Turbo vs Prochrager
Turbo vs Prochrager I am trying to decide on which to use... Turbo or Procharger.... here is my set up:
M6 2000 Firehawk
402 iron block ( everything ARP studded and bolted)
eagle crank
eagle H rods
Diamond nitrous dome pistons made into flat tops with "D" shape 10cc dish w/ valve reliefs
243 heads (studded)
Fast 90
247/253 .620 .638 116LSA cam
No penny spared on any part, not a single one
I also have a stand alone fuel cell to use
I'm looking for some options/opinions.... Obviously I'm going for some big #'s..lol. This is a street driven car
M6 2000 Firehawk
402 iron block ( everything ARP studded and bolted)
eagle crank
eagle H rods
Diamond nitrous dome pistons made into flat tops with "D" shape 10cc dish w/ valve reliefs
243 heads (studded)
Fast 90
247/253 .620 .638 116LSA cam
No penny spared on any part, not a single one
I also have a stand alone fuel cell to use
I'm looking for some options/opinions.... Obviously I'm going for some big #'s..lol. This is a street driven car
I was in your same situation last fall. I have always loved the Prochargers but I am also very familiar with turbo setups as i've built many over the years.
For me what it really came down too was money. For the price for a D1SC or an F1A Procharger setup I was going to be over twice as much as what I was able to built my turbo setup for. I was unable to find any decent priced used Procharger setups when I was searching but if I had for a decent price I would have absolutely went that route just because of the simplicity and no BS that a Procharger will give you. A turbo setup requires more work, fabrication, and effort IMO but the results can be whatever you wish as long as you plan things out ahead
For me what it really came down too was money. For the price for a D1SC or an F1A Procharger setup I was going to be over twice as much as what I was able to built my turbo setup for. I was unable to find any decent priced used Procharger setups when I was searching but if I had for a decent price I would have absolutely went that route just because of the simplicity and no BS that a Procharger will give you. A turbo setup requires more work, fabrication, and effort IMO but the results can be whatever you wish as long as you plan things out ahead
Yea, I'm planning way ahead.... I'm going to throw the dope on the motor for now until I figure out which route I'm going to take and feel comfortable with that set up.
I have had a 650 rwhp f1a sc'd setup on my ws6 and now ive got a single gt45 turbo and like the turbo better having had both. Not to mention the f1a exploded for no reason and was like 3grand for a replacement so i said screw it and went turbo and now im never going back!
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 728
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Depends on what outcome you want. You can make great power with both. Procharger will be much more expensive if you're able to do your own piping on the turbo setup, yet will be less of a hassle at first.
Procharger will be louder, since its cramming in all of that air with no exhaust restriction. Turbo will be quieter, since they act as an exhaust restriction and can quiet down a car quite a bit. The turbo is capable of delivering more torque, as long as you size the turbo(s) correctly so that they start to spool early. Turbos can hit max boost very quickly and hold it, while belt-driven systems must build this boost with RPM.
From experience, turbo cars are often quieter and more tame on the street. It mostly comes down to preference if you aren't worried about the budget.
Procharger will be louder, since its cramming in all of that air with no exhaust restriction. Turbo will be quieter, since they act as an exhaust restriction and can quiet down a car quite a bit. The turbo is capable of delivering more torque, as long as you size the turbo(s) correctly so that they start to spool early. Turbos can hit max boost very quickly and hold it, while belt-driven systems must build this boost with RPM.
From experience, turbo cars are often quieter and more tame on the street. It mostly comes down to preference if you aren't worried about the budget.
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On The Tree
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 101
Likes: 0
Honestly, turbos work way better with autos and will be much quicker with an auto. A s/c works good with both. Imo go with the turbo though, as even with a stick itll still be more fun than the s/c. Not to mention, a blower will only decrease fuel milage, while in almost every case a turbo increases mpg or atleast keeps it the same when NOT in boost compared to the N/A setup all else staying same. Depending what gear you have in the rear end, you may want to think about lowering the ratio down to a 3.27 or even 3.08 maybe. Itll let you cruise around out of boost when you dont need it and load up the turbo some when you do. Just my opinion, the turbo will be way more fun. And if you keep it quiet youll surprise the hell out of some people and maybe even get some extra pocket change. With similar sized turbos and S/Cs, the turbo will always make more power at the same or lower boost. Plus theres no dealing with any finicky belts. Some people that have never had a turbo complain about lag, but with a modern turbo correctly sized to the engine, lag will be nonexistant.
