Options for a supercharger?
12-13-2018, 10:30 AM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 33
Options for a supercharger?
Hi guys. Well, I am going to be in the market for a supercharger soon. I have decided that that is just the way to go. However, they are expensive. The best bang for the buck sure but 5k is still 5k.
Anyway, I have been perusing my options and I was wondering if y’all had any input on which one I should go with. I am open to about any of them. Centri, twin screw, roots, whatever. But I am looking for a cost effective option. The gt450 kit from department of boost is the best value I am seeing at the moment. $4600. But you gotta add a grand or so on top of that for a tuner and dyno tune. Plus a couple hundred more for me because my mustang is an 06. Are there any alternatives that possibly have a tuner and/or tune that sell with them? I understand canned tunes don’t give you as much power as a kit can really put out, but that’s for safety. So I am not particularly worried. If I can put down a solid 400 or more to the ground it will get me where I want to be. I can always get a dyno one later down the road.
I appreciate any info yall have. Thanks
Anyway, I have been perusing my options and I was wondering if y’all had any input on which one I should go with. I am open to about any of them. Centri, twin screw, roots, whatever. But I am looking for a cost effective option. The gt450 kit from department of boost is the best value I am seeing at the moment. $4600. But you gotta add a grand or so on top of that for a tuner and dyno tune. Plus a couple hundred more for me because my mustang is an 06. Are there any alternatives that possibly have a tuner and/or tune that sell with them? I understand canned tunes don’t give you as much power as a kit can really put out, but that’s for safety. So I am not particularly worried. If I can put down a solid 400 or more to the ground it will get me where I want to be. I can always get a dyno one later down the road.
I appreciate any info yall have. Thanks
12-13-2018, 12:12 PM
#2
5th Gear Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: IN
Posts: 2,248
Well I'm not familiar with that setup but i have heard of guys using them. You kind of missed the boat for all the sweet deals they have during BF and Cyber Monday. Typically superchargers can be discounted from 500 up to 1500. Paxton has some kits in your price range (centrifugal). If you want a twin screw you will most likely get into the 6k range and up.
12-13-2018, 12:31 PM
#3
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 33
Well I do think DoB offers the cheapest positive displacement kit out there. That’s what they advertise and I can’t find anywhere to prove them wrong. But then again you gotta add a grand for a tune and tuner. So maybe it isn’t the best way to go.
A couple places sell a Vortech v2 kit for under 5k that comes with a tune. That would be an option. And I’m open to a used kit. It’s just hard to find those. Maybe I’m not lookin in the right spot.
A couple places sell a Vortech v2 kit for under 5k that comes with a tune. That would be an option. And I’m open to a used kit. It’s just hard to find those. Maybe I’m not lookin in the right spot.
12-13-2018, 03:58 PM
#4
4th Gear Member
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: LA
Posts: 1,309
I would just stick with the Roush/Ford Racing supercharger for lots of reasons. The kit is designed to work safely with your engine and produce more than enough power without endangering the engine. Unless you are willing to pay for expensive engine repairs or rebuild the bottom end to handle excess boost, you are just asking for trouble by going beyond what those kits offer. There is a reason why Roush warrantied the engine with their kit. The old adage, you get what you pay for is really true when trying to modify cars on the cheap.
12-13-2018, 04:07 PM
#5
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 33
The roush is a good blower, but I think there are better kits.
Isnt the ford racing supercharger a Whipple kit? Is that what you are talking about? Because from what I have seen that is the most expensive one there is. I gotta stay on the cheaper side.
But I will say this about the reliability end. I don’t know about mustangs, but I know rotaries. And it isn’t boost that kills engines. It’s power. But I have heard from several places that the 3v is good to at least 450 wheel horse. After that rods are apparently the first to go. I am planning on staying under that no matter what I go with. So I am not too worried. I’m shooting for about 420 or so.
