Horsepower capabilities of the ECOTEC v6

[vy berlina]

Hi everyone

I’m a student in year 12 in South Australia, and as part of the new SACE i am required to undertake a "research project" and i have chosen to research "the horsepower capabilities of the ECOTEC v6"

i was hoping that i could get some help from you guys, who have any knowledge or experience in modifying the ECOTEC v6. i would love to know what power is achievable, both in a NA application and forced induction. Are the cars still reliable once modified? what increase in fuel consumption could be expected once modified? What would some of these modifications cost? Would the car remain street legal once modified?

Please keep the comments clean and as positive as possible, as some of this may be may be published in my final report!

[GTP 85]

I car offer some help. I'm also in Adelaide

[immortality]

welcome to JC.

if you do a search in the V6 section but change the parameters for time to 2 years you will find heaps of threads about V6 builds and some of the results.

there is a good thread going about some dyno testing of different intakes and LPG at the mo

[WogBoyz]

Welcome mate

heres a few good threads for ya

Tests on Pod/Panel - Dyno differences in CAI/Intakes

V6 Development And Modification

[vy berlina]

Thanks everyone for the reply’s, RUF 231 I would love to take you up on that offer, pm me with your details so i can get in contact with you.

so, what I’m thinking to improve horsepower you would need

Extractors
High flow cats
2.5 inch cat back exhaust
A good cold air intake
Maybe a set of high ratio roller rockers
Custom tune

and from then on

Forced induction?

If anyone can point me in the right direction that would be great!

Thank you

[2DIE]

You are welcome to spend 5-10k on my motor, turbo/supercharger, stroker, cam or whatever you think is best. I don't mind helping out for your research

[Kieran263]

There are heaps of options before you go forced induction, cam, headwork, NOS, cubes etc.

[ajvx01]

so what exactly are you after? our mods and the power they yield and our experiences or just how much can be done in na or psi builds?

[vy berlina]

Im after what power can be made, in a real life situation, like nobodys going to spend 100k on a v6, i want to know what can be made out of the ECOTEC v6 in reality

[Avi8or]

For straight out power the best HP for dollar is Nitrous, however then comes sooner or later having to strengthen everything anyway.

Depends on what you would call a "Real life" situation. Personally I've seen guys spend $10k on an Ecotec, and to me thats just insane. I'm planing on spending about $5k for a turbo setup, that would be more real-life. Or you can go your general owner who would do the normal exhaust, CAI, rockers, tune and that would come to about $1.5k.

Thank god I did the old SACE system, there were enough "projects" and "assignments" as it was let alone another bloody research thing (mind you I did the suicide 5).

[vy berlina]

for the limits of this progect 10 thousand on an ecotec isnt out of the question, i agree nos would help but for this progect the car must remain realiable enough to be used as an everyday runabout as well, and nos would eventualy make it unrealiable. I was thinking more along the lines of bolt ons etc.

[Kieran263]

For a reliable daily I'd say you need plenty of low down torque. A decent set up for safe daily use, in my opinion only, would be:
Full Exhaust: Headers, Twin 2.25" pipes. (Budget max of $2,000)
4.3 Stroker Kit : $2,500ish
Aluminium Heads : $3,000
69mm throttle body : $220
Mace 25mm manifold insulator : $220
Mace 12mm plenum spacer : $150
And that leaves you plenty of cash for a MAFless tune.
Feel free to debate my list/prices, there's no way I've remembered everything.

[Claudy]

I've spent about 3grand max on a turbo setup including fuel system, making my own manifolds, intercooler, all pipe work, reverse plenum, exhaust and tune and I ended up with 267rwhp and I've been driving it as my daily for about a month with no problems and is still pretty good on fuel. Out of a full tank of 98 I get between 450-550kms

[one_and_only2004]

Well I went
CAI
Pod Filter
Mace 69mm Air flow sensor
Mace 69mm Throttle body
Mace 12mm manifold insulator
Mace 12mm plenum spacer
Jack Bros. Engineering heads
Raptor 10psi Intercooled Supercharger
Comp Cams Stage 2 Supercharged CAM
Yella Terra 1.8 Ratio Roller Rockers
MSD Blaster ignition coils
Redback extractors
Twin HM 2.5" High-flow Cats
Twin 2.5" Manta Maloo Exhaust

I managed 237RWKW and 490NM.

