Vision Function Kit Reliable? - LotusTalk

09EliseMW · 09-29-2009, 12:35 PM

so i just found out about this supercharger kit and i want it, bad.

ive spent hours on the forum looking for any reliability issues and wether or not its streetable for a daily driver. Anyone have this on their Elise as a daily driver? any issue with stalling, CEL, compatible with 09' model elise, anything else at all? any input would be outstanding.

depending on the responses i get, i may purchase this kit sometime next month. just need to find the time to drop off my car.

280hp on this car would give this car the power it deserves.

Demonized · 09-29-2009, 12:55 PM

A few people had CELs with the early ECU tune while on the highway at low throttle input, if I recall correctly. I think that's sorted though.

If you're dropping your car off at their shop, they might do a custom tune for it though, so any modifications you might want to pick up an exhaust, header, etc before you go, and have them put that in as well.

09EliseMW · 09-29-2009, 01:00 PM

do you know what kind of codes they were?

i dont think ill upgrade anything if i get the supercharger. trying to retain stock look. hopefully with this kit its not required to upgrade the headers and or exhaust.

antinym · 09-29-2009, 01:02 PM

mine stalled out a few times the first week or two, but it corrected itself. Other than that, I've had no issues at all.

Jean · 09-29-2009, 01:19 PM

To be honest, you won't have to upgrade anything(no clutch, at least with 2006 clutch and pressure plate) with the VF/VFII.
Jermaine (from VF) said a few months ago that a new/ upgraded tune was available to cure some issues but...what's up ?................

fpitas · 09-29-2009, 01:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 09EliseMW

do you know what kind of codes they were?

i dont think ill upgrade anything if i get the supercharger. trying to retain stock look. hopefully with this kit its not required to upgrade the headers and or exhaust.

Ask Jermaine to be sure, but I think you'll need a muffler appropriate for a supercharger. The stock muffler will be very restrictive with that much power.

Jean · 09-29-2009, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fpitas

Ask Jermaine to be sure, but I think you'll need a muffler appropriate for a supercharger. The stock muffler will be very restrictive with that much power.

Of course, a free flow exhaust and headers (with a costom tune) is better, but the tune is for a stock muffler and it WON'T be restrictive at all.

Don't think it's a 400 whp upgrade...The VF II is about the limit with a stock engine. (275whp)

ZTEC · 09-29-2009, 01:45 PM

The VF kit is by far the best kit avaiable for our cars! When a company buys a car just to build a kit around it you know they mean business and when they retain the services of CharlieX to give it a proper tune you know they have created a kit intended to be reliable and the intercooler system will keep the power and not lose it to heat soak. Lots of FI kits can claim HP bragging rights but keeping that power is what's really important and that's why an intercooled option will always be better than a non intercooled option!

stinkyonion · 09-29-2009, 02:14 PM

Actually Turbophil told me I had to change the exhaust, and I went with his recommended von Hep. Jermaine never mentioned it. I have had only minor issues with the kit, which likely would no longer occur. The new dipstick was wrong length (Jermaine sent another), and one of the hoses was too short (jermaine sent another). Also would recommend the thicker intake manifold gasket from monkeywrenchracing.com, otherwise have to grind on your manifold and/or vvt housing. Hopefully they have changed the manifold bolts by now, but if not could live with those bolts if you have the thickened gasket as should then only have to install once.

I have had some issues with the fuel pump upgrade but these are entirely of my own doing. I used a o-ring that I was told was fuel compatible (from local retailer) that then swelled and burst after 3 weeks use, and a checkvalve on the pump went bad likely from the dirt I got on the filter when I thought it was disposeable (it isnt, the one that comes with the pump doesnt fit) and threw it away only to fish out of trash 3 weeks later.

It is now a completely different car, and Im no longer embarrased by the lack of acceleration and wimpy engine noise. It accelerates like crazy, can spin tires in 1st and 2nd whenever, and sounds much improved (because of the air intake howl, supercharger whirr, lowered air/fuel ratio with increased gurgle/pop, and aftermarket exhaust).

I think I have the second VF2 kit sold, and have put three thousand miles on it with no CEL (other than fuel line issues as above, not really kit related) and no stalls.

Demonized · 09-29-2009, 02:33 PM

If you want it to look stock, you could always go with a Stage2 Exige S exhaust

Chili Red · 09-29-2009, 02:38 PM

Ive driven LordZ's VF Stage 3 kit on track and Ill I can say is it hauls some serious butt.. It seems to be dependable as he has not had any issues that Im aware of and he has tracked it quite a few times.

fpitas · 09-29-2009, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jean

Of course, a free flow exhaust and headers (with a costom tune) is better, but the tune is for a stock muffler and it WON'T be restrictive at all.

