How reliable are Superchargers/FI?

[docboy]

I'm curious to know how reliable SC/FI systems are, esp Comptech's SC? What about turbo systems by SOS and Lovefab? From what I can see on the forums, the fun factor of these systems is there, just the question of cost and engine wear.

How much stress do these systems place on the engine? A few posts I saw mentioned 400hp being the threshold for engine reliability. Does engine reliability differ if the SC or turbos are placed on the 3.0 or 3.2 block?

Any takers? Has anyone had the Comptech SC for a few years? How has it been wrt to fun and reliability? Thanks!

 

[jwmelvin]

I am personally a big proponent of electronic fuel management. On OBD2 cars where you need to maintain OBD2 for emissions tests, a piggyback works. If you don't need OBD2 then standalone engine management is better (more control, more options for injectors). I rebuilt my engine 1k miles after buying my car (39k total miles all on CTSC). No real indication that fueling was the cause (more likely just that an NA2 can pull the head bolts out of the block) but after seeing the AFR curves before and after electronic fuel management, I wouldn't do it any other way. It is fun though.

 

[docboy]

I am personally a big proponent of electronic fuel management. On OBD2 cars where you need to maintain OBD2 for emissions tests, a piggyback works. If you don't need OBD2 then standalone engine management is better (more control, more options for injectors). I rebuilt my engine 1k miles after buying my car (39k total miles all on CTSC). No real indication that fueling was the cause (more likely just that an NA2 can pull the head bolts out of the block) but after seeing the AFR curves before and after electronic fuel management, I wouldn't do it any other way. It is fun though.

I'm curious, did you dyno your car with the CTSC? What were your gains? What's this about NA2 pulling the head bolts out of the block? Is this a common occurrence to watch out for?

 

[jwmelvin]

I'm curious, did you dyno your car with the CTSC? What were your gains? What's this about NA2 pulling the head bolts out of the block? Is this a common occurrence to watch out for?

After the rebuild and with new injectors, an F/IC, and water injection, it came out at 399 whp.

I don't think "common" would be fair but there are a few reported instances of NA2 pulling the head bolts out of the block. Fairly easily fixed with Timeserts but I had all the bearings, rings, and seals in the engine replaced while it was down. I'm not sure how you would watch out for it though. For a few months all was well and then one day after driving I came back to a puddle of coolant on the floor.

 

[Zmoney]

CTSC is an extremely reliable system. Turbos can be just as reliable when done right with a proper tune. Many have said 400 rwhp is the sweet spot before you want to start building the motor. I have had a CTSC for a few years now and it's been solid as a rock. One thing I highly recommend is driving a turbo car as well. It is a totally different driving experience and I personally like it a lot more than CTSC. The torque you gain from a turbo car is fantastic. At the end of the day, it really comes down to your driving style and what you will use the car for.

One thing I do know, once you get a taste of FI in a NSX, it will be very difficult to go back to stock

 

[docboy]

CTSC is an extremely reliable system. Turbos can be just as reliable when done right with a proper tune. Many have said 400 rwhp is the sweet spot before you want to start building the motor. I have had a CTSC for a few years now and it's been solid as a rock. One thing I highly recommend is driving a turbo car as well. It is a totally different driving experience and I personally like it a lot more than CTSC. The torque you gain from a turbo car is fantastic. At the end of the day, it really comes down to your driving style and what you will use the car for.

One thing I do know, once you get a taste of FI in a NSX, it will be very difficult to go back to stock

Zmoney, I saw your site review on your NSX. Very well written!

One of the NSXs I'm looking at has CTSC with 12psi. I was told by an astute fellow prime member it may not pass my state smog, which would be a deal breaker. This car's carfax showed it had failed it local state smog twice prior before passing. How hard would it be to reduce the psi down to 6? Would it require a new tune?

 

[jwmelvin]

Easy to reduce boost by changing to a larger pulley. If it's tuned for 12 psi then it should be tuned for 6 psi too but you never know how good a job they did with partial boost tuning. To understand much about failing smog you'd have to know why it failed. The test shouldn't involve boost so it's unclear why it would have failed. But if it uses the (IMO next-to-worthless "tuning" method of increased fuel pressure then it could make sense that the mixture is off at idle or low RPM. The ECU should correct in closed loop so it depends on test conditions. My state (VA) only does OBD2 reporting for emissions.

 

[Jinks]

I'm curious to know how reliable SC/FI systems are, esp Comptech's SC? What about turbo systems by SOS and Lovefab? From what I can see on the forums, the fun factor of these systems is there, just the question of cost and engine wear.

