Eaton vs. Vortech Supercharger kits

[BMUUM3]

I have a 2000 996 carrera C2 that I am thinking of installing either the TCP Racing supercharger kit with the Eaton blower or the VR Engineering kit with the Vortech. Does anyone know which direction I should lean towards?

[geza]

Eaton units are a positive displacement - roots type blower - with the downside of heating the incoming air charge that is forced into the engine. This type also tends to rob horsepower at high revs because they are a high parasitic load on the engine as their blower speed increases.

The other unit is a centrifugal supercharger - with slightly less propensity to heat the ingoing air to the same degree. You would have to have air temp measurements on both installations to know the actual differences. Centrifugal units have a lower parasitic load.

Regardless, heated air beyond what normally enters a naturally aspirated engine creates all sorts of top end problems - increased piston ring wear, higher cylinder head temperatures, more cooling stress on the engine - and this leads to bottom end issues, as well as connecting rod stresses that are beyond the original design criteria.

RUF also have a kit - and they recommend a complete engine overhaul before supercharging if you have in excess of 50K miles - interestingly they use the centrifugal type unit - and RUF would have good reasons to do so.

In general, you may want to save your money - as the 996 flat bottom engine was never designed for supercharging - and put the cash towards a good used Turbo. Additionally, any resale value in your Supered 996 will be severely limited to those who want your exact car.

Good luck!

Edited November 1, 2006 by geza