In order to understand how a supercharger is going to help your car scream, you first need to
understand what a supercharger is and how it works.
A supercharger is essentially a large pump that compresses air and forces it into the engine's
air intake. Turbochargers do the same thing, only they are run by exiting
exhaust gasses, while superchargers are powered by the engine's spinning
crankshaft, normally via the accessory belt. Originally built for World War II
aircraft, superchargers have become very common in today's performance
automotive world, and featured as original equipment on some new sports cars
straight from the factory!
Superchargers have become popular in recent years for several reasons, including cost efficiency,
reliability, and of course, performance. Supercharging an engine often results
in huge power increases in the range of 50% to 100%, making them great for racing,
hauling heavy loads, or just having fun in your daily driver. Although
superchargers carry a fairly high ticket price when compared to other single
performance upgrades ($1500 - $7000), nothing provides more horsepower for your
dollar. And because of the way superchargers work, they provide power only when the engine is under full
throttle or under load... not under normal cruising conditions. This means that
the supercharger will not affect the engine's reliability, longevity, or fuel
economy under normal driving conditions.
Most of the superchargers sold today are centrifugal-style superchargers, which are
internal-compression superchargers, meaning they create the boost (compress the
air) inside the supercharger head unit (blower) before discharging it into the
engine's air intake. External compression superchargers (roots or screw-type
superchargers - Whipple, Kenne Bell, Jackson Racing, Eaton) have become less
popular as centrifugal superchargers have evolved. Centrifugal superchargers
(Vortech, Paxton, Powerdyne, ATI, ProCharger) are more
reliable, especially at higher boost levels, and are capable of creating much
more boost than external compression superchargers, while creating a much
cooler intake charge (which results in an even denser intake charge).
Boost is created at the point when the supercharger's internal impeller pushes enough
air through the blower to overcome the vaccuum force naturally created by the
engine's air intake, so air is being forced, rather than pulled, into the air
intake. Boost is measured in pounds per square inch, or psi. More boost
equates to a more dense air charge into the engine's combustion chamber,
which allows the engine to burn more air and fuel and create more horsepower.
Most street superchargers produce somewhere in the range of 6 to 9 psi,
meaning they produce 6 to 9 additional pounds of pressure over the
atmospheric pressure at that elevation (at sea level atmospheric pressure is
14.7 psi).
Many people assume that running a supercharger, and hence added intake boost,
puts added strain on an engine's engine parts. This is not necessarily true, because
engine damage is almost always caused by RPM. Because a supercharger helps the engine produce more power at lower RPM, supercharged engines
will make the same horsepower as their naturally aspirated counterparts at
substantially lower engine RPM, where today's street engine's are designed to run (around 6000 RPM). Another concern
some people have towards using a supercharger is that they think it will
increase the engine's compression to the point that it will cause detonation
inside the combusion chamber. Detonation exists when the combustion pressure is
raised so high that the inlet charge ignites itself before the spark plug
fires. When this happens, combustion takes place while the piston is still
travelling up in the cylinder bore, which puts tremendous loads on the piston,
rod, and crank. While it is true that a supercharged engine creates boost and
increases the engine's compression, most supercharger kits include a boost
timing retard chip that retards the engine's ignition timing under certain
conditions to prevent detonation. With some kits, detonation is not a concern,
in which case the kit will not include a boost timing retard chip.
Supercharger impellers on centrifugal superchargers are spun via an external pulley that
is normally driven from the engine's accessory belt. Because the supercharger
pulley needs to spin at very high RPM, an internal step-up causes the
impeller to run at substantially higher speeds than the input pulley. Because
the speed that the impeller spins determines how much boost is produced by
the supercharger, changing the input pulley size can have a large effect on
the amount of boost put out by the supercharger. Smaller pulleys produce more
boost, which is why they have become so popular for supercharger owners who are
looking to squeeze every last bit of power from the engine. And because they
only cost around $70, they are an inexpensive way to test and tune your
supercharger at different boost levels.
Supercharger Pulley
Powerdyne's Belt-Drive
Because superchargers spin at such high speeds, they often create a substantial
amount of heat, and require lubrication to keep friction to a minimum.
