whats the best streetable Supercharger out there?

[Patricio]

Im not looking to have the fastest car around.

Is there a supercharger out there that just provides some modest power like 50-75 hp or so and how much do these go for?

Ive driven a few and I definatly got the bug now but I feel like theres some torque missing not much but a little kick around 3500-5500 or so.

The other cars I was looking into were 996 and 355. It seems like with just a little more grunt in a NSX I wouldent be happier unless I could afford an ENZO...

I never compare stock to stock because thats not how it ever stays. I try to compare cars after 10k of mods or so... some like stock some dont. I really dont. What others like is fine I respect other peoples tatse but for myself its gotta be unique even if I bought a 360 modena... bumpers would be gone those beautiful stock wheels would be gone No wide bodies or No 200 HP mods. but its has to sound, feel, and look like its mine.

by the way im going to drive this car 2-4 days a week or so and go for 5am drive through country roads at least once a week 25-50 miles or so. those are the main functions that I want to achieve. So I dnt need a ton of power just I/E/H/chip mabe Supercharger 5-6psi or so?

what is you advice?

thanks in advance

 

[ETLMD]

I believe most people on the forums who have supercharged NSXs have gone with the Comptech supercharger:
http://www.comptechusa.com/store/superchargernsx.html

 

[scorp965]

Sounds like the comptech supercharger would be your best bet; here is a video of the low-boost supercharger on a 1992 nsx, with headers and an exhaust:

http://www.nsxprime.com/forums/showthread.php?p=675292

The low boost comptech supercharger is around $8k, give or take, but usually you can find it slightly cheaper; I believe installation is around $1500.

 

[NSXGMS]

The CTSC is the most common, consistently reliable FI product for the NSX. It's a great streetable choice.

 

[nsxtasy]

The CTSC is the most common, consistently reliable FI product for the NSX. It's a great streetable choice.

I agree. There are somewhere around 300-500 NSXs with the Comptech supercharger, which has permitted them to get all the bugs out. I believe there are fewer than 100 of any other supercharger (or turbocharger) setup.

 

[Bob Kenney]

I did the research, talked with many FI owners and made the decision to go with Comptech. It has been on the car for 2 years now with no problems at all. It has been just great; dependable without compromising the drive-ability only enhancing it with the additional power I was looking for. Comptech has my recommendation for the application you have described.

 

[Patricio]

what should i expect to spend on the kit installed and other parts that may need replacement for peace of mind? should a new factory clutch hold if im not the type to do burnouts, I think ive done only 5 burnouts in my life so thats not what i want 350hp for. Mostly just for the grunt and to smoke the occasional worthy street car 0-100. I assume a comptech modest street setup should run 13sec or better?

what did you guys spend total. And does ant one recomend waiting for boostzilla or babyzilla? or is that still permanently under development?

 

[NSXGMS]

what should i expect to spend on the kit installed and other parts that may need replacement for peace of mind? should a new factory clutch hold if im not the type to do burnouts, I think ive done only 5 burnouts in my life so thats not what i want 350hp for. Mostly just for the grunt and to smoke the occasional worthy street car 0-100. I assume a comptech modest street setup should run 13sec or better?

what did you guys spend total. And does ant one recomend waiting for boostzilla or babyzilla? or is that still permanently under development?

The low boost comptech supercharger is around $8k, give or take, but usually you can find it slightly cheaper; I believe installation is around $1500.

Your stock clutch should be fine but will wear more quickly with the higher load. Total lifespan on a OEM clutch w/ a CTSC is somewhere bewteen 25-50K miles, depending on driving habits. If you want a longer lasting clutch RPS is a great choice.

I would not hold your breath for the Boostzilla.

There are other options out there (Basch, Gruppe M) but you'll get much better support at CT (they have quite a good reputation) and as Ken said the bugs have been worked out.

Unless you live next door to a top-notch tuner I'd stay with the CTSC.

 

[nsxtasy]

Two other things worth mentioning.

First, you live near one of the most experienced dealers for NSX service in the entire Northeast. I am referring to Davis Acura in Langhorne, northeast of Philly. Bernie is their lead NSX tech and knows all the common problems, etc.

