Daily Slideshow: Different Ways to Supercharge Your Z06
Superchargers are amazing pieces of engineering. Boost that offers throttle response with virtually no downsides isn’t without its own trade offs. Here’s what you need to know.
Realistic Power Gains
Everyone wants to ask how much they can realistically gain from a supercharger setup and the answer really does depend on your individual motor. Having said that, in most street applications, gains of 100-150whp are entirely possible without beginning to tap into E85 setups or trick cooling setups. Both centrifugal and twin screw setups have been used to create the worlds fastest drag racing cars so your options are plentiful.
Centrifugal Superchargers
Procharger is more than likely the name you have heard associated with these types of blowers. Essentially a belt-driven turbo, the centrifugal blower is known for making nonlinear boost. They are also notorious for soaking up a lot of the engine’s power to run, but can still produce a lot of predictable and usable horsepower. Know what power level you want to produce and adjust accordingly. Boost is nonlinear (it goes up significantly as RPM increases) so you want to find the sweet spot that gives you horsepower without threatening the life of your motor!
>>Join the conversation about different ways to supercharge your Z06 right here in Corvette Forum.
Twin-Screw Blowers
Twin screw or lysholm blowers are compact and don’t stick out of the hood like a roots blower. Ignoring everything else, you reduce drag right off the bat in a circuit application where air flow is of the utmost importance. They are incredibly efficient in the mid-range and only drop off slightly on the top end. Unlike the Procharger, these beauties don’t rob you of previous ponies as long as you keep boost levels relatively low. These types of blowers get my vote for most street applications simply due to the efficiency and overall power compared to a Procharger.
>>Join the conversation about different ways to supercharge your Z06 right here in Corvette Forum.
Advantages Over Turbos
Response is the immediate word that comes to mind. You simply don’t get the same feeling in a turbocharged car. For hill climb guys and circuit drivers you may find that this response is a huge advantage with regards to using the throttle to position your car through the bends. Whether or not it’s cheaper, will really depend on how far down the rabbit hole you decide to go. Boost is addictive!
>>Join the conversation about different ways to supercharge your Z06 right here in Corvette Forum.
Management
Forcing more air is all well and good until you run lean and melt a few thousand dollars in precious metals. Upgrading your fuel system and engine management with the proper tune is essential to creating good power and lifelong reliability. Don’t cheap and make sure you get good parts to support your growing engine!
>>Join the conversation about different ways to supercharge your Z06 right here in Corvette Forum.
Don’t Forget the Rest
There is no wrong choice in how to supercharge a car unless you upgrade the motor without bringing the rest of the car up to match. Suspension, tires, brakes and driver ability should all be considered when upgrading a vehicle’s engine to produce more power. Some track time and proper coaching are prerequisites as well. Stay safe and enjoy your Z06 with more power!!!
>>Join the conversation about different ways to supercharge your Z06 right here in Corvette Forum.
For help with your repair and maintenance projects, please visit our how-to section in the forum.