C5 Superchargers

[MMM]

I too have been interested in supercharging my '02 Z06 and have been following this and the previous threads. I personally would prefer to have a roots type blower (Magnacharger) for reliability and low speed efficiency. BUT, I don't want to install the high rise hood required for clearance. Nor do I want a turbo. So I am left with a centrifugal supercharger. So I will probably go with the A & A Corvettes version of the Procharger.
I plan to install myself; I have a 20ft. high garage bay with a 10,000 lb. two post lift which should make it easier. But I need to call Andy and find out how the ECM can be reprogammed.
However, I will not do anything until next fall and I pay NCSU for my daughter's senior year. And in the meantime continue on the time consuming and hateful job of stripping the factory primer from my '72 Convertible!
Keep us posted on whatever each of you decide to do.
Mike

 

[Norman Clemmer]

I personally was not impressed with the opinions on carreview. Most of them were on trucks and installed by do it yourselfers. Comparing a professionally installed supercharger with the correct size fuel injectors and a professional tune to a back yard do it yourselfer is not comparing apples to apples.

I have yet to hear anyone who was upset that they laid out $8995.00 to ECS for an upgrade that don't do exactly as advertise. Lingenfelter installed my supercharger and it has been the most fun trouble free mod that I have done. I put 26,000 miles so far with out a bit of trouble. The only thing that suffered were the rear tires

 

[Jack R Lawson]

I personally was not impressed with the opinions on carreview. Most of them were on trucks and installed by do it yourselfers. Comparing a professionally installed supercharger with the correct size fuel injectors and a professional tune to a back yard do it yourselfer is not comparing apples to apples.

I have yet to hear anyone who was upset that they laid out $8995.00 to ECS for an upgrade that don't do exactly as advertise. Lingenfelter installed my supercharger and it has been the most fun trouble free mod that I have done. I put 26,000 miles so far with out a bit of trouble. The only thing that suffered were the rear tires

Norm: I didn't say anyone was unhappy with ECS, But Chris at ECS said that is what he would charge me for a complete Paxton install dyno complete and I would hate to be dissatisfied and have periodical 6 month repairs at $600-800 a crack, that would be stressful for me. I have only heard good things about ECS.

 

[Norman Clemmer]

Jack
The only thing I don't understand is why you are thinking about periodical six month repairs because that is going to depend on your driving habits and it isn't going to be your engine.

I'll use my case as an example of where extra expense could come in. I was traction limited and wanted more traction after the supercharger was installed, so I had it tubbed and put 19x30x345s on the rear =$$$$. Then about a month later the rear started whinning so I ended up having it rebuilt with hardened shafts etc =more$$$$$. Then since the rear was out and they were half way there in made sense to replace the clutch at the same time...Excedy duel disk = much more $$$$$$. Then ECS comes out with a neat methanol injection system...more hp...got to have = more $$$$$ The damn thing is fast enough, the tires break loose in cold weather its scary fast and here I am thinking my vette got to have a bigger cam....it never ends.

Norm

 

[Heavy Duty]

Jack
it never ends.
Norm

Norm, you are right about that. It never ends and each well has a bottom. If you know what I mean.

I have a '99 rustang Gt, '86 vette, '02 vette, '03 Dodge 3500 with the Cummins. Just got through spending ~$20 k on a new building to put all of it in (big toy box). Since i have way too many toys, it is hard deciding which to mod:eyerole. This past fall i spent ~$2000 for an exhaust system for the rustang (Catless x-pipe and 2 chamber flowmasters). Made a world of difference in performace with the rustang. I was toying with F/I for the stang. Then got to reading about the insane HP you can get with F/I with the Zs. Hell i'd love to have 500rwhp. But what is the true expense? The amazing thing is that i can F/I the stang for half of what it cost to do the vette. Plus you can find rustang parts in the junk yard fairly easy. OBTW, rustang guys have the same problems as we do when they SC their cars. I was talking to one guy this past summer who went through 3 clutchs after he SCed his stang. Showed me a pic of it at the strip with smoke pouring out from under it. Cool at the time but cost mucho bucks laterotfl.

Maybe I should sell some of the toys and focus on one or two or three.


H.D.

 

[Norman Clemmer]

I love those stangs. I had a dark blue 67 Mustang fast back with a 390 in it. It had 428 heads and 410 gears. I did not have a pot to **** in back then and had to sell that car in 1971 when I got married so I could pay ther rent. My current vette would dust that car but I have very fond memories of that Mustang and wish I had it today.

