I am interested in buying a supercharger for my 2000 C5. Which one is the best one? And, is it worth it?

 

Could you be any more vague? Get the D1SC from
ECS and be done with it. With any SC kit expect to spend a good $10K by the time all is said and done.

Mark

 

Sorry for being so vague but I am new to this and really didn't know what else to ask. In the future, I will try to be more specific. Also, I suggest you try to be a little more understanding of the various levels of expertise on the forum. Not everyone is as educated as you might be about performance issues!!

 

Check out the FI/Nitrous forum. There is TONS of info to be learned in there just from reading the posts. This area (Perf Results) will help you get an idea of what to expect in terms of numbers and output.

I'm currently looking into superchargers right now as well. From my last month's worth of research, I'll try to sum it up in a nutshell.

Your choices:
-Magnacharger (http://www.lingenfelter.com/lingenfe...25&pf%5Fid=595)

Pros: Reliable, quiet at idle, fun, streetable
Cons: Not as much power output as other systems, requires an aftermarket hood (some see this as a "Pro" though)

-ATI (https://www.aandacorvette.com/cart/s...p?MainCatID=18)

Pros: More powerful, more "tuneable" than other systems
Cons: Complex install, has some reported reliability issues

-Vortech (http://www.thelapd.com/Merchant2/mer...egory_Code=VTS)

Pros: Powerful, reported as reliable, relatively quiet
Cons: Very expensive, not a lot of people using them so not as much community "support"

And then there is the twin turbo route...
The most popular kit would be the LPE Twin Turbo kit (http://www.lingenfelter.com/pac550ttls1y.asp)

Pros: Tons of power
Cons: VERY EXPENSIVE

The bottom line is it boils down to:

1. How much are you willing to spend? As was mentioned, expect to spend at least $10,000 for a minimal setup regardless of choice.

2. What are your goals for the car? Are you looking for extreme power output (500hp or more?) or reliable, streetable fun?

Do you race? If so, what kind? 1/4 mile? Autocross/track? Street?

3. How many other parts of the car are you willing to upgrade to accommodate your power gains? Eg., Are you going to build up the motor for extreme power (connecting rods, pistons, etc)? What about the driveline (eg. Transmission and rear-end)? Most folks upgrade the rear along with a forced induction mod. Some upgrade the tranny too. But the rear is the weakest link. Also, the fuel system will require upgrading in most cases.

If I were going to do a supercharger today (read: If I had the money right now), I'd go with a Magnacharger. I want streetable, reliable, and fun. I don't go to the track much, and if I do it is autocrossing more than 1/4 mile. If I make between 400-450 at the wheels with relatively conservative tuning (read: reliable), I will be happy. I plan to upgrade the rear-end with a heavy duty assembly and 3.42 or 3.73 gears. And most shops offer Magnacharger kits that include many of the parts I will need for the buildup, including injectors, fuel pump and hood. And I have the added benefit of an excellent LPE-authorized shop just down the road (21st Century Muscle Cars) who can do the work. I'm anticipating $15-$17,000 when all is said and done, including the buildup, the rear-end, tuning, and other add-ons.

Hope this helps! Good luck! And feel free to ask questions. That's what we're here for! Just try to keep the FI stuff in the FI lounge and you'll get more responses.

 

Thanks so much!!!

 

Is it worth it? Oh yea! There is no substitute for cubic inches, Except for force fed cubic inches. I struggled to spin the tires in my stock '99 A4. Now I spin them at 60 mph and often. If you want a reliable system that can safely give you ~500hp and yet not use anymore fuel than stock engine (normal driving of course) and no funky cam shaft lope there is one answer. A&A ATI kit. you can install as a DIY for under $7000 complete.
Call Andy and discuss your situation. You won't find better customer service before and after the sale. How often can you say that.

A&A

 

I just bought one from Andy at A&A Corvette Specialties Great guy to deal with.

 

what does that do for performance ?

 

Jim, At 66 years old it's too late to explain it to you. But I'll try. By adding 190 extra horse power I have lots of power to push the vette to it's limits. Yes this includes punching the gas at 50 mph and breaking traction all the way up to 70 mph just for giggles. I think it's fun as well as many others who have experienced the same exhilarating feeling of TOOOO much power. But that's just straight line performance. Toss in some Z06 sway bars, a few extra suspension parts and now I corner like I'm on rails.

Now, What's your point? These are sports cars not caddys.

 

Sorry - I wasn't trying to pick on you. SmokeyTirez is right on the money with his write-up. Regardless of which setup you go with it's expensive. Here are a few items to keep in mind:

-- Valve springs
-- Gauges ( boost + fuel )
-- Clutch if you have an M6 / hardened tranny if you have an A4
-- Cooler plugs
-- Racetronix fuel pump or BAP.
-- Injectors
-- Tuning
-- Catch can.

Good luck,

Mark

 

This is the most important variable, I have the Magnacharger and love it, it's a great supercharger for having fun on the street but don't expect it to produce results on the dragstrip and you can alomst forget about autocross or road course's, with all of the torque down low it would be almost impossible to keep it planted to the ground.

If you plan on racing this then get a Vortech or Pro Charger where the torque builds up over the entire power band

 

Hey Doc, What's wrong with a Caddy?

 

Nothing is wrong with a Caddy as a daily driver .

Mark

 

Not a thing, if you're in the "BLUE HAIR CLUB" or Farting dust.