I have run across some pretty good deals on some paxton kits for the 3rd gen Z28s. But I have searched some forums for feedback on this particular brand, and have come across alot of dissatisfied people. Alot of them say they have reliability problems due to being ball driven. I know they are an out dated design, because paxton has dropped the f-body out of it's line up completely. Are they as bad as people say? I am asking this for the TPI cars in particular.

 

I have an sn 2000 for the past 4 years. Last year, after 20K miles, i got a leak in one of the oil lines and ran my oil dangerously low. Now, it needs to be rebuilt. I regret not purchasing an ATI for the price i paid! I hate paxton and summit cuz they siad it was a technology that is "timeless" BS! I spoke with Craig @ paradise wheels and said that they are OK and can last along time as long as you do not over spin the darn thing. If you get a good deal on one, it might be worth it, however, for me. I"m saving my cash for an ATI!

 

Yeah, telling someone not to spin a supercharger hard is like telling a teen-ager not to have sex. It just does'nt make sense to me.

 

Well, my paxton treated me well! With 8psi @ 5500rpm's was the limit of the charger. A few times while at the track I spun my rpm's up to 6000. So i need to get a little bigger pulley to be safe. But for the most part, my paxton was an ok unit! No oil lines to mess with, just as long as you get the oil cooler and change the oil every month as I did, I think for the right price, it may be worth it. BUT me loving speed, I'm saving my cash for an ATI, WHICH I SHOULD HAVE PURCHASED IN THE FIRST PLACE!

If you can get a paxton cheap, it might be worth it. I ran a 12.9 with my paxton and a stock engine, 8psi, and TES headers with a flowmaster cat back.

 

I take it your car is a 3rd generation. What series was your Paxton? The one I am interested in right now is a SN92 that the owner says puts out 6psi. My goal is to go 12s on street tires. Thanks for talking to me about this.

 

I owned an SN92 for almost three years. I bought it new and during that three year timespan, it had to be rebuilt three times. At that time, Paxton was rebuilding the head units and each time it was rebuilt and returned, I was given a different fluid recommendation. It didn't seem to matter. My conclusion is Paxton was experimenting, trying to find a fluid that would "assist" in lengthening the longevity of these units.

In my experience, overspinning was never the cause. With a very low redline of 38,000 rpm, my unit was pullied for a maximum of 36,000 at engine redline. I was producing "only" 6-psig boost also.

After I was informed that I needed a third rebuild (at my cost by the way), I had it done and I sold it, never having reinstalled it. I then saved my pennies and one year later, bought a D1SC. The difference was day and night. Based on my experience, do not get a Paxton ball-driven head unit no matter what the cost. You will eventually pay for it with more $$$, as well as headaches, aggravation and frustration. This was a classic case of getting what you pay for.

 

Thanks Willie, sounds like you had a bad experience with it. I have heard mostly bad things about them. I am thinking, if you are going to go supercharger, then the only way to go is with the use of an intercooler. I have a question, if I go with say some AFR heads, then what combustion chamber cc's would you recommend to lower compression, favorably enough for some impressive boost pressure without worrying about the stock bottom end? My engine is a 32,000 mile 350TPI. Thanks

 

Willie, how often do the ATI's need to be rebuilt? Just wondering becasue of my current situation.

 

Thanks Willie, sounds like you had a bad experience with it. I have heard mostly bad things about them.

Me too, but only after I purchased mine for $2500. That was around 1996 before I got the internet.


.... if I go with say some AFR heads, then what combustion chamber cc's would you recommend to lower compression....

Depends on what your volume is now (64 or 67cc, correct?) and what you want to lower the compression to. The latter can be decided upon once you determine how much boost you want to run.

I have a 305, so specs will not be the same as your 350. I'm currently running 8.49 to 1 C.R. and will be running 20 or so pounds of boost. But this is on a 4340 bottom end, JE pistons and a splayed four-bolt converted block


....favorably enough for some impressive boost pressure without worrying about the stock bottom end? My engine is a 32,000 mile 350TPI.

Well, this changes things. With only 32k miles, a bottom-end rebuild is not necessary, yet you want to lower compression for "impressive boost pressure". Does this mean tons of boost? This shouldn't be attempted on a stock bottom end. Therein lies the quandry.


Willie, how often do the ATI's need to be rebuilt? Just wondering becasue of my current situation.

I don't know what your current situation is. Can you direct me to a post (maybe) that describes it?

To answer your question, I just sold my D1SC head unit for an F1. In the almost three years that I owned it, it needed a rebuild once. But that once was my fault. I chingered up the impeller when a small washer came loose in my custom airbox and found its way down the intake tract to the impeller. That small washer cost me about $900 in rebuild costs. ouch..... I have since taken measure so this sort of thing will not happen again.

Willie

 

I spoke to Craig @ paradise and he said that the sn2000' model is a beter desighn and work well? right?????????????????

Think I"m saving my hard earned cash for my ATI!!!

 

I spoke to Craig @ paradise and he said that the sn2000' model is a beter desighn and work well? right?????????????????

I don't know as I've never owned this variant. Unless Craig can specifically tell you what the difference(s) are between this and any prior model.....


Think I"m saving my hard earned cash for my ATI!!!

A wise decision in my book. The difference doesn't stop with $$$ either. The SN series has a redline of 38,000. I pretty much maxed it out when I had mine. I saw 6 pounds on my modded 305. It was about 10 pounds on the same engine when it was stock. The D1SC (for example) can rev to ~62,000. On my modded 305, I didn't come close to maxing it out. The highest boost I saw was 14 pounds with a calculated impeller speed of ~52,000 rpm.

Willie

 

Thanks for the info. I think the stock compression for the 350 is approximately 9.5:1 and according to the charts I have seen from ATI, the maximum reliable boost level on pump gas is around 14 to 15 pounds. This would probably be more than enough for my mostly street driven car. Hey Osmosis, have you ever checked out Superchargers4less.com, they are about as cheap as I have seen.

 

If you're pricing ATI, contact Dave Back:

dback@tenperf.com

http://www.ternperf.com

I bought my original D1SC 3-core IC kit from him three years ago. Since then, I've replaced the 3-core with my twin setup (ATI parts) and the head unit. Dave has quoted me costs that no one can touch -- and I mean no one. When I was thinking of going with the F1, I contacted Tom Byrne thru this website for a quote. He could not come close to Dave's pricing.

Willie

 

Willie,

Thank you for the info! What is your web sit addy? I am wondering where to tap into my oil pan for the oil lines.

TY!

 

For my website addy, go back up to my original response. I typically only list my signature on my initial response. In it, click on "SC Z!!!" for my supercharged coupe and/or "TPLS Z!!!" for my 20th Anniversary Z28 convertible.

If you need info on oil pan tapping, I don't have this because I've never had to do it.

Willie