I believe Davis has a policy of only installing aftermarket equipment that is purchased through them. So if you want to have a Comptech supercharger (or other items) installed there, you will have to buy it there as well.

Second, if this is a problem for you (or even if it isn't), another option for NSX service is to drive ~100 miles and have the work done by Larry Bastanza (whose NSXprime username, coincidentally , is Larry Bastanza), who is also extremely experienced with NSX service work, including aftermarket installations. He is located in Orange County, New York, just north of the NJ state line.

I'm sure both Bernie and Larry have done numerous installations of Comptech superchargers on NSXs.

 

[Bob Kenney]

what should i expect to spend on the kit installed and other parts that may need replacement for peace of mind? should a new factory clutch hold if im not the type to do burnouts, I think ive done only 5 burnouts in my life so thats not what i want 350hp for. Mostly just for the grunt and to smoke the occasional worthy street car 0-100. I assume a comptech modest street setup should run 13sec or better?

what did you guys spend total. And does ant one recomend waiting for boostzilla or babyzilla? or is that still permanently under development?

I don't much about the Boostzilla; I do not recall anyone one I have spoken with running one. It was mentioned earlier Comptech is the most used for the application you described; if you are looking for big #s HP and TQ go Turbo.

The CTSC is approximately $8,000 plus $1,500 to install as Scorp965 posted earlier. A freer breathing air filter assembly would help along with a better breathing exhaust. Headers will have minimal effect.

The clutch question is difficult; burnouts, power-shifts and generally banging the gears can and have resulted in OEM clutch slippage occurring on naturally aspirated cars in less than 10K miles. On the other hand I have a friend who SCed his car at 50K miles on the stock clutch and it was not changed out until he hit 76K miles and he tracked the car. I would budget for a replacement clutch within 12,000 miles to be safe.

As far as the 1/4 gos; the car is capable of low or even sub 13 sec. runs.
How good a drag driver are you?
How much experience do you have setting up a car for the strip?
What are you prepared to replace? [tires, clutch etc.]
There are postings on Prime that talk through this subject and those posts can make for some very educational reading.

 

[TURBO2GO]

Why is it that everyone forgets that the CTSC is also the only LEGAL system that passes emmissions? The only one with CARB certification...

As far as I am concerned, for street use, there IS no other system.

Patricio the car is easily a 12 second car with the CTSC. If you shift well, honestly I don't see why you would have more wear and tear on the clutch at all. If you are going to slip the clutch and speedshift, thats another story.

This system is also not a centrifugal charger which although can give more top end like a turbo, is peaky. The CTSC has a very flat power band. Look at the dyno charts. Its got more power EVERYWHERE, most people tend to get stuck on that 8000 RPM number... which doesn't mean a whole lot.

Turbochargers are more effecient machines than superchargers... but you will need to rebuild the motor as the compression is too high from the factory... and aftermarket engine management is a must. There are more heat issues too.

That boostzilla..... I don't know where to start.... just forget that thing.

Budget 10K including install for the Comptech supercharger.

 

[The Kid]

Im rollin' with the Comptech and have nothing but praise for it. Are there quicker forced induction systems out there, absolutly. Much faster and about the same money. I work for Acura and Comptech is the only aftermarket company that wont void your warranty. Makes me feel safe. I know and knew the risks of FI before I did it and am prepared to rebuild a motor if it goes boom. FI is expensive. Plan to have about $15k set aside. $8k for the blower, $1500 for the install, $3k for the exhaust/header/intake combo and $1500 for a better clutch:biggrin: If your strapped finacially, its not a good idea. Make sure you can afford the risk of blowing a motor.

If you want to run with the big dogs, be prepared for the worst case scenario.

 

[Wheelman]

I agree with the Kid. I had a BBSC on the car prior and it just didn't feel strong down low. With the Comptech SC, it feels like it should be on a Wheaties box. I've logged over 2k miles on it and it runs purrrrfect. Normally, I put 3k miles on in a year but since I had the SC installed I try to drive it as much as possible.

 

[01blacks4]

NONE, buy a turbo "kit" from me, or lovefab or SOS.... you will be way happier.

