Head/Cam or Supercharger setup?
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 5,683
Likes: 1
From: Houston Texas
Head/Cam or Supercharger setup?
Hey guys, I was just wondering which setup has the most driveability and reliability issues? It seems like they are both in the same price range...I may be wrong. What are the differences in performance of the two? If I were to have 6-8k to spend, which way should I go?
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 20,474
Likes: 2
From: Detroit
If you are prepared to spend $6-8K with the goal of having a fast street car I would highly recommend a blower. If, on the other hand, your goal is to have a fast track car and are willing to put up with a high idle and a lopey cam then a H/C + headers + gear package would be ideal.
I have the ATI ProCharger D1SC with SIC ( Single InterCooler ) from ECS. The setup is very quiet in traffic. Provided you shift before 2500-3000 RPM's you don't even know there is a blower under the hood. When you hit 3000 RPM's at WOT make real sure that the wheel is straight
.
Feel free to email me if you have any questions on my blower setup.
Good luck,
Mark
I have the ATI ProCharger D1SC with SIC ( Single InterCooler ) from ECS. The setup is very quiet in traffic. Provided you shift before 2500-3000 RPM's you don't even know there is a blower under the hood. When you hit 3000 RPM's at WOT make real sure that the wheel is straight
.Feel free to email me if you have any questions on my blower setup.
Good luck,
Mark
Team Owner
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 25,346
Likes: 222
From: Frisco, TX
Anyone know what the typical price is for an install and tune of an ATI blower?
Depending on what it is, and unless you are planning to do the install yourself, then your budget might be tight for a blower.
In all cases, when you see prices for either h/c or blower, make sure you consider that a lot of people add other things that quickly add up (e.g., exhaust, rear gears, wheels, tires).
Good luck with your hunt. There's lots of debate in past threads, mostly friendly, about the pros/cons of h/c vs. forced induction.
Depending on what it is, and unless you are planning to do the install yourself, then your budget might be tight for a blower.
In all cases, when you see prices for either h/c or blower, make sure you consider that a lot of people add other things that quickly add up (e.g., exhaust, rear gears, wheels, tires).
Good luck with your hunt. There's lots of debate in past threads, mostly friendly, about the pros/cons of h/c vs. forced induction.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 840
Likes: 1
From: Tattood up and broke as F**K nc
a blower will give you much better street manners any day of the week. My vote is the Magnacharger. Perfectly streetable, ZERO problems with reliability, and will give you good track times if you ever want to take it there. Plus stop light to stop light, the torque is a monster and a blast to drive!!
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 1,343
Likes: 0
From: Charlotte NC
$4,500-$6,000 for a head/cam/header package, tuned.
$7,500-$9,000 for a typical blower tuned (no headers).
Sound about right? Plus your heads/cam are worth something used ($1200 roughly if they're from a Z06), and there is no better sound than a lumpy head/cam setup to scare people away!
$7,500-$9,000 for a typical blower tuned (no headers).
Sound about right? Plus your heads/cam are worth something used ($1200 roughly if they're from a Z06), and there is no better sound than a lumpy head/cam setup to scare people away!
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 5,683
Likes: 1
From: Houston Texas
Originally Posted by Weedo
$4,500-$6,000 for a head/cam/header package, tuned.
$7,500-$9,000 for a typical blower tuned (no headers).
Sound about right? Plus your heads/cam are worth something used ($1200 roughly if they're from a Z06), and there is no better sound than a lumpy head/cam setup to scare people away!
$7,500-$9,000 for a typical blower tuned (no headers).
Sound about right? Plus your heads/cam are worth something used ($1200 roughly if they're from a Z06), and there is no better sound than a lumpy head/cam setup to scare people away!
It's almost as if this decision has a lot to do with just the sound you want. The exotic whine of the SC, or the deep rumble of the H/C setup. Tuning issues seem to arise for both types, it's just something that has to be dealt with I guess.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 7,506
Likes: 0
From: Hillsborough NJ
No real right or wrong answer. You just need to weigh all the various scenarios. Reliability on S/C's will vary. The Mag is a "plug and play" blower and pretty much doesn't require babysitting after it's installed. A Procharger or Vortech blower will need monitoring of the belts. If you are a DYI'er, not to much of a problem. If not, then you want to live fairly close to your install shop and, depending on the amount and type of driving you do, have it inspected/adjusted accordingly.
