the exhaust. the set just ended up having that difference when i tested them.
* f3ze gt40's that i milled .015" off for 61cc cambers to end up with right at 9.7:1 compression.some light bowl work and cleanup/porting on the intake with a good bit of work on the exhaust side new seats,reused stock valves
*24lb injectors that were used(regretting that)
*china edlebrock clone intake.
*65mm TB
* c&l elbow and 76mm MAF housing and 24lb sampling tube and filter stuck on the end.
*long tube headers,offroad H-pipe and 40 flows 2.5" through out

rest of the car is
*ram HDX clutch rated for 400hp(? i think)
*new astro budget t5
*stock drive shaft
*3.73's and a posi thats starting to show its age.
* subframe connectors that i welded in.

car weights in a 3020lbs with a half tank of 112 and me in it. its a 91 gt.
i havent yet had it to the track. bench racing says with all things right, i would be around the low 12's very high 11's.
dynoed at 308WHP with no tune.

with all that in mind, i want to put a walboro 255 in the tank. previous owner said it had a 155 but he lied about everything else,so i dont trust that. what do yall think would be my best course of action? i cant remember the part number on the head gaskets but they were the blue felpros with the steel ring.
Uhhh....not going to run 11's or low 12's with 308rwhp. Maybe with slicks and 5500rpm clutch drop you'll get to the low 12's. Fwiw. Oh and that's a stout little setup! Congrats. :nice:

Also with iron heads and nearly 10:1cr be very conservative on the amount of boost/timing/fuel octane if/when you add a blower. You'll also want head studs/good head bolts and hopefully you used a good head gasket.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
I have to agree with the above. I run the GT40 iron heads with a CR of 9.3/1 I would try to keep the Boost under 10 pounds run 93 octane and pull at least one degree of timing per pound of boost.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
So I'm looking into the entry level vortech blower kit for the fox. I'm wondering what I will need to buy along with the kit. Also, what is the real world cost and headache etc. Kinda hoping this will help others that are looking to go down this road.


Well I just sold a entry kit new for $1900 last week....that might of saved some dinero.

It's now for sale with extras over at Corral.

The men above speak the truth, but I'll add a little. Although the entry kit is a good value at first glance, pay a little more and get the kit that comes with the bypass valve and ignition retard. It's also 6 rib instead of 8 rib.

Personally the bypass is important especially since our cars are getting older and may not be able to absorb the excess boost like they use to when the kit was released
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
well, my engine is as follows and only has about 2300 ,miles on it since rebuild.

stock bottom end with new rings,bearings,oil pump,etc
was built on the tight side with king bearings, but for the life of me, cant remember what i got my clearences at on the rods and mains..i just know it was in spec but on the tighter side. the block had been decked so much by previouse owner, the pistons just did come out of the deck. took a machinist straight edge to it and it looked straight, so i left it alone.lol

*Anderson n41 cam, stock lifters with unknown miles. but hey, they work.lol
*new pushrods after discovering the stock ones had 1 bent
*crappy proform 1.6 roller rockers that never seem to be shimmed right.....maybe i do need new lifters??...hmmm
* upgraded valve springs with 153lb/seat preassure on intake and 149lb/seat pressure in the exhaust. the set just ended up having that difference when i tested them.
* f3ze gt40's that i milled .015" off for 61cc cambers to end up with right at 9.7:1 compression.some light bowl work and cleanup/porting on the intake with a good bit of work on the exhaust side new seats,reused stock valves
*24lb injectors that were used(regretting that)
*china edlebrock clone intake.
*65mm TB
* c&l elbow and 76mm MAF housing and 24lb sampling tube and filter stuck on the end.
*long tube headers,offroad H-pipe and 40 flows 2.5" through out

rest of the car is
*ram HDX clutch rated for 400hp(? i think)
*new astro budget t5
*stock drive shaft
*3.73's and a posi thats starting to show its age.
* subframe connectors that i welded in.

car weights in a 3020lbs with a half tank of 112 and me in it. its a 91 gt.
i havent yet had it to the track. bench racing says with all things right, i would be around the low 12's very high 11's.
dynoed at 308WHP with no tune.

with all that in mind, i want to put a walboro 255 in the tank. previous owner said it had a 155 but he lied about everything else,so i dont trust that. what do yall think would be my best course of action? i cant remember the part number on the head gaskets but they were the blue felpros with the steel ring.

that is maybe a high to mid 12 second car with the right driver and DR or slicks.

For an entry level (5-6 lbs of boost) you may be able to get away with the 24# injectors and the FMU. I would however want to swap in at least 42's , ditch the FMU and get a tune. You will also want to ensure your cooling system is up to the task, and I would get an aftermarket ingition box.

I would estimate to spend around $2500 to $3000 if buying used.. Add another $100 or so if new.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
that is maybe a high to mid 12 second car with the right driver and DR or slicks.

For an entry level (5-6 lbs of boost) you may be able to get away with the 24# injectors and the FMU. I would however want to swap in at least 42's , ditch the FMU and get a tune. You will also want to ensure your cooling system is up to the task, and I would get an aftermarket ingition box.

I would estimate to spend around $2500 to $3000 if buying used.. Add another $100 or so if new.

you may be right. but i do know i out ran the dog snot out of a 2015 5.0 with nitto drag radials, mail order tune, and axle backs. from a dig. also, thank you for outlining other needed upgrades
 
IMHO, 5-6 psi entry level is hardly worth the effort. With the added weight and parasitic drag of the blower setup, meh.

Gotta aim for 10 psi to make everything worth while.

That's why I estimated $4K by the time you get all the supporting goodies.
 