 

[johnny010]

NONE, buy a turbo "kit" from me, or lovefab or SOS.... you will be way happier.

Can you give us more information on this turbo kit I heard you talk about the other night. Do you experience lag deficiencies?

 

[AU_NSX]

Turbochargers are more effecient machines than superchargers...

Agree

but you will need to rebuild the motor as the compression is too high from the factory...

Disagree

and aftermarket engine management is a must.

Not necessarily, it depends on the set-up

There are more heat issues too.

Could you elaborate what you mean by "more heat issues"...?

Turbo's do generate more engine bay heat than superchargers but I'm not sure if this creates "more heat issues" than a supercharger? Simply because it is harder to too cool the boosted air in a SC than a turbo. Whereas it is relatively easy to control the extra engine bay heat generated by the turbo set-up... So there are "heat" for/against "issues" with both...

Having said that, the Comptech is a well researched reliable FI option. It is argueably hard/impossible to beat as far as $/hp increase up to about 400RWHP. Some Acura dealers even offered factory warranty when a they installed the system on new cars...

 

[TURBO2GO]

Heat issues, I meant that the intake air temps can rise rapidly, making intercooling a must in a turbocharged application. Also the engine bay gets hotter, especially on sustained high boost... so I think that its safe to say that a turbo application overall needs more cooling than a low boost supercharger setup like the comptech.

I am not saying these issues are impossible to solve, but that there are these extra issues.

You can get away with NOT lowering the compression or having engine management, but I have not seen any good applications of this that I would consider safe, or powerful. In order to get the benefits of a turbo system, do you not agree that one should do this? I know you can say that the SC needs this too, but I think a lower compression motor is much more necessary in a turbo that is providing more boost.

I am not trying to argue with you Au, I mean you know your stuff with the turbo, just trying to help Patricio out. You have an impressive setup but for a reliable, streetable, not all out power relatively low cost system, I think the CTSC is the best option for this car.

 

[nsxtasy]

Having said that, the Comptech is a well researched reliable FI option. It is argueably hard/impossible to beat as far as $/hp increase up to about 400RWHP. Some Acura dealers even offered factory warranty when a they installed the system on new cars...

Not exactly. The factory warranty (standard and extended), in which Acura Division warrantees the car for repairs at any Acura dealer in the country, applies to the car itself. A separate warranty on the supercharger itself is provided by Comptech. And the factory warranty contains an exclusion for problems caused by aftermarket modifications, and this applies to the Comptech supercharger.

It is typical for any shop, including an Acura dealer service department, to warranty any repairs and installations it performs; however, this is the individual dealer's responsibility and does not cover the case where the car is taken to another dealer for the problems to be fixed.

 

[AU_NSX]

I know where you are coming from...

Heat issues, I meant that the intake air temps can rise rapidly, making intercooling a must in a turbocharged application. Also the engine bay gets hotter, especially on sustained high boost... so I think that its safe to say that a turbo application overall needs more cooling than a low boost supercharger setup like the comptech.

You can get away with NOT lowering the compression or having engine management, but I have not seen any good applications of this that I would consider safe, or powerful. In order to get the benefits of a turbo system, do you not agree that one should do this? I know you can say that the SC needs this too, but I think a lower compression motor is much more necessary in a turbo that is providing more boost.

You've hit the nail on the head with the last sentence above...

Now, if you were to run a low boost Turbo system of say 6psi or less, then you would not need a lower compression motor or aftermarket engine management or even intercooling for that matter. More fuel would be required so bigger injectors would be...

It is these low boost applications which are usually OEM systems. Have a look at the boost that factory turbo engines usually make... it's only 50-100 hp extra! They are extremely reliable as well... Because they are low boost!

Now 6psi is the same boost as the comptech SC. But a 6psi turbo will develop more power than a 6psi SC because the supercharger will consume some of the extra power it makes to drive it. So, to develop a turbo system that gives the same boost as the Comptech, you'd probably only need a 4psi turbo system... (these numbers are to illustrate the theory only...)

I agree with everything you say about Turbo's... But that is for high boost applications... It is sooo easy to develop power with a turbo that people "turn the boost up" and that is when you develop problems like you have identified!