Different supercharger companies have combatted the problems of heat and
friction in different ways. While no single method is the best, each method
has advantages and disadvanages. Powerdyne uses an internal belt to spin the
internal gears (step-up drive), which minimizes heat, is very quiet, and
lasts for over 50,000 miles. This internal belt never slips, and does not
require you to tap into your engine's oil supply for lubrication purposes,
making it the easiest line of superchargers to install. Vortech, Paxton, and ATI
(except ATI's self-contained systems) all use the engine's oil to lubricate the step-up gears and keep heat and
friction to a minimum. While this lubrication is the most common and works
well, it does require the engine's oil pan to be tapped so the supercharger
can draw engine oil from the engine. ATI's self-contained systems also
use an oil to provide lubrication and to minimize heat, but they use a
proprietary oil that stays inside the supercharger head unit and never
requires changing. This system is efficient and does not require the engine's
oil pan to be tapped, but is substantially noisier than Powerdyne's belt
drive system.
Intercoolers and aftercoolers cool the air after it has been discharged from the head unit and
before it enters the intake manifold. The cooler air provides a denser air
charge which can make added horsepower, especially under higher boost
conditions. Intercoolers and aftercoolers, while popular for racing
applications, are not normally needed for street drivers running 6 to 9 psi of
boost. For more on intercoolers An intercooler (sometimes referred to as an aftercooler) is designed to remove heat from the
compressed air coming from the supecharger (or turbo) before it enters the
engine's induction system. An intercooler works just lie a radiator - air is
cooled by fins, bars, louvres, and plates inside the intercooler that are
cooler than the compressed air coming from the supercharger. The reduction in
air temperature increases the density of the air (more air molecules per cupic
foot), which consequently increases your engine's ability to make more
horsepower and torque. The decreased air temperature allows you to run more
boost on a given octane of fuel before detonation occurs.
The term 'intercooler'comes from days when they were first used on twin turbo aircraft engines. With
two turbos, the air charge would get VERY hot - it was heated by the first
turbo, then heated again by the second turbo. To combat this double temperature
rise they placed a heat exchanger in between the two turbos and called it an
because of its location in between two turbos. When this same kind of heat exchanger is used on a single turbo or supercharger, it is located after the supercharger, and should technically be called an aftercooler because of its location after the single turbo or
supercharger. These terms didn't seem to stick, though. The term 'intercooler'
caught on and became almost universal for all heat exchangers regardless of
their position. The term 'aftercooler' became synonymous with air-to-water
coolers because this is the term Vortech uses to describe their coolers, which
are water cooled. So while technically incorrect, we will still use the popular
terms 'intercooler' to mean any air-cooled charge cooler and 'aftercooler' to
mean any water-cooled charge cooler.
Why Intercool?
There are several important benefits to intercooling that have resulted in their increased
popularity in recent years. The most significant advantage is that intercooling
increases the detonation threshhold because of the cooler air charge, meaning
you can run more ignition advance for higher performance, or run lower octane
fuel before experiencing detonation. This makes intercoolers very desirable for
those looking to get the most out of their street vehicles on pump gasoline.
The cooler air also allows your engine to run slightly cooler, reducing the chances
of overheating. Intercoolers also enable your engine to produce more horsepower
because of the denser air charge being delivered to the engine's combustion
chamber.
Don't assume, however, that you can simply bolt an intercooler on to your supercharged engine and
expect power gains with no other changes to the system. Intercoolers do create
some internal drag causing a slight reduction in boost, and can also cause the
engine to run lean (knock) due to the denser air charge. These problems are
easily corrected and should not cause concern, however they cannot be ignored.
Boost pressure can be brought back up (actually you'll probably want to run
substantially more boost than you did with a non-intercooled application) using
a smaller supercharger pulley. The smaller supercharger pulley will spin the
supercharger faster and increase its output. Make sure your supercharger is
designed to handle these higher boost levels. Correcting the air/fuel ratio to
compensate for the denser air charge can be done with larger fuel injectors,
recalibrated FMU, larger fuel pump, adjusting the mass air meter, etc.
Intercoolers Aftercoolers What's the difference? In order for an intercooler to effectively cool the air that passes through it, the intercooler itself must be cooled by some external means. Most intercoolers are cooled just like your engine's radiator - air flows over the outside of the intercooler's fins, which in turn cool the air inside the intercooler - hence the name Air to
Air Intercooler. Some intercoolers, however, are cooled by water instead of
air, in which case they are generally called aftercoolers, or Air to Water
Intercoolers. The benefit to an aftercooler is that air passing through it can
be cooled more than in a traditional air/air intercooler if very cold water and
ice are used to cool the intercooler - in fact, some aftercoolers chill the air
to below ambient air temperatures even after it has been compressed by the
supercharger. The reason aftercoolers are more effective in cooling the air charge
is because water is a much better conductor of heat than air - in fact water
conducts 4 times as much heat as air! The obvious drawback is that with time,
the water will heat up to the temperature of the air passing through it, and
its ability to cool incoming air goes away. Some aftercoolers, however, use a
small radiator to cool the water that runs through the system, making them
ideal for street use as well as racing. For drag racing applications
aftercoolers packed with ice work very well because they only need to work for
around ten seconds or so (hopefully) before you shut down and head to the
victory podium. For milder racing and street applications air/air intercoolers
or aftercoolers with radiators are more practical as their ability to cool incoming
air is not reduced with time.
