DIY Supercharger?

[tdstuart]

How bad of an idea is it to attempt a DIY centrifugal supercharger kit for a 2015 mustang gt?

It always interested me how hard it would be to build your own supercharger kit for an S550 gt.
No idea if I would be able to do it as I have extremely limited and basic knowledge of engines and superchargers but I feel like someone could definitely do it for cheap.

You can buy a supercharger that would push good power for like $700. Then all you need is an intercooler, a way to mount the intercooler, custom intake, pully for the supercharger, and a way to mount the supercharger. Right? Im thinking the hardest part will be making the custom intake and mounting the supercharger.

Has anyone on this forum actually done this?

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[illtal]

You don't have to do this the ESS supercharger can be had for under 5.5K.
I think it would be more awesome to build your own turbo kit, especially a top mount.

 

[engineermike]

This is much harder than it sounds. A home-brew turbo system would be much easier but still very difficult.

 

[Andrew@Lethal]

How bad of an idea is it to attempt a DIY centrifugal supercharger kit for a 2015 mustang gt?

It always interested me how hard it would be to build your own supercharger kit for an S550 gt.
No idea if I would be able to do it as I have extremely limited and basic knowledge of engines and superchargers but I feel like someone could definitely do it for cheap.

You can buy a supercharger that would push good power for like $700. Then all you need is an intercooler, a way to mount the intercooler, custom intake, pully for the supercharger, and a way to mount the supercharger. Right? Im thinking the hardest part will be making the custom intake and mounting the supercharger.

Has anyone on this forum actually done this?

A custom made turbo might be a bit easier than a homemade supercharger. We will be having some sales soon on some superchargers here at Lethalperformance.com. Look into Whipple, Procharger, Vortech, and VMP. Please feel free to send me a message if you have any questions.

 

[tdstuart]

You don't have to do this the ESS supercharger can be had for under 5.5K.
I think it would be more awesome to build your own turbo kit, especially a top mount.

That's a pretty good price. It's not all about the money, I think it would also be fun to attempt. I have no money to do either just wanted to hear peoples opinions on the idea.


Turbos sound fun but also sound more complicated. Am I wrong to think that it would be harder to do a turbo than a supercharger?

 

[tdstuart]

This is much harder than it sounds. A home-brew turbo system would be much easier but still very difficult.

I'm sure in practice it would be a pretty difficult thing to do. Why do you think a turbo would be easier than a supercharger? With a turbo you have to redo the exhaust system.

 

[tdstuart]

A custom made turbo might be a bit easier than a homemade supercharger. We will be having some sales soon on some superchargers here at Lethalperformance.com. Look into Whipple, Procharger, Vortech, and VMP. Please feel free to send me a message if you have any questions.

If I could afford a supercharger I would buy one lmao. I'm 17 and barely managing to pay my parents back for the car and still afford gas and other general life things. Just wanted to get a feel for this project as an alternate to buying one. Couldn't afford either right now anyway.

 

[engineermike]

The exhaust system can be built using a 110v mig and tubing bought online. A supercharger requires an elaborate billet mounting and drive system.

 

[Rick#7]

2 big hurdles you're overlooking are the fuel system and a custom tune. These will add at least several hundred $$ for each to the cost, and that's assuming you can find a tuner willing to tackle the challenge of dialing in an unknown supercharger configuration.

Unless you have mad fabrication skills, and a very well equipped shop, gathering up all the required brackets, mounts, tubing, etc, will be both challenging and pricey. I'm not saying it can't be done on the cheaper side, but to do that would require 3 things; Skills acquired from a LOT of mechanical experience; Connections, to find parts cheaply you have to know where to go and who to see; and finally Lots of customizing and fabbing knowledge, you need to know what fits and what doesn't, what will work in the situation and what needs to be done to make something fit and work. It is not something that can be done cheaply by someone just starting in the hobby. That's why life lessons are so costly LOL

Back in the 80's, pre-made turbo kits were almost non-existent, although it seemed like everyone was slapping a turbo on some weekend racer. The kits you could find were not exactly vehicle specific or "bolt on", they consisted of an appropriately sized turbo and various pieces of matching sized universal tubing bends. It was up to the installer to figure out how to piece everything together and it always involved fabrication of some sort. Without the benefit of today's pre-engineered systems, those early kits resulted in a lot of blown head gaskets and burned pistons, but occasionally it did result in big power. As far as being easier than a supercharger, turbo's offer more mounting flexibility, you can put them anywhere they will fit under the hood as long as you can route pipes to it while a supercharger must be mounted to use a pulley driven off the crank, but you are correct that a turbo does require exhaust work.

