needs advice: SS m0 kit vs Top Swap

**uNda6gT** · 02-22-2010

Hey everybody I'm not sure what direction I wanna go with supercharging my car. I have some1 selling me a almost complete top swap (m90,lim,heads,fuel rails) for $450,then I have someone selling me a ssm90 for $700. I'm willing to put around $2000 into this project. My issue is I really have no 1 in my area to help me top swap my car and it just seems pretty difficult, I see a lot of people bash zzp's ssm90 kit when compared to the top swap,basically I just wanted some advice on what to do in this situation. Basically a what would you do question. Thanks!

**Quicklynx** · 02-22-2010

Go turbo! haha

How ya been, man?

**blueguy** · 02-22-2010

Top Swap...WITH headers...and a custom tune, ported blower/TB, rockers, and a 3.5"/3.6"

**Scimmia** · 02-22-2010

The difference between a top swap and the SSM90 comes down to two things, the heads and the harmonic balancer. Do some research, if you feel you can swap those two things, definitely go with the top swap. Virtually everything else gets changed in both setups, and you're going to have everything off down to the heads anyway.

**blueguy** · 02-22-2010

Also...if you have the coin...get at LEAST the exhaust ports done on the heads...you for SURE won't regret it. Letting that thing breathe is the key to power.

**FoSHO99** · 02-22-2010

The SSm90 was developed as a cheaper route to supercharge a L36. Now that everything is a lil cheaper, its just a question of how much labor you want to do. The whole top swap will be better in the end, but its more labor.

On the other hand, you may just want to go turbo... A z3 kit will make you more than happy, make more power than a top swap and more fun to drive. The hardest part in installing a simple turbo or at least the Z3 kit is unbolting the factory downpipe and crossover.

**uNda6gT** · 02-22-2010

thanks guys for all of the advice. lol i would go turbo but scared of what it might do to the tranny...now im really leaning towards the top swap ported n polished,headers,ssic,custom tune,or rockers instead of ssic

**uNda6gT** · 02-22-2010

Originally Posted by Quicklynx

Go turbo! haha

How ya been, man?

hey man long time no hear! lol do you still live in maryland? because if you do could you still lend a hand in the top swap?

**blueguy** · 02-22-2010

Don't waste your money on a SSIC...you can do better with Methanol Injection and don't have to worry about a warping core.

**minichopper6hp** · 02-22-2010

Just get a phenolic intercooler.

**rynoman03** · 02-22-2010

Originally Posted by uNda6gT

thanks guys for all of the advice. lol i would go turbo but scared of what it might do to the tranny...now im really leaning towards the top swap ported n polished,headers,ssic,custom tune,or rockers instead of ssic

A turbo won't put any more harm on your tranny than a top swap will. It all maters how you drive it too.

If you got 2k to spend go Turbo!

**JoRoW99** · 02-22-2010

or do the top swap and use your leftover money for tranny parts.

**TorqueAutoMotiv** · 02-23-2010

do the top swap and head work ,headers save the extra cash for when the trans goes

**minichopper6hp** · 02-23-2010

Turbo!!

**Bio248** · 02-23-2010

Originally Posted by rynoman03

A turbo won't put any more harm on your tranny than a top swap will. It all maters how you drive it too.

If you got 2k to spend go Turbo!

yes it will.

**FoSHO99** · 02-23-2010

Actually I kinda doubt a basic turbo kit will destroy the tranny. As long as the tranny is mechanically sound now, 6-8psi non intercooled would be safe enough. It would have more power than a topswap, and easily upgradeable to run 12's/11's if wanted. I've been running on my stock tranny for almost a year now on 12psi intercooled E85. As long as you don't drive stupid it should last. The great thing about turbo is the lag, for these trannies, its just enough time to let the tranny shift before pulling very hard.

**Bio248** · 02-23-2010

i figured the extra 100 ft lbs of torque you made between the low end and full spool would put a large shock load on the transmission which is what kills it in the end anyway.

**minichopper6hp** · 02-23-2010

Hell the shock load from punching it with the m90 seems more of a stress then turbo and hasnt led to problems yet with me.

**ChrisGTT** · 02-23-2010

These posts made me laugh. You guys just made my night lol

Ok the amount of stress that whipping a M90 into full boost progressively on most setups isn't even comparable to the amount of force jumping into boost on a turbo.

You're forgetting that 10psi out of an M90 is much different then 10psi out of even a small turbo like a 61.

Turbo v. Positive displacement S/C are two totally different animals.

Look into it:
http://www.turbobygarrett.com/turbob...ch_center.html

Anyways to the op
How confident are you in your wrenching ability?

Top swap would be the way to go because it give you room to expand. With the SSm90 kit you become limited such as I/C size and the single belt setup is eh.

It all depends how far you want to go.