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Heads/Cam vs Supercharger

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Old Jun 15, 2010 | 04:55 PM
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Default Heads/Cam vs Supercharger

Can someone help me decide which setup would be better for me. I would like a daily driver with about 500-525wrh. I was thinking either full bolt ons plus a supercharged, (leaning towards procharger). Or a strong heads/Cam setup. Would it be easier to make that kinda of power with the sc? I am just starting to do research on the sc's because boost is kind of new to me.

Thanks in advance
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Old Jun 15, 2010 | 05:08 PM
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Id like to think that those kind of numbers are much more attainable with a supercharger and would probably be more streetable providing a good tune. To get those kind of numbers with H/C your definatly looking at probly 400+ cubes and a somewhat radical cam to go along with it... probly not a streetable as the S/C would be but im sure it could be done for half the price of a S/C, hell i got an entire motor built from the ground up for less than a procharger kit...
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Old Jun 15, 2010 | 05:27 PM
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The plus side to a head cam setup, is you get better throttle response and better low end, partial throttle power. With a supercharger, you have to wait till you build boost which is roughly 3000-3500 rpm.

It's all up to what you're wanting and how you drive. Me personally, I spend most of my time between 2000 and 4500 rpm and only up to 60-70% throttle, so I realized that I'd never really benefit from a procharger setup.

I'm going with a set of Performance Induction heads (best money can buy pretty much) with a custom cam from VA speed that should put me right around 480/440 which will be quite fun on the street.

Put up a post in your local forum and ask to take a ride in some examples of what you want.
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Old Jun 15, 2010 | 05:48 PM
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SC setup would definitely cost more than a H/C setup but would be easier to make 500RWHP. You have to have the right combination of parts with a decent sized cam to hit 500 although it has been done with a 224/228 AFR cam. Only thing is that included ALL bolt-ons, slightly tweaked AFR 205s, mamo ported 90/90 and a lightweight clutch IIRC. You can also have stupid low-end power if you go with a twin-screw.
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Old Jun 15, 2010 | 06:01 PM
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Thanks guys. I think the heads and cam setup would be easier from what I have read the ls1 is not built to handle boost.
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Old Jun 15, 2010 | 06:37 PM
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I kind of like the trick flow top engine kit 515 hp. That would be roughly 440 at the wheels.
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Old Jun 15, 2010 | 06:39 PM
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Originally Posted by MikeWS6
Thanks guys. I think the heads and cam setup would be easier from what I have read the ls1 is not built to handle boost.
The LS1 handles boost just fine. Come on over to the Forced Induction forum and do some reading/searching...plenty of builds to take a look at over there. Making 500rwhp with a procharger or turbo setup is really pretty easy to do with a FI setup.
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Old Jun 15, 2010 | 09:15 PM
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If all you want is 440 rwhp you can do that with unported 243s and a custom 224 cam. I did my whole setup including exhaust for much less than what a set pof trickflows cost. Not to mention I have one of if not the strongest under the curve power bands I've seen from an LS1. 365 rwtq @ 3000 rpm and 399 @ 3800 rpm. Check my signature link for all the info. Not to mention I made that power with the heavy *** power robbing ls7 clutch.
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Old Jun 16, 2010 | 12:33 PM
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Originally Posted by The Alchemist
The plus side to a head cam setup, is you get better throttle response and better low end, partial throttle power. With a supercharger, you have to wait till you build boost which is roughly 3000-3500 rpm.
maybe i am wrong but dosnt a sc pretty much make boost as long as its spinning? so even at idle its making boost right?
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Old Jun 16, 2010 | 12:57 PM
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i believe thats correct. a turbo would have lag and it would take some time to build boost. but superchargers/prochargers, etc..make lots of power down low too. i think one of the last posters got that confused.
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Old Jun 16, 2010 | 01:05 PM
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Originally Posted by The Alchemist
The plus side to a head cam setup, is you get better throttle response and better low end, partial throttle power. With a supercharger, you have to wait till you build boost which is roughly 3000-3500 rpm.

