willstophe

Hello.

Currently, my car is at Stillen due to issues I had post-install. There appear to be two major problems with Stillen's SC kit.

1. Fuel management - the tune appears to have a big problem with fuel. It's definitely not properly managed given the overwhelming number of vehicles that experienced the identical aftermath in short time-periods.

2. Cooling - I've been reading a lot about cooling problems. It seems that the Frozenboost heat-exchanger is the answer to this, but Stillen says it will violate EPA regulations.

My two questions -

1. Who has solved the fuel management issue?

2. How hard would it be for Stillen to get the heat-exchanger emissions approved? Given that the heat-exchanger is a serious necessity, they need to look into making it simply part of the kit.

ANMVQ

iTrader: (13)

Whats the fueling issue? and them telling you the Frozenboost heat-exchanger will violate EPA regulations is BS they are supposed to release a STG kit with it, I saw the post on here somewhere.

An the theFrozenboost heat-exchanger is the same as theirs:/ Just bigger cooling area,

willstophe

The fuel issue is the management of fuel in their tune. There appears to be a high volume of customers that experienced the same problem that I had post-install with that tune and the cause does indeed appear to be the fuel management and heat-soaking without a doubt.

ANMVQ

iTrader: (13)

You mean its RICH ?

willstophe

It was burning too rich.

ANMVQ

iTrader: (13)

par for the course man, sorry. Their can tune is always that way. They have to revise it for you.

willstophe

The issue appears to be extremely serious as there are a handful of drivers experiencing very severe damage to their motors.

ANMVQ

iTrader: (13)

Can you elaborate on that a bit more? Usually a lean condition will cause issues, The over rich issue would have to be so bad is washes the rings? It's that bad?

willstophe

I'll send a PM.

stevo4756

iTrader: (2)

Keep us updated. After tons of reading it seems WAY to common people are destroying their motors with the stillen SC?

Whether it's the tune or heat issue causing damage, idk im still pretty new to FI. (So please correct me if I'm wrong)

I wonder if there would be as many issues had they used ecutek instead of uprev?

ANMVQ

iTrader: (13)

The issue is with the software but the tune itself, I believe the OP is on the Stillen tune.

I think also the cooling issue us with IAT's the MAF's on the kit are "PRE" SC and not post, I always thought post would have better IAT's

goredcar

There is no data to support the notion that a Stillen SC will destroy your motor. It is an urban myth. It is way safer than a turbo.

goredcar

The first thing you need to do is get a custom tune... the stillen one is a baseline tune, basically to allow you to start the car. Not surprisingly it is too rich as too lean would melt your motor. You need an AFR gauge to monitor this with any form of FI. I switched to the Frozen Boost intercooler after chatting with ANMVQ and it was a night and day difference. I think that stillen is nuts to suggest that it would have any impact on emissions. How does preventing heat soak with better cooling increase emissions??? Maybe the EPA wants you to mount your intercooler right to a hot radiator. I'm sure that increases efficiency ROTFL

ANMVQ

iTrader: (13)

I wouldn't go that far, There are more than just a "few" that have popped their motors on the kit, Me being one of them. Yes I modded the SC( Impeller) but I had issue before that. Safer than turbo, EH,
At least the turbo kit has the MAF in the correct spot.

I may got back FI and want a SC kit my choice, and would not buy that kit again, unless they make some serious changes, MAF placement and the heat exchanger to start with.

goredcar

The problem with forums is that it is pretty rare for people to post about the great success they are having with their cars or products. It is typically to report problems. I'm the same way and when I have weird stuff going on I post to see who else has had the issue to determine if it is a one of or a persistent problem. All I am getting at is that this is not a normal sample of the population to draw any conclusions from. I am sorry to hear that you blew your motor after the Stillen kit was installed, but you also admitted that you had modified the kit to achieve max HP. I think your cooling mods were great and I am very glad that you shared that information. I also think that pushing a kit beyond what it was designed for increases risk, and there is risk with any forced induction or NOS set up.

I wonder if we were to take a poll on how many people have SC kits with no problems and compare it to the % that do what the numbers would be. It would be even more interesting to compare the blown motor % to that of custom turbo installs. My comment was simply to compare the two. I was not saying there is zero risk to SC kits. With a turbo you have a lot more complexity and risk. I personally do not like the idea of sharing engine oil with the turbo. I know lots of guys with turbos who shut off their vehicles after ripping around. Oil superheats, becomes into jello and bad things happen. If you get an oil leak this is also very bad. I had one shop try to sell me a tail mounted turbo and the oil lines would go all the to the back. I laughed. If your waste gate actuator goes you are done, get a hole in you your intercooler, very bad. Aside from the many things that can go wrong a turbo there is the capability for huge TQ and HP. Our VQHR engines are tough and will take 500WHP, but it is easy to get a turbo well above that. The TQ is a whole other matter... I am producing 323TQ with a SC. I know someone with a turbo who is well over 400. High TQ breaks stuff in engines and transmissions. So I still maintain that SC is far safer than turbo on a stock engine. If you have an extra 10-15K to build your motor then for sure go with a turbo. We have an Alpha 7 GT-R in the family. Very fun car to drive. Makes my 443WHP feel slow, and it is 1000 pounds heavier.

Back to the OP issue... I think that where the Stillen kit falls down is the crappy baseline tune they give you. I don't think it is an Osiris problem, and while EcuTek can get around the MAF sensor issues, a well (custom) tuned Stillen kit will produce good power and have good reliability. I have one season on my car with the stillen kit, with aggressive driving, and the only problem I have is with tires Need bigger boots!