Gears vs supercharger pros and cons

[axis]

Originally Posted by Mchlgrrsn

I had 4.10's on with the following mods .. Headers, cam, ported heads .. Don't remember the dyno numbers 480 ish I think with matching torque. Ran like a champ, no issues.

GM 3.91's are dirt cheap and will hold up to the powa.

[Bornluckee13]

Running GM 3.91's from lashways' diff swap program and love them! Completely changed the car! For $900ish it was a great mod. Still want to go FI though.

[IPT]

Originally Posted by SPCBA

mostly street with some autocross? neither do suspension

Pedders pace car package with PFadt trail arms and toe rods going in this week .

I can afford FI, the question is do I want too? It'll surely exceed $10K or more (I'll need meth and I can't do the job, so labor too!). That's a lotta cash for a car on the road 4-5 months a year.

I may still stick to my original plan to go with FI. I'm just entertaining the idea of gears. Seems I could get almost as much "fun" from them at a lot lower cost. Though the idea of hearing boost kick in would be super cool! Then again I could buy an entirely different toy, or other large ticket item with the $8K or so I'd save if I did gears instead. Plus I'd still have some neck snapping fun.

Decisions, decisions .... Well for this year I am sticking with the suspension mods. Planning ahead for next year!

For gears vs FI - is there a particular place one shines over the other? Like off the line, or jumping on it at a roll? I've had gears and I know the power is up rolling at higher RPMS for any given moment but I have not had the experience of FI.

[ToddB]

A supercharger like a whipple will do more than gears can do at any of those things. No meth needed. I am at near 600 rwhp Plus it is a easy install.

[VADER SS L99]

Originally Posted by ToddB

A supercharger like a whipple will do more than gears can do at any of those things. No meth needed. I am at near 600 rwhp Plus it is a easy install.

I agree with this. A PD supercharger like the Whipple, TVS 2300 and Lyshom are going to give you way more kick in the pants off idle torque than gears ever could. The price wont be 10K either. More like 8K installed even with upgraded ZL1 pump, ADM FPCM, upgraded injectors and custom tuning. Of course like someone else said its not really compairable. The SC cost is around 8K and the gears are around 1,400. One actually makes the car faster while the other mostly just makes it feel faster.

[Mchlgrrsn]

Originally Posted by VADER SS L99

I agree with this. A PD supercharger like the Whipple, TVS 2300 and Lyshom are going to give you way more kick in the pants off idle torque than gears ever could. The price wont be 10K either. More like 8K installed even with upgraded ZL1 pump, ADM FPCM, upgraded injectors and custom tuning. Of course like someone else said its not really compairable. The SC cost is around 8K and the gears are around 1,400. One actually makes the car faster while the other mostly just makes it feel faster.

That there sums it up nicely. It's gonna be a money decision. Gears don't add hp and torque, they just make the car feel faster.. Supercharger adds 100 plus hp and torque, actually making your car faster. Adding a supercharger can put some stress on other parts of your car , clutch and axles. Enjoy. Both are fine choices.

[IPT]

Sounds like FI for the win. So, even with only 90 octane available no Meth is needed? Yes, our gas up here sucks.

[ToddB]

Usually u need 91 at least. But message Ted he may be able to tune for 90.

[ToddB]

Or just add some Torco. I use it for safety all the time.

[Snidely Whiplash]

Originally Posted by Jayrcr3

I was thinking more about the traction being even worse with the blower and gears together. Mine factory drive train has managed to survive with 650 to the wheels, but I haven't bolted up a set of DR's and went to the strip...... Yet.

Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 2

More unskilled driver break drivetrain parts on the burnout than the launch. You gotta know when to pull your foot off the gas pedal...just before the burnout heated tires hook - THAT'S when you break driveline parts.

I've scattered many an axle and 12 bolt rear, then I went 9" Ford with a nodular center, braced housing, and good 31 spline axles. That was on a car with 14X32 slicks.

[Snidely Whiplash]

Originally Posted by Mchlgrrsn

Hooked em and shredded them. 3d gear power shift. Had to listen to my tuner "I told you this was going to happen". "I told you we should of switched ". Aftermarket gears don't hold up well under that much torque and it really wasn't a surprise at all, more like wishful thinking. Ended up going bulletproof .... DSS

Drag race gears are actually a soft metal compared to hardened street gears. An 800 HP car with 14" slicks will shatter hardened stock gears. Drag gears 'flex" due to being a softer metal and therefore, do not shatter. The downside is drag gears will need to be replaced often. It's the price you pay for power and traction at the drags.

[11TexaSS]

FI is just so much fun! Standard FI kits are designed to work on a stock car so header, CAI etc. can be done later on. Believe me, once you drive a boosted car you'll be hooked!

If it's not Blown, it just sucks!

[bcamaro1]

If you have the money and willing to pay, supercharger all the way. but if your iffy about the price, go with the gears first and then later add mods as needed.