 

[Jackson1320]

If you have the centrifugal head unit the part that would take the most time Is the mounting brackets. If you could get someone with a procharger or vortech to share pictures and measurements from there brackets. It would be fairly easy. Better equipment would result in better quality but the brackets can be made with just a grinder and a drill

 

[illtal]

That's a pretty good price. It's not all about the money, I think it would also be fun to attempt. I have no money to do either just wanted to hear peoples opinions on the idea.


Turbos sound fun but also sound more complicated. Am I wrong to think that it would be harder to do a turbo than a supercharger?

Because you need brackets yea it's harder. For a turbo you need a competent welder that's it.

 

[tdstuart]

2 big hurdles you're overlooking are the fuel system and a custom tune. These will add at least several hundred $$ for each to the cost, and that's assuming you can find a tuner willing to tackle the challenge of dialing in an unknown supercharger configuration.

Unless you have mad fabrication skills, and a very well equipped shop, gathering up all the required brackets, mounts, tubing, etc, will be both challenging and pricey. I'm not saying it can't be done on the cheaper side, but to do that would require 3 things; Skills acquired from a LOT of mechanical experience; Connections, to find parts cheaply you have to know where to go and who to see; and finally Lots of customizing and fabbing knowledge, you need to know what fits and what doesn't, what will work in the situation and what needs to be done to make something fit and work. It is not something that can be done cheaply by someone just starting in the hobby. That's why life lessons are so costly LOL

Back in the 80's, pre-made turbo kits were almost non-existent, although it seemed like everyone was slapping a turbo on some weekend racer. The kits you could find were not exactly vehicle specific or "bolt on", they consisted of an appropriately sized turbo and various pieces of matching sized universal tubing bends. It was up to the installer to figure out how to piece everything together and it always involved fabrication of some sort. Without the benefit of today's pre-engineered systems, those early kits resulted in a lot of blown head gaskets and burned pistons, but occasionally it did result in big power. As far as being easier than a supercharger, turbo's offer more mounting flexibility, you can put them anywhere they will fit under the hood as long as you can route pipes to it while a supercharger must be mounted to use a pulley driven off the crank, but you are correct that a turbo does require exhaust work.

Thank you for mentioning the fuel and tune.

ididn’t mention the tune as I assumed that was pretty obvious but if this is to be a proper discussion it should be mention. The one thing I didn’t consider was the uniqueness of the tune, I honestly don’t think it would be that hard to get a tuner to work with a custom setup, but idk people will have to ask tuners.

As far as the fuel goes you will need new injectors and possible (if definitely) need a fuel pump (I haven’t looked into that).

People should also get a new oil pump and aftermarket oil pump gears.

Thank you for the history lesson and the input. Maybe I should try to put together a thread on all the parts you would need and see if I can get enough info on what fab work would need to be done. I’m most concerned about the supercharger mount. I would probably have to ask others to send me measurements and pictures.

 

[tdstuart]

Because you need brackets yea it's harder. For a turbo you need a competent welder that's it.

Hmm I’m wondering if I can find another companies bracket and use that.

 

[tdstuart]

If you have the centrifugal head unit the part that would take the most time Is the mounting brackets. If you could get someone with a procharger or vortech to share pictures and measurements from there brackets. It would be fairly easy. Better equipment would result in better quality but the brackets can be made with just a grinder and a drill

Ya. I need to look into how they mount the supercharger to the engine. After that I can get the measurements on the pulley and figure out what I would need to do to mount.

 

[illtal]

Hmm I’m wondering if I can find another companies bracket and use that.

They don't sell individual pieces. You would need someone to give you the brackets then copy them. Which makes you have that brand supercharger setup.

I know it seems like it would be cheaper but it will not. Messing around with belt drives is a precision operation. I wouldn't want to attempt doing it from scratch without a 3D scanner and access to a good 3D printer.

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