I'm planning on getting the turbo system from STS (www.ststurbo.com) for xmas, but I was wondering if anyone has the system already installed. I'm concerned about the location of the intake and whether or not it will pick up water from the road. Also, how much do you think a shop will charge to install/tune?

 

Oh, and my current setup is:
K&N FIPK, Granatelli MAF, Hypertech PPIII, Flowmaster 80 series muffler, Hooker Longtube Super Comp, and 3" Off-Road Y.

 

I seen a LS1 F body at SEMA this year that was STS demo car. I thought that it ran great and I was impressed with how clean the installation appeared under the car.

From speaking with the STS people installation is between 4 and 6 hours depending on the skill level of the shop and how many they have done in the past. 4 to 6 hours reflects someone doing it for the first time. I looked under the car, as I too was worried about the intake sucking up debri and water as well. But after seeing it under the car, its in an area that don't normally see debri slung up by the tires or does it get hit with water from the wheel well. Another thing is that STS also sells a sock that goes over the filter to protect it further. All in all I was pretty pleased with what I saw and I don't forsee any problems with it.

 

It seems as though it would be all but the simplist of tasks to make a little shield to go around the bottom and back of the filter, whish is the direction that water and debris would be slung from. They should actually offer it like that when you buy the kit. Hint, hint.

 

I've talked to one STS owner in person, and he said his filter does get wet in rainy conditions

 

bxzcd
Check out the site below for more info. Direct spray from the tire is usually not how the filter can get wet, (damp is the worst i have seen). Usually its from the mist deflected off the road or car. I have had the idea from over a year ago about a shield, but havent seen the real need for it. We will probably fab one up out of aluminum to see the difference, will post result when we get to it. Usually in bad weather i am not boosting much, and the off road sock can be used in bad conditions.

 

I'd bet that most STS kits have more water go in the air filter then is readily apparent. If you think about how much air flows through that filter, it doesnt take it long to soak up water and then dry itself off and feel dry after you've been driving. Just my observation.

 

There is a filter sock available that is extremely water resistant, it beads off.... I would say that there would be a very slight chance to get water into the filter with one of those socks, unless of course, it was totally submerged.

You could use one of the socks for the winter time and take it off for the summer.... or hell keep it off unless it rains. Couple seconds on and off... keep it in the car.

 

Yeah, but don't you have to get under the car to install/remove that sock? Sounds like a PITA to me, especially if it's raining.

 

The amount of water entering the filter will be minimal. Unless of course you submerge the car.

Any car running a CAI, or the older cars with carbs and cowl hoods, will ingest some water in a heavy rain. Most, if not all, will evaporate before it hits the cylinder, and if nothing else help to clean some carbon off the pistons. In the old days we would hold the carb at about 3000 rpm and trickle an entire coke bottle down the throat to clean the carbon out of old motors.

Most people talking down on the STS systems are the same in every thread.

 

not to change the subject but i didnt think you could run long tube headers with that system could be wrong

 

Longtubes will be fine with the STS so long as your not running true duals. The setup looks like it needs the single i-pipe to feed the turbo.

-Tony

 

The K&N Precharger comes with the kit. I have had the STS kit on for almost a year and have driven in the rain countless times with no issues.
As far as the install goes, you can expect to spend all day if you do it yourself. It is not difficult and comes with very descriptive directions with full color pics.
Headers are okay, but if you dont have them already, I wouldnt get them. You will not see a benefit worth buying them with this system.
You will be able to take the Hypertec program out and sell it. You will need a good LS1 edit type of tune. Also, the Flowmaster comes off.

 

The water to intake issues are easy to solve. Just run the precharger or even the new Drycharger sock thing ,like Avengeance mentioned, they have now and you'll be perfectly fine. You will still have good power and unless you are boosting a huge amount of air you will probably never notice the difference.

I've tested with and without the sock and trust me, it's makes a world of diff.

DO NOT BOOST IN THE RAIN AT 13PSI AND NO SOCK. Speaking from experience

trtturbo is correct IMO. Ditch your current mods for cash and put it towards your STS kit. You'll be closer to smog legal and you'll save soem money. The headers were not worth it IMO so I took mine off.

 

It's interesting that people say this. I would think that since headers would speed up the velocity of the exhaust gases, that they would help spool the turbo a little faster. The difference may be small, but still there.