I am considering supercharging my Vette. HP Sales gave me quotes for an A & A unit and a Procharger, either black or polished. Can you guys tell me what are the pros and cons of each? I would imagine that the polished unit runs hotter than the black one, but that would be an assumption. Opinions are welcome. I know the drivetrain warranty will be toast, so nobody needs to tell me about that. I also know the pros and cons of a Top mounted unit like Edelbrock. However, that one is a bit more than I want to spend. Thoughts?

 

They are both good units. I have the ProCharger D1SC, with helical gears, race intake and in black. While you'll get many opinions on why one is better than the other, truth be told all four s/c units are outstanding. I'm very pleased with mine, that's for sure.

I went with ProCharger over brand x, due to the amount of testing and R&D on their products. It was enough to put me in their camp. I called all the customer service lines, and also liked the support I received from ProCharger.

I also installed Kooks LT headers with catted x-pipe. Great combination.

Good luck and remember, whichever way you go, you can't go wrong!

 

Love my a&a kit. My installer/tuner has had good luck with them in the past. The blow off valve noise is kinda loud but I like it. I went with their black kit for a stealthy look..made 419 to the wheels stock and 565 after. Mine is an m7 car. No problems except for traction

 

I'd go Procharger.

 

I knew both units were solid.

It may be a challenge but it would help if someone had bad luck with theirs.

I guess that is kudos to both A&A and Procharger that I can't find an unhappy customer for either!!!

What about polished vs black. Any heat problems? It gets a little hot where I live.

 

I have had first hand experience with all three of the major suppliers of centri blower systems at this point and of the three ECS comes in first with A&A as a close second and procharger as the runner up. I consider ECS to be the top dog because it offers the largest head unit in it's base package, the restrictor plate design makes the most torque down low, and they have the best tensioner design of the 3. It's the same tensioner they have been using in the c5/6 kits and it is a monster.

Since you did not ask about ECS though, my vote would go to A&A. The kit is very well thought out and uses top quality parts. It's also the only one of all 3 kits that includes a real SFI crank pulley as a standard part of the kit. The customer service you will receive from Andy is second to none. I've called Andy at 9pm on a Saturday night and he is always willing to talk or work through any issues you may have. Same can be said for Doug over at ECS.

I will say that the procharger kit installs well and well thought out. But I strongly dislike the small head unit it comes with (regardless of some impressive numbers ive seen posted) and I really hate the tensioner design. It does go in easy and work ok though. Im just a Procharger hater though, so take that with a grain of salt.

Do yourself a favor. Research it on this website and then call some of the shops that build the biggest and baddest corvettes in the country like LMR or Vengeance and get their opinions on what they feel works best. Consult the professionals that have no skin in the game and no reason to lean one way or another aside from what works best and what doesn't, you will find a clear cut answer to the decision you need to make.

 

I had an A & A kit on my C6 and was very impressed with the quality and performance. And you can expect excellent service. I am leaning towards Procharger for my C7 because: 1. the system installs without touching any of the factory fluids or having to move the anti-lock brakes. And comes with all the stuff you need to go back to stock when you are done playing. 2. They have a 4 1/2 core intercooler, lower IAT's. 3. They performed real world track testing, so you can choose exactly the package that fits your style.

Seems like all the Centri kits work well, pick one and have some fun!

 

Your worried about draining the antifreeze but not about removing the nose off the car to do the install. The few minutes to move the anti lock block is trivial and can be moved back. For the slim chance of ever going back to stock its a non issue. Very few ever do and at this point there are plenty of barely used parts form guys that have done cold air setups and the like. If you really wanted to back to stock getting the parts is nothing and ECS would more then likey swap your modded for stock. The one really important part is supplied already modded so you dont need to do yours. Breecher has an honest post.

bob

 

^^^^^^ Obviously an ECS enthusiast. I guess it depends on what your goals are. If you want a simple bolt on S/C that is going to give mid 500's at the wheel, then I would argue Procharger is the best bet. If you plan on LT's, meth, and big numbers, then seems like ECS is the winner. Hey, what happened to the guys question about A&A...

 

This is a silly post.. None of them install any easier than the other when it comes down to it. They are all easy to put in and can be taken out if need be.



A&A

Pros -
Good Spring loaded tensioner
SFI crank Pulley Standard with the kit
Clean installation

Cons-
I would replace the S Trim with a Ti Trim blower head as the base blower
I would use a Tial BOV

Procharger

Pros-
Nice intercooler options
Clean installation

Cons-
I don't care for the manual tensioner wich they seem to refuse to let go of.
The base head unit, like A&A, I feel is too small. D1 should be the base in my opinion
Don't care for their house brand BOV/Bypass
I don't care for the Cam-lock piggy pulley in the base kit.

ECS

Pros-
Good base head unit
Base BOV is a Tial unit (if you care to argue how good these are check out what most of the 1000+whp C5/C6's run)
Restrictor plate design allows for great low end torque.
Strongest auto belt tensioner design ive seen.
Clean installation

Cons-
Like Procharger, I don't care for the Piggyback crank pulley as the base offering.

Like I said earlier. If you want an unbiased opinion, contact some of the big dogs in the game like LMR and Vengeance and get their take on things. See what they recommend. They build this stuff day in and day out and don't get their pockets lined by anyones propaganda or cheeky advertisement. They have no reason to lie to you or sway you one way or another based on anything but facts.

 

Here is a pic of a polished unit. This is my car. If I did this again, I would get black.