It's all up to what you're wanting and how you drive. Me personally, I spend most of my time between 2000 and 4500 rpm and only up to 60-70% throttle, so I realized that I'd never really benefit from a procharger setup.

I'm going with a set of Performance Induction heads (best money can buy pretty much) with a custom cam from VA speed that should put me right around 480/440 which will be quite fun on the street.

Put up a post in your local forum and ask to take a ride in some examples of what you want.
I disagree with some of this logic, dependent upon too many variables. If he wants 500ish rwhp from a 346, it is not going to have ANY low end. Hell, my retarded low power setup has no low end.

I would vote for FI They can handle 525 rwhp just fine on stock bottom end. Some have gone higher too.
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Old Jun 16, 2010 | 01:20 PM
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An example of the ridiculous low-end torque you can get from a positive displacement blower with a mild cam and stock heads (LS2 motor). He also made 500/490 on the stock heads/cam (LS2).
https://ls1tech.com/forums/dynamomet...que-curve.html
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Old Jun 16, 2010 | 02:08 PM
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I asked this question about 3 months ago because I was about to pull the trigger on a front mount D1SC. My point was that I do all backroads driving, when I'm doing part throttle acceleration and shifting around 4000 rpm. Everyone told me not to do the Procharger because at low rpm and low throttle, it's actually requiring more hp to turn it, than the amount of extra horsepower it's generating.

My hand ported 853 heads and TR224 cam made 430/408 back in 2002 and had 375 ft/lbs at 3500rpm. We'll see where I'm at currently this Friday with the little things I've done over the past 7 years.

All I'm saying is what everyone else told me. Go positive displacement blower or bigger cubes.
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Old Jun 16, 2010 | 02:13 PM
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the cam that you are going to have to run to make 500 to the wheels on your stock motor will be hard on the valvetrain and odds are you will have to spin your motor out to 7,000 rpms.

For a daily driver with a safe tune boost is the way to go. You will be able to keep your rpms down so you dont kill your rod bolts. And you can keep a stock valvetrain or very close to stock which will be very reliable.
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Old Jun 16, 2010 | 02:22 PM
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Originally Posted by The Alchemist
The plus side to a head cam setup, is you get better throttle response and better low end, partial throttle power. With a supercharger, you have to wait till you build boost which is roughly 3000-3500 rpm.
twin screw blowers have power off idle
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Old Jun 16, 2010 | 02:38 PM
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Originally Posted by King Nothing
twin screw blowers have power off idle
I agree completely. I thought people were reccomending going with a Procharger, that's why I made the comments that I did.
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Old Jun 16, 2010 | 02:46 PM
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Originally Posted by The Alchemist
I agree completely. I thought people were reccomending going with a Procharger, that's why I made the comments that I did.
i was wondering this after i made my post lol op i would suggest a twin screw with some 243 heads and custom blower cam should put you well above 500rwhp
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Old Jun 16, 2010 | 02:46 PM
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Originally Posted by King Nothing
twin screw blowers have power off idle
As well as fitment issues on fbody LS1s.
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Old Jun 16, 2010 | 02:47 PM
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Originally Posted by Johns00Z28
As well as fitment issues on fbody LS1s.
and this is true also, but then again for the fm blowers you have to move stuff around . . . course nothin like having to cut your cowl a bit
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Old Jun 16, 2010 | 03:28 PM
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Here's a comparison directly from A&A supercharger's website. They use vortech centrifugal blowers by the way. This is a "radical" H/C C5Z06 vs a stock C5Z with their blower package. The blown car definitely makes more power at all rpms but it's going to cost you at least $1000-$1500 more. My H/C/I setup including everything (tune, injectors, UD pulley, heads, milling, cam, pushrods, timing set, gaskets, fluids, etc.) cost me about $3800. That does however include money I got back from selling my LS6 heads, cam, and intake manifold ($775 worth). Looking back I think I still would have done it the N/A way.
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