When is it right to intercool?
Obviously, intercoolers only work with supercharged or turbocharged vehicles where there
is a substantial difference in temperature between the air entering the engine
and the cooling medium (the intercooler). Because superchargers heat up the air
significantly as they compress it, it is possible for there to be a very large
temperature difference between the intercooler (ambient air temperature - 80F
degrees or so) and the compressed air (200F - 350F degrees). Superchargers with
higher boost will create a hotter discharge, so as you increase your boost, the
effects of the intercooler become more and more noticable. In general we would
not recommend intercoolers on supercharged engines with less than 8-9psi of
boost, as the benefits will not be substantial. Essentially, run an intercooler
when only when you running peak boost (i.e. any more boost would cause
detonation) for the octane of fuel you use. Intercoolers work well in both warm
and cool climates and work exceptionally well on marine applications because of
the easy access to cold water.
Don't intercoolers restrict the flow of air into the engine?
Yes. Any time there is an obstacle in the way of the air flowing into the engine (like an intercooler
fin or louvre), a pressure loss will result. Today's intercoolers are very
effective in minmimzing this pressure loss so that the benefits obtained by
cooling the discharge temperature normally outweigh the 1-2psi (approximate)
loss in air pressure, which can be regained by running a smaller pulley and
increasing the output of the supercharger.
So while intercoolers work well on higher output superchargers, they are not recommended for lower
boost level kits, like an average 6psi street kit. If you're looking for
exceptional performance from your engine, consider adding an intercooler to
your engine, or consider purchasing a supercharger kit that comes with an
intercooler. Most ATI ProCharger systems include intercoolers and still remain very reasonably priced. Paxton has also
recently introduced several intercoolers to fit their more popular supercharger
systems, while Vortech already includes intercoolers with several kits. Good
luck with your intercooling endeavors, wherever they may take you!
For specific information about Intercooler system upgrades, start with our Feature Intercooler page and select an application. The power involved with a sports car such as Mustang, Camaro, Corvette,
GTO, and Firebird puts a lot of strain on the charging system. As a result,
these high performance cars may require the use of a supercharger to
accommodate the additional power needs of the higher performance models. By providing
more airflow, it increases engine power in terms of RPMs (revolutions per
minute). Though not an important parts for the average every car, for a high
performance vehicle, it's of great importance.
Of course, when it comes to a supercharger, don't make the
mistake that at least one person has made and install a supercharger on an
older car without attempting to replace other parts that are also beginning to
show signs of wear. Installing a supercharger on an older vehicle can cause the
transmission and/or the engine to wear out because of the extra power that is
emitted by the supercharger. The solution to this is if you are going to
install a supercharger on a older Mustang, Camaro, Corvette, GTO, or Firebird,
be certain to replace your transmission and your engine if they have not been
either replaced or rebuilt fair recently. Failing to do this can cause both of
them to quit working, and as such, you will pay not only the $3,000 and more
for the supercharger, but also the price it will cost to replace both your
transmission and your engine. Some caution in the preparation stages will make
the installation and operation of your supercharger some much smoother.
Additionally, this is definitely a product requires quality when you
purchase it, however, unless you are able to confer with a wholesaler, it is
most definitely going to cost you a good amount of change. Installation time
alone is going to take a good four to six hours, and if you aren't capable of
installing it yourself, the installation costs are going to cost you some more.
As a rough estimate, if you have to pay someone to install the supercharger, it
is probably going to cost you in the area of $5,000 - $6,000. Of course, if you
compare that to the increased performance of your car, it's a small price to
pay. On the other hand, if you are not using your car for racing or utilizing
its high performance, you may not find a supercharger a necessary accessory for
your car. This is a decision that you will have to make based on your own personal
situation, but if you determine the need for a supercharger, be certain to
purchase the one that is best suited to your car and the highest quality for
the price. In doing this, you will receive the highest performance from your
car that is mechanically possible.