Supercharging seems to be the preferred method of FI used in the US... I think because it's development in the aircraft industry during the war proved how reliable it is. Turbo charging is a more recent development and is more efficient! But because of it's unreliability and high wear rate in the early days of its use, the word "Turbo" still has a bit of a stigma associated with it.

People hear the word "turbo" in the US and they think blown motors and 10,000 mile turbine replacement issues! This is why Mercedes went the Kompressor route and not Turbo because the US is it's biggest and most important market.

...for a reliable, streetable, not all out power relatively low cost system, I think the CTSC is the best option for this car..

The CTSC is the best option because it is reliable, and has been developed and now "mass produced" and the development cost has been spread across many units keeping the unit price down.

Any Turbo system is pretty much a one-off prototype and therefore it is going to cost more than the CTSC because of the R&D that has to go into it, even if the actual components of the turbo system cost less and you can get the same power out of a turbo with less boost than you need with the supercharger...

So yeah, I agree with you... But I was just trying to illustrate that turbo charging does not deserve the "unreliable" reputation it has, as it is actually a superior system of FI if done properly.

 

[TURBO2GO]

I am not so sure if a turbo running 6 PSI would develop more if even the same overall power as the CTSC. First of all, the SC has almost no lag, and even with a smaller turbo running 6p, there would be some lag. The other thing is that I am pretty sure the temp of the compressed air will be higher in the turbo than the SC, without an intercooler.

I have never seen a turbo produce really decent HP figures without an intercooler. In the Comptech autorotor specificaly, air temps are VERY low... I can't see a turbo matching this.

So because of the air temp difference and less lag, I am almost certain a Comptech supercharged car running 6PSI will be noticably faster than a turbocharged non-intercooled NSX running 6 PSI if all else is equal.

I also don't think turbos have a bad reputation, I don't know I guess that's kinda subjective... but there is the fact that turbochargers running anywhere close to their max efficiency have a finite life, and you do have to worry about things like oil coking on the bearings if there is no cooldown period.

Like I said I think turbos are more efficient obviously, but they require significantly more R&D and need more peripherals to run well.

Mercedes didn't go the kompressor route, AMG did for the most part. The CL600, SL600 are both twin turbo cars. The AMG 65's are turbocharged V12's, but they start life as a turbo from MB.

AMG is going away from kompressors only because of the European pedestrian safety laws now that now mandate lower hoodlines... and that's not fitting the superchargers well.

Anyway, I think to stay close to the OP's original question, the CTSC is by FAR the best choice for him. I think we are in agreement over that anyway. :biggrin:

 

[AU_NSX]

...Anyway, I think to stay close to the OP's original question, the CTSC is by FAR the best choice for him. I think we are in agreement over that anyway. :biggrin:

Definitely! In fact, since the title of the thread is "whats the best streetable Supercharger out there?" My ramblings in defense of; and the benefits of a turbo are inadmissible and possibly a little bit off-topic? :redface:

 

[MiamieNeSeX]

It's always funny how the BBSC is rarely mentioned(I guess you might be cast into another dimension if you do). A 6 to 8lb BBSC is as user friendly and streetable as any Comptech.


Armando

 

[TURBO2GO]

Mentioned right here Armando. Does it pass smog? its definitely not CARB.

I agree with the Kid. I had a BBSC on the car prior and it just didn't feel strong down low. With the Comptech SC, it feels like it should be on a Wheaties box. I've logged over 2k miles on it and it runs purrrrfect. Normally, I put 3k miles on in a year but since I had the SC installed I try to drive it as much as possible.

 

[MiamieNeSeX]

He made a comparison and the threads question asks for streetable SC.

Armando

 

[AU_NSX]

It's always funny how the BBSC is rarely mentioned(I guess you might be cast into another dimension if you do).

No not at all... I just thought (because I don't actually know) that the comptech one was cheaper than the BBSC simply because there are more comptech ones out there...

That and the fact that the BBSC gets mistaken for a turbo because some people have extracted as much power from BBSC setup as others are getting out of their twin turbo setups! :wink: