fordfanboy

For those of you with s/c or dreams of having one and ideas for a rebuild to make mad power, I thought I would share a little secret with you...

The Whipple, KB, Vortech, Paxton, Steeda, & Roush will not work over 600 hp. Wow, bet you're surpised...lol The problem is not the blower it is the tensioner on the S197's and the actual mechanics of the S197 compared to the older cobras. You cannot use a riechard tensioner or any manual tensioner for that matter cause it needs to be spring loaded. No matter what you do, you won't keep a belt/tensioner on the car over 600 rwhp. This is already becoming a major probelm for a lot of big shops and everyone is finding out it just can't be done.

Seems 600 rwhp is the key number. Everything up till that seems to be working great but once you're over that, by-by tensioner. The procharger seems to be the only exception to the rule simply because it operates on its' own belt.

Just thought you might want to know when you consider your FI choice. I just sold my vortech and am installing a powerhouse turbo on wednesday for this very reason. Again, this doesn't apply to the standard joes wanting some street power, but if you are considering going for big power with a rebuild, I thought you might want to know.

Timmay!!!

Thanks for the insight and heads up on the tensioner . I was kinda wondering what made you change. At first you were looking to with a TT setup, right. What made you change you mind and go with a single? I think 500 is all I'd ever want on the street but if I ever make it back to Italy or Germany I'd love to have a bit more power to tear it up on the Autobahn/Autostrada. Can you change the accessory drive(belts tensioners etc..) if you go with a different block like a teksid or terminator block, or will they not be able to operate the heads?

RodeoFlyer

Lets face it boys, at 600hp youre gonna be breakin s*hit no matter what LOL

Timmay!!!

True True True. But maybe if you build right the first time it won't be as expensive.

Birdieman4

There are some ways to cheat a little. One fairly effective way of combating this problem is to sandblast the blower pulley, giving it more friction.

hawgman

When did Steeda start producing superchargers?

Timmay!!!

I'm assuming he meant magnacharger.

Justastockmustang

Sounds like a good challenge! We modify many different things and I see no reason the blower drive should be any different. At some point I do expect to get to that territory and I guess I will find out!

Thanks for the info, this is certainly not something I had thought of!

fordfanboy

Awesome idea birdie!! But one of the things we encountered was when we did (although didn't try your idea) other methods to increase friction, was then we were snapping belts like you cut them with a pair of scissors. There are other custom belts you can get that are much stronger, perhaps someone will try that with using a sturdier belt? Someone somewhere will try it someday - of this I'm sure... For now it's turning out to be a PIA issue for many of us.

As for the TT question - I have never considered putting a TT set-up on my car and never would. But that's just my personal opinion and preference and will probably be discussed someday in another thread.

fordfanboy

Damn Hawg, you never miss a beat do you? I couldn't think of it while I was typing, but yes, I was referring to the magnacharger. Steeda sells so much junk IMO - I get it all confused sometimes...