Don't think it's a 400 whp upgrade...The VF II is about the limit with a stock engine. (275whp)

None of the aftermarket NA mufflers are recommended for supercharged use, and the Exige S comes with a special muffler, but perhaps the stock muffler is accounted for in the VF II tune.

Jean · 09-29-2009, 02:59 PM

Reliable ? Yes it is.

09EliseMW · 09-29-2009, 06:27 PM

good good good. this is all good news. i actually drove up to see jermaine today in gaithersburg, im in fairfax at the moment. i think ill drop my car off on saturday. i would do the install myself with a friend but i just dont have the time at all to do it. and this being my only car puts me in a difficult position. i am definately going to be doing this upgrade. i cant wait to see what kind of acceleration this is going to have. i wonder if itll take on corvettes... a buddy of mine has a 2010 roush 427r and another one just bought a used corvette. i seem to be low man on the totum poll but after this.. i should be able to hang with the best of them.

thanks everyone for your inputs. hopefully by the end of next week ill have the car back and will be able to give you all a good write up on how it feels to drive a 280hp lotus elise. im sure itll be absolutely amazing.

one more thing... this will void my factory warranty, wont it... oh well. got to make sacrifices. i mean we all made some sacrafices when we bought the car, right? whats one more going to do? =)

Darth G-F · 09-29-2009, 06:37 PM

Warranty???

Well for anything that's related to drivetrain it is obviously gone. But if your windows don't roll down you'll still be covered.

09EliseMW · 09-29-2009, 08:44 PM

haha .. good enough for me. from what ive heard, this engine is amazing and it will last forever. i just want all the little things covered. powertrain im not to worried about.=)

RichardNHCooper · 09-29-2009, 09:03 PM

I upgraded from BWR (great kit) to VF stage 1 as my daily drive. It has been great apart from one incident at a track day when it dropped its circlip then the oil seal at the pulley end of the supercharger snout. This had not been seen before and they fixed it no questions asked. Graet kit with great follow up.

Darth G-F · 09-30-2009, 04:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 09EliseMW

haha .. good enough for me. from what ive heard, this engine is amazing and it will last forever. i just want all the little things covered. powertrain im not to worried about.=)

If you track your car, plan for a solution to cure fuel starvation on left hand turns (BOE swirl pot or S111 baffled tank).

Also a Moroso pan or Accusump would take care of oil starvation (on right hand turn iirc).

Then you're good.

09EliseMW · 09-30-2009, 10:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Darth G-F

If you track your car, plan for a solution to cure fuel starvation on left hand turns (BOE swirl pot or S111 baffled tank).

Also a Moroso pan or Accusump would take care of oil starvation (on right hand turn iirc).

Then you're good.

i dont plan on tracking my car at all. maybe once or twice. but it wont be something i do continuously. just need a little more 'umph' in my daily commute to where ever i need to go.

LordZ · 10-02-2009, 01:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chili Red

Ive driven LordZ's VF Stage 3 kit on track and Ill I can say is it hauls some serious butt.. It seems to be dependable as he has not had any issues that Im aware of and he has tracked it quite a few times.

11 months @ stage 3 and 6k miles

Other than having to raise my idle a bit to keep from stalling at lights I've been perfectly happy.

10 weekends of track, some with 105 degree track temps!

Stock motor, VF3 kit, moroso oil pan, ACT clutch, fidanza flywheel, amsoil oil.

09-29-2009, 12:35 PM	#1 (permalink)
09EliseMW Registered User Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Jacksonville, NC Posts: 75	Vision Function Kit Reliable? so i just found out about this supercharger kit and i want it, bad. ive spent hours on the forum looking for any reliability issues and wether or not its streetable for a daily driver. Anyone have this on their Elise as a daily driver? any issue with stalling, CEL, compatible with 09' model elise, anything else at all? any input would be outstanding. depending on the responses i get, i may purchase this kit sometime next month. just need to find the time to drop off my car. 280hp on this car would give this car the power it deserves. __________________ 18 sept 09: 2009 Lotus Elise Purist Manaco White. 15 oct 09: Factory Supercharger Kit 24 oct 09: green filter & snorkleless 22 oct 09: janspeed stage 2

