Who's car is this?

[mclemore102]

I found this vid a while ago. Anybody know who's car this is?
http://videos.streetfire.net/search/marauder/0/D77F08C6-94EA-4F78-8F2B-73BF74D3D35C.htm

[Todd]

I found this vid a while ago. Anybody know who's car this is?
http://videos.streetfire.net/search/marauder/0/D77F08C6-94EA-4F78-8F2B-73BF74D3D35C.htm



Thats a guy from Atlanta that had the first Pro Turbo Kits kit on his car.

That is some of the same footage that is in the video that my car is in. His is the driving parts and mine is the kit installed, parts pics, etc... Mine has the red valve covers.


http://www.proturbokits.com/vids/cat.asp?iCat=6

Right click the pic of my marauder and select 'save target as'. The video is about 7 megs IIRC. It's pretty cool...


***EDIT Scratch the instructions above. For some reason it isnt working for me tonight. Maybe it would work for you though.

[mclemore102]

That's really cool vid. I love the sound of it. Is there anymore vids?

[Todd]

That's really cool vid. I love the sound of it. Is there anymore vids?


There are two on Pro Turbo Kits website. Some reason I cant pull them up but sounds like you did.

[ctrlraven]

Yeah I downloaded both videos and put them up on streetfire.net. So Todd how happy are you that you went with a turbo setup than N/A or S/C? I am really leaning towards going turbo only because it's different than everyone else and can crank out some great power. Will they be making an intercooler for the system...if you know?

[Eric91Z]

Yeah, Todd, any updates on your system? Driveability, reliability, boost adjustability? Option for intercooler? A turbo setup would be the closest competitor, for me, to the Trilogy setup. I like it because it is different, can be efficient, and boost can be bumped up for more power for better gas, track runs, motor upgrade, etc.

I would say a twin turbo and intercooled setup would be awesome, but I know some single turbo Buick GN's and single turbo Toyota Supras that run some crazy numbers. Then again, I wouldn't want a single turbo that was so big it had tons of lag. A nice variable vane turbo like the new Porsche 911 TT or some of the diesel trucks would be nice. Spools up quick and pulls hard on the top end.

Come on, Tood, more input on your kit and the support from that company?

EDIT: just reading on the PTS website about the kit and it says it has a "3 Core Air/Air Bar & Plate Intercooler". What exactly is that and where does it mount? Any pictures, Todd? Plus, looks like they have dropped the kit price $2100 right now!!!

[94_302]

It's funny they had a price drop a few months back and it was from about 5,xxx to 4xxx or something like that. Now its down from 7,999 to 5,899 I guess the prices are going up. :(

[Eric91Z]

It's funny they had a price drop a few months back and it was from about 5,xxx to 4xxx or something like that. Now its down from 7,999 to 5,899 I guess the prices are going up. :(


My guess is it is hard to move them. We know of what, 2, Marauders that have their kit. The owners of the cars may be happy, but hard to break in to a car segment that has 3 good kits - Trilogy, DR Vortech, and F.I.T. - that are backed by people that support this site, good products, and customer service.

Maybe PTS could look in to being a site supporter and giving some more information on the kit, development, tuning, installation information, etc. Maybe they could start moving some more kits. Then again, I am sure they move enough in the way of Mustang kits. Anyone know how there reputation is with the Mustang crowd?

[Todd]

Yeah I downloaded both videos and put them up on streetfire.net. So Todd how happy are you that you went with a turbo setup than N/A or S/C? I am really leaning towards going turbo only because it's different than everyone else and can crank out some great power. Will they be making an intercooler for the system...if you know?



I love the turbo.... Being different is the primary reason I went for turbo. All the other options are nice for their own reasons. I would own any of them in a second.

I just wanted to do something a little different. And I know many of the benefits of turbo'ing versus the others and they also really affected my decision.


So far everything is very good. Great driveability. Youy would never know it is there unless you get on the gas.