How much stress do these systems place on the engine? A few posts I saw mentioned 400hp being the threshold for engine reliability. Does engine reliability differ if the SC or turbos are placed on the 3.0 or 3.2 block?

Any takers? Has anyone had the Comptech SC for a few years? How has it been wrt to fun and reliability? Thanks!

An out of the box ctsc 6 pound pulley kit was an available dealer option from Acura when these vehicles were sold. Since then, the kits have improved even more. So,yes they are extremely reliable. As for having one with a higher boost pulley, reliability could vary as they need extensive fueling and tuning. I have only had mine a little less than a year. It has had a few small hiccups that needed dealing like a squeaking belt and a reflash needed. Other than that, it idles like a dream, doesn't wreak of gas, and you can drive the hell out of it without worry of over boosting.
Go the smart route if buying on and get the low boost one with Oem fuel pump and ecu. They are Honda parts not aftermarket.

My Dyno prior to ctsc was 251 hp with headers and exhaust. After ctsc was 340 hp. Plenty of wheel horsepower in a light car to get you into some real trouble on the street.

 

[BATMANs]

......One thing I do know, once you get a taste of FI in a NSX, it will be very difficult to go back to stock

This.



If I get a 2nd NSX I would do an all engine build like stroker kit with either ITB or that CNC milled manifold that one of the vendors is selling. My blower killed the intake sound (with the downforce scoop it was like an F car on the intake side - loud).


I have a 3.0 with a fully built engine able to handle 750HP after it popped that most likely happened when the SOS Laminova intercooler was switched for a Driving Ambition (more free flowing) and my boost shot up 3-4psi without any change to the tune. Yes it's a learning curve since not many embark with FI and engine build.

I'm making 450rwhp~ on pump gas at 13psi on pump gas and no water/meth injection. Daily driven was what I had in mind. I did drop compression ratio a full point for the 15psi target in the future.

But before the detonation issue the motor was handling 10 psi and making 430rwhp.

U can follow the info on here: http://www.nsxprime.com/forum/showthread.php/154927-Semi-DIY-Mild-Engine-Build-for-FI

- - - Updated - - -

Also, I'm about dead even with a F430 in the summer and winter my NSX will slightly walk away..... plenty fast for what I'm looking for.

 

[goldNSX]

The standard low-boost CTSC is very reliable. You won't hear stories about it as long as the car is well maintained. I've mine since 4 years and 25k miles with a stock engine at more than 100k. The complexity starts with boosting it more than 6 psi.
I don't want to risk my engine anyway (ok, how wants to?). A 10k bill is a big no-no for me. So I'll leave mine low-boost CTSC (+70-80 hp). If I was in the need of more ponnies I'd sell the NSX for a car with plenty of them from the factory.

If you reverted the 12 psi car to the standard CTSC low-boost you would pass SMOG BUT the other question is if you can 'cope' with that kind of 'low' hp numbers or are you going to revert it just temporarly for SMOG.

Generally, with 12 psi you are well above the unwritten limit of 400 hp of a stock engine. Why not start with a standard low-boost CTSC car and see if it fulfills your needs?

I've no idea on the turbos you have in the US but I prefered a CTSC over the available turbos back then.

 

[ektyperhatch]

I've driven my NSX from the Bay area to LA a few times already and some spirited driving here and there. It's been super reliable. I have a 3.2L motor with the 2L Whipple supercharger and laminova cooler making 417WHP at 9lbs on the stock engine. Definitely would be hard to go back.

 

[xsn]

An out of the box ctsc 6 pound pulley kit was an available dealer option from Acura when these vehicles were sold. Since then, the kits have improved even more.

Just to clarify.

While some Acura dealers would install a CTSC (and other Comptech mods), it was never a "factory option" from Acura.

Those Acura dealers also happened to be Comptech dealers and thus would install Comptech parts on brand new cars.

Some (all?) of those dealers also offered to fully support the factory warranty with the Comptech parts installed. However they were not warrantied by Acura (or other Acura dealers).

 

[docjohn]

^^^^ there is a man who knows his nsx history...the comptech blessings where at the dealer level and warranty was still honored by acura

 

[Ric]

Just to clarify.

While some Acura dealers would install a CTSC (and other Comptech mods), it was never a "factory option" from Acura.

Those Acura dealers also happened to be Comptech dealers and thus would install Comptech parts on brand new cars.

Some (all?) of those dealers also offered to fully support the factory warranty with the Comptech parts installed. However they were not warrantied by Acura (or other Acura dealers).

this is similar to Dinan installed parts including superchargers on BMWs back then. Don't know if they still do.