does a car need to have forged internals with a

Nickynick

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v3 vortech. on a 1999 svt motor. ? has 6k on it. when will it need forged internals if ever?
 
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SpittingCobra

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After leaning out too much, getting too hot, exceeding 7000rpm too often, exceeding 500rwhp, etc.

Basically how you use it. My 97 engine lasted about 1.5 years before cracking #7 and #8 pistons. This was on 10psi and 500hp about.
 

THE RED 1

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Yeah thay preety much sums it up^^ also anything that would cause detonation, mixing pump gas and exotic fuels , leaning out, etc.
 

Tyler72

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Keep it less than 8 psi, & don't turn it over 7000 & you'll be ok for a while.

Honestly though, its still a ticking time bomb in my opinion. The real problem is that nothing is broke now so it would be easy & fairly cheap to install good rods & pistons. If it pops, then you're going to need a lot more parts to be able to fix it... Block, possibly a head, possibly a crank, etc.

I saved my money & just went ahead & forged mine when I installed the blower.
 

98BABCobra

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^^^
What he said. I have toyed with the idea of supercharging my 98 so many times, especially when I see the good deals on here for used kits. But I won't do it until I can afford to have my engine forged beforehand. Like Tyler said, it's kind of a waiting game, and I personally would rather play it safe rather than have to build an entire engine from scratch after it blows up.
 

Expurple

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It comes down to a few " luck " factors.
1. Maf gets dirty, doesn't give out enough fuel at high rpm
2. Fuel filter gets clogged, doesn't give out enough fuel
3. Injector gets clogged, doesn't give out enough fuel
4. Cooling system inadequate, overheats and kills the engine
5. Bad fuel, causes detonation

Another thing: Let's say you have 400 rwhp or 470 engine hp, superchargers tend to need around 70 hp ( more so for roots-type, near zero for Turbos ) to give that power. So actual piston hp is 540 hp.

I'd say check everything in your car is in tip-top position then use 6psi with a properly safe tune. Going that extra 20 rwhp from 380 to 400 is not worth it. And if possible add an after/intercooler.

There is also difference between cracking a couple of pistons and throwing a rod destroying both block and the head(s). So make sure you understand the risks before going through with this.
 

crazycarlo

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It all comes down to if u plan on beating on the car and how good of a tune you get. Yes eventually you may need a forged shortblock. However I myself along with MANY other people on this forum have had blowers on their cars and zero problems. 450 rwhp is the number most people go by. Keep it under that with enough fuel and a good tune and you will be safe. If you dont launch it or race it your trans and rear will be safe as well.
 

SpittingCobra

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Here's what happened with mine. Compression was great when the blower went on. Custom dyno tuned it. Had a hell of a time keeping the tune happy because of the bullshit location of the MAF in the fenderwell. Wouldn't get good readings because of all the swirling air in the curves there. Car started falling on it's face around 6500rpm. Got it seemingly right. Then I started to see blowby alot of oil in the intercooler, in the upper intake, etc. Still didn't have a catch can, kept the all stock procharger setup with their intake elbow etc. Eventually, blowby was coming out of the bypass bad enough to cake the radiator (didn't find this out till later) since it was pointing that direction. The car started heating up too much. Tried everything to fix it, but it would just run hot!? Few more months and it was smoking out of the bypass like crazy and the blowby went crazy.

Reason was, car was rebuilt with shitty pistons before I bought it. Probably same quality as stock, but the blowby from boost caused the open bypass to cake the radiator, also the big sheetmetal intercooler blocks most of the air to it, car ran hot, MAF had bad communication with the computer gave bad AFR no doubt, so DETONATION cracked my #7 & #8 pistons at the ringland, causing massive blowby and causing smoke to go through the bypass and render the car undrivable and a smoking mess.

So that's how the cookie can crumble with boost and a stock bottom end. Lesson is run a catch can, monitor compression, oil consumption, AFR, etc. The forged pistons are stronger but not immune to detonation either.
 

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