Pwdr Extreme

Hi all, new to the forum. I have an '07 LS2 A6 convertible I am going to supercharge, looking for some advice.

I'm planning on a centri because I'm not planning on drag racing or putting a wide body kit on, right now it will melt the tires, not sure I need more off the line torque. As I understand it, that's the biggest advantage with a roots style blower?

I'm thinking either an A&A or an ECS, possibly a Procharger. Naturally they all they they are the best, I'm looking for recommendations.

I'm leaning towards Kooks 1 7/8" headers, an off-road X pipe (I'm in Montana) and a Borla system II s-type exhaust. Willing to look at other systems as well. I don't want excessively loud, but I certsinly want to be able to hear it.

Ultimately I'd like to be in the 600rwhp range, but not wanting to run Meth or really high boost. Nor do any internal motor or tranny mods. As I said, I don't plan on drag racing, just looking for good roll on acceleration and top speed.

Does this seem feasible? Any and all input appreciated!

Streetk14

Lots and lots of good info in this forum if you search. I'd do as much research as possible before buying anything.

As to the advantage of a PD style blower, you get a much flatter boost curve. This tends to make them more fun at a given boost level vs. a centri. You get a flat torque curve and extremely linear power. A centri's boost will climb as the revs increase, and the torque curve will usually climb until it peaks and starts to plateau at ~5000 rpm or so. Instead of horsepower being related directly to rpm, you get a significantly harder pull as the revs build.

For a street car, I like a PD better. I'd say you have it backwards, though. If you were racing it all the time, I'd go centri all the way. For a street car, I'd go PD. The rpm range you like to use is important IMO to which style of system will suite you better. Either way, you'll need better tires.

My 2 cents.... If you want a centri system, get an ECS kit. If you want something in the PD design, get a Heartbeat. Neither one is likely to make 600 rwhp in an A6 car, though. The typical pump gas (i.e. restrictor plate/9 psi)) ECS A6 car seems to make around 550 rwhp with headers. You'll need more octane (meth or better fuel) to reliably handle more boost than that. A blower cam could be another option that could add 40 rwhp or so.

Do your research

ATLS2

Do the cam and meth, you get like 100whp for that little investment.

NormWild

Pretty simple really, go with an A&A or ECS kit, but first find out who has the closest authorized installer and then choose which one. The support after the install in important, and it sucks if you have to try and get the car to a shop that is three hours away if you have problems.

The PD vs. Centri debate is age old and lots of fun threads surrounding this topic here, you can do the reading.

Personally, I think PD blowers are great on a Camaro or Challenger, for a light car like the vette I think the Centri is a better choice. Plus I didn't want to be limited on how much top end HP I could make.

old motorhead

I'd sure stick to a Corsa Sport or NPP exhaust. With LT headers and no cats, you're a prime candidate for some gosh awful drone with some of the other systems. They all sound good at WOT, the trick is for it to be civilized when you're cruising.

Nosferatu

I've driven both kind of cars and prefer the centri. More usable power for day to day use. Keeps you driving with stock drivability but when you get on it it's hold on.

Best advice given here


As for the power curve, here's my centri's. Plenty of linear power building up and it builds all the way to redline. Keep in mind this is a Mustang dyno so Dynojet is usually about 5% higher. I'm just about around 600RWHP with just headers and the ECS kit. Granted you're an LS2 and automatic you may need a little more but that's all that's on mine.

DOUG @ ECS

Feel free to give us a call if you would like to discuss options or if you are in need of one of installers or tuners.

Pwdr Extreme

So the lack of cats can cause a drone? That might be reason enough to keep them.

Here in Montana, I don't know of any installers or tuners. I'm fairly handy with a wrench, but obviously never installed a supercharger, done a ton with turbos on diesel trucks. For D.I.Y. Does one kit offer any advantages over the other?

I'm not overly interested in Meth because of how I will use the car, trips to Vegas, Sunday strolls with the top down, etc. I might get into racing with our local SCCA, but that would change the game entirely. I may add a cam later if I get the bug for more power.

Streetk14

No cats definitely makes the exhaust louder with all else being equal. I think they might increase the drone level as well. I'm with stupid ^^^ , NPP or Corsa Sports if you want to guarantee no drone. I just like the NPP's ability to keep things totally quiet if I want. My car with catted headers and NPP mufflers is plenty loud. No problem being heard, that's for sure. But it's also whisper quiet if I want it to be.

For the supercharger systems, I've installed both styles on a C6. The A&A system I installed was a lot more work than the Magnuson system. Just a lot more cutting and playing around with fitment and alignment issues. The Magnuson system was basically a straight forward bolt-on deal. Lots of little steps, but basically no cutting or drilling. The A&A system made me cut all kinds of things. The ECS install is very similar from what I've seen in the instructions.

