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Safe To Supercharge?

Funk#49

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Funk#49 Enthusiast

Funk#49

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I've been reading aorund on the forum, and just decided to post my question. I have an '50 Sierra with a 5.3. I've already done some breathing modifications (K&N cold air intake, 40 series flowmaster exhuast, high flo cat, ceramic headers) but I'm looking for a bit more power and I figure Supercharging is a sure way to get it. I'm completely lost on fuel injected systems, this is all new to me.

 

Mostly I'm worried about the safety of supercharging, particularly with my transmission. I do have the HD towing package. Would a supercharger kill my tranny? Will the rear end hold up? After reading aorund in here I think I'll have the engine tuned by blackbear after the supercharger was installed. What do you think?

 

Any help is certainly appreciated!

 

Here's a picture of the truck, next to my '79 T/A

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Stevens03 Senior Enthusiast

Stevens03

Posted
Posted

Your transmission will last a little while, but if you start beating on the skinny peddle, your weakest link will be the transmission. I'd certainly consider some upgrades for the transmission :lol:

tylerjenkins92@aol.com Senior Enthusiast

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Posted
Posted
I've been reading aorund on the forum, and just decided to post my question. I have an '50 Sierra with a 5.3. I've already done some breathing modifications (K&N cold air intake, 40 series flowmaster exhuast, high flo cat, ceramic headers) but I'm looking for a bit more power and I figure Supercharging is a sure way to get it. I'm completely lost on fuel injected systems, this is all new to me.

 

Mostly I'm worried about the safety of supercharging, particularly with my transmission. I do have the HD towing package. Would a supercharger kill my tranny? Will the rear end hold up? After reading aorund in here I think I'll have the engine tuned by blackbear after the supercharger was installed. What do you think?

 

Any help is certainly appreciated!

 

Here's a picture of the truck, next to my '79 T/A

How did you do that ls swap into a 50 model sierra in the first place? Just get it tuned up good, and increase the line pressures and maybe beef the tranny up, depending on how hard it's going to be used.

Funk#49 Enthusiast

Funk#49

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Sorry, not '50, I meant '05. I typoed the hell out of that, lol.

 

How hard is it to strengthen the transmission? What should I have done to it? How long does it usually take? Is it pretty common, somehitng I could have done at your average transmission shop? Any idea what it might cost?

tylerjenkins92@aol.com Senior Enthusiast

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Posted
Posted
Sorry, not '50, I meant '05. I typoed the hell out of that, lol.

 

How hard is it to strengthen the transmission? What should I have done to it? How long does it usually take? Is it pretty common, somehitng I could have done at your average transmission shop? Any idea what it might cost?

 

Most tranny shops I know of will do that. They'll put better servos and a shift kit, beef up the clutch packs, and maybe solenoids. Depending on your area, the cost may differ. But, around here, I could have one beefed for $700.

Funk#49 Enthusiast

Funk#49

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Thanks for the info. If I have the tranny beefed up you think I'll be good with everything else if i supercharge? I drive the ever-loving p!ss out of that truck, btw. It is also my daily driver.

tylerjenkins92@aol.com Senior Enthusiast

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Posted
Posted
Thanks for the info. If I have the tranny beefed up you think I'll be good with everything else if i supercharge? I drive the ever-loving p!ss out of that truck, btw. It is also my daily driver.

What gears? Does it have a transfer case?

Funk#49 Enthusiast

Funk#49

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No idea. It's all whatever comes with a 2wd 1500 Sierra, 5.3 with the HD tow package. I'd check my manual, but I'm in Afghanistan at the moment and it's not available to me.

Funk#49 Enthusiast

Funk#49

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It looks like thayt's the easiest way to get sure power. My automotive experience has been limited second generation f-bodies. I've swapped engines, transmissions, suspension, rear ends. I did most of the work on the 403 in my TA. I just don't know much about the guts in my truck. I'm still learning.

tylerjenkins92@aol.com Senior Enthusiast

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Shit, I'd go for a turbo if I did what I used to do, which is tear stuff up. But, there's all kinds of things you can do for big power like cam, heads, stall, gears, tune, headers, pistons. You get some damn good power out of an engine without FI. FI is probably the most economical way for a daily driven truck, though. Just don't be a fool like I was and put to much nitrous to an engine and blow her up. It's a bigger expense blowing a motor as it is to do it right and not use nos in the first place. Take this from experience.

Funk#49 Enthusiast

Funk#49

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Yeah I have no intention of cam and heads and shit. It's enough of a pain in the ass on engines that don't have computers, so I'm not interested indiving into that on this truck. This is my daily driver, and it looked like the supercharger would be a solid, reliable, and effective way to get good power in a daily driver. I just want to make sure my drivetrain will last, you know?

 

Also, I'm not too worried about what the rear end is at because I don't plan on changing it. wtf do I need 4.10s for? I still want to get on the highway, haha.

 

How does the 80mm throttle body work for you?

tylerjenkins92@aol.com Senior Enthusiast

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Posted
Posted
Yeah I have no intention of cam and heads and shit. It's enough of a pain in the ass on engines that don't have computers, so I'm not interested indiving into that on this truck. This is my daily driver, and it looked like the supercharger would be a solid, reliable, and effective way to get good power in a daily driver. I just want to make sure my drivetrain will last, you know?

 

Also, I'm not too worried about what the rear end is at because I don't plan on changing it. wtf do I need 4.10s for? I still want to get on the highway, haha.

 

How does the 80mm throttle body work for you?

 

First off, FYI, cams are not shit. The 80 mm throttle is not much on adding anymore power. Maybe 5hp at the MOST. And 4.10s do just fine on the highway and will help you launch much quicker. They came stock in my truck. A supercharger should give you some pretty good power, but a supercharger and building the engine will really really really put your head on the back of your seat. Just putting the supercharger on and getting a tune might leave you saying "this is it."

Funk#49 Enthusiast

Funk#49

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The truck is already a beast, it seems. I'm not disappointed with the power at all, I just want more, haha. I don't need a dragster, just some more balls. I'm dumping likr 15k into the drivetrain on the T/A, so that will be my toy for the brackets.

 

I just want to be sure my truck will survive a Supercharger.

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