Joe:
For relatively small gains, you can get as much power with a lot
less complexity
by adding a decent cam and raising the compression. For big gains, a
supercharger
will get you a docile engine with maximum performance, but you will need
low compression,
forged pistons, and a decent supercharger cam.
To add 35-40 HP using traditional hot rodding techniques is cake
on our engines, but
it is not a bolt on solution. It does however save weight compared to a
supercharger and
it retains the stock appearance.
If you keep the boost low (5PSI or less) then 9.5:1 will be
perfectly safe. Start going
over that, and you quickly get into the region where forged pistons and
other goodies are
necessary if durability is not to be compromised. If you want to go
higher, I would find
a stock head (7.75:1) and then increase the boost above 5 PSI.
In my Z28 days, lots of friends were putting Vortech kits on
their cars (10:1 CR) and
most of them did not go a year before they ate a piston. All it took was
a missed shift,
a lean fuel mix or some other little error, and pfssssst! Usually the
number 7 hole went
bye-bye even though boost was very limited. One buddy tried to get the
dealer to repair it
under warranty by removing the kit and claiming that "it just died one
day". No such luck.
The dealer knew right away that something was up, and then found a
brazed in fitting for
the oil return - they denied the claim and punched it into the dealer
network so that he
couldn't try another dealer.
My personal bias is towards the sleeper solutions; walk softly
and carry a big stick.
As long as it looks stock, anything goes. Having said that, nothing
makes your friends say
"Gee whiz!" like showing them the blower tucked under the hood. 'Course,
a nice lumpy idle
at stop lights is pretty manly too.
Cheers,
Vance
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-6pack@autox.team.net [mailto:owner-6pack@autox.team.net] On
Behalf Of Lizirbydavis@cs.com
Sent: June 29, 2005 4:34 AM
To: jkorsak@cableone.net
Cc: 6pack@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: upgrades
The supercharger sounds like the way to go. My engine is lightly
modified.
The compression is about 9.5:1. I'd hate to pull the head and put a
thicker
gasket on to lower compression. Will my engine tolerate the stress?
What
sources are available for kits? Is the eaton (62?) the unit of choice?
Joe Davis
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