DIY Supercharger?

[tdstuart]

I missed that you are 17 and still paying your folks for the car.

My recommendation now is not to attempt FI in any way. This is your first car.

One of ways to get better performance is an axle change. Putting bigger gearing in will increase acceleration. You will get the G forces you are looking for. Carefully search out a used differential, or if you have at least the 3.31:1 axle ratio, get some gears and have a shop put something larger in, like, say 4.56:1. This will give you SC like acceleration yet you will still have overdrive. Then contact BAMA, Steeda, or some other shop to do an inexpensive tune to make sure the electronics work correctly.

Since you are mechanically inclined, this is a great way to get to know your Mustang better. You will see how the IRS is set up, what components make up the suspension, how to disassemble it, etc. The reason for a used diff, is that your down time will be shorter. You can take the diff and the gears to the shop, have them install which shouldn't be more than a few hundred dollars, then swap the diff. You can turn around and sell your old one to get some of the money back.

Just make sure you use a diff that came from the factory with 3.31:1 or lower (355, 373). You cannot install the bigger gears in the 315 diff. Also, if available get a cast iron diff.

I also, didn't see if your car is a stick. If so, the sc will smoke the clutch pretty quickly if you put bigger tires on it. Costing you a good chunk for a clutch. The gearing helps the clutch out with more mechanical advantage. Same with the 6R80.

You might get all this done for the $700 you are talking about.

Thanks for the recommendation. For some reason, I assume that my car had a lower gear ratio, but I think I have confirmed it either came with a 315 or was swapped to a 315.

Couldn't get my window sticker to see the options but it's an auto transmission so it's very likely it has the 315. The dif has a sticker that says "3L15" which I assume means 315 gears. The weird thing is the dif looks really new (everyone in my auto class has commented on this), the dif sealant looks super clean and new. Keep in mind the car has 98k miles now.

Since I have the 315 (at least I assume) I would have to buy a new dif?

And what I really need is a new tire setup. I have the car tuned to run flex fuel and the thing will not hook in first gear, or the first to second shift, or sometimes the 2nd to 3rd shift. I have Nitto NT555 G2 (275/35ZR20 102W). Think it really needs wider and softer tires to hook better. Don't know if I could even use the extra acceleration from lower gears.

Sponsored

 

[tdstuart]

Holy crap. 17 with an S550! Damn. All I had was an $800 Oldsmobile. I got robbed.

Ya, I fucking love the car. Just glad I have parents that make good money and are willing to loan me $20k for the car as well as pay my insurance and part of the gas. I think my Dad started off with a $500 car that wouldn't even run.

 

[GreenS550]

If you have the 315 I am assuming yours is an auto. Very good transmission. You can easily find a 355 or 375 diff with loaded gears for 4-600$. Then get a tune. You will be amazed at the difference in your car. My 15 with a tune and 355s ran mid 12s with a good tire. The Nittos 555 extremes are OK, but there are stickier tires out there for similar money. Good luck.

 

[tdstuart]

If you have the 315 I am assuming yours is an auto. Very good transmission. You can easily find a 355 or 375 diff with loaded gears for 4-600$. Then get a tune. You will be amazed at the difference in your car. My 15 with a tune and 355s ran mid 12s with a good tire. The Nittos 555 extremes are OK, but there are stickier tires out there for similar money. Good luck.

Ya, It's an auto. The car can't hook on the street at all so I probably want to find a better tire setup before going lower gears.

 

[Jackson1320]

Piping. Piping routing. MAF housing. MAF housing placement. Intercooler. You need to invest in a TIG welder, etc., etc.

The piping any amateur can do because you do not need a welder. You can get a intercooler piping kit on eBay for $100. A welder will make a nicer setup but it’s not Absolutely necessary. You can buy a math housing with an air straightener already installed that way the location is not too critical. You can buy an intercooler with the piping kit from CX racing dirt cheap. It bolts right on. all easy, People tend to overthink everything

 

[Jackson1320]

Ya, It's an auto. The car can't hook on the street at all so I probably want to find a better tire setup before going lower gears.