I would love to know what power is achievable, both in a NA application and forced induction.
I can only vouch for centrifugal supercharging.
Are the cars still reliable once modified?
My ute was extremely reliable at 10psi - it would see LOTS of revs everyday and still be quite content to do it again and again. When boost was upped to 12psi problems started arising causing a small amount of grief, but when 14psi was obtained things just became completely unreliable and I couldn't leave my home town in fear of breaking down on the side of the road.
what increase in fuel consumption could be expected once modified?
Stock standard my ute used 9L/100km. After the NA mods were completed it rose to about 11L/100km. After FI was added fuel consumption went down to a genuine 7L/100km. Obviously if I drove spiritedly fuel consumption moved into the 99L/HR window.
What would some of these modifications cost?
The supercharger setup cost about $5000 all up. Cam cost about $2000 including labour and other things along the way. All up to make 240RWKW all day everyday reliably it cost around $12000.
Would the car remain street legal once modified?
Oh hell no. 90% of my emissions gear was compromised/removed. My PCV system vented to atmosphere, as did my blow off valves. No enclosure on the pod filter, Plus holes in the guards for intercooler piping, along with extensive "re-engineering" of the reinforcement bar to fit the new front end in along with the intercooler. Nothing was engineered, but it still passed road worthies in NSW every year for 2 years.

Hope this helps you

[vy berlina]

Well I went
CAI
Pod Filter
Mace 69mm Air flow sensor
Mace 69mm Throttle body
Mace 12mm manifold insulator
Mace 12mm plenum spacer
Jack Bros. Engineering heads
Raptor 10psi Intercooled Supercharger
Comp Cams Stage 2 Supercharged CAM
Yella Terra 1.8 Ratio Roller Rockers
MSD Blaster ignition coils
Redback extractors
Twin HM 2.5" High-flow Cats
Twin 2.5" Manta Maloo Exhaust

I managed 237RWKW and 490NM.



Hope this helps you

thankyou one_and_only2004

thats exactlty the type of information i was after.

keep it coming people

[one_and_only2004]

If you want more Info let me know.

[Dr HaxZaw]

I just got an exhaust put on my VY.

Pacemaker Extractors
High Flow 100cpsi Cats
2.5in Sports Exhaust

Went from 118rwkw to 130rwkw. Everything else on the engine is stock although i have just put a high flow filter and new spark plugs and leads on it but no dyno.

Cost $1700 fitted
(feel free to use the dyno graph as teachers seem to love graphs)

Car Dyno No.1 001.jpg

[vy berlina]

I just got an exhaust put on my VY.

Pacemaker Extractors
High Flow 100cpsi Cats
2.5in Sports Exhaust

Went from 118rwkw to 130rwkw. Everything else on the engine is stock although i have just put a high flow filter and new spark plugs and leads on it but no dyno.

Cost $1700 fitted
(feel free to use the dyno graph as teachers seem to love graphs)

Car Dyno No.1 001.jpg

Thankyou Dr HaxZaw, teachers really do like graphs

@one_and_only2004
do you have any dyno printouts of your car? and also any imformation/threads about problems encounterd etc?

[one_and_only2004]

I do have some graphs you could have. I'll post them up when I get home.
As for problems, I usually just fixed it myself and then documented it on my ride thread.

[vy berlina]

Thanks mate,

anyone elso modifying their v6 and wnat to help me?

[Adam_88]

ive done

4.2 stroker ($5500)
custom cam and solid lifters ($1500)
whipple 2.9 blower with a methanol injector in the back of it ($7000)
aluminium heads from the states (got them flowed over there) ($3500)
custom 3 inch w2a intercooler on a seperate cooling system ($1000)
concreted and machined the block good for 30psi ($4000)
and im still going.
it should be good for 550-600 rwhp

[vy berlina]

thanks Adam_88

wouldnt happen to have a thread with everything youve done? or could you pm, if its not too much trouble, what problems you incountred etc whilst building the car?

[Adam_88]

the biggest problem ive encounterd so far is where the main end bolts go in there isnt much strength so i had to concrete the bottom water jackets to give it just a bit more strength so i can run a bit more boost whitch will mean im gunna have to run a good cooling system and methanol so it doesnt get to hot.
feel free to pm me with any more questions

[vy berlina]

one_and_only2004 sorry to bother you but is there any progress on thoes graphs?

Adam_88 so have you put the engine together yet?

[Adam_88]

partially, its not running yet