Down Side to Super Chargers
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 7,370
Likes: 8
From: Slave to the evil empire
Cruise-In V Veteran
St. Jude Donor '04
Originally Posted by AU N EGL
I rember a guy like this at VIR this past summer. He had a magnacharged SC in is car. It was very very fast the first morning, Fast the first afternoon. We were passing him the second morning and the second afternoon he was not running.
He never finished a 30 min run and went in early on all runs. Why? he said tooo much heat, his coolent and especialy his oil temp was sky high. Also he waisted two sets of new brake pads and a set of rotors. I think the pads where ZO6 pads.
His big downfall was heat. He said the road course was fun but was going to stick to drag racing, no corners.
He never finished a 30 min run and went in early on all runs. Why? he said tooo much heat, his coolent and especialy his oil temp was sky high. Also he waisted two sets of new brake pads and a set of rotors. I think the pads where ZO6 pads.
His big downfall was heat. He said the road course was fun but was going to stick to drag racing, no corners.
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 166
Likes: 0
From: Folsom California
Modern superchargers are pretty well designed. Unless you use to much boost, cost is the only downside to getting one.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 37,048
Likes: 69
From: This city NEVER sleeps! Frank's back yard!
Originally Posted by Richin Chicago
I have to ask. Have you run a "add on" supercharged car on a roadcourse all day? I can't remember anybody making it. It's usually the auto transmission that has trouble first but right behind that is coolant problems. Also, few good roadcourse drivers, that are at it long run their engines "at or close to redline" repeatedly if they intend to do this kind of actvity on a repeated basis. Come out to the track with us. The C5 with the hood up missing a lot of the sessions, is usually, the one that is supercharged. Just my, "misinformed", 4+ years of instructing.
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 4,411
Likes: 1
From: Wilmington NC
Originally Posted by hltambur
So, if someone is willing to spend ~$20K (SC, heads, forged short block, in tank fuel pump, injectors, performance clutch/tranny kit, hardened output shaft, tuning, and lots o tires), there shouldn't be any real problems, right?
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 4,411
Likes: 1
From: Wilmington NC
Originally Posted by DDSLT5
Not personally, but have seen it done repeatedly. Too many variables for such a discussion, but bottom line, if properly set-up, and not driven beyond the limits of the tires, a supercharged set-up should last and perform well. Stock, of course, is less stressful on the motor - but less powerful too!
I guess we are going to have to agree to disagree. In the 5+ years of, twice monthly track time, I have never seen a SC car that could stay on the track for an entire day/evening session. And this was with cars that had far more than just bolt on SC's. I'm sure there are cars that do it but they have far more invested than the original question asked about. I guess I am "misinformed" but I have a lot of company.
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 106
Likes: 0
Superchargers
I won't have a Supercharged daily driver again..... HEAT kills HP in these cars.
My experience is with the blue-oval:
Combo 1 - Powerdyne S/C, heads, intake, cam 6 then 9psi of boost.
Combo 2 - Vortech S-trim, heads, intake, cam, race trans, etc.... 13psi of boost.
Power was fabulous in cool weather, or if until the motor was heatsoaked in 85+ deg weather.
Issues w/centifugal blowers:
1. Tuning - PITA. Atmospheric conditions dramatically affected how the car performed. A conservative street tune would get hammered by heat. A hot-racing tune will risk detonation to the untrained operator.... or bad gas. If you like to tinker go for it. If you want plug and play... stay away unless you're happy with a conservative street tune.
2. Heat - Did I say heat? Don't try running Houston rush hour traffic in the summer w/12psi of boost and AC crankin!!!! Get ready to bolt on cooling upgrades..... and have the heat soak issues. You can feel the heat through the dash.... (at least I could through my po-***** fo-mo-co stang).
3. Noise - The S-trim got old (as a daily driver).... was great for w/e warrior. Wife hated it.....
4. Extra crap on the motor.... extra belts, bypass valves, vac hoses, FMU's, Boost Retards, and other trickery got OLD fast.... trusting my motor to diaphrams and boost retarder boxes got old. Maybe the "new" techonlogy GM stuff handles this better.
5. Blown headgaskets...... run too much: BOOST, TIMING, LEAN FUEL.... and head gasket is gone..... OR worse... piston, rod.etc.....
6. Wgt - 50-65 lbs of extra stuff on your lightwgt vette..... not my cup o tea.
I'd go stroker anyday.
Went from S-trim to 347 stroker in the stang..... and was much happier, and talk about throttle response.... sweet.
Now S/C guys.... don't flame me.... this is just my experience with blowers/strokers and the blue-oval.
Maybe the general has all of this worked out
My experience is with the blue-oval:
Combo 1 - Powerdyne S/C, heads, intake, cam 6 then 9psi of boost.
Combo 2 - Vortech S-trim, heads, intake, cam, race trans, etc.... 13psi of boost.
Power was fabulous in cool weather, or if until the motor was heatsoaked in 85+ deg weather.
Issues w/centifugal blowers:
1. Tuning - PITA. Atmospheric conditions dramatically affected how the car performed. A conservative street tune would get hammered by heat. A hot-racing tune will risk detonation to the untrained operator.... or bad gas. If you like to tinker go for it. If you want plug and play... stay away unless you're happy with a conservative street tune.
2. Heat - Did I say heat? Don't try running Houston rush hour traffic in the summer w/12psi of boost and AC crankin!!!! Get ready to bolt on cooling upgrades..... and have the heat soak issues. You can feel the heat through the dash.... (at least I could through my po-***** fo-mo-co stang).
3. Noise - The S-trim got old (as a daily driver).... was great for w/e warrior. Wife hated it.....
4. Extra crap on the motor.... extra belts, bypass valves, vac hoses, FMU's, Boost Retards, and other trickery got OLD fast.... trusting my motor to diaphrams and boost retarder boxes got old. Maybe the "new" techonlogy GM stuff handles this better.
5. Blown headgaskets...... run too much: BOOST, TIMING, LEAN FUEL.... and head gasket is gone..... OR worse... piston, rod.etc.....
6. Wgt - 50-65 lbs of extra stuff on your lightwgt vette..... not my cup o tea.
I'd go stroker anyday.
Went from S-trim to 347 stroker in the stang..... and was much happier, and talk about throttle response.... sweet.
Now S/C guys.... don't flame me.... this is just my experience with blowers/strokers and the blue-oval.
Maybe the general has all of this worked out
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 20,474
Likes: 2
From: Detroit
Originally Posted by abailey269
What kind of trap speeds are you guys seeing making 500-550rwhp with these supercharged applications?
Mark