2005-2006 Ford Mustang GT Powerdyne Supercharger K10199-101- Powerdyne Supercharger Kit for 2005-2006 Ford Mustang Gt w/4.6L (7 psi/satin) K10199-201- Powerdyne Supercharger Kit for 2005-2006 Ford Mustang Gt w/4.6L (7 psi/polished)
2000-2002 Ford Mustang GT Powerdyne Supercharger K10196-101- Powerdyne Supercharger Kit for 2000-2002 Ford Mustang Gt w/4.6L (8 psi/satin) K10196-201- Powerdyne Supercharger Kit for 2000-2002 Ford Mustang Gt w/4.6L (8 psi/polished)
1998 Ford Mustang GT Powerdyne Supercharger K10194-101- Powerdyne Supercharger Kit for 1998 Ford Mustang Gt w/ 4.6L 2V (8 psi/satin) K10194-201- Powerdyne Supercharger Kit for 1998 Ford Mustang Gt w/ 4.6L 2V (8 psi/polished)
1996-1997 Ford Mustang Gt w/ 4.6L 2V Powerdyne Supercharger K10190-101- Powerdyne Supercharger Kit for 1996-1997 Ford Mustang Gt w/ 4.6L 2V (8 psi/satin) K10190-201- Powerdyne Supercharger Kit for 1996-1997 Ford Mustang Gt w/ 4.6L 2V (8 psi/polished)
1994-1995 Ford Mustang GT Powerdyne Supercharger K10176-101- Powerdyne Supercharger with Mounting Kit for 1994-1995 Ford Mustang Gt/Lx with 5.0L (9 p.s.i./satin) K10176-201- Powerdyne Supercharger with Mounting Kit for 1994-1995 Ford Mustang Gt/Lx with 5.0L (9 p.s.i./polished) K10177-101- Powerdyne Supercharger Kit for 1994-1995 Ford Mustang Gt/Lx w/ 5.0L (6 psi/satin) K10177-201- Powerdyne Supercharger Kit for 1994-1995 Ford Mustang Gt/Lx w/ 5.0L (6 psi/polished) K10178-101- Powerdyne Supercharger Kit Complete for 1994-1995 Ford Mustang Gt/Lx with 5.0L (9 p.s.i./satin) K10178-201- Powerdyne Supercharger Kit for 1994-1995 Ford Mustang Gt/Lx w/ 5.0L (6 psi/satin)
1986-1993 Ford Mustang Powerdyne Supercharger K10170-101- Powerdyne Supercharger Kit for 1986-1993 Ford Mustang Gt/Lx w/ 5.0L (6 psi/satin) K10170-201- Powerdyne Supercharger Kit for 1986-1993 Ford Mustang Gt/Lx w/ 5.0L (6 psi/polished) K10171-101- Powerdyne Supercharger Kit for 1986-1993 Ford Mustang Gt/Lx w/ 5.0L (9 psi/satin) K10171-201- Powerdyne Supercharger Kit for 1986-1993 Ford Mustang Gt/Lx w/ 5.0L (9 psi/Polished) K10173-102- Powerdyne Xb-1A Gearcharger Supercharger Kit for 1986-1993 Ford Mustang Gt/Lx w/ 5.0L (9 psi/satin) K10173-202- Powerdyne Xb-1A Gearcharger Supercharger Kit for 1986-1993 Ford Mustang Gt/Lx w/ 5.0L (9 psi/polished) K10174-102- Powerdyne Xb-1A Gearcharger Supercharger Kit for 1986-1993 Ford Mustang Gt/Lx w/ 5.0L (12 psi/satin) K10174-202- Powerdyne Xb-1A Gearcharger Supercharger Kit for 1986-1993 Mustang Gt/Lx w/ 5.0L (12 psi/polished) K10179-101- Powerdyne Supercharger with Mounting Kit for 1986-1993 Ford Mustang Gt/Lx with 5.0L (9 p.s.i./satin) K10179-201- Powerdyne Supercharger with Mounting Kit for 1986-1993 Ford Mustang Gt/Lx with 5.0L (9 p.s.i./polished)
2000-2002 Chevrolet Camaro and Pontiac Firebird/Trans Am w/ Ls-1 K10388-101- Powerdyne Supercharger Kit for 2000-2002 Chevrolet Camaro and Pontiac Firebird/Trans Am w/ Ls-1 (6 psi/satin) K10388-201- Powerdyne Supercharger Kit for 2000-2002 Chevrolet Camaro and Pontiac Firebird/Trans Am w/ Ls-1 (6 psi/polished) K10387-101- Powerdyne Supercharger Kit for 1999 Chevrolet Camaro and Pontiac Firebird/Trans Am w/ Ls-1 (6 psi/satin) K10387-201- Powerdyne Supercharger Kit for 1999 Chevrolet Camaro and Pontiac Firebird/Trans Am w/ Ls-1 (6 psi/polished)
1998 Chevrolet Camaro and Pontiac Firebird/Trans Am w/ Ls-1 K10386-101- Powerdyne Supercharger Kit for 1998 Chevrolet Camaro and Pontiac Firebird/Trans Am w/ Ls-1 (6 psi/satin) K10386-201- Powerdyne Supercharger Kit for 1998 Chevrolet Camaro and Pontiac Firebird/Trans Am w/ Ls-1 (6 psi/polished)
