[ZL1with1LE]

Hey everyone, I just got my car tuned by Matt Sorian here in Houston TX. I went with a very basic beginner set up, Rotofab & DSX flex fuel sensor on an E60 mix. I'm very happy with the car for now, but I'm already starting to look at what I'm going to do next year.

Next round of mods will be Mighty Mouse Wild Catch Can, Cordes Expansion Tank, Weapon X-Heat exchangers, headers, and potentially upgrading a pulley. Here's where I'm running into an issue.

I see people recommend lower pulley, but what all supporting mods do I need? Damper, pulley itself, lower ring. There's hundreds of things and I have absolutely 0 idea what I'm looking at. What all do I need to upgrade the lower, and what do you guys recommend? I've looked on the forums but I can't make sense of what all exactly I need. Not looking for crazy power, just want to reliably liven the car up a bit. Thanks guys.

[Z OH 6]

Most people recommend the lower pulley over the upper pulley even though the lower pulley parts cost more than the upper pulley. The reason why is that the upper pulley is very small to begin with so going with a smaller pulley increases the chance of belt slip and its not an easy pulley to remove so labor will likely cost you more than the labor for a lower pulley. For the lower pulley you will need an ATI damper or Innovators West. You will need a lower pulley to bolt to the new damper as well. I would talk to your tuner about which pulley they recommend because you're using an E60 mix now, depending your pulley selection, you will likely have to drop that mix down or go back to 93 octane since you'll be fuel system limited around the 680rwhp mark. At that point, you're going to have to consider a cam or meth injection.

[RDBill]

Going with a larger lower pulley is beneficial because you have more contact between the belt and the pulleys so you have less chance of belt slip.

[CW3SF]

Originally Posted by ZL1with1LE

Hey everyone, I just got my car tuned by Matt Sorian here in Houston TX. I went with a very basic beginner set up, Rotofab & DSX flex fuel sensor on an E60 mix. I'm very happy with the car for now, but I'm already starting to look at what I'm going to do next year.

Next round of mods will be Mighty Mouse Wild Catch Can, Cordes Expansion Tank, Weapon X-Heat exchangers, headers, and potentially upgrading a pulley. Here's where I'm running into an issue.

I see people recommend lower pulley, but what all supporting mods do I need? Damper, pulley itself, lower ring. There's hundreds of things and I have absolutely 0 idea what I'm looking at. What all do I need to upgrade the lower, and what do you guys recommend? I've looked on the forums but I can't make sense of what all exactly I need. Not looking for crazy power, just want to reliably liven the car up a bit. Thanks guys.

Good mod plan. Congrats

[Marty31]

Originally Posted by Z OH 6

Most people recommend the lower pulley over the upper pulley even though the lower pulley parts cost more than the upper pulley. The reason why is that the upper pulley is very small to begin with so going with a smaller pulley increases the chance of belt slip and its not an easy pulley to remove so labor will likely cost you more than the labor for a lower pulley. For the lower pulley you will need an ATI damper or Innovators West. You will need a lower pulley to bolt to the new damper as well. I would talk to your tuner about which pulley they recommend because you're using an E60 mix now, depending your pulley selection, you will likely have to drop that mix down or go back to 93 octane since you'll be fuel system limited around the 680rwhp mark. At that point, you're going to have to consider a cam or meth injection.

This is why this is a great forum.

[hawk02]

Anytime you spin the blower faster you’re going to generate a lot more heat. Plus, as others have said, fueling will become a limitation.

I would tell you to take a serious look at Jannetty’s 125 RWHP flex fuel package. It gains horse power through efficiency. No pulley swaps. You’re already part way there with the flex fuel kit and Roto Fab intake and you say you plan to add headers.

Seems to me it will give more bang for the buck than a pulley swap and heat exchangers.

[2018ZL1]

I went with a 15% lower and E50 was the most E I can run, I do have the voltage booster....

