Theta

Am I understanding you correctly in that you're insinuating that only factory-supercharged / factory-turbocharged applications are properly engineered?

Blackdevil77

This makes me wish I could just afford a Z06 lol

C7pimp

I've seen factory forced induction cars blow up on the track at stock boost levels before. Was it not properly engineered?

How about the fact that using launch control on a GT-R will void the warranty? Does that mean it's not properly engineered because Nissan doesn't have confidence in durability of a factory set up?

Boosting a factory NA engine doesn't automatically make something not properly engineered.

Using forged internals is hardly an engineering marvel.

kennyboy404

I do know what it takes. I also know that 20 years ago it wasn't as difficult to do heads and cam as it is now on a Ford Mod motor or Ls Motor, yet shops seem to have made those work for a reasonable cost. I don't see the high profile shops throwing blowers on stock bottoms ends just because its easy, only to have a bunch of blown motors and pissed customers. If that's what you'd do or how you shop, good luck to you. I just don't see wasting the money for 3-6PSI of boost and keeping your fingers crossed.

Theta

My points stand...

Also, it's 7-8psi, and nobody is concerned except those that are playing on the sidelines.

I guess all of the FI companies are just going to have a lot of explaining to do when all the kits blow up, right?

That's going to happen according to your statement...

Trackaholic

The thing to keep in mind with a car is this:
They are engineered as a system, to meet several competing goals. Reliability, performance, cost, weight, economy, all play into the design. The transimission will be sized to take the stock loads, and will have high margin against unplanned loads, but will have limits due to cost, weight, and efficiency requirements. Increase the power significantly, and that margin will erode. Road racing is very tough on the car, so reducing margin should be considered very carefully if tracking is your intended use.

Consider the case of adding big power and then tracking your car. Your brakes will no longer be sized properly. You'll be hitting much higher speeds and will need better brakes ($3000+ for a good BBK). How will your drivetrain hold up? Will you need to upgrade transmission/oil/water coolers?

What if you update the suspension to corner better? How will be wheel bearings do? How is tire life affected? How is the ride?

One mod can easily cause a cascade effect that drives more and more mods.

It is quite fun, but also can get expensive quickly.

My 350Z has a number of suspension mods, R-comp tires, BBK, gear limited slip diff, and has held up very well all things considered (no power mods), so I'm not discouraging mods, just saying that big changes will have a cascade effect that may drive more updates down the road. Plus once you "break the seal" on mods, it is sometimes very difficult to stop.

Speaking of which, I wonder how an updated exhaust would sound?

If I were thinking of going forced induction on my Vette soon after purchcase, I'd probably try and wait until more is known about the Z06 and would go that route if I could afford it. Might actually be less expensive in the long run. Until you start modding the Z of course!

-T

kennyboy404

Case in point....I'll take 492RWHP over a blown motor

Vengeance Racing strikes again with another C7 Stingray build!

One of our Tennessee customers had his car to us after only driving it TWICE! This automatic Z51 received a VR custom camshaft kit, American Racing Headers longtube headers, lowered suspension, green air filter, and a custom ECU calibration. The results were amazing:

492rwhp / 452rwtq !!!!

Stay tuned for more Vengeance Racing modified C7's in the future!

Theta

What is your point? We can read the threads. VR also installs blowers, and is really excited to put together their head/cam/ECS blower kit.

Are you going to call them out on it after praising their H/C kit?

kennyboy404

Jesus Christ, a last word freak... get over it the OP asked for opinions, i gave mine.

Theta

So... aside from your last statement being unneccessarily rude, I believe I made a point about VR there.

Do you disagree?

C7pimp

Lol, seriously.

And lets not forget that Callaway has a supercharged 610 horsepower car that legitimately is honored under warranty by GM. GM allows a full factory warranty to be maintained on a 610 horsepower (535whp) supercharged, factory stock LT1 internals, because it will be reliable at that power output, so much so that GM is confident that the stock LT1 will NOT break. You can even apply an extended warranty to it for an additional two years.

