I have a '84 Z28 Camaro with a 305 5.0 L HO engine, the 8th digit of the vin number is G. I would like to turbo or supercharge my engine and I've been looking at different chargers, but I'm not sure which would be the best for my engine. I would like something that will increase my acceleration and overall speed and power w/o any or little lag. If someone that has experience with these could give me some advice on this matter it would be most appreciated. Thanx

 

The simplest and cheapest forced induction setup you can buy is the Weiand 142 roots blower. It'll require at least a 4" cowl hood to fit it under, but the installation and tuning is much simpler than a blow-through supercharger or turbocharger setup. Cost $1500 from Summit (more for an emissions-legal version) complete. At only 5-6 lbs of boost it'll feel like you strapped a second engine under the hood.

The thing I like about a roots blower is that the boost is INSTANT. It's at full song the instant the pedal hits the carpet.

 

I'd prefer a supercharger to nitrous simply b/c you only buy it once. I don't like the idea of needing to buy a new hood for it though. Since I don't really race much, nitrous might actually be somewhat cost efficient.

It's times like this I wish I could've gotten a fuel injection setup.

 

Its never to late in the game to go efi...

 

If I had the money, I'd buy a TPI system and throw on a Vortech s/c with an air/water cooler. But don't think I'm not keeping my options open at this time.

 

That engine is not really a great combination for boost. Iron heads + 9.8:1 + any significant boost = boom (unless you run race gas).

If you wanted to swap some 350 heads (I'd go pre TPI or vortec), the compression will drop to high 8's with 64cc heads and low 8's/high7's with 76cc heads (run all the boost you want at that point).

 

I appeciate your guy's advice on this matter. Also I have recently decided to swap the 305 for a 350. Would there be any better charger setup for it or since they are so similiar would u stay with the setup u recommended to me for the 305?

 

My recommendation on the 142 roots blower would still be a good choice for a 350.

 

Ok thats great. would it also work for a 400? And where would u recommend I get one from?

 

It would also work on a 400 but don't expect much boost out of it. Even with a very mild cam and the highest pulley set available you probably wouldn't get more than 6 PSI out of it. Which is nothing to sneeze at. I'm pushing 5 PSI through a modest 383 (one step from the highest pulley set available) and making about 480HP @ 5000 and well over 500 ft/lbs at the crank at only 2800. It jsut won't flow enough air to make much more than 500HP. If that's enough for you then it's still a good choice.

I bought mine from Summit for just under $1500 complete.

 

Turbos/superchargers are fairly simple… they move a specific amount of air at a specific pressure. That amount of air being moved determines how much power the engine will build. Same amount of air into a larger but otherwise identical engine results in lower boost but about the same peak HP (but more torque at a lower rpm).

WRT to the blower… it is most definitely the cheapest choice, but it is not the best if you're willing to spend more.

 

I'm planning on stroking down a 400 to a 377 and maybe putting a supercharger on it. I'm just trying to decide whether it would be worth it or not. I would like to beef it up fairly good, but still have it be street legal and drive comfortably without losing much power and acceleration. I'm just debating what the best way to do that is.

 

Vash,
If you're destroking the 400, then the only reason I could think of is to rev higher rpms (7000+ w/ solid roller cam?). In that case, the roots blower might start to choke. They are a positive displacement blower (put in X amount of air per revolution), but at higher rpms, the efficiency might drop off a lot, limiting your rpms. I'm not all that familiar with that style of blower, but with a larger, high rpm engine, it should be sized properly. A centrifugal supercharger or turbo might be more versatile to changes down the road.

 

So in your opinion would it be worth it too supercharge a 377?
And if I did would it end up being more money and work than it's worth? If it is worth it could someone tell the output and specs it would produce if it was supercharge or refer me to a site that does because I've been looking at some sites that list different combination of engines and parts and tells the specs, but they don't have any specs on 377's. Thanx guys.

 

If you see tests for a 400 cid combination that you like, multiply the results by (377/400) and you'll be close, since it's going to be the same bore. The shorter stroke will just reduce total capacity by that % you calc'd above, and other than letting you rev higher before the rotating assembly self destructs, will not add any horsepower. Different rod lengths will have a small effect.

 

in your case i wouldn't do a 377.. i am planning on a twin turbo setup and want to do either a 352 or 377 destroked 400, but i plan to turn very high rpms.. if your just looking for a fast street car thats a daily driver, or almost everyday i would recomend a 350/355 with the 142 blower, its a cheap setup that will make plenty of power... someone already said they're getting almost 500 hp

 

Thanx, I appreciate your input and I'll take what you said into consideration.

 

go turbo!!

 

And why would you choose turbo, in your opinion?

 

Well, if we're going there… the turbo will match itself to the engine its on somewhat, spin up faster and move more air on a bigger engine (within the limits of the turbo), and they are fairly flexable with changes.

Blowers move pretty much the same amount of air at the same rpm no matter what they're blowing into, so if you want to put a bigger/better breathing engine behind it and keep the same boost you either need to change pulleys or go to a bigger blower.

Secondly, a turbo will have a higher adiabatic efficiency then the positive displacement blower (typically a roots is below 50%, typically a turbo is between 65 and 85%, on average a fair comparison would be about 45% vs 75%) which will impart less heat to the air/fuel charge moving the same amount of air, which will make things slightly happier with your setup which will be detonation limited anyway because of it's compression (heat actually has a bigger effect on detonation then compression).

Of course, you could just bolt the roots onto the engine. You'll need to custom make a bunch of stuff for a turbo and unless you have it laying around/have the fabrication skills it will end up costing you more.

 

So in comparison to the turbocharger what advantages does a supercharger have. And as far mountain pass racing what works better to the cars advantage a supercharger, turbo, or an engine that has the same or more hp as the turbo or super, but is non-turbo/supercharged.

 

If I understand your question, if they all have the same HP then NA would be the most durable (assuming that the HP # that your talking about is attainable without insane rpm's or long strokes), where the turbo would have the most area under the curve (assuming a well built/designed system, a supercharged engine will do better then a crappy turbo setup). Real world, mountain passes have altitude changes, and a turbo is the only one that you could adjust easily for maximum performance easily when altitude changes (greater altitude, run more boost… hell, use an aneroid in the wastegate actuator and you'll be able to run the same PSIA boost level irrespective of altitude)

 

What about the common lag experienced during a start on a turbocharged car.

 

The "common lag experience" is because someone did something wrong or built an engine that makes no torque, not a trait of a turbo setup. Have you ever driven a GN, TTA, Syclone/Typhoon? Do any of them have any noticeable lag?

 

Point well taken. I appreciate your guy's input on this matter. thanx

 

From what Ive seen here, turbo setup really isnt an option for you if you want this to be simple and fast. I've been researching turbo's for the last few months and the last year off and on, Ive read lots of articles and still dont feel I know everything I should about putting together a kit (Main reason being, welding). If this was a Fox body Mustang then a JYTT setup I may advise but in this case, 1500$ for a very noticable HP gain and installation can be done at home I say do it.

I really wouldnt be worried about lag either. Ive been in a few turbo cars and also owned 1. 1 being a JYTT Mustang. I never felt lag once, I believe it was 2 T3 turbos but possibly IHI's (smaller, spool faster). Either way, this thing trapped nearly 120mph at 7lbs on an otherwise stock shortblock.

Turbo's are great for do it yourselfers and people on a budget, www.turbomustangs.com is by far the best site Ive been too even if it's Ford. After researching you'll probably rather wait and do a turbo project then buy that blower

 

Ya, I've just recently been taking a closer look at turbos and agree that they are a great choice and will continue to gather info on them. thanx