I Recently picked up a complete diff with 355s for $280 shipped. so this is definitely one of the cheaper upgrades.
If this was an older car Or a extra car you had sitting around I would say go ahead with the DIY supercharger. but being that your parents paid for this car and you’re inexperienced I don’t see this working out. I see you destroying a good car. Until you get some more experience I would stick with proven modifications

 

[ICU812]

I know I am going to sound old and like a dad.BUT.
O/P if you are 17, you are a new driver, Skip the thought of spending money on a super charger, and take the money and take a few driving school classes, not drivers ed. performance driving classes.
Your car has double the power the junk most of us drove as a new driver, and could get over our heads in those under powered turds.
After you have built your driving skills and knowledge THEN, Do whatever you want to make the car faster.
Trust me here, it'll be worth the wait and worth the money to take the classes.
We all acted like we were the "balls" when your age and thought we knew car control and then looked at the twisted mess in the driveway when Our ego and brains were bigger than our skill and thought logic that maybe this/that isn't a good idea, till after we wrecked.

 

[C.O.M.R #826]

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.

I

 

[Rick#7]

I know I am going to sound old and like a dad.BUT.
O/P if you are 17, you are a new driver, Skip the thought of spending money on a super charger, and take the money and take a few driving school classes, not drivers ed. performance driving classes.
Your car has double the power the junk most of us drove as a new driver, and could get over our heads in those under powered turds.
After you have built your driving skills and knowledge THEN, Do whatever you want to make the car faster.
Trust me here, it'll be worth the wait and worth the money to take the classes.
We all acted like we were the "balls" when your age and thought we knew car control and then looked at the twisted mess in the driveway when Our ego and brains were bigger than our skill and thought logic that maybe this/that isn't a good idea, till after we wrecked.

This is probably the best advice I've seen in this thread so far!

The money it would cost to go to a performance driving school is not only a great investment that will pay rewards far into your future, it will also be a total blast to do! One of my favorite experiences ever was getting out on a track with a NASCAR style race car and an instructor for several hot laps. I think once you get your car to a closed course with proper instruction and actually see what you can do with it at it's current power you won't regret putting off a supercharger project for now.

Since you've stated the car already has a tune, and you have no traction in 1st gear or the 1st - 2nd shift, adding that kind of torque to it from a supercharger is pointless, and probably reckless without more experience and skill to control the beast. Even adding more gearing would be useless without better traction. If you are really set on modifying the car, you'll get much better results at this stage by upgrading the tires and suspension.

 

[WildHorse]

The piping any amateur can do because you do not need a welder. You can get a intercooler piping kit on eBay for $100. A welder will make a nicer setup but it’s not Absolutely necessary. You can buy a math housing with an air straightener already installed that way the location is not too critical. You can buy an intercooler with the piping kit from CX racing dirt cheap. It bolts right on. all easy, People tend to overthink everything

Well I for one wouldn't want a shit ton of silicon couplers, clamps, times 20. A lot of those generic piping do not have the required bends to clear everything on a s550 front end. Just look at all those JDM cars with 'generic' piping.. no front bumper covers cause they won't fit. Then you need injectors / tune / find someone even willing to tune it / fuel system / blowoff / etc., etc. I mean, lets get realistic here.

Anyways, more power to the OP if he can pull it off.

 

[tdstuart]

I know I am going to sound old and like a dad.BUT.
O/P if you are 17, you are a new driver, Skip the thought of spending money on a super charger, and take the money and take a few driving school classes, not drivers ed. performance driving classes.
Your car has double the power the junk most of us drove as a new driver, and could get over our heads in those under powered turds.
After you have built your driving skills and knowledge THEN, Do whatever you want to make the car faster.
Trust me here, it'll be worth the wait and worth the money to take the classes.
We all acted like we were the "balls" when your age and thought we knew car control and then looked at the twisted mess in the driveway when Our ego and brains were bigger than our skill and thought logic that maybe this/that isn't a good idea, till after we wrecked.

Good advice. Luckily I have not lived up to the crowd killer stereotype yet. Spinning in first and second don’t bother me but spinning at the top of 2nd and the 2-3rd scare the shit out of me. And that would be happening a lot more with any power adder. Not to mention if I actually try to take hard turns. Think I might do this as a Christmas present or something. Do you recommend me taking out my own car or renting a car. I’ve noticed my brakes get overheated really easily (as expected as it is a non PP). Do you think it would still be fine for learning?

 

[tdstuart]

Well I for one wouldn't want a shit ton of silicon couplers, clamps, times 20. A lot of those generic piping do not have the required bends to clear everything on a s550 front end. Just look at all those JDM cars with 'generic' piping.. no front bumper covers cause they won't fit. Then you need injectors / tune / find someone even willing to tune it / fuel system / blowoff / etc., etc. I mean, lets get realistic here.

