Heads&Cam vs. Supercharger

[OneQuickSix]

Well,

I have been discussing with my friend (who has an LS1)the possiblility of heads&cam package vs getting a 6# or 9# vortech supercharger.I am also considering the SuperSix package for my car.

I have been told that any supercharger and or turbo is bad for the engine becuase the engine was not designed for that much cylinder pressure...

Heads & cam will definatly reduce gas mileage...

what are some other pro's/con's, and what would you do if you had the $?

Joe

[Jay]

i'd stick forged pistons in, get the heads and cam then throw the supercharger on there and go stomp some v8's

[The Sandman]

I agree, get some lower compression pistons and then your supercharger will up the compression, and you'll be running the right amount. Heads and cam will only sweeten the package [img]smile.gif[/img]

Edit - Who mods their car to save gas!!? :D :D :D

[ December 02, 2001: Message edited by: The Sandman ]</p>

[Tiago]

you wont make as much power with the heads/cam as you will with a sc on a v6.

[Dominic]

I look at it from a reliability aspect as well as a power aspect.

I'm probably going to forego the supercharger and just get the supersix package sans cam. That should bring me to the 260hp range or so... If that isn't enough, milling the heads a bit closer and getting 11:1 or 11.5:1 compression will allow me to make 300-330hp (depending on peak RPM).

If you do a supercharger, don't increase compression, and IMO I wouldn't even decrease compression unless you planned on going over 12psi.

Porting and polishing heads and the intake tract shouldn't kill your fuel economy if it is done right, but the cam might kill your fuel economy.

Try to decide on how much power you want, how you want to use the car in the future, and then decide on what you'd like to do.

If you decide now that 300hp is enough, and premium gas is fine, either a 6psi super or the supersix package with shaved heads will easily give you that. Keep in mind, if you do increase compression, you've basically annihilated any chance of going with a super in the future.

If you want more than 300hp, and you want to run on 93 octane, you'll need to look into supercharging or turbocharging - there is nothing else that will give you more power.

Keep in mind though that the current supersix package provides a good +60hp increase for $1500. If you forget the cam, and subtract the core costs, you come up with $900 for all the porting and polishing + the 3 angle valve job [img]graemlins/omg.gif[/img]

Its really a great buy!

Supercharging will run you $4000+ to do.

[OneQuickSix]

Hey thanks for the feedback guys!

Joe ;)

[Cale]

Up the compression too much and you'll be buying your own fuel reserve of 110 octane.

[Dominic]

Yes, that is try Cale, but 11.5:1 is fine for 93.

[RiceCooker]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by OneQuickSix:
...Heads & cam will definatly reduce gas mileage...
<hr></blockquote>

no they won't. This is why: the extra power comes in above 4K rpm. Normal driving, you don't go over 4K rpm for an extended amount of time, hence, that extra fuel used for the extra power is not being used. I saw absolutely no decrease in mileage w/ the heads and cam during normal driving. Once you start laying on it hard (above 4K rpm) it'll start guzzling gas. I went at it tonight w/ my friend's Cobra and we were playing back and forth for about 15 min, constantly in the upper rpm range, and I used a bit less than 1/8 of a tank :eek:

Card, lets go over this again. To get the the full extra 60hp from the heads and cam package, you need computer tuning, that will cost approx $500. That's on top of the $1500 for the pak. For $1500, you're not getting computer tuning, but your still getting a 35rwhp gain! not bad at all, especially for the price [img]smile.gif[/img]
also, you don't want to mill the heads too much, b/c it will throw off the intake geometry. If you mill them too much, the heads will not properly sit or seal w/ the lower intake manifold

[Fin]

I'll add my .02 to this argument. While either a turbo/blower or heads & cam would be great, your best bet would be to do both, to get the most out of your engine and to optimize flow throughout. Like Royce said, you'll need computer tuning to get the most out of the heads & cam package, and this is even more true when you add either a turbo or a blower.

[Magnus]

Joe, I'm doing Heads/Cam. It will make less HP but will be easier on the motor. It will also cost less.

Cardinal, Royce brings up good points about milling the heads. You can't do too much. To get the compression your looking for you should look into new pistons.

Also, computer tuning or a $259 MAFT+... I chose the Maf Translater + over tuning.

[RiceCooker]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Magnus:
Also, computer tuning or a $259 MAFT+... I chose the Maf Translater + over tuning.<hr></blockquote>

Magnus, do you have the MSD DIS4 to help w/ timing. Because, you also figure 259maft + 350 MSD = $609 or $480 for custom computer tuning from SuperChips. Although, yes, the MSD module helps w/ things other than timing

[Magnus]

No I don't have the MSD anymore. Its worthless mod on the 3.8. All its good for is the dang tach output signal for window switches.

Over 3000 RPM's it does nothing and below 3000 rpm's it makes a spark every crankshaft revolution. Our stock ignitions already do that.

I see it only being good when your stock coil packs are going bad. If you have good coil packs you won't gain a thing with the DIS-4.

The MAFT+ can do all that the DIS-4 does and more.

As for the DIS-4 making a powerful spark, well I tested it 2 different occasions and showed absolutely no gains from it.

DIS-4 is a 3.4 mod.

[RiceCooker]

Thanx Mag, I will definitely look into the MAFT+ in the next couple months

[knowledgefreak]

for the amount of the super six package why not buy an lt1 with trans and wiring and drop it in yourself?