Other than a couple broken trannies from way to much torque it has been a dream. Now I have a tranny with the right parts so I should be fine. First smoked all the clutches in third gear. The upgrade the car had at first didnt have enough clutches. The second tranny was a Performance Automatic (PA) 'Competition' tranny. It was WAY less quality than stock even. None of the hardened parts our trannies come with stock were even there. It was basically a 98 crown vic tranny with more clutches. And on top of that they included standard Alto clutches instead of the red racing clutches. So they were a complete waste of time. I am just VERY glad I had my friend pull that one apart because I thought it was the same problem as the first one. Maybe smoked clutches. In that case it would have been cheaper to replace them ourselves rather than the expensive shipping back to PA for the free warranty repair (which is only for a year on aode/4r70w's..) If I would have just shipped it back I would have spent over $200 for round trip and still had the crap they sold. It would have broken again. Especially considering some of the drums they put in it was used and were almost worn out.

So now I had a friend of mine who has been building trannies for years and years as a profession built my tranny with lots of tricks he has learned. I also included the Lentech intermediate shaft (which is what broke on the PA trans) which is thicker and is 26 splines instead of the 24 our trannies have stock. Also had to buy the corressponding drum to go with that different spline count and thickness.


The system comes intercooled. The highest intake temps I saw during a run without any fans and almost back to back pulls was 120 degrees. And we did it that way to see worst case scenario. With no air flow at all and having just done a run. That temp is from the stock sensor relocated from the mass air to about 2 feet before the throttle body in the intake tract.

I added the TurboSmart electronic boost controller. Youy can see a pic of it in my gallery and a thread I posted a while ago with a title somehting like 'progress with my turbo kit' or something similar. Adjustment is WAY to easy. Hit 2 buttons simultaneously, then scroll to the boost parameter and hit select, then hit up or down. That easy. But it is too easy if you dont have self control.


I have kept good self control. I keep it at around 9 to right at 8 psi. At 8 it made 450 hp and 500 tq at the wheels uncorrected on a Mustang dyno.. Which is about as far as I wanted to stretch the stock bottom end with this being my only car right now (until I find my next project car which will be a 74 or 75 Ford Bronco which will also get a new motor and turbo).....



Support from the company has been great. Dalton flew to my city to install the kit for me and film some of the install for a install 'video' they are doing. Nothing elaborate. Just a little footage to help the new guy installing it. I couldnt be more pleased with their support. To add a caveat, I know the guys who own it. Not really personal friends or anything. But I have bought from them before and have sent friends to them as well. But I got the same service out of them then as I do now. So it has no affect.



I thought I had some pics of the intercooler in my gallery. Maybe not. If I dont, I will try to take a few today and post. It is a front mount intercooler mounted low and slightly to the left of center. I would like to mount the intercooler in the middle of the grill for the most air flow but with the intake temps we saw I dont think it is neccessary.




I think that got everything. If not, just post any other questions and I will try to answer.

[Todd]

My guess is it is hard to move them. We know of what, 2, Marauders that have their kit. The owners of the cars may be happy, but hard to break in to a car segment that has 3 good kits - Trilogy, DR Vortech, and F.I.T. - that are backed by people that support this site, good products, and customer service.

Maybe PTS could look in to being a site supporter and giving some more information on the kit, development, tuning, installation information, etc. Maybe they could start moving some more kits. Then again, I am sure they move enough in the way of Mustang kits. Anyone know how there reputation is with the Mustang crowd?


It is hard to move them. Not many people are 'into turbos' or know all their benefits unless they follow racing and see how turbos dominate almost every class they are allowed into.

And turbo kits are notoriously considered (and rightfully so) a tuner item.

It is not just slap it on and run. There are more parts and a little more complicated. So people are intimidated by them as well.

There are about 10 kits out there from what I understand. They realized after looking at the costs involved that they were way to cheap on the kits after mine. They had to raise it to get in line with the profit it requires to stay in business.

The price they are at now is the appropriate price.


I agree, they probably should try to become a vendor. Just to give people an option from every corner. We have the complete package now minus turbo and nitrous kit manufacturers. Its a great thing to have such great options!!!!!!!!!!!

