Hey everyone-

I just thought I would start this tread to detail my recent endeavor into the FI world. I decided on the HP Performance kit, as it is a complete kit, with what appears to be reasonable room for improvement over their standard dyno numbers...

Here is what I ordered:
HP Performance Stage 1 kit
GT35r upgrade
AEM boost control solenoid
AEM serial gauge
AEM AFR gauge for the UEGO (might just run as redundant system, as it has been established that the UEGO reading can be whacky sometimes)
Tial 38mm wastegate, sprung for pre-tune psi, with springs included for up to 15psi

From the research I had done, it looks like HP has quite the reputation with the domestic crowd (particularly Vette and Mustang owners). I had read that they are not the best with shipping on time, but that their products are usually worth the wait. I was going for quality over "need-it-now."

I have yet to receive my kit yet, but I did receive a shipping notification from the shop yesterday, so it should be here on the 20th (or so UPS tracking says). I am probably going to be installing it in the next few weeks, and will update this thread with any weird things I run into during the install, or any issues worth commenting on about the kit.

The only real thing that I can say about my experience so far is that the rumors about HP not being the quickest to ship are completely true. I am not sure if it was an isolated incident, but my kit took over 7 weeks to ship out from the date they charged my credit card. I attempted to stay in regular contact with Nathan via PM, but he was VERY bad at responding. I contacted Nathan around the 21st of December, and he said the kit was ahead of schedule, and would be shipped out by 12/28/07. 12/28/07 came with no shipping notification, and no notice of delay from Nathan. I called back EVERY WEEK (sometimes multiple times a week, and occasionally TWICE A DAY, if I was promised a return call) from 12/28/08 until 2/15/08 bugging the HELL out of him trying to get him to ship the freakin' kit! It had apparently been done since the end of January (AEM supplier was holding it up, but that was not communicated to me, I had to call and ask "what is holding up the kit" several times.... with several phone calls UNRETURNED by the shop (had to call multiple times in a row to get a straight answer). It did not bug me that the kit took a little longer than usual to put together, but the shop SHOULD have done a LOT more to communicate to me what was going on. Instead, they just waited for me to freak out and call and see WTF was going on... Plus, I believe there were 5-6 promised ship dates from Nathan that went unfulfilled, and when he missed a shipping date, he would not call or issue any communication as to why, or when the kit would actually ship out. Each time I called he gave me a ship date, and each time it was not met. I actually had to threaten credit card fraud procedures through my bank if he did not send the product out...

Maybe its just me, but when you pay over $6500 upfront, a little more customer service / communication is needed... and HP definitely did not deliver on that front. However, personally, all will be mended as long as the kit is of quality construction and worth the wait...

Just my $.02. Also, FWIW, HP stated that it normally takes "4-6 weeks" to put together and ship one of their S2k "kits." This, by my definition, is not much of a "kit" if it takes that long to make... it is more of a custom turbo application. By "kit" I am thinking Greddy, with everything pre-packaged and ready to go.

So, to sum it up.... HP = piss poor customer service, but a quality product. Customer service confirmed , product quality waiting to confirm.

*UPDATE* Alrighty then. All 3 packages have arrived. Most parts are accounted for. I am still working with Nathan to get a complete inventory for this kit, so I can definitively tell what is missing (down to the bolt). This kit is BLINGY GOODNESS! The Jet-Hot coating looks like CHROME! BLING BLING!

**UPDATE 5/19/08** Everything fits. Its TIGHT and takes a bit of man-love to get the passenger side pipe behind the bumper properly. The IC definitely needs some additional support. Either a second bracket, or a triangle support welded onto the existing mounting tab would work (a la Kraftwerks FMIC bracket). I am just going to have a second bracket tack welded on by a local shop this week. I am going to bring it in on Wednesday to see if I can get something added real quick. The coolant tank will also have its relocation bracket fabbed as well (mounting to the Spoon ETD bracket). The kit made 335rwhp / 205rwtq on a DynoJet 224 on only 7.25psi (minor boost leak as the kit was pre-tuned for 7.5psi and I had a slightly cracked vacuum T-fitting). The GT35r was FULLY SPOOLED by 4800RPM. My guess is boost levels from 12-15PSI could be spooled by 5200-5400 RPM... efficient header, IMO. Jet-Hot does a GOOD job insulating the pipes. AIT never rises above 85* on my serial gauge.