 

[Jack R Lawson]

Jack
The only thing I don't understand is why you are thinking about periodical six month repairs because that is going to depend on your driving habits and it isn't going to be your engine.

I'll use my case as an example of where extra expense could come in. I was traction limited and wanted more traction after the supercharger was installed, so I had it tubbed and put 19x30x345s on the rear =$$$$. Then about a month later the rear started whinning so I ended up having it rebuilt with hardened shafts etc =more$$$$$. Then since the rear was out and they were half way there in made sense to replace the clutch at the same time...Excedy duel disk = much more $$$$$$. Then ECS comes out with a neat methanol injection system...more hp...got to have = more $$$$$ The damn thing is fast enough, the tires break loose in cold weather its scary fast and here I am thinking my vette got to have a bigger cam....it never ends.

Norm

Norm: I was refering to repairs just on the supercharger, most of the reviews were people dissatisfied with the ProCharger, Paxton and Vortech units for poor workmanship, really poor customer service etc. Most talked of repeatedly needing to pull the unit and send it back to the factory for all kinds of different problems. For such a large investment it would seem the unit should be solid, now if you drop the clutch at 5k rpm and tear the clutch and rear end up thats not the SC's fault. I just see so many complaints about the SC failing repeatedly it sorta turns me off.

 

[Norman Clemmer]

Norm: I was refering to repairs just on the supercharger, most of the reviews were people dissatisfied with the ProCharger, Paxton and Vortech units for poor workmanship, really poor customer service etc. Most talked of repeatedly needing to pull the unit and send it back to the factory for all kinds of different problems. For such a large investment it would seem the unit should be solid, now if you drop the clutch at 5k rpm and tear the clutch and rear end up thats not the SC's fault. I just see so many complaints about the SC failing repeatedly it sorta turns me off.

I have a maggie on my vette and don't have the supercharger brands you are referring to, but I have never met anyone who had their superchargers installed by a Pro company like ECS or A&A who has or had the problems your are referring to. I got no clue where you are getting your information from, but based on your beliefs and no offense intended, I would not recommend you put a supercharger on your vette.

 

[Jack R Lawson]

I have a maggie on my vette and don't have the supercharger brands you are referring to, but I have never met anyone who had their superchargers installed by a Pro company like ECS or A&A who has or had the problems your are referring to. I got no clue where you are getting your information from, but based on your beliefs and no offense intended, I would not recommend you put a supercharger on your vette.

Norm: I think what you say is good advice and I likely will not SC my Vette untill I am a little more confident of reliability than I am right now. I am 71 years old and really am considering SCing for show, conversation and a little easy goose once in a while, other than that I just want a stock like ride with very little maintenance. I really appreciate everyones input, thanks again. JRL

 

[Norman Clemmer]

Norm: I think what you say is good advice and I likely will not SC my Vette untill I am a little more confident of reliability than I am right now. I am 71 years old and really am considering SCing for show, conversation and a little easy goose once in a while, other than that I just want a stock like ride with very little maintenance. I really appreciate everyones input, thanks again. JRL

Jack
I did not know you were 71.... With that said, I got to take back what I said and say that you got to supercharge your Vette....you won't have any problems because you won't be beating the heck out of it....anyone who is 71 who drives a supercharged vette would be my hero...Best wishes to you and I hope you are still driving that vette when you are 104.
Norm

 

[Heavy Duty]

I love those stangs. I had a dark blue 67 Mustang fast back with a 390 in it. It had 428 heads and 410 gears. I did not have a pot to **** in back then and had to sell that car in 1971 when I got married so I could pay ther rent. My current vette would dust that car but I have very fond memories of that Mustang and wish I had it today.

I would have loved to have been able to buy a '67, '68, or '69 fastback. 390 CIds where nice engines and you could do a lot with them to get power. I would have loved to have seen what kind of ponies you could make with F/I on a 390. My folks didn't have the money to buy me one. My first car was a Plymouth Valent (sp) with the slant 6. Great first car. I did put a 4bl carb on it and got it to where it would spin the tires a little. Everyone would laugh at me cause it sounded like bicycle tires squealing. I did manage to buy a '56 chevy wagon that I converted into a Nomad. Rebuilt the 409 in it with my school bus driver money as an ag project and but a T-350 trans behind it. My ag teacher didn't have a clue what I was up to until I fired it up the first time:L. You could hear it all over the highschool campus. I wish i still had it cause just like the fastback stangs it would be worth some money.

The stand are fun to play with and cheap to get the ponies. I was amazed at how the the X-pipe and mufflers woke the '99 up.



H.D.