Anyways, more power to the OP if he can pull it off.

I have a welding class at my school and there are some pretty good welders there. Wouldn’t mind paying them to help weld if needed.

The thing I’m most conserved about is pulley and supercharger placement as well as maf placement. Also someone mentioned needing a blowoff valve but to my knowledge I wouldn’t need one right?

 

[ICU812]

Good advice. Luckily I have not lived up to the crowd killer stereotype yet. Spinning in first and second don’t bother me but spinning at the top of 2nd and the 2-3rd scare the shit out of me. And that would be happening a lot more with any power adder. Not to mention if I actually try to take hard turns. Think I might do this as a Christmas present or something. Do you recommend me taking out my own car or renting a car. I’ve noticed my brakes get overheated really easily (as expected as it is a non PP). Do you think it would still be fine for learning?

If the traction is that bad, you need better tires before you spend money on other mods.
If your car is having traction issues and brake heating issues. If you can use a schools car, that might be best, but explain to the instructor that your car has these issues, so he can explain brake fade, and boiling the brake fluid.
If you use your car, tell the instructor about both, so he knows before hand, he/she might want to take it for a hot lap to see how bad it is, gets.
Tires as they age, the oils in the tires leave with some of the tread. A sticky compound isn't what it once was, a year or two down the line when always on the car and in the sun.
If this car has had a tune. you might want to have it strapped to rollers and see what type power it is making.
The traction issue might be more than tires.
TOO MANY add power without understanding you need to address the underpinning between the engine and the ground to be able to USE that extra power.
A 380hp at the wheels car that the owner has the underpinning/car scienced out and can put the power down will run circles around a 600hp+ car that can't put the power down without blowing the tires off and having brake fade.
On anything other than a straight road if you can't enter a corner hot (fast) and trust the brakes, then put power down from middle of corner and then hammer down on corner exit. you'll never be fast, no matter how much power you make. corner entry is about traction and brakes, middle corner and exit is about hooking the power to the ground.
TOO MANY, think brute power is all they need.
Sure that chassis dyno print out that shows huge power to the wheels is a bench racing ego trip. but we don't drive on dyno's we drive on streets and tracks, if you can't get that power down. it is pointless.
Throwing more power at a car is easy today. science ing it out to use it, very few bother to do it.
Tire smoke is fun to look at, but isn't fast.

 

[Ga15GT]

If the traction is that bad, you need better tires before you spend money on other mods.
If your car is having traction issues and brake heating issues. If you can use a schools car, that might be best, but explain to the instructor that your car has these issues, so he can explain brake fade, and boiling the brake fluid.
If you use your car, tell the instructor about both, so he knows before hand, he/she might want to take it for a hot lap to see how bad it is, gets.
Tires as they age, the oils in the tires leave with some of the tread. A sticky compound isn't what it once was, a year or two down the line when always on the car and in the sun.
If this car has had a tune. you might want to have it strapped to rollers and see what type power it is making.
The traction issue might be more than tires.
TOO MANY add power without understanding you need to address the underpinning between the engine and the ground to be able to USE that extra power.
A 380hp at the wheels car that the owner has the underpinning/car scienced out and can put the power down will run circles around a 600hp+ car that can't put the power down without blowing the tires off and having brake fade.
On anything other than a straight road if you can't enter a corner hot (fast) and trust the brakes, then put power down from middle of corner and then hammer down on corner exit. you'll never be fast, no matter how much power you make. corner entry is about traction and brakes, middle corner and exit is about hooking the power to the ground.
TOO MANY, think brute power is all they need.
Sure that chassis dyno print out that shows huge power to the wheels is a bench racing ego trip. but we don't drive on dyno's we drive on streets and tracks, if you can't get that power down. it is pointless.
Throwing more power at a car is easy today. science ing it out to use it, very few bother to do it.
Tire smoke is fun to look at, but isn't fast.

This is great. So what mods do you recommend before adding hp?

 

[ICU812]

This is great. So what mods do you recommend before adding hp?

Not my car, have no info on what it has , and what was done to it.
But The driver being 17. needs performance driving seat time, classes. before anything else is done. There is more to driving a performance car than dropping the hammer through the carpet ,and then slamming on the brakes.
My bet is the front brakes are glazed over and need to be looked at, if he say's they get hot /over heat.
That never gets better on it's own.

Sponsored