Bad Idea? (S/C on V6 with 130,000)

[SolAraB]

The title explains it all....hahah I have 130,000 on the car right now and wondering if it would be a bad idea to slap a supercharger on now. Most of the miles are highway miles and the car still runs very smoothly......so lets hear your opinions....

[PiterNYC]

Good question my solara has 120K and I was thinking about S/C too.

[woa_its_j3ff]

good luck in finding a supercharger first of all.

[sydemoid]

right now im flying at around 146k....

I would rebuild then SC if i got a SC.... at that point, if i end up doing that, ensure the internals are all forged, and balanced, wouldnt go too crazy on boring the cylinders.. maybe chip the ecu, but my main worry is the transmission's lifespan.

[siennasc98]

right now im flying at around 146k....
but my main worry is the transmission's lifespan.

That's what my main concern too. I'm on my 2nd automatic transaxle. The original failed @ 84,200 miles though it was covered under the Toyota customer care (extended) program.

[Eye8Pussies]

I'd worry about the tranny more as well....

I supercharged my gen3 camry at roughly 260,000km, and more than 10K km later, everything's still running as smooth as before.

But I do also worry about my tranny as well- especially since the ebc doesn't hook up to my ecu to cut boost in between shifts.

A 5-spd swap is very foreseeable in the future

[PXLpainter]

If you have a manual tranny, I'd say go for it... Toyota motors are plenty strong and your Gen 1s can handle FI much better.

If my Gen 2 had 100K on it, I wouldn't even consider it - hell, I doubt the crappy tranny is going to last to 100K as it is!

[CASTRO]

I installed my s/c @ 130,000 miles. Currently @ 175,000 miles with the s/c on. Since the car hit 100,000 miles, it has seen countless Auto-X and open track events 5-6hrs a day. Still on the original everything except brake pads. Just as long as your car is treated right, it can survive anything.

Oh yeah: I beat on my car, but its also spoiled when daily driven
-Regular oil changes from the day it was bought @ 3000miles with Fully Synthetic Mobile 1
-Installed a tranny cooler @ 100,000 miles
-ATF drain/fill @ every other oil change or track event with Mobile1 Full Synthetic ATF
-Coolant changed every 15k
-Spark plugs changed every 20k or when the s/c comes off

[TRUBirdman12]

i got a little over 130k on mine too, if i decide to keep it iwant to supercharger it as well!! But for the same reason im not sure if i should cuse of how many miles. but i think i will go ahead and do it!!

[crispone]

I installed my s/c @ 130,000 miles. Currently @ 175,000 miles with the s/c on. Since the car hit 100,000 miles, it has seen countless Auto-X and open track events 5-6hrs a day. Still on the original everything except brake pads. Just as long as your car is treated right, it can survive anything.

Oh yeah: I beat on my car, but its also spoiled when daily driven
-Regular oil changes from the day it was bought @ 3000miles with Fully Synthetic Mobile 1
-Installed a tranny cooler @ 100,000 miles
-ATF drain/fill @ every other oil change or track event with Mobile1 Full Synthetic ATF
-Coolant changed every 15k
-Spark plugs changed every 20k or when the s/c comes off

^^^^ THERE you go! I think CASTRO is RIGHT ON THE MONEY with his diligent care of the vehicle.

For reference, I have reviewed technical papers that have indicated TURBO inducted vehicles have an inherent degradation of around 10% over Normally Aspirated vehicles, IF MAINTAINED ACCORDINGLY! OF COURSE, this study was STARTING with a vehicle that is N/A and TURBO at the outset, but the point is: TURBO (or other induction) WILL cause SOME degradation, but NOT NECESSARILY EXCESSIVE. (10% is a pretty simple calculation... if your car WOULD have survived 200K, then shave 20K miles off it's similar lifespan with the boost.)

I think others here are making the MORE IMPORTANT point on SUB-SYSTEMS such as the TRANNY that may deteriorate more rapidly. I just consider THOSE components as "CONSUMABLES", which, in fact they ARE. Replacing with BETTER components is always a good idea, and would likely breath fresh life into a "higher" mileage vehicle ANYWAY... and WELCOME the added power as a package upgrade.

Just think BALANCE and PREVENTATIVE (or PREDICTIVE) maintenance.


Mind your "P's and Q's" and GO FOR IT.... I'd say. I'm at 56k miles with my gen 2, and I'd jump ALL OVER an s/c if one were available... I'd ALSO make OTHER upgrades to handle it, however.


-crisp

[Akfahad]

I say go for it if you can find one. I didn't have a whole lot of miles on my car when I put it on, maybe ~70,000mi. and now have 104,000...still running good. Again, my concern is the tranny, although it hasn't given me any problems as yet....

[trd4life]

If your an auto get a huge tranny cooler and put some synthetic ATF in there.

The E153 5speed transmission used in the v6 Camry/Solara/MR2 turbo can handle 600+whp on stock internals without a problem.

[SPF 0]

You don't think they'll be an issue with valve and ring sealing after 130,000 miles?

[SolAraB]

hey thnx a lot everyone... i really appreciate the feedback. I am leaning toward supercharging it cause like i said the engine is in great condition. Oil changes regularly. and o by the way its a 5 spd thats y i have no worries about transmission. my only worries are the ones posted right above this post ^^^^^^^

[CASTRO]

a little tip, you may want to do a compression test first if you are in doubt. With my camry, its been in the family since day 1. Even with that knowledge, I still did a compression test before attaching the s/c, and do a comp test every other year when the s/c comes off. So far, prefect compression and tranny is in great shape.