Smaller supercharger pulley?

Gerhardt · #1 (**permalink**) 06-11-2008, 11:51 PM

I'm a little new to engine mods, although I'm pretty handy with a wrench and do the maintenance I can on my 98 Buick park ave ultra. Now, I was thinking of trying to get a little more FWHP out of it.

I understand the compression ratio is somewhere around 8.5:1 and a 3.8" pulley on the supercharger.

I was thinking of going for a smaller pulley to up the boost PSI, though I dont know what PSI is safe for the 3800 series II engine is, and I cant find that info online, any feedback would be great!

(also where the best place to find such a pulley would be great too!)

GP_Pimp · #2 (**permalink**) 06-12-2008, 01:05 AM

Intense or ZZP MPS with a 3.4 or 3.5 pulley, depending on how much crap you plan on putting on with it.

n0dih · #3 (**permalink**) 06-12-2008, 01:13 AM

I am in the same boat. I can say, SOP, open up the BOTTOM of the air box to the fender and cut all that white plastic crap out. Instant power. You'll love it.

Depending on what you are going to do, PCM tuning is always a benefit, I do my own, but Intense seems to have a good rep on these too. Or get a tuner program and do it yourself if you are comfortable with it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gerhardt

I'm a little new to engine mods, although I'm pretty handy with a wrench and do the maintenance I can on my 98 Buick park ave ultra. Now, I was thinking of trying to get a little more FWHP out of it.

I understand the compression ratio is somewhere around 8.5:1 and a 3.8" pulley on the supercharger.

I was thinking of going for a smaller pulley to up the boost PSI, though I dont know what PSI is safe for the 3800 series II engine is, and I cant find that info online, any feedback would be great!

(also where the best place to find such a pulley would be great too!)

12.99someday98 · #4 (**permalink**) 06-12-2008, 01:17 AM

I would start with simple stuff intake, plugs, free flowing exhaust to knock out as much kr as possible and tell intense your exact mods and they will hook u up for sure with a perty pcm

Louvered97GTP · #5 (**permalink**) 06-12-2008, 01:37 AM

Well, how about starting with an Aeroforce scanner first. This way you don't do things that will blow up your car. A fenderwell intake, and modular pulley system are a good place to start. You can order a new blower snout from Intense with the MPS hub already installed, and start off with smaller pulleys to see how these affect your car and performance. Your scans from the guage will tell you if it's safe to keep moding or if you'll need to first make other supporting mods to support continued pulley size lowering.
Definately an Intense PCM. Rockers is another fun power adder if you're mechanically inclined. Good luck. Don't forget the scanner

Edit: uh, lost track of your original question. Been a long day LOL. Yeah, I personally wouldn't go smaller than a 3.5 on stock engine, but others have pulled off a 3.4 with a good PCM tune. A downpipe and removal of U bend delete would help you engine enjoy that smaller pulley.

mcgrath · #6 (**permalink**) 06-12-2008, 01:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gerhardt

I was thinking of going for a smaller pulley to up the boost PSI, though I dont know what PSI is safe for the 3800 series II engine is, and I cant find that info online, any feedback would be great!

(also where the best place to find such a pulley would be great too!)

The superchargers on our cars a little different then most other applications, the amount of boost is relative to flow. Our superchargers don't compress the air in the housing rather in the intake manifold below it, higher boost pressure on our cars doesn't mean more power.

I recommend a 180 degree thermostat and a better flowing intake first, then it's time for a smaller pulley (3.5") and a scanner.

Welcome to the club BTW,

Ed

n0dih · #7 (**permalink**) 06-12-2008, 02:10 AM

Does the 180 stat really gain much power or help with KR?

01gtprocket · #8 (**permalink**) 06-21-2008, 01:42 PM

180 tst + set of 2 stage or 3 stage colder plugs..

Pick up some AP103 and some AP104 from Kragens Very cheap mod you can usualy get a set up 12 for around $12 on sell... Thats only if you running stock 3.8 pulley..........

before you change plugs make sure yu no how much kr you are getting before the change of plugs. AP wont help as much as copper but if its a commute car it will give yu little more power bec of the reduce kr...

Have a great time modding your car

ps

180 does help if you keep the tst around 180 once it goes over 190 then you will se kr... might be 1-2 degrees diffrence

mcgrath · #9 (**permalink**) 06-21-2008, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 01gtprocket

Pick up some AP103 and some AP104 from Kragens Very cheap mod you can usualy get a set up 12 for around $12 on sell... Thats only if you running stock 3.8 pulley..........

before you change plugs make sure yu no how much kr you are getting before the change of plugs. AP wont help as much as copper but if its a commute car it will give yu little more power bec of the reduce kr...

I wouldn't reccomend anyone with a boosted car on this forum to use platium plugs. Platium plugs in a boosted car is not good for a daily driver or track queen.

Ed