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On The Tree
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 101
Likes: 0
I think a nice single T-4 80 or 88mm would go great with this build if youre looking for 1000+ hp. I wouldnt go below an 80 honestly, youre going to want more power than whatever you start out with when its finished and tuned, and it will give you room to climb up into the 1100-1300 range without being laggy. What trans are going with? That will pretty much determine what size turbo/how much power you can throw down reliably. Go ahead and get something strong first instead of having to do it later.
dunno what the big deal is with people saying turbos and six speeds suck together. Auto's rule at the track of course. Been there done that, but the spool time with my six speed isnt bad at all... and completely lifting between shifts only takes .4 seconds or so to get back to peak boost. im sure powershifting would only be better. and for launching you can use a 2 step to leave with boost. Im loving my six speed 
i guess i would say matching the turbo to the engine is much more important for quick spool with a manual then it is with an auto. Im sure with an auto and a nice converter you can get away with a much bigger exhaust housing for great top end power and still quick spool.
i guess i would say matching the turbo to the engine is much more important for quick spool with a manual then it is with an auto. Im sure with an auto and a nice converter you can get away with a much bigger exhaust housing for great top end power and still quick spool.
Last edited by got-a-ls1; Mar 16, 2012 at 01:42 AM.
I love my m6!!! Its fun to let er get to about 4.5k or so then push the clutch in and hear my raceport flutter off a knarley whoosh then repeat this till i have no more gears left!!! And i love when a dumass is in the passing lane and then i pass them at 6k and let the bov vent right in their FACE!
They both sound cool though, I think turbo sounds pretty cool, but its hard to beat the sound of a procharger and big cam,hey if you going to go fi it has to sound badass as well lol,prochargers are not cheap though I have been pricing them out and I have found out turbo is going to be alot cheaper
With the push of a button I can go between 600RWHP on the street to 1000RWHP at the track. I can ramp my boost based on time. Now they have controllers that can read what gear you're in on your 6 speed and give you a specific boost based on that. When building boost at the track I can set mine automatically to hold boost at a programmed level while I have a button pressed on my shifter. When I release it ramps up based on what I tell it. I have no parasitic losses with the Turbo's.
Turbo setups are more complex in the piping but a lot quieter than a supercharger.
My good friend was a supercharger guy with some big numbers. He's had his challenges with belts breaking, supercharger failing and having to come up with custom pulleys to increase HP because the track could take it.
Me, I've had no issues and if the track can take it I hit the up button on my programmable boost controller and set a new boost target.
Get a price on a custom kit for your car to meet your needs from a speed shop. Then take that parts list and think about building it yourself. It should give you a good idea of how much you're going to spend.
Turbo setups are more complex in the piping but a lot quieter than a supercharger.
My good friend was a supercharger guy with some big numbers. He's had his challenges with belts breaking, supercharger failing and having to come up with custom pulleys to increase HP because the track could take it.
Me, I've had no issues and if the track can take it I hit the up button on my programmable boost controller and set a new boost target.
Get a price on a custom kit for your car to meet your needs from a speed shop. Then take that parts list and think about building it yourself. It should give you a good idea of how much you're going to spend.
just because i have one does not mean I am biased. but the reason I liked the procharger, is because of its simplicity. The ease of install, and hassle free reliability. The turbos require a bit more finesse, but in the end they will be alot more fun to drive and make torque that really grabs you and pulls you back into the seat. I may go turbo next time, but my D1 is more than enough. I priced a kit at kentucky turbo, and with all the bells and whistles to make it top notch like i would want, it came to more than the D1 kit brand new with all the upgrades. Not that the price of a turbo install cannot be cheaper, but that is just what I found. Plus, I have never bought anything used other than the car itself.
