Supercharger - Imagine Auto

[Gary Gaukler]

Originally Posted by oliverg

Can you / Should you decompress the engine before doing either procedure?

Theoretically, you can lower the compression ratio by installing different pistons. However, I am not aware of anyone who makes / sells these for the Boxster. So, practically, the answer is, no...

Low boost levels with proper chip mapping should be fine without lowering the compression. I personally would start to get concerned at anything beyond 6psi or so, but that's not a hard-and-fast rule.

If you are seriously interested in forced induction, read Corky Bell's books - it's a small investment, and you'll be a much more educated buyer!

BTW, please do not think that I advocate the turbowerx kit over the iA one. An intercooled twin-turbo certainly sounds better to me on paper, but a lot depends on the kit maker's ability to tune the system, and I have no first hand experience with either of these kits.

Best,
Gary

[oliverg]

I asked Marc at Turbowerx to comment on your blurb, Gary. (Out of pure interest, not to question you). Marc and I have been corresponding as I am now seriously considering selling the Turbowerx kits in Australia. So far he has been the only guy to get back to me with friendly and helpful advise (although it IS still the weekend over there for people in the US ) This was his response:

"Interesting comments by Gary. He is spot on. The numbers presented by IA (and TPC, but they pulled their s/c system a week ago) are misleading at best. It is obvious to us they are playing a game by showing an artificially low baseline, and then an optimistically high result. We have noted this for a long, long time. There are numerous ways to massage dyno charts to give the result you want. We don't play that game. We give exact, honest numbers. In some respects it's tough(er) to compete against people/companies that do this, but we have chosen not to stoop to that to sell the product. We firmly believe a product should stand on it's merits. Not hype, or certainly not outright lies. We are confident the truth will prevail - people like Gary will be the one's to help educate the market."


-Marc

[Dfer]

Hey Oliverg
I was at a PCV meeting in Melbourne on the weekend and one of the guys was trying to sell me the Supercharger off his car. It was originally installed by Peter Fitzgerald .
If your are interested in following up the kit ( Which is currently installed on his 2001 S ) , PM me and I will give him your contact detailsand I will pass it on to him. Obviosly you could drive the car to see how you liked it

Cheers

Dennis

[oliverg]

Originally Posted by Dfer

Hey Oliverg
I was at a PCV meeting in Melbourne on the weekend and one of the guys was trying to sell me the Supercharger off his car. It was originally installed by Peter Fitzgerald .
If your are interested in following up the kit ( Which is currently installed on his 2001 S ) , PM me and I will give him your contact detailsand I will pass it on to him. Obviosly you could drive the car to see how you liked it

Cheers

Dennis

Ah thank you very much Dennis. I don't think the S kits work with the standard Boxster? Do you know how much he wanted?

Kindest regards

[Dfer]

Originally Posted by oliverg

Ah thank you very much Dennis. I don't think the S kits work with the standard Boxster? Do you know how much he wanted?

Kindest regards

Don't know much technically. Fitzgerald would be able to answer that.
We didn't get around to discussing price. I am arranging to have a drive to check it out but I suspect I will go the 3.4/3.6 route when the time comes.

Cheers

Dennis

[oliverg]

I spoke at length to Peter Fitzgeral regarding the SC he has for sale.

He imported it into Australia (it is the TPC one) and the first car it was installed in was a 2.5 - the engine blew within 2 months and Peter says he was the first person in Australia to rebuild a 2.5 engine (which he did for the client).

He then installed it in another client's vehicle and changed the injectors back to stock and changed the DME back to stock but did something funky with the 7th injector and restricted the boost level to 5.5 - apparently the initial 2-3 seconds after planting your foot the boost on the stock TPC with upgraded DME is around 9 (which is way too much for an engine of this compression). The second engine blew too.

Last car he put it in was a tiptronic - and after a few months, the transmission died. 14k to install a new tranny.

So now this evil supercharger sits ready waiting for the next victim!!!!! Peter wouldn't sell it to me as I have a tip. He assures me that he's ironed out the bugs (!!!!!) now. (I would think so, after 3 cars!)

He then tried to sell me the 3.4l upgrade. He has a 'brand new' 3.4 engine that was deployed in a guy who did track in it. Apparently there were sump issues with Boxsters with sticky tyres and oil starvation so the 3.4l blew and he rebuilt it. (So when he says "brand new" its 'sort of brand new') He wanted 30k ($AUD) which is about 22K $US for fitting and supply - but would be willing to give me a 1 year warranty on the engine itself.

Personally, I think 30k is way too high - I know I can get a 3.4l with all the bits for around 10k-12k $AUD and I can't see it costing 18-20k to install it! Am I wrong? Does anyone know how much (average) a 3.4l non egas 996 engine goes for?

I'll keep everyone posted anyway. Take care all!

[ohioboxster]

I would avoid this kit for sure because the things he is telling you make no sense. First is boost level I need to clear up your unit of measure are we talking foot pounds? (ft. Lbs.) If so the factory SC from TPC come with a pulley that creates 4.5 Ft. Lbs of boost. If he detuned his kit to 5.5 I have a feeling someone installed a different size pulley on the SC unit. If this is the case, motors are blowing for just cause. Compressed air is hot and will cause detonation. Detonation over time even extremely short time equals a blown motor no if ands or buts about it. I have installed SC kits in the past and have never seen boost shoot up in the first two seconds as he described. Now, if the blow off valve is bad I can understand a build up of pressure. The ladder makes no sense to me. Next the IA kit is the one where you change the factory injectors not the TPC kit. Finally, how in the world could you control an additional injector if you disconnect it from the factory ECU? If it was wired direct the motor would flood with gasoline. The whole thing just doesn't add up. The best part is he readily admits to blowing up three cars and still thinks you would buy the kit. Honest to a fault or just plain stupid?