Blower or Exhaust?

[ClassicAU]

I am a bit bored, so i got thinking about how to go about getting some more power out of my AU. I know the first thing most people do is an exhaust upgrade, but i am not a huge fan of noisy exhausts. If it was a V8, it would be a different story. Anyway, my question is, would a supercharger work on a totally stock motor, or would it be a waste of time/money? Or would it be more worthwhile to go the n/a route with a cam and exhaust instead? I guess its a stupid question, but i am just curious.

Evan

[poolkeeper]

blown motor for sure, cheaper

[HLC]

if you get a blower, you kind of need to get a new highflow exhaust :

[AU2PWR]

GO THE BLOWER Ev !

[chief]

Originally Posted by HLC

if you get a blower, you kind of need to get a new highflow exhaust :

About to say the same thing.

You can do a lot for the money you would spend on the blower and have some change and do suspension, change ratios in the diff, add some cow to your interior or something of your choice.

[ClassicAU]

Originally Posted by chief

About to say the same thing.

You can do a lot for the money you would spend on the blower and have some change and do suspension, change ratios in the diff, add some cow to your interior or something of your choice.

Yeah, i had a feeling the exhaust was required either way, but i am not all that mechanically savvy.
As for the rest, it already has XR spec springs and gas tourers all round, handles great imo. I have already done the diff, and 3.73 is enough for me. As for the interior, my old mans AUIII Ghia has the full leather, and although it does look great, its a pain in the but to keep clean and gets hotter inside in the summer than mine, i am not too worried about changing it.

[StealthAu]

fudge the blower, your limited to what gains you can get, for about the same cost you can turbo it

[I6corp]

Originally Posted by stockoau

fudge the blower, your limited to what gains you can get, for about the same cost you can turbo it

For similar power figures, your looking at the same $$$$ either way.

[StealthAu]

Originally Posted by I6corp

For similar power figures, your looking at the same $$$$ either way.

yes, but with a blower you'll have no where to go. With a turbo, crank up the boost

[ClassicAU]

I also figured a supercharger will be more reliable and slightly friendlier to the motor. The thing that got me thinking about it is the bommodores that came out with the factory supercharged engines, or are they just rubbish? I wouldn't be going anything like a stick out of the bonnet crazy blower, it would be modest. Which is why i had the thought of getting one without any other mods.

[StealthAu]

I personaly cant see how a blower could be more reliable? and as fair as being more freindly on the motor cocksnot. If your runing a turbo at 7psi or a blower with a 7psi pulley, no diff to motor. But you still have the option of more boost, where as with a blower the only option your left with, is replace with a turbo

[AU2PWR]

yeah , always wondered abou tthe Supercharged Commonwhores > Are they Factory PSI ?

[StealthAu]

Originally Posted by SR_AU

yeah , always wondered abou tthe Supercharged Commonwhores > Are they Factory PSI ?

Are you asking what psi they run from factory? if so from memory its 6

[JC]

Originally Posted by stockoau

I personaly cant see how a blower could be more reliable? and as fair as being more freindly on the motor cocksnot. If your runing a turbo at 7psi or a blower with a 7psi pulley, no diff to motor. But you still have the option of more boost, where as with a blower the only option your left with, is replace with a turbo

You can always go to a bigger psi pulley on a supercharger. Either way, you can only use low boost on a stock motor anyway (safely). Anything more than about 8 or 9 psi and you will need a new motor.

I am tossing up between the 2 right now as well. I was leaning towards turbo, but for ease of installation, I think s/c would be easier. Obviously I am also looking at an edit to accompany either turbo or s/c. Cost is also a factor, and the turbo route is probably marginally cheaper.

[au2sw]

aahhh, the "go faster bug" has bitten this one hard. my advice would be, if u want more power, eventually it wont be enough. so go the turbo option, work the engine a bit (cam, pistons, fuel pump...etc etc) and do ur exhaust (2 1/2" with high flow cat and extractors) that way, when u start felling that the power just isnt enough, simply pump up the boost and away u go again! itll be cheaper then the S/C in the long run for sure.

[auvct]

Hoping im not hijacking just curious.
has there been a turbo set up on a vct or and threads on it?
I have seen capa's blower for it for 6K odd.