Isnt the ford racing supercharger a Whipple kit? Is that what you are talking about? Because from what I have seen that is the most expensive one there is. I gotta stay on the cheaper side.
But I will say this about the reliability end. I don’t know about mustangs, but I know rotaries. And it isn’t boost that kills engines. It’s power. But I have heard from several places that the 3v is good to at least 450 wheel horse. After that rods are apparently the first to go. I am planning on staying under that no matter what I go with. So I am not too worried. I’m shooting for about 420 or so.
12-13-2018, 04:47 PM
#6
5th Gear Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: CA
Posts: 2,073
What kind of power are you looking for? Instant power when you mash the gas or a kind of power that builds all the way to redline? a twin screw will give you that instant power with the gas pedal, a centri will generally build power all the way to redline. The DOB kit is fine, but the actual supercharger on that kit is a used item taken off of a gt500, nothing wrong with that, but if you are expecting all new components that would be a disappointment. There are also turbos, but the cheap kits usually lack components and the actual turbos are not good quality, but there are some good kits out there. You'll likely be happy with whatever you end up with as 400+ to the wheels is much different than the stock 270 to the wheels.
12-13-2018, 06:32 PM
#7
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 33
You pretty well nailed it. What sort of power do I want? The kind that’s more than I have haha. And I’m open to turbos as well as a supercharger by the way. Even a huge turbo will give me quicker power than what I am used to. I mean, I have an old f150 with a 390 that I use as a farm truck. But it’s not even registered. And I’m used to a turbo rx7. That was my last car. So to be completely honest I am open to pretty much anything that isn’t nitrous. Turbo, supercharger, a magical fairy, that’s cool lol
12-14-2018, 01:53 AM
#8
5th Gear Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: CA
Posts: 2,073
The "canned tunes" that come with supercharger kits aren't so bad, the real issue with canned tunes has to do with Cold Air Intakes and other bolt-ons... If you have mods other than the supercharger, you'll want a custom tune anyway. The way it worked when I had thewhipple kit was that it came with a "voucher" for the tune, basically I sent the PCM to Whipple where they flashed it to the new tune, overnighted to whipple and then overnighted back, so 2 days downtime. So even then when I eventually made an additional mod I had to buy a tuner anyway, and even now after moving on from Whipple I still have and use the tuner. As far as turbos, it seems the prefab kits that are reputable run about the same price as the superchargers, I can't say anything about brand preference since I am running a custom twin kit, but just stay away from ON3, I've heard horror stories.
12-14-2018, 02:05 AM
#9
https://www.americanmuscle.com/roush...arger-kit.html
The total cost including the dyno tune with self- installation will be over $6k, but any properly installed and set up forced induction system is going to cost you at least that much anyway.
Last edited by Dino Dino Bambino; 12-14-2018 at 02:11 AM.
12-14-2018, 07:59 AM
#10
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 33
Ok. Well that is definitely some food for thought. Seems like about 6k is as cheap as it gets if you want a blower. Well, maybe the Vortech kit for 5k.
But that is good info. And I appreciate it. I wanted to ask because the prices seem a bit inflated to me. I put a turbo on my naturally aspirated rx7 for $500. But I did buy used parts off a turbo-II model to do it. But I guess I was thinking that if used parts cost 500 then a new kit should be able to be had for 2500-3000. I can’t say 5-6k plus is very reasonable to put on a 13 year old car. But I’ll probably do it anyway. I guess everything is worth what someone will give haha.
Anyway thanks you guys. I appreciate the info
But that is good info. And I appreciate it. I wanted to ask because the prices seem a bit inflated to me. I put a turbo on my naturally aspirated rx7 for $500. But I did buy used parts off a turbo-II model to do it. But I guess I was thinking that if used parts cost 500 then a new kit should be able to be had for 2500-3000. I can’t say 5-6k plus is very reasonable to put on a 13 year old car. But I’ll probably do it anyway. I guess everything is worth what someone will give haha.
Anyway thanks you guys. I appreciate the info
