procharger
but most any of these kit will max your stock engines hp survivability

 

So is a turbo generally more expensive? What offers you more room to grow if you want more hp? I've been contemplating a kenne bell on my 01, the 2.2, but I'm just not sure. How much is it more to get forged rods/pistons?

 

Dude, before you choose ANYTHING, you have to figure out what you want for the car. 400 HP, 600 HP, etc. Drag race, road race, daily driver? Only then can you really build the combination how it should be. ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE ON A BUDGET!. No sense in throwing money away on something you don't need. You won't need a rotating assembly until 550-600 hp...most people say 500 is the limit (for the most part that's true), but modulars seem to be able to handle a little more in short bursts. I need more info on intended usage before I can point you in the right direction.

 

I agree with EVERYTHING you just said EXCEPT the hp limits of the engine. Anything PRE 03/04, is a ticking time bomb with 450+ rwhp. But yeah, if you are on a budget, forged internals are probably NOT in your future. Almost any of the power adders you mentioned will get you to that power level. And really, any of those kits have "room to grow". Just swap out head units on the centrifugal set up, or swap compressor's on the Twin Screw set up, or just swap the Tubocharger in a turbo set up, lol...

 

cough...NITROUS...cough

 

Smokin I will be driving this most of the time however it will be a street car ill drop by the strip with for some basic time runs etc..No flat out drag car.
Im thinking 425-450 to the rear wheel. Something to give the Chevys hell.. haha
I actually have a second motor on a engine stand in my friends garage that will be the one i really put money into. Forged internals etc.. But the advice im looking for is more for a street car.

 

If you are going street car then either Kenne Bell (For the instant down low power) or Nitrous (Another instant power adder).

 

I would highly advise nitrous then. A very high end kit can be had and installed for less than a thousand bucks. You can run up to a 150 shot with some good gas, and around 125 on pump. Since it's a street/weekend warrior car, a blower adds stress to the snout of the crank, and it hurts mpg. These are just a couple of the cons. Obviously there are power pros, but you're on a "tight budget". ANY blower regardless of manufacturer will cost in excess of 3K dollars new and yield similar power to a nitrous kit. Dont listen to the hype of nitrous destroying engines. It should read nitrous in the hands of inexperienced users and tuners destroys engines.

Plus, you're building a new motor with all good stuff. Adding N20 will free up $$$ for the motor build. Building a stout motor that can handle ANY power adder now, will be much cheaper than buying a blower now, and then having to build the motor for the blower later anyways. Modding is an addiction that gets expensive fast...it's best to make every decision (financially) a year out. Meaning, when you are getting ready to buy something big, ask yourself, how will this affect me a year from now. That might clear your head and make the decision easier.

 

I like playing Devil's advocate, so here goes!

I am not a big fan of nitrous... INITIALLY, yes, it is inexpensive, but at $50 a bottle, it can start to get real pricey...

Also, nitrous is very inconsistent, unless you are also running NANO (Nitrogen Assisted Nitrous Oxide)... A 150 shot on a half full bottle doesn't hit nearly as hard at the 150 shot on a FULL bottle.

Also, not a lot can eff up when your running a blower or turbo car. With nitrous, A LOT of things can go wrong. Firstly, solenoids are notorious for messing up when you don't want them too. One friend of mine, using a wet kit, sprayed his car, but his fuel solenoid failed to open. Obviously, the car went SUPER lean, and he actually broke a couple of pistons. Also, another shop member just finished a 1/4 mile run, and his nitrous solenoid never closed! And I am talking about PROFESSIONALLY INSTALLED KITS! Not ghetto rigged or anything like that. The solenoids CAN get stuck. That's a fact!

Other things can also happen. My brother wasn't running a purge kit, and sprayed a 150 shot in his LS1 for a long time. Well, sometimes, fuel can "pool" up in your intake manifold, before the nitrous comes through the lines. Well, unfortunately this DID happen to him. When the nitrous DID come through, that excess fuel resulted in a nitrous backfire, and blew up his intake manifold. So again, I'd just opt for a blower set up, and be done with it. IMHO, a lot more reliable, and the power is ALWAYS there.

 

+1 you can read about how safe nitrous is all day long... go to any shop or any drag strip and you'll learn otherwise. Can it be used safely? Yes of course... is it wise for a stock motor that you cant afford to blow up? No.