[JeffAU1]

Originally Posted by ClassicAU

I know the first thing most people do is an exhaust upgrade, but i am not a huge fan of noisy exhausts. Evan

Evan,

You would be really suprised with how noisy the exhaust upgrade ISNT.

If you get a 2.5" Cat Back, with a resanoter at the end, its really not that load... with music most times i can hear it, unless i boot it, wind down the windows, or in a carpark.

Jeff

[StealthAu]

so are there 20psi+ pulleys? last time i was looking into this the suitable blowers peaked out at 13psi.

[JC]

Originally Posted by stockoau

so are there 20psi+ pulleys? last time i was looking into this the suitable blowers peaked out at 13psi.

On a stock motor, 13psi will kill it. On a mild motor (say $3k rebuild with good quality components), 13 psi would be about the max you'd run. To run 20psi, you are talking big money on the motor (maybe $10 to 15k). So for a budget street applicaiton, looking at around 200rwkw (+/- 20rwkw), the base capa kit would be fine. Of course, as you go up in engine specs, you would also go up in blower spec - something like Laminge's.

But I think we are all talking about either a turbo or a s/c on an otherwise stock motor, giving a 50% or more increase in power but keeping factory reliability etc. Either way you go - base s/c or base turbo kit - will achieve this. One is easier to fit and is drivable straight away, the other is a bit more fiddly but cheaper (turbo) and requires exhaust mods for dump pipe etc, so is not immmediately driveable.

[StealthAu]

sorry, $10 to 15k to lower the compression? what sort of work do you think is required?

[StealthAu]

or by "on the motor" are you reffering to everything, as in fuel pump, regulator, trany work, ecu?

[Abacus]

Originally Posted by stockoau

sorry, $10 to 15k to lower the compression? what sort of work do you think is required?

For 20psi you probably want a Dart block or similar, H rods, etc etc

[4.9 EF Futura]

I bolted a blower onto a stock 5L with stock headers (*urgh*) and a 2.5 catback.

Certainly wouldnt consider it a "waste of time"... unless bolt on 50% increase in power and torque.

Indeed, the CAPA kits are all designed with stock motors in mind.

Trans, diff, engine all took it well within their stride. Dont believe the horror stories about forced induction, keep the boost low and you'll be struggling to find better reductions in 1/4 mile time per $ spent.

[StealthAu]

well the facts are with a turbo you can up or drop boost with the press of a button, with a blower need to break out the tools. Either way you'll need to replace the zorst, which will be louder with a blower rather then turbo. With a turbo you have the options of doing the work and upping the boost, with a blower you have lower limits to reach, and finally running a turbo at 7psi will give more power then a blower at 7psi... can anyone guess why?

[JC]

Originally Posted by stockoau

or by "on the motor" are you reffering to everything, as in fuel pump, regulator, trany work, ecu?

Yeh, I meant motor/driveline and any other ancilliaries such as fuel regualtor, uprated fuel pump, strengthened tranny, diff tailshaft etc.

[JC]

Originally Posted by stockoau

....and finally running a turbo at 7psi will give more power then a blower at 7psi... can anyone guess why?

A supercharger takes power from the motor to run, whereas a turbo runs off the waste gasses and doesn't cost the engine anything to produce the extra power.

[bodes-sh]

the other thing to keep in mind, not so much with these motors and turbo's these days, is turbo lag...not so bad in an auto, but waiting for boost to build back up in a manual after a gear shift makes you slower

[Casper]

Originally Posted by JC

A supercharger takes power from the motor to run, whereas a turbo runs off the waste grasses and doesn't cost the engine anything to produce the extra power.

Which is actually a fallacy as you are aware JC. A turbo DOES cost the engine something to produce. It is an exhaust restriction, no different to shoving a potato in your exhaust. So while the SC is draining power from the engine from friction, not unlike an AC compressor, the turbo is draining power from the engine from being an exhaust blockage.
There are also different types of SC's, that operate on different principles, that have fundamental advantages over turbos and also fundamental disadvantages.
Both have benefits, both have down sides. It is effectively a cost/application/preference option as to which one you prefer.

[StealthAu]

exactlly, so what is the advantage of getting a blower? they cost the same and if intercooled (which you should with either option) theres bugger all of a diff in time/ease of set up.

[StealthAu]

turbo lags caused by overkill, get the right set up and for the application and its not an issue