First off, the header:

1.75" primaries into 3" collector

Welds appear to be quality. Definitely done by hand vs. machine. I can feel the bead from inside... not a pansy weld. Where it attaches to the head, the primaries have been tack welded from the outside, and fully welded from the inside.




Up-pipe from header with wastegate mount.


Mid-pipe from turbo to downpipe. This is the part that runs back under the header and connects to the downpipe.


Downpipe.


Top-Bottom flow 3" FMIC


Charge pipe with 38mm BOV nipple. A few more charge pipes. They all look alike.... Second pics includes the 38mm Tial Billet BOV.




Up-Pipe, Mid-Pipe, Filter, Misc. Charge piping, test pipe (Ultimate Racing, not included in kit), and turbo (missing exhaust side housing)


Let me know if there is anything specific you would like to see that I have not already posted.

Cheers.

John

 

What were your reasons for going with HP over other kit makers like Full Race and InlinePro?

 

I liked the 3" charge piping, and 3" downpipe for starters. Second, its a tune EL manifold, so that eliminates InlinePro. I have heard of cracking issues with using an EL header, but they apparently help alleviate that problem by using aluminized steel vs. stainless... all piping is jet-hot coated (another plus), so no need to work about corrosion... came with everything as well (no need to purchase anything else... but I did, as I ended up upgraded the turbo).

I also did not want to relocate anything in the engine bay, so Full Race is eliminated. Looking for an out-of-the-box 400+rwhp solution that did not require any relocations.

Not knocking either of the other two kits, just not for me.

 

Cool dude. Does this mean your going to do the install yourself? Sucks about the delay and cust service. HOpefully everything will be smooth from here on out.

 

good to know, subscribing. Are you going to write up your install?

 

what do they use for fuel management?

 

Sarek - Yes. I am doing the install myself. My brother-in-law and I are going to be doing it over a weekend. HP says it only takes 10 hours if you have never done it before, as everything is pretty much bolt-on and plug-in (no relocations needed). If you are going to be getting this kit, I advise you order it now if you want it anytime before mid-spring... they might just let you start the order, and then call you to charge your card when it is ready to ship. I would have requested this had I known it was going to take as long...

I will do a write-up, but it will not be an all-inclusive step-by-step DIY, but more of the little odds and ends that I found helpful that might help others reduce the overall install time.

Yeah, I am not knocking Nathan or HP, but the customer service left something to be desired.... One thing I did find out was that Nathan was working on some magazine install during this entire time, so that probably zapped a good bit of his time. Once again, I was not upset with the overall delays, just the fact that the shop set goals that it could not meet, and did not communicate when those goals were not met...

As far as fuel management goes, it uses a Walbro 255 with RC750 injectors and AEM 1052u to control it all...

Hope this answered everyone's questions... And if anyone has a positive experience with HP, please post it... Not many people post positive experiences, just when the sh*t hits the fan... Nathan said there were like 10-11 other kits that were being assembled with mine, so I would guess that someone else from this forum has at least ordered one...

Cheers.

John

 

i contemplated getting this kit. looking forward to your final impression

 

Fullrace also has shi**y customer service as well

i went with FullRace and i had a horrible experience. First they promised me the kit will take 4-6 weeks to complete and ship. I was in no hurry to receive my kit because i have 2 cars, but it took over 12 weeks to receive my kit. When the kit arrived at my house it was not complete they forgot all the accessories, oil lines, relocation kit, blow off valve and wastegate. At this moment i'm Fuc*ing pissed, so i called them and they said "oh we did not realize but dont worry we will send it overnight and give you free T-shirts." Who the fu*k cares about T-shirts. Next day the box did not arrive so i waited another day, still nothing. I call again they said "the box was shipped out and they dont know why it hasnt arrived." Finally after 5 days the box arrives and they forgot to send me the T-shirts. It was too late install the kit becasue summer was almost over. Because of there poor customer service my car has been down since end of April of 07.

i cant believe i paid $6500 up front for a non complete kit that doesnt even come w/ a dump tube or intake. (i had no idea when i bought the kit)

i'll never buy another FullRace product again.

 

^ Wow. Sounds like my experience was tame compared to yours! I don't understand why they call them "kits" if they take that freakin' long to make! You could have a local welding shop weld up a replica header in the same amount of time, and it would be a one-off!

John