Rich Z,
Here is my experience with Next Level Performance
(Mike Norris).
When i decided to supercharge the vette i tryed to do my home work and not make the mistakes that many have made of buying and installing mods just to take them back off because they were not adequate to go with other mods.
When i decided to supercharge i knew from all the reading on other forums that i was going with either the A&A or ECS kit.
I decided on the ECS kit because it was a more complete kit and if i decided later i wanted more power it had the capability without having to spend ton of money.
So i called Chris at ECS and ordered one.
I was going to attempt the install myself but after receiving the kit and looking through the instructions i thought i would rather have a professional do it plus instead of pulling the chip out and sending it to ECS it would get dyno tuned as well.
Again after reading all the post about how great Next Level Performance was and the fact i only live about 60 miles from them i called Mike and spoke to him about installing it.
I told him my goal was to get as much horsepower as possible but reliability was more important than anything.
(Not to many people want to blow up there vette).
In our conversation he probably said five times he prefers Andy's kit, He said he thinks the 60 lb injectors were to much and with andy"s kit you have to make it give you MORE boost where with ECS's kit you have to make it give you LESS boost. Thats when i told him if i decided later i wanted more power it had the capability without having to spend ton of money.
Asked Mike if they do a base dyno run and he said yes
So we scheduled the install.
Brought the car in as scheduled and they took in right in and started working on it
First thing that pissed me off was the next day i get a phone call saying my car is a 2004 and it has the newer power steering bracket and it has to be removed to cut it unlike the older ones that you can cut on the car and it was going to cost $175 more than i was quoted.
(Is this the first 2004 they have ever installed a supercharger on ?)
Went to pick up the car and they tried to charge me more money yet for installing a customer supplied fuel pump.
I told them if they installed it then they supplied it cause i sure didn't.
They deleted the charge.
I then asked for the dyno sheets (no base run) and was told they didn't run a base dyno.
To this day i have still not received all the parts from the kit that i asked and paid for ie
il pan taps.
After all that,
When i left there shop i was a happy camper.
Driving home in Orlando traffic i was afraid to test out my new found power till a 2005 vette went flying by on the expressway and slowed down to taunt me.
So we played around for about 5 miles or so and i decided to check my temps and oil was at like 239 so i backed it down to about 65.
Never dropped till i got off the exp
Next day i was driving along and put my foot to the wood and my boost guage started flashing at me,
backed off right away when a stopped i checked the max boost and seen 13 lbs.
Well it was a Sat so Mon i called Mike and he asked if that happened between 1st and 2nd or 2nd and 3rd i said i didn't remember so his response was try it between 2nd and 3rd and see if it happens.
Well we were working in St. Augustine at the time and i didn't want to try it on any unfamiliar roads so i decided to wait till we got back home.
Got home went to go out for the evening driving down (speed limit 45)
Car in front doing about 30,
Went to pass (put my foot in it)
Boost gauge started flashing at me again.
Let off the gas and coasted to the stop sign,,car died.
Got it back home ran a compression test and 3 and 4 cyl were around 90 with 3 spitting water out the spark plug hole.
Pulled the heads and 3 and 5 pistons are broke.
4 has a valve stuck open (think it is a piece of one of the pistons holding it open).
Come to find out there was no restrictor plate installed.
Called Mike and his response was well if ECS didn't send it in the kit and it is not in there instructions my guys wouldn't have known to put it in so it is not our fault.
I have had several phone conversations with him and ECS.
In one conversation he said it could be the injectors.
ECS said they have NEVER had a otron injector go bad let alone two on the same car.
I asked Mike how much boost he see on the dyno and he said 11lbs.
I asked
n a stock bottom end ?
His response was (well guys want as much power as they can get)
Again i spoke to ECS and there response was (I would have never let that car out the door running that much boost)
Bottom line he installed it tuned it and won't stand behind his work.
Now after spending almost 10 grand on a supercharger install here goes another 10 grand on a new motor.
Car is a 2004 a4 with 17000 miles, 500 since supercharger install out of that 300 to 400 is highway.
I have since spoken with other corvette forum members and it seems i am not the first.
But when these people pay to be on them sites moderators don't want you talking bad about them.
I have no problems with Andy from A&A or anyone from ECS.
I think both of these places are great and all the people that work there.
I just wish i would have taken my car to one of them as they
ARE PROFESSIONALS.
Sorry for the long winded post but thats my 10 grand worth
Next Level Performance (Inquiry)
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