09-29-2009, 12:55 PM	#2 (permalink)
Demonized NOT ßANNED! Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Colorado Posts: 1,546	A few people had CELs with the early ECU tune while on the highway at low throttle input, if I recall correctly. I think that's sorted though. If you're dropping your car off at their shop, they might do a custom tune for it though, so any modifications you might want to pick up an exhaust, header, etc before you go, and have them put that in as well. __________________ 2005 Saffron Yellow Elise, Katana Supercharger, LSS Wheels, 2Bular exhaust & cat, rear panel delete, Cup Airbox, Volt / Oil temp gauge, Ohlins double adjustable coilovers, Dual Oil Coolers, S111 RTD Brace, Moroso Oil Pan, MicroMirror, S111 "V-Force" Harness bar, Manly Engine Mounts, Odyssey PC680 & RLS Bracket, Saikou Michi OCC, CF Scoops, CF Bootlid, CF Front Lip. Last edited by Demonized : 09-29-2009 at 02:33 PM.

09-29-2009, 01:00 PM	#3 (permalink)
09EliseMW Registered User Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Jacksonville, NC Posts: 75	do you know what kind of codes they were? i dont think ill upgrade anything if i get the supercharger. trying to retain stock look. hopefully with this kit its not required to upgrade the headers and or exhaust. __________________ 18 sept 09: 2009 Lotus Elise Purist Manaco White. 15 oct 09: Factory Supercharger Kit 24 oct 09: green filter & snorkleless 22 oct 09: janspeed stage 2

09-29-2009, 01:45 PM	#8 (permalink)
ZTEC Third Eye Open Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Florida Posts: 1,738 Images: 3	The VF kit is by far the best kit avaiable for our cars! When a company buys a car just to build a kit around it you know they mean business and when they retain the services of CharlieX to give it a proper tune you know they have created a kit intended to be reliable and the intercooler system will keep the power and not lose it to heat soak. Lots of FI kits can claim HP bragging rights but keeping that power is what's really important and that's why an intercooled option will always be better than a non intercooled option! __________________ GO: Vision Function Stage II Intercooled Bliss with Charlie's ECU magic and Ronin's Tenacity! STOP: DBA 4000's, Porterfield R4! TURN: Nitron S/A's Toyo RA1's 225/245 on Rota's! Last edited by ZTEC : 09-29-2009 at 03:01 PM.

09-29-2009, 02:14 PM	#9 (permalink)
stinkyonion Registered User Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Oak Brook, IL Posts: 243 Images: 2	Actually Turbophil told me I had to change the exhaust, and I went with his recommended von Hep. Jermaine never mentioned it. I have had only minor issues with the kit, which likely would no longer occur. The new dipstick was wrong length (Jermaine sent another), and one of the hoses was too short (jermaine sent another). Also would recommend the thicker intake manifold gasket from monkeywrenchracing.com, otherwise have to grind on your manifold and/or vvt housing. Hopefully they have changed the manifold bolts by now, but if not could live with those bolts if you have the thickened gasket as should then only have to install once. I have had some issues with the fuel pump upgrade but these are entirely of my own doing. I used a o-ring that I was told was fuel compatible (from local retailer) that then swelled and burst after 3 weeks use, and a checkvalve on the pump went bad likely from the dirt I got on the filter when I thought it was disposeable (it isnt, the one that comes with the pump doesnt fit) and threw it away only to fish out of trash 3 weeks later. It is now a completely different car, and Im no longer embarrased by the lack of acceleration and wimpy engine noise. It accelerates like crazy, can spin tires in 1st and 2nd whenever, and sounds much improved (because of the air intake howl, supercharger whirr, lowered air/fuel ratio with increased gurgle/pop, and aftermarket exhaust). I think I have the second VF2 kit sold, and have put three thousand miles on it with no CEL (other than fuel line issues as above, not really kit related) and no stalls. __________________ 2006 polar blue Elise, VF stage II, clam hinge, von Hep exhaust, HID, Zeitronix/Dashdaq (GPS, wideband O2, EGT, fuel+oil pressure), BWR fuel rail, moroso oil pan, HD SS clutch, RTV brace, green wire mod, harnesses, Oddysey 625, alpine pdx-5, jvc avx77 head unit, jl speakers, voltmeter on dash, custom gauge pod, etc. Last edited by stinkyonion : 09-29-2009 at 02:22 PM.

09-29-2009, 01:02 PM	#4 (permalink)
antinym The Doombringer Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 656	mine stalled out a few times the first week or two, but it corrected itself. Other than that, I've had no issues at all.

09-29-2009, 01:19 PM	#5 (permalink)
Jean Registered User Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Québec, Canada Posts: 149	To be honest, you won't have to upgrade anything(no clutch, at least with 2006 clutch and pressure plate) with the VF/VFII. Jermaine (from VF) said a few months ago that a new/ upgraded tune was available to cure some issues but...what's up ?................