If that doesn't convince the doubters, then screw em and their ignorance and stupidity. Harsh to say, but I keep it real. This is getting ridiculous.

E.A.

How did a thread asking about superchargers and reliability, turn into a "Way to go vengance Heads Cam" thread? holy turn around. Not to mention comparing a factory boosted car with millllllllllions of dollars and countless years of engineering in it, to a C7 with a 7psi blower kit.

Theta

The thread has pretty much run its course.

The facts lined up incorrectly for some posters, and when reason failed, the personal attacks and appeals for other power methods started.

Some people are never satisfied with the answer they don't wish to receive.

Blackdevil77

I wouldn't mind a Callaway Vette, I just don't want all the extra cosmetic crap they add to it (no offense to them or anything). I want the car to look stock. They also use a roots unit, correct?

Motohead279

Wait, isn't Vengeance Racing testing and installing an ECS supercharger with methanol as we speak? So you are saying it's going to not be reliable and blow the engine?

midnightbluS10

So what kind of qualifications do you have to be making claim like that, about an engine that no one has much seat time with?

kennyboy404

All, not just vengeance, are "testing" blowers kits yes. Maybe you guys dont understand the definition of testing. They are all going to see some issues as they always do. There will be a limit to the boost and romping. If you want to be on the bleeding edge, go for it if you can afford it. If the LT1 is so bomb proof, why didnt GM just slap a blower on it and let it roll in the Z06?

Blowers can be added to any vehicle sure, but how long will the cast parts hold out was the question. All I said was that I prefer a heads and cam set up over a blower set up on a stock bottom end. Its just funny to have my opinion attacked by a person who doesn't have enough common sense to jack a car off the ground safely. God bless the internet.

Blackdevil77

Doesn't the supercharged LSA use cast parts? While forged is certainly stronger than cast, I think the bigger concern is the compression ratio.

I had a nightmare with heads and cam. I think somebody mentioned this. With a blower, the only time it really effects/changes the car is under heavy to full throttle, right? With a cam, everything is changed completely. When I did heads and cam on my last car, the car couldn't even idle properly, and would stall when braking or if you breathed to abruptly. It took a year and a few thousand dollars of going back and forth to different tuners to stabilize the car. So that is why I asked the question about blowers. To my understanding, they are more simple to install and tune properly, and run more stock-like than heads and cam with normal driving, but the power is there when you hit the go pedal.

Motohead279

I don't think anyone on here is calling the engine bomb proof. Of course there is going to be a limit of what stock components will handle, and anytime you add more HP and torque they is going to be more stress on components. If you try to make the car a monster without any stronger internals I am sure its going to be a lot less unreliable and most likely a ticking time bomb. A lot will depend also on driving habits.

As far as why doesn't GM just throw a blower on the car and sell it as a Z06 is that it will obviously make the price of the car jump dramatically. They have different trim levels/models of cars for a reason. If they want an introductory price of $51k they can't obviously supercharge it. That is the reason that they have had different models all along. And with the price/performance increase they are of course going to make certain parts stronger.

As far as living on the bleeding edge of technology, me personally I want a SC on my car because I do a lot of car shows/cars and coffee event as a way of networking with my business. I don't plan on tracking my car, racing my car, but I do enjoy being able to open it up every once in a while to feel the exhilaration of speed and acceleration. It is in my understanding that adding 100hp and not constantly ragging on the car is not going to make my car blow up. (taking into account that it is installed and tuned professionally and correctly)

I just found it a little odd that someone who works for performance shop modifying cars and installing and selling superchargers, Nitrous, etc kind of made a hint that if you put a supercharger on your car it will blow your engine. If you put on a supercharger for a customer do you tell them that it will blow their engine? Not trying to argue just a valid question.

kennyboy404

If you had problems like that with a heads an cam car, you need to find a different shop. Second, this forum is not where I would get advice about power adders. Some of these clowns cant even take exhaust manifolds off a brand new car. Call one of the high end performance shops and let them speak from experience about realistic power levels and combos that fit your budget. Keep us all posted