1993-1997 Chevrolet Camaro and Pontiac Firebird/Trans Am w/ Lt-1 K10384-101- Powerdyne Supercharger Kit for 1993-1997 Chevrolet Camaro and Pontiac Trans Am w/ Lt-1 (6 psi/satin) K10384-201- Powerdyne Supercharger Kit for 1993-1997 Chevrolet Camaro and Pontiac Trans Am w/ Lt-1 (6 psi/polished) K10503-101- Powerdyne Supercharger Kit for 1993-1997 Chevrolet Camaro and Pontiac Trans Am w/ Lt-1 (4.5 psi/satin) K10503-201- Powerdyne Supercharger Kit for 1993-1997 Chevrolet Camaro and Pontiac Trans Am w/ Lt-1 (4.5 psi/polished) K10507-101- Powerdyne Basic 6psi Supercharger Kit: 1993-1997 Lt-1 Chevrolet Camaro and Pontiac Firebird/Trans Am (requires fuel pump & retard/satin) K10507-201- Powerdyne Basic 6psi Supercharger Kit: 1993-1997 Lt-1 Chevrolet Camaro and Pontiac Firebird/Trans Am (requires fuel pump & retard/pol.)
AUTOMOTIVE FORUM
In order to understand how a supercharger is going to help your car scream, you first need to
understand what a supercharger is and how it works. 
Boost is created at the point when the supercharger's internal impeller pushes enough
air through the blower to overcome the vaccuum force naturally created by the
engine's air intake, so air is being forced, rather than pulled, into the air
intake. Boost is measured in pounds per square inch, or psi. More boost
equates to a more dense air charge into the engine's combustion chamber,
which allows the engine to burn more air and fuel and create more horsepower.
Most street superchargers produce somewhere in the range of 6 to 9 psi,
meaning they produce 6 to 9 additional pounds of pressure over the
atmospheric pressure at that elevation (at sea level atmospheric pressure is
14.7 psi).
Intercoolers and aftercoolers cool the air after it has been discharged from the head unit and
before it enters the intake manifold. The cooler air provides a denser air
charge which can make added horsepower, especially under higher boost
conditions. Intercoolers and aftercoolers, while popular for racing
applications, are not normally needed for street drivers running 6 to 9 psi of
boost. For more on intercoolers An intercooler (sometimes referred to as an aftercooler) is designed to remove heat from the
compressed air coming from the supecharger (or turbo) before it enters the
engine's induction system. An intercooler works just lie a radiator - air is
cooled by fins, bars, louvres, and plates inside the intercooler that are
cooler than the compressed air coming from the supercharger. The reduction in
air temperature increases the density of the air (more air molecules per cupic
foot), which consequently increases your engine's ability to make more
horsepower and torque. The decreased air temperature allows you to run more
boost on a given octane of fuel before detonation occurs.
Of course, when it comes to a supercharger, don't make the
mistake that at least one person has made and install a supercharger on an
older car without attempting to replace other parts that are also beginning to
show signs of wear. Installing a supercharger on an older vehicle can cause the
transmission and/or the engine to wear out because of the extra power that is
emitted by the supercharger. The solution to this is if you are going to
install a supercharger on a older Mustang, Camaro, Corvette, GTO, or Firebird,
be certain to replace your transmission and your engine if they have not been
either replaced or rebuilt fair recently. Failing to do this can cause both of
them to quit working, and as such, you will pay not only the $3,000 and more
for the supercharger, but also the price it will cost to replace both your
transmission and your engine. Some caution in the preparation stages will make
the installation and operation of your supercharger some much smoother. 