09-29-2009, 02:33 PM	#10 (permalink)
Demonized NOT ßANNED! Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Colorado Posts: 1,546	If you want it to look stock, you could always go with a Stage2 Exige S exhaust __________________ 2005 Saffron Yellow Elise, Katana Supercharger, LSS Wheels, 2Bular exhaust & cat, rear panel delete, Cup Airbox, Volt / Oil temp gauge, Ohlins double adjustable coilovers, Dual Oil Coolers, S111 RTD Brace, Moroso Oil Pan, MicroMirror, S111 "V-Force" Harness bar, Manly Engine Mounts, Odyssey PC680 & RLS Bracket, Saikou Michi OCC, CF Scoops, CF Bootlid, CF Front Lip.

09-29-2009, 02:38 PM	#11 (permalink)
Chili Red Registered User Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Houston, Tx Posts: 2,204	Ive driven LordZ's VF Stage 3 kit on track and Ill I can say is it hauls some serious butt.. It seems to be dependable as he has not had any issues that Im aware of and he has tracked it quite a few times. __________________ 2007 Exige S - Chili Red 2009 Mini Cooper S - Chili Red Gotham 265, Nitron Sport Pro, Moroso oil pan, RTVBrace, Volk CE28N/R888, Cup Wheels/A048, 2Bular Ultra 4", Rapfix II w/ Sparco P300, S111 CF Splitter, Ultradiscs, Pagid RS42, V-Force Harness Bar, Schroth PROFI II, Fire Extinguisher, Folding Tow Hook, Odyssey PC680, re-ENFORCER, LLumar 30% tint, Traqmate, DashDAQ, Chasecam, Alpine IVA-D100 w/ Backup Camera.

09-29-2009, 02:59 PM	#13 (permalink)
Jean Registered User Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Québec, Canada Posts: 149	Reliable ? Yes it is.

09-29-2009, 06:27 PM	#14 (permalink)
09EliseMW Registered User Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Jacksonville, NC Posts: 75	good good good. this is all good news. i actually drove up to see jermaine today in gaithersburg, im in fairfax at the moment. i think ill drop my car off on saturday. i would do the install myself with a friend but i just dont have the time at all to do it. and this being my only car puts me in a difficult position. i am definately going to be doing this upgrade. i cant wait to see what kind of acceleration this is going to have. i wonder if itll take on corvettes... a buddy of mine has a 2010 roush 427r and another one just bought a used corvette. i seem to be low man on the totum poll but after this.. i should be able to hang with the best of them. thanks everyone for your inputs. hopefully by the end of next week ill have the car back and will be able to give you all a good write up on how it feels to drive a 280hp lotus elise. im sure itll be absolutely amazing. one more thing... this will void my factory warranty, wont it... oh well. got to make sacrifices. i mean we all made some sacrafices when we bought the car, right? whats one more going to do? =) __________________ 18 sept 09: 2009 Lotus Elise Purist Manaco White. 15 oct 09: Factory Supercharger Kit 24 oct 09: green filter & snorkleless 22 oct 09: janspeed stage 2

09-29-2009, 06:37 PM	#15 (permalink)
Darth G-F Liberté! Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Quebec City Posts: 1,442	Warranty??? Well for anything that's related to drivetrain it is obviously gone. But if your windows don't roll down you'll still be covered. __________________ 2006 Ronin Supercharged Lotus Elise 2008 BMW 328Xi

09-29-2009, 08:44 PM	#16 (permalink)
09EliseMW Registered User Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Jacksonville, NC Posts: 75	haha .. good enough for me. from what ive heard, this engine is amazing and it will last forever. i just want all the little things covered. powertrain im not to worried about.=) __________________ 18 sept 09: 2009 Lotus Elise Purist Manaco White. 15 oct 09: Factory Supercharger Kit 24 oct 09: green filter & snorkleless 22 oct 09: janspeed stage 2

09-29-2009, 09:03 PM	#17 (permalink)
RichardNHCooper Registered User Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Perth, western Australia Posts: 54	I upgraded from BWR (great kit) to VF stage 1 as my daily drive. It has been great apart from one incident at a track day when it dropped its circlip then the oil seal at the pulley end of the supercharger snout. This had not been seen before and they fixed it no questions asked. Graet kit with great follow up. __________________ 2006 111R Elise,VF stg 1 supercharged,HIDs,Harness bar, LETSLA,Nitrons, Ferodo DS 2500,FF engine damper. Saikou Michi catch cans.Toyota MWR Transmission Lotus 6-spd 3.9:1 LSD Uprated clutch.

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