Kudos to Logan and the vendors for giving us choices...!!!

[Eric91Z]

Todd,

Thanks for that information. Couple more questions:

1) Any 1/4 miles time yet?
2) With the electric boost controller I assume you can adjust boost levels inside the car?
3) What are you running for fuel delivery and tuning?
4) How are the tuning changes handled that are needed with the boost adjustments?
5) Anything else you would do with the turbo setup that doesn't come with the kit (other than tranny work)?
6) Lastly, with some mechanical know how, is the kit pretty much a bolt on affair? Anything you lose with the kit: a/c, power steering, ground clearance, etc?

Thanks for the input.

[Todd]

See my responses to each question in caps next to each question...



Todd,

Thanks for that information. Couple more questions:

1) Any 1/4 miles time yet? NONE YET....


2) With the electric boost controller I assume you can adjust boost levels inside the car? YES.....


3) What are you running for fuel delivery and tuning? TWIN COBRA PUMPS AND 60LB INJECTORS. SCT TUNING. I WAS USING THE ANDERSON FORD PMS BUT THERE WERE A COUPLE PINS THAT WERE DIFFERENT AND THE TEMPS DISPLAYED ON THE HANDHELD WERE WRONG. I DIDNT WANT TO DEAL WITH IT........ IF THEY DETERMINE WHICH PINS NEED TO BE MOVED I WILL GO BACK TO THE PMS. FOR THE SIMPLE REASON THAT YOU CAN ADJUST TIMING AND FUEL BASED ON BOOST. THIS IS THE #1 PROBLEM WITH THE SCT TYPE SOFTWARE. YOU HAVE TO TUNE FOR THE BEST/ OR WORST CASE SCENARIO. DEPENDING ON HOW YOU LOOK AT THINGS.


4) How are the tuning changes handled that are needed with the boost adjustments? I DONT CHANGE THE BOOST THAT MUCH. I WAS TUNED AT 8PSI. PRETTY CONSERVATIVE AT THAT. WITH LESS THAN 15 DEGREES TOTAL TIMING. SO UPPING IT BY 1 POUND DOESNT HURT. ALTHOUGH I AM ADDING A WIDE BAND O2 SO I CAN FURTHER REFIND MY BOOST SETTINGS ON THE STREET.


5) Anything else you would do with the turbo setup that doesn't come with the kit (other than tranny work)? THE BOOST CONTROLLER DOESNT COME WITH THE KIT. IT IS NOT NECCASSARY BUT IS COOL TO HAVE. THE KIT IS PRETTY COMPLETE. IT COMES WITH A SINGLE PUMP UPGRADE. I ELIMINATED THAT PUMP WHICH LOWERS THE PRICE OF THE KIT AND BOUGHT MY OWN COBRA SETUP FROM DENNIS REINHART. I ALSO WENT FOR LARGER INJECTORS AND ADAPTER HARRNESSES TO ADAPT THE INJECTORS TO OUR HARNESS. THEY ARE SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT PLUGS. DENNIS SELLS THE ADAPTERS AS WELL. THE KIT COMES WITH THE NEW PLUGS THAT YOU SPLICE IN. I JUST WANTED A PLUG-N-PLAY ADAPTER SO I ELIMINATED THEM AS WELL.


6) Lastly, with some mechanical know how, is the kit pretty much a bolt on affair? Anything you lose with the kit: a/c, power steering, ground clearance, etc? YOU DONT LOOSE ANYTHING. ONLY MODIFICATION IS SWINGING THE POWER STEERING LINES OUT OF THE WAY AND LOOSING THE FACTORY FAN SHROUD. IT IS NOT AN EASY BOLT ON. THERE ARE LOTS OF PIPES AND LINING THINGS UP. BUT IT CAN BE DONE BY ANYONE WITH A REASONABLE EXPERIENCE LEVEL. IT IS MUCH BETTER TO DO IT ON A LIFT ALTHOUGH NOT NECCESSARY.

Thanks for the input.