 

ProCharger


PROS:
- Rock Solid OEM quality system.
- Customers have laid down 837rwhp with P-1SC-1, with 100% stock kit
- Two MASSSSSIVE Intercooler options to best fit customers application
- 100% reversible, no cutting of factory parts, bending, trimming, etc.
- 100% rattle free silicon tubing (high quality stuff not china)
- Factory tensioner has supported 600,700,800, and now 900rwhp no issues (maybe more, don't know every car out there)
- Comes with handheld tuning, proved on the 1/4mile and road course

With a little searching you can find many of the happy customers, both major companies or normal DIY guys, all the way to Jessica Barton recently laying down her numbers.

We could save a little $$$ and make our kit cheaper by not doing things like anodizing the crank pulley, or not supplying factory replacement parts. However thats not the game we are in, we wanted the best OEM quality bolt on system that was 100% removable. And thankfully our customers have loved them since the moment they started shipping.

If your looking for a system thats ready to bolt on and comes with a tune, we got you covered. If you want something a bit more rowdy, we got you there as well Feel free to message me with any questions you may have, or call 913-338-2886 to talk to a sales guy!

We would love to have you join #teamProCharger

 

I guess 1,457 rwhp using that tensioner isn't enough for you.

Honestly, please stop trolling.
Hopefully this customer can see through your biased comments.

AMP Built this rig.
- Running our bracket (dallas 10 rib belt conversion)
- Running our tensioner
- Running our intercooler
- Running our Blower.

Which nearly has the boost only record for a C6 (Which is also held by a ProCharger car)





And just so we don't think that is a ONE off deal.
How about the car that absolutely laid down the numbers,
FASTEST SUPERCHARGED HALF MILE C6

FSP built this fine machine.

Still our bracket
Still our tensioner (10 rib conversion)
Still our blower

(This car was built before we came out with our bigger intercooler)

 

S/C is in my future so I like to follow these types of topics. I'm not tech savvy in this department. There was more then one person that mentioned they do not like the manuel tensioner on the procharger.

Can you explain why? I am just curious and want to understand the cons to it.

Thanks

 

Trolling?

It is called an opinion my friend. Period. I dont have to like somthing just because you seem think its the best thing since sliced bread. You think your product is the best, Shocker!! That isnt a biased opinion or anything is it? It is my opinion that both your competitors offer a better product and I have listed my reasons why. If the OP doesnt like that, that is just fine. If you think im going to stay out of every thread that procharger is brought up in, you are mistaken. Like an ADULT, I have refrained from posting in your company generated threads recently because I dont feel like getting banned from this website and I told you I would give you that respect via email I believe. But when someone asks for a opinion, im more than willing to give it. Especially since I have first hand experience with both kits being mentioned.

Funny thing is, I even told the OP to take what ive said with a grain of salt since im a "procharger hater". Apparently you missed that...

Oh and I love your comparison of this kit to a couple of RACE CARS that have NOTHING in common with the kits you sell for the C7.

The C7 runs that same bracket? No...
The C7 Kit is 10 rib? No....
Same intercooler? Probably Not...
Same Blower? NOPE

Should I link videos of random turbo cars that make the same power or more? Because its just as irrelevant.... Compare apples to apples, not apples to oranges.

Ive said this before and I will say it again. You guys make great superchargers, the F1X is amazing. But that is where my love for procharger ends. I am entitled to an opinion just like you are. You think your kit is best, Congrats.. I disagree. You act like Im here with some sort of agenda to bash you guys but im not. I dont know how many times ive stated that you guys make great blowers and that I just dont care for the "kits". To me, that does not sound like someone that truly hates Procharger. I dont work in the automotive industry, I dont work on cars for a living, I dont sell any of the products listed above nor do I get a paycheck from them. I base my comments off of years of experience of wrenching and racing for FUN, not making money.

Welcome to America.

As I told the OP. Dont listen to me, disregard EVERYTHING ive posted, im apparently just a court jester or a troll. Contact the big name shops in the corvette game and get an unbiased opinion from them and make your choice based off that...

And I thought the Liberal Media was bad!!!

 

As a Engineer and Machinist...

Its my opinion that the tensioner is primitive and not as effective because it is tensioned using a jacking screw. Both A&A and ECS use a heavy spring loaded tensioner, ECS being the heaver of the two. (the thing is huge) When a belt is put under load, it stretches. The heavy spring loaded tensioners maintain constant tension when the belt stretches and wears in. A jacking screw type tensioner does not adjust on its own when the belt is loaded and stretches and it can cause the belt to slip.

Now can it be effective, Sure.. But from a mechanical standpoint I can point out at least two issues that I see. It will not compensate for belt stretch or wear in automatically and to get the belt tight enough not to slip I would think you would be trying to take any "stretch" out of the belt with tensioner preload, putting tremendous stress on the belt and bearings.

Belt slip and jacking screw tensioners is what put a bad taste in my mouth with procharger and is why I wont buy their brackets or "kits" ever again. The blowers however... Its a good thing Dallas performance and Cartek are around! When I get around to building my next engine, it will have a Cartek / F1X 10 rib setup on it..

 

What was the quote? I'm curious too but would lie to know an installed price...

with GEICO mechanica breakdown coverage, I'm still covered (the OEM parts)

 

That makes sense to me. I would assume if you are like me and like to beat on the car often then you would need to check that tensioner for correct adjustment where as the spring you do not. Maybe not often at all but something to keep in mind basically?

 

Beecher7
As an ENGINEER, how does the Procharger maintain belt tension without a spring?

 

I'm waiting for the procharger rep to answer that question because I never had any success with the manual tensioners and smaller pulleys. If you have ever watched a spring loaded tensioner, it tightens up when a engine is reved, this even happens with 10 rib Kevlar belts. So how can one say that a rigid, non adjusting tensioner can maintain proper belt tension? I will say that Their c7 kit works great in the configuration it's shipped in, I'm not saying it doesn't. I just think that the others executed it better.