lookin for some insite, few questions on 5s vs 3s Options

[TRD_Ian]

ok so im readin along here and iv been thinking about boostin my 5sfe in my 94 gts....altho it has 290kms i would have to rebuild it.....what i am wondering is which is a better bang for you buck/better motor for hp what can our fs handle for boost on stock guts? and what can a 3s handle?....also what are you guys using for managment? apexi? megasquirt? emanage?...im lookin at buildin a a machine outa this car and some thing that can contend with a tt supra and gts skyline...
iv been lookin around and i havent been able to find in the faq's what is needed to drop in a st205....im new to this and trying to learn...guide me lol

[lagos]

very helpfull.........still lookin for what each block can handle for boost before **** goes boom? also...big difference in the 5s head and the 3s head? i know the mani's bolt right up but the 52 doesnt flow so well? wondering about making a hybrid outa em.....does the 3s have forged internals??

The 5sfe is an economy motor with an economy head. With a good turbo and race gas, shannons car has been able to hit close to 300hp. Very impressive for that kind of setup.

The 3sgte on the other hand is the performance motor. It has a better head and a stronger motor. Read the power primer to learn more about it.
http://www.mrcontrols.com/primers/power.htm

seems to me that everyone has trouble with their 3s though. Now this could just be most people dont do their swaps correctly, and poorly, but i never here a lot of trouble coming out of 5sfte. This is just what ive seen.

Each setup can have issues...
You have to be ready to pop your hood. Neither setup is a install and forget type of thing.

There have been more then a few people who turboed their 5sfe, only to put it back to stock after a few weeks and part out their setup. Cutting corners (in your budget) can lead to oil leaks, blown turbos, and misc issues. At least most people are not blowing motors these days, since those green top injectors are not being used anymore.

3sgte can have a few problems too. People with the e153 trans tend to have axle problems, misc oil leaks, boost leaks, etc... Most of the problems come from people cutting corners and not doing their research. The AFM on 2nd gen cars can also cause a few hesitation issues. But besides that, its a good motor. Ive been driving mine ever day for the past 4yrs and never had to call a tow truck.

This post has been edited by lagos: Sep 9, 2008 - 10:32 PM