supercharging for road racing
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 2,526
Likes: 104
From: Stafford Va
supercharging for road racing
Does anyone have a supercharger and road race? I was talking with the techs and sales at ATI and asked them why they do not advertise their products for road racing and the response was "That's a good question." I have not seen any other company advertise their product for road racing either. I was concerned about the constant zero to full throttle and how they would stand up, next with the temp etc. Turbo-charging is used all the time in road racing. Comments welcomed
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,596
Likes: 19
From: Portland Oregon
Sometime ago there was a guy in Atlanta that had a 95 or 94 C4 with a 383 and a Vortec. He uses to road race that car at Road Atlanta alot and did well with it.
Going from 0 to full throttle I don't beleive would be a problem. For a procharger system that is intercooled it should work fine. As these centrifugal blowers as you may already know don't start building boost until the RPMs start to build up. Not sure how that would help you to come out of a corner, but for sure when you are in the straights with your foot to the wood its certainly going to help.
Going from 0 to full throttle I don't beleive would be a problem. For a procharger system that is intercooled it should work fine. As these centrifugal blowers as you may already know don't start building boost until the RPMs start to build up. Not sure how that would help you to come out of a corner, but for sure when you are in the straights with your foot to the wood its certainly going to help.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,596
Likes: 19
From: Portland Oregon
Originally Posted by vstol
thanks, pretty much what I expected, hoping someone comes up and says its great or nothing but trouble
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 2,526
Likes: 104
From: Stafford Va
Thanks for your comments. I am building a 64 Grand Sport and it has an LT4 with a hot cam in it. Need to get it on the road before more mods are done but... What supercharger are you currently using and going up to?
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 11,268
Likes: 14
From: Honolulu, HI
Personally, I'd stay away from a supercharger on a stock LT car. When the boost kicks in at around 3000RPM, it reeeeally kicks in and creates somewhat uncontrollable wheel spin on my G-Force KDW's.
In theory the Torque and HP curve are supposed to be very linear with a centrifugal blower, but like I said, I get wheel spin AFTER I leave the line once the car hits about 4500RPM in first. It just think it would create some hairy instances on a road course coming out of an apex.
In theory the Torque and HP curve are supposed to be very linear with a centrifugal blower, but like I said, I get wheel spin AFTER I leave the line once the car hits about 4500RPM in first. It just think it would create some hairy instances on a road course coming out of an apex.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 2,526
Likes: 104
From: Stafford Va
Thanks VVV90, I understand that the hp from the supercharger kicks in at a higher RPM, like many race engines, but thats where the fun is and it makes up for it in the straights. Which setup do you have and do you roadrace?
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 11,268
Likes: 14
From: Honolulu, HI
I do not roadrace so my opinion is in fact limited, but I think it would depend on what RPM you're in when you're taking turns.
My only real concern would be how quickly you could control rising RPM's (or your right foot) when exiting a turn and how the high torque of the blower would affect oversteer. Like I said, just in a straight line I can light both tires up effortlessly from a 30MPH roll. and the difference in torque when the boost kicks in vs. N/A is very quick.
There's no doubt that a blower would be great for the straight aways because the high RPM's and specifically 3rd gear is what the blower is great for!
I have P1-SC which has straight cut gears but is the best performing Procharger you can run on a stock LT1/4. But because of the straight cut impeller, it has to spin fast to make boost. (meaning, the engine RPM has to be between 3000-6000.) Vortech might make a lower boost application (6-8psi) that has a helixed impeller that could give you more boost at a lower RPM and make it more predictable on the road corse.
My only real concern would be how quickly you could control rising RPM's (or your right foot) when exiting a turn and how the high torque of the blower would affect oversteer. Like I said, just in a straight line I can light both tires up effortlessly from a 30MPH roll. and the difference in torque when the boost kicks in vs. N/A is very quick.
There's no doubt that a blower would be great for the straight aways because the high RPM's and specifically 3rd gear is what the blower is great for!
I have P1-SC which has straight cut gears but is the best performing Procharger you can run on a stock LT1/4. But because of the straight cut impeller, it has to spin fast to make boost. (meaning, the engine RPM has to be between 3000-6000.) Vortech might make a lower boost application (6-8psi) that has a helixed impeller that could give you more boost at a lower RPM and make it more predictable on the road corse.
Last edited by vvv90; Jul 20, 2004 at 03:21 PM.
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