Superchargers

demented · May 28, 2007

Just wondering if anyone has put a supercharger on there 6.0 liter HD. The thought has crossed my mind about putting one in but I don't know how it would be with mileage, towing dependability,etc.... Can anyone tell me if they have one and what it's done for them.I know people that have used them on the older 350 motors with great success, even towing heavy loads.

trever1t · May 28, 2007

The new gen blowers are way more efficient than the old 6/8-71 style blowers. Magnuson Magnachargers are complete bolt on kits that include everything needed to install.

Mine is only a 5.3 but my friend has one on his HD, running great. You have the option of two blower sizees, the MP112 or the MP122. If interested I can put you in touch with the 'right' people. A friend is selling a used 112 and there is a new in box 122 for sale at a deep discount right now.

You can click my signature for some pics of the 112 setup I run.

demented · May 29, 2007

How are they as far as engine reliability? If I understand these designs correctly, you can adjust boost pressure on these units to tailor to my driving style and habits. I don't want to spend the money on one of these units if it is prone to tearing a motor apart. I also don't want to get into beefing up the bottom end to handle a blower. I just want something that can give me a little more power and pep. But I also tow so this is an issue as well. A little more pep for towing would be awesome.

trever1t · May 29, 2007

You cannot adjust boost on the fly but by swapping pulleys and tuning. I am running on a stock bottom end. The SC setup comes so that you'd make 5-6 lbs, with a warranty. The Magnacharger is design to give reliable power on stock systems.

Click on my sig or PM me if you want some contact info.

tbyrne · June 9, 2007

This system can be used with no other modifiations required. It works great while towing. The motor doesn't have to work as hard to maintain speed so you might actually pick up a little mileage. It usually at least stays the same during normal driving. As trever1t mentioned, the Magnuson produces about 5-6 psi which is safe. This boost level will provide you with about a 100-110hp increase.

Tom

Kharn · June 10, 2007

Is it really worth the expense to supercharge a 6.0 for driving around town? I dont plan to tow much stuff with my new-to-me Yukon XL 6.0L, but I've been casually thinking about supercharging it.

How much are we talking to get a SC and have it installed?

demented · June 30, 2007

Can anyone tell me how these units do as far as towing and gas mileage. I sometimes tow heavy loads and having dependable unit that will not hurt the stock motor is a big concern. I am looking at a powerdyne setup. Has anyone used this make with good sucess? I like the fact of not having to add in oil lines to the supercharger unit. I have seen some motors that have had problems due to these oil lines rubbing holes through them. I guess I'm looking for some input before I spend a pile of money.

whitesnake01 · July 1, 2007

Can anyone tell me how these units do as far as towing and gas mileage. I sometimes tow heavy loads and having dependable unit that will not hurt the stock motor is a big concern. I am looking at a powerdyne setup. Has anyone used this make with good sucess? I like the fact of not having to add in oil lines to the supercharger unit. I have seen some motors that have had problems due to these oil lines rubbing holes through them. I guess I'm looking for some input before I spend a pile of money.

My experience might not match that of more recent TPI setups, but you can take it for what it is worth in your planning:

I have a whipple blower on a 454 and it is a self contained setup, driven by the serpentine. The reason I picked the whipple is because it offers lots of low end power, which is what I need for towing. My main reason for getting a blower was towing. I do not need stop-light power. I have the Cobra for that
My fuel economy did not change much. The fuel cost went up slightly, though, since I had to go from regular gas to super (to mitigate detonation).
One weak part of this is that you need to have at least one pulley with you as a spare. I've shot the bearings in one. I am sure you can buy one for near nothing at your local parts store and just throw it in your toolcase. Another item that might need replacing is the belt tensioner. Also no big deal if you pre-buy it and keep it in the toolcase.
Another weak item can be a vacuum hose. Make sure it does not rub against anything. If you get a leak in it it will run very rich which means white knuckle driving through toll booths... Not sure if your setup uses one.
Heat is your big enemy. It kills all the fun when you are towing, especially if you end up in places where they do not have high octane fuel, such as Prince Edward Island or boonies of Nevada. I tried all sorts of mods to help, including: colder plugs, lower threshold thermostat, diesel fan clutch, headers and and hi-flo cat, custom built radiator with 18 fins/inch, diesel bumper with dual lincoln radiators pre-cooling the blower. The one thing I was about to buy was a egt gauge but I opted for a DMAX instead. Mine would be sensitive to detonation on high elevation, hot weather (a/c running) and less than ideal gas. In the end it would consume more gas due to that because I had to "milk" the pedal just to over-mist the cylinders with cold gas. Running "lean" would just make matters worse my raising the cylinder temperature.
My experience may not be typical, but I ended up trying all sorts of mods to mitigate detonation during serious towing, all which helped but cost money as well.

Bottom line, a blower is a lot of fun, especially when the trailer is not attached. My Suburban, which I still have, has a lot more spunk than my DMAX. But when it comes to peace of mind on the road, the DMAX wins.

Have fun! A blown engine, with a good exhaust, sounds a heck of a lot better than a DMAX!

demented · July 2, 2007

Thanks Whitesnake,

Thats the kind of info I was looking for. I still am thinking about the supercharger but thats in the distant future. I was going to go the Dmax route but I can't justify the cost for the amount of towing I do. Most of my towing is within a 100 mile radius of my house but sometimes I venture away. If I go farther, I take my class A motorhome with a 454 BBC, (I tow an enclosed race trailer).For the reason that I have the motorhome, the Dmax would just sit in the driveway when I go on long distances. But for the close to home runs, I was thinking of the SC. Most of the time the truck is used for back and forth to work with the ocassionally towing of equiptment. A little more getup-and-go would be nice, in my opinion. Like I said I don't want to have a problem and find out that I shouldn't have done it, Hence all the questions.

lundgren · July 8, 2007

Anyone put one on an 8.1?

tbyrne · July 8, 2007

I've owned most of the engine options that GM offers (5.3, 6.0, 8.1 and Duramax). One of my 8.1s was in an '01 Suburban. That truck had an intercooled Whipple supercharger. It made a little over 400