If you have good mechanical abilities and a tool set to match, then you should be fine installing either. My advice is to take your time and do things in small steps. For a DIY installer in an area without any reputable tuners, I'd give the advantage to a system like the Heartbeat or E-Force. These include hand held tuners to flash a "canned" tune. While A&A and ECS will provide a base tune with their systems, I don't think they include any way to flash the PCM. You'd need HP Tuners (or other tuning software) or have a local tuner shop do it for you.

Pwdr Extreme

Thanks all for the input! Thinking long and hard about what Street said in regards to drive ability, and some PM's I received, I think I'm going to go with a PD blower. I've owned several turbo'd and factory supercharged rigs, so I'm just used to that instant (or close to it with variable vane turbos) surge of torque. My Mercedes S AMG had more pull than the Vette does, so I know I would be disappointed if I put a Centri on and it didn't pull hard till way up in the revs.

So I went looking for a Heartbeat, no luck for an LS2. Looks like a Whipple is what I'm going to go with. I didn't want to be topped out with an Edelbrock in case I decide I want more later. After talking to a couple guys, I will probably do a Cam after all, I'm halfway there on the install doing the blower anyway. Recommendations on a good street able blower cam? Still gonna stay away from meth though.

After talking to some guys about the type II Borlas, it seems that new design was to combat the drone. I've got a set of 1 7/8 Kooks, off road x-pipe and S-type II on the way.

Now to find a tuner around here that can tune it for the exhaust right now, the Whipple will be the winter project. Anybody know a good tuner in the Bozeman, MT area?

Thanks!

Ps. Which Meth kit do I want?

NormWild

Good luck with the install, not sure I've heard much at all on this forum about the Whipple, not many people running them. Lot's of cool hood options available, which you will need.

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...m-popular.html

old motorhead

Don't forget you need a new hood with the Whipple. And I'd rethink that "no meth" thing once you get over 9psi. That's assuming you have access to decent 93 octane fuel. If you only have 91 octane, I'd probably get the meth installed with the blower. The consensus meth pick around here is the Alky Control system. I've had two of them that worked well and a Snow system that didn't.

For a cam, I'd stay in the low 220's on the intake and mid 230's on the exhaust. 115 to 118 on the LSA. Go bigger if you want a hard lope, shake, and surge. I like the blower to make the power and the cam to supplement it. I hate f/i rigs dominated by a huge lumpy cam. Not my cup of tea. Some wouldn't have it any other way though. The blower is going to limit your power. A stupid acting cam will make little if any more power than a better mannered one.

I'm using a 224/234 116+2 LXL lobed Comp custom ground cam under my Heartbeat blower. It does have a rough idle, but no shake and surge. I've had bigger and smaller cams and this one fits me perfectly. Nice quiet valve train which should translate into a long lived and trouble free valve train. If you wanted a "shelf" cam, this one would work well http://www.lingenfelter.com/mm5/merc...1#.VCVRS7l0w5s Having Pat G spec you a cam is a good option if you want to go custom.

DOUG @ ECS

A PD blower on a Corvette...


To each his own!

Pwdr Extreme

No kidding! What was GM thinking when they built the ZR1!

old motorhead

Ha! and they just don't learn. The new C7 Z06 will have a smaller TVS blower. Dumb asses

DOUG @ ECS

I'm tuning a E Force now and I just really dislike the feel of the car, and if I had a ZR1 I would pull the roots off.

To each his own.. I would put a roots on my heavy DD though!

Pwdr Extreme

Lol!

Hey Doug, my biggest reason in thinking PD is mainly based on what I'm used to feeling with my AMG Mercedes, granted its a much heavier car but it just pulls harder down low. The Vette disappoints me till I'm up in the 5 grand area. Does the fact that I'm in thin air 5,000' make the big difference on that front? I just love the fact the Mercedes pulls hard "in any gear, at any RPM"

As I'm understanding the Centri isn't really doing anything till 3,000 and pulling hard above 4-5k?

EvanZR1

Wouldn't say that, my A&A with V3-Si gained 43ft-lbs at 2,500rpm and it just keeps growing from there.

Detoxx03

Or gut it and use it as an intake

DOUG @ ECS

As already mentioned, the centrifugal will gain across the entire RPM range, just more up top.

Keep in mind also that both the ZR1 and your AMG was built for the low end boost by dropping compression substantially. Adding a roots blower to a car with high compression is very tough on the engine when at full boost and low RPM.

Although the last part is fact, my preferring a centri blower is simply opinion. I do however get the luxury of driving/tuning Corvettes all day basically. Every combination, every build imaginable. So if your opinion varies from mine that's certainly no problem, but at least know my opinion is coming from someone who drives these non stop, so at least it's not just someone promoting what is on their car like I see so often.

Enjoy your build!