H/C will be more reliable overall. However, that doesn't mean bad things can't potentially happen. But with the hardened parts now SOP for these installs the likelyhood of something dropping has greatly decreased.
Bear in mind, from a HP perpective, a blower will get you more than a H/C set up. How much more usable that added power is has been debated by others in other threads.
H/C will be more reliable overall. However, that doesn't mean bad things can't potentially happen. But with the hardened parts now SOP for these installs the likelyhood of something dropping has greatly decreased.
Bear in mind, from a HP perpective, a blower will get you more than a H/C set up. How much more usable that added power is has been debated by others in other threads.
Pro
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 657
Likes: 1
From: michigan
Originally Posted by Geneus
No real right or wrong answer. You just need to weigh all the various scenarios. Reliability on S/C's will vary. The Mag is a "plug and play" blower and pretty much doesn't require babysitting after it's installed. A Procharger or Vortech blower will need monitoring of the belts. If you are a DYI'er, not to much of a problem. If not, then you want to live fairly close to your install shop and, depending on the amount and type of driving you do, have it inspected/adjusted accordingly.
H/C will be more reliable overall. However, that doesn't mean bad things can't potentially happen. But with the hardened parts now SOP for these installs the likelyhood of something dropping has greatly decreased.
Bear in mind, from a HP perpective, a blower will get you more than a H/C set up. How much more usable that added power is has been debated by others in other threads.
H/C will be more reliable overall. However, that doesn't mean bad things can't potentially happen. But with the hardened parts now SOP for these installs the likelyhood of something dropping has greatly decreased.
Bear in mind, from a HP perpective, a blower will get you more than a H/C set up. How much more usable that added power is has been debated by others in other threads.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 20,474
Likes: 2
From: Detroit
Originally Posted by MelloYellow
If you get into a SC be prepared for all kinds of tuning headaches and a higher overall cost.
. I have had *no* tuning issues whatsoever with my blower setup. Mine idles like stock and drives like stock under 3000 RPM's. If you are having tuning issues then hire a tuner that knows what he is doing..Cheers,
Mark
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 840
Likes: 1
From: Tattood up and broke as F**K nc
Originally Posted by mdhmi
That is absolute . I have had *no* tuning issues whatsoever with my blower setup. Mine idles like stock and drives like stock under 3000 RPM's. If you are having tuning issues then hire a tuner that knows what he is doing..
Cheers,
Mark
. I have had *no* tuning issues whatsoever with my blower setup. Mine idles like stock and drives like stock under 3000 RPM's. If you are having tuning issues then hire a tuner that knows what he is doing..Cheers,
Mark
I never had one tuning issue with my Mag. All I hear about is how rough and NON-streetable their heads/cam car is.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 3,296
Likes: 30
From: Friendswood, Tx
Originally Posted by mdhmi
That is absolute . I have had *no* tuning issues whatsoever with my blower setup. Mine idles like stock and drives like stock under 3000 RPM's. If you are having tuning issues then hire a tuner that knows what he is doing..
Cheers,
Mark
. I have had *no* tuning issues whatsoever with my blower setup. Mine idles like stock and drives like stock under 3000 RPM's. If you are having tuning issues then hire a tuner that knows what he is doing..Cheers,
Mark
Zero probs with tuning here too. Just has to be done right the first time. 
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 7,248
Likes: 0
I wouldn't have it any other way and prefer FI vs. H/C. The cost is higher tho and I don't think most people know what they are getting into. Things are sugar coated in this forum too much. FI definitely is higher maintenance and higher probability things can go wrong.
Roots can be a bit more reliable then Centrifugal over time at the cost of top end power.
Roots can be a bit more reliable then Centrifugal over time at the cost of top end power.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 788
Likes: 1
From: Lombard IL
80/85lbs. I checked my wheel well height before the Mag was installed. I was 27 1/4 before and now it is at 26 3/4. I was kind of hoping for that because after lowering the car with stock adjustments, I thought the front was still a little to high but I did not want to go through the hassle of cutting the bushings etc. 
Navigator
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
From: Fremont CA
Originally Posted by RWH
80/85lbs. I checked my wheel well height before the Mag was installed. I was 27 1/4 before and now it is at 26 3/4. I was kind of hoping for that because after lowering the car with stock adjustments, I thought the front was still a little to high but I did not want to go through the hassle of cutting the bushings etc. Troy