Just purchased a Paxton Kit for home installation any tips??

[BLKSNAKE]

I have just purchased a "new in the box" Paxton kit. Apart from upgrading the air-box if necassary are there any other tips.

I currently have a VEC 2 installed but no ther mods other than a K&N which will be shorttly for sale.

I am not interested (for now) in extracting maximum HP, rather want to fatten up the power curve and keep the wanabees at bay.

I have installed several SC systems, most recently a Lingenfelter blower on my Vette, (which required the stearing rack to be removed to pin the crank)

Would I be better going with the baxton computer or keeping the VEC. I understand there is a shop in TN that does ROE installations that might be able to help with the tune.

Any additional parts to buy that might help??

thanks for any input


Rich

 

[Joseph Dell]

Keep the VEC 2... install that sucka, then meet me at the dyno out here and I'll help you tune it. we can have a lot of fun with that set-up!

JD

 

[VIPER D]

what ever you do. don't drive it unless you have it dyno tuned w/ afr's.


vd..

 

[slither]

I finished installing a kit on my car about 3 months ago. A few tips:
1. Buy the Viper service manual.
2. Buy an ATI super damper and install it while you are putting in the system. The stock damper is cast iron, three spoke and in my opinion should not be used in a blower setup. The ATI damper is steel and a MUCH higher quality piece, well worth the couple of hundered bucks it costs. I got one from DLM, call him, he's the nicest tuner I have ever spoke with and is very helpful. You'll need a special tool as listed in the service manual to pull the stock damper but it's not hard.
2. Buy the damper to crank pinning kit from Roe Racing. The stock pinning kit that comes with the Paxton uses 1/8" diameter std. dowel pins which did not seem very "robust" shall we say. The Roe Racing kit comes with 1/4" diameter rolled steel pins, again IMO well worth the 30 or 40 bucks. You may not know this but the crank is not "keyed" for the damper from the factory. Only the press fit and damper bolt hold the damper on the crank, hence the need to pin the damper to the crank with the blower (and the damper bolt on my car was not even tight when I was pulling it off)
3. Although the Paxton manual tells you to, you do not have to remove the steering rack to install/remove/pin the damper. Loosen the motor mount nuts, remove the shock tower brace and jack up the engine to gain access. It was tight but can be done.
4. There is a hose which comes out of the power steering pump and is routed across the engine bay and goes to the cooling fan inlet. Maybe not all cars are the same but on my car it was directly in the way of the intercooler and I could not install the intercooler with this stock hose in place. After trying to "bend the hard lines" as stated in the Paxton manual I ended up damaging the end on the PS pump. In the end I had to buy a new hose, cut the hard lines on each end, have a braided SS/Teflon hose made and use Swagelok tubing fittings on each end of the hard lines to connect the new hose.
5. IMO, you don't need a VEC2. Mine did 640RWHP with the stock tune in the split second by Paxton (I have a Mopar cat back exhaust and put the larger disc in the FMU), then I had Velocity Performance outside of Dallas tune it with the split second and they got 710RWHP with a safe A/F (in 93 degree heat nonetheless). Could do more but I wanted a safe A/F and timing curve.

 

[BLKSNAKE]

Keep the VEC 2... install that sucka, then meet me at the dyno out here and I'll help you tune it. we can have a lot of fun with that set-up!

JD

Sounds like a plan to me !!

Rich

 

[BLKSNAKE]

Slither, thanks for the input. It amazes me that Hi-Performance cars do not have the Crank keyed. My vette was the same way.

Rich

 

[slither]

Your welcome, Paxton did a good job with this kit and the install isn't really too difficult, now get that viper novi powered!

 

[MaxedGTS]

i installed the kit myself with the help of DLM.The kit was time consuming to install but well worth the time i spent on it to do it right. Dont be in a hurry to get it done. i spent a few weekends with my son installing it.
Max

 

[BLKSNAKE]

i installed the kit myself with the help of DLM.The kit was time consuming to install but well worth the time i spent on it to do it right. Dont be in a hurry to get it done. i spent a few weekends with my son installing it.
Max

Thanks, I plan on doing it over the Holidays. No rush, and a good excuse to hang out in my garage.

Rich

 

[GR8_ASP]

My advice is to take your time and check and double check everything as you go. I spent the better part of a month (spread over three months of the winter) doing mine. SOme things were quite difficult like pinning the crank. I did as was suggested above and lifted the engine rather than move the steering system (that thought scared me a little).

Another point not mentioned is finding the best place for the fuel pumps and added engine controller. This winter I plan on relocating my pumps to inside the right front fender. That is to get them away from the heat and out of sight. I also plan on relocating the controller to inside of the car (I have it hidden inside the fascia now, and though it has not had a problem even in a drenching long rain while driving to St. Louis, I continue to be concerned about that location).

Good luck and keep us posted as to your progress.