[newchevyman]

Originally Posted by Z OH 6

Most people recommend the lower pulley over the upper pulley even though the lower pulley parts cost more than the upper pulley. The reason why is that the upper pulley is very small to begin with so going with a smaller pulley increases the chance of belt slip and its not an easy pulley to remove so labor will likely cost you more than the labor for a lower pulley. For the lower pulley you will need an ATI damper or Innovators West. You will need a lower pulley to bolt to the new damper as well. I would talk to your tuner about which pulley they recommend because you're using an E60 mix now, depending your pulley selection, you will likely have to drop that mix down or go back to 93 octane since you'll be fuel system limited around the 680rwhp mark. At that point, you're going to have to consider a cam or meth injection.

This is the same answer I gave him on Facebook but it was ignored. Maybe we'll have better luck with OP listening on the forums.

For power mods only do intake/headers/flex to start. The catch can, heat exchangers, and expansion tank are fine because they won't add boost. With just headers added you'll be around 630-650 range depending on dyno and no heat issues. Moment you add a pulley you'll need meth or a cam to safely run a blend of E. If you're still dead set on doing a lower pulley replace the paper thin LT4 seal with an LS3 seal while it's off. If these answers don't suffice go with whatever your shop or tuner recommends.

[supersportss]

Labor hahah don't pay labor, learn to do it yourself. its easy.

[CW3SF]

Can’t do headers or eliminate primary cats in emissions heavy states.

I have Rotofab dry, Soler TB and AWE catback. Going to run the flex tune with factory ECM and primary cats and see what gains that will net. Should still pass the drive by sniffer emissions sensor with an e30 or e40 mix.

[EDFHOBBIES]

There is another way to look at it.. If you plan on keeping the oem blower I'd port it and do the pulley at the same time this will save money since the blower needs to come off for the pulley swap.

If your going to upgrade the blower do the lower you will not waste any money since the lower pulley can be used with the new blower and any changes to the blower ring to change blower rpm is simple.

going with a smaller pulley on the blower it can tend to slip easier but not at your power level. I have yet to hear a complaint, now the all stock blower record guys making 890 plus yes!.

Teds a great guy and tuner and takes the time to answer everyone's questions here but all the good tuners does what he does they just don't sell it/brand it/ advertise as a package like he does its nothing new. The fuel system basically can support Headers and an Intake on a good amount of E once you add a pulley or porting you will get diminishing returns since you can't run a whole lot of E then.

If your at E60 and you add a pulley and headers its gonna knock you down to e40 maybe a tad more if your lucky probably depends on the tuner and what he thinks he can live with on the high side drop. Of course your gain some good power adding the pulley and headers to what you have now, but come May, June, July and August in Houston you'll need those cooling mods for sure otherwise its going to feel like a real dog after a few pulls or a lot of driving.

I like the idea of the front 2.5 gallon tank but I would go with a chiller over the exchanger(s) its not to much more and an exchanger can't ever get below ambient.

I use Sorian as well he's always led me right.

Here is what I did before I upgraded to a big boy blower.. I would Omit the ported stock TB save the money for the 103 TB I didn't do the E85 flex at this point I didn't want the hassle of mixing now I run full e85 with no hassle.

https://www.camaro6.com/forums/showthread.php?t=517100

[Les7311]

Interesting and scribed...

[Bangkok_ZL1]

Originally Posted by 2018ZL1

I went with a 15% lower and E50 was the most E I can run, I do have the voltage booster....

After checking out the thread again, I noticed your post. And looking at your mods. You are running exactly what I'd like to run.... for the time being, LOL.

[Z OH 6]

Originally Posted by CW3SF

Can’t do headers or eliminate primary cats in emissions heavy states.

I have Rotofab dry, Soler TB and AWE catback. Going to run the flex tune with factory ECM and primary cats and see what gains that will net. Should still pass the drive by sniffer emissions sensor with an e30 or e40 mix.

If you cant do headers, I wouldn't bother increasing the boost at all with a pulley. I would look at porting the blower to gain some efficiency.