Well I just sold a entry kit new for $1900 last week....that might of saved some dinero.

It's now for sale with extras over at Corral.

The men above speak the truth, but I'll add a little. Although the entry kit is a good value at first glance, pay a little more and get the kit that comes with the bypass valve and ignition retard. It's also 6 rib instead of 8 rib.

Personally the bypass is important especially since our cars are getting older and may not be able to absorb the excess boost like they use to when the kit was released
The bypass valve has nothing to do with excess boost going into the engine. It has to do with when the the throttle blade slams shut and there is still pressure in the discharge pipe the valve opens and dumps it right back before the blower inlet other wise the boost with the tb shut will cause compressor surge and eventually blow the seals out of the blower.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: 3 users
well, my engine is as follows and only has about 2300 ,miles on it since rebuild.

stock bottom end with new rings,bearings,oil pump,etc
was built on the tight side with king bearings, but for the life of me, cant remember what i got my clearences at on the rods and mains..i just know it was in spec but on the tighter side. the block had been decked so much by previouse owner, the pistons just did come out of the deck. took a machinist straight edge to it and it looked straight, so i left it alone.lol

*Anderson n41 cam, stock lifters with unknown miles. but hey, they work.lol
*new pushrods after discovering the stock ones had 1 bent
*crappy proform 1.6 roller rockers that never seem to be shimmed right.....maybe i do need new lifters??...hmmm
* upgraded valve springs with 153lb/seat preassure on intake and 149lb/seat pressure in the exhaust. the set just ended up having that difference when i tested them.
* f3ze gt40's that i milled .015" off for 61cc cambers to end up with right at 9.7:1 compression.some light bowl work and cleanup/porting on the intake with a good bit of work on the exhaust side new seats,reused stock valves
*24lb injectors that were used(regretting that)
*china edlebrock clone intake.
*65mm TB
* c&l elbow and 76mm MAF housing and 24lb sampling tube and filter stuck on the end.
*long tube headers,offroad H-pipe and 40 flows 2.5" through out

rest of the car is
*ram HDX clutch rated for 400hp(? i think)
*new astro budget t5
*stock drive shaft
*3.73's and a posi thats starting to show its age.
* subframe connectors that i welded in.

car weights in a 3020lbs with a half tank of 112 and me in it. its a 91 gt.
i havent yet had it to the track. bench racing says with all things right, i would be around the low 12's very high 11's.
dynoed at 308WHP with no tune.

with all that in mind, i want to put a walboro 255 in the tank. previous owner said it had a 155 but he lied about everything else,so i dont trust that. what do yall think would be my best course of action? i cant remember the part number on the head gaskets but they were the blue felpros with the steel ring.


OP with all this said. Skip the 255 and go for a aeromotive 340 drop in. No boost a pump needed with this. I as well as many others never had an issue with 9333 head gaskets. I ran a stock block 302 with an OG A trim and made 435hp at 7.5 psi.

If it were me with as decent of a setup you have id run the pump i mentioned. 42 lb injectors. adj FP regulator and have it dyno tuned.Also get a boost gauge and wideband. I run a Innovate MTX-L

FWIW i drove my car 90 miles each way yesterday alone to @84Ttop house. Vortech, aftermarket block stroker car that makes just shy of 600 hp at the tire. Vortechs are awesome in my opinion . One of the most reliable power adders on the market. All mine were second hand and i never had an issue.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: 4 users
Personally, I would like to see you with the following:
Vortech V3 Si trim tuner kit, 42lb injectors and matching meter, 340lph fuel pump, MSD 6AL or equivelant and custom dyno tune. I prefer to see head studs but a set of ARP head bolts will work just fine. I think you will be ok with the compression you have listed so long as you run 93 octane fuel at a minimum. FWIW, the 112 you are using now is an absolute waste until you have an effective compression ratio over 14:1 in a n/a motor, even boosted I would skip the racegas on your particular combo. I would expect the above mentioned upgrades to make in excess of 400 rwhp and provide you with mid to low 11 second time slips. Expect the stock pulleys to make around 10 lbs on a combo like yours at 6,000 rpm. I think you can wind up completing this all in the 4,000$ range with all the parts without issue. Keep in mind that you will need to find a competent tuner to put the finishing touches on things. If you would like me to quote you on a new Si kit just shoot me a PM, I would be happy to do so.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 7 users
For the record... I am totally biased, but I like to go fast. That's why I choose Vortech :cool:
2016-09-04 15.29.22.jpg


2016-09-03 15.08.30.jpg
:pirate:
 
  • Like
Reactions: 4 users
Personally, I would like to see you with the following:
Vortech V3 Si trim tuner kit, 42lb injectors and matching meter, 340lph fuel pump, MSD 6AL or equivelant and custom dyno tune. I prefer to see head studs but a set of ARP head bolts will work just fine. I think you will be ok with the compression you have listed so long as you run 93 octane fuel at a minimum. FWIW, the 112 you are using now is an absolute waste until you have an effective compression ratio over 14:1 in a n/a motor, even boosted I would skip the racegas on your particular combo. I would expect the above mentioned upgrades to make in excess of 400 rwhp and provide you with mid to low 11 second time slips. Expect the stock pulleys to make around 10 lbs on a combo like yours at 6,000 rpm. I think you can wind up completing this all in the 4,000$ range with all the parts without issue. Keep in mind that you will need to find a competent tuner to put the finishing touches on things. If you would like me to quote you on a new Si kit just shoot me a PM, I would be happy to do so.
I totally forgot to mention the 6al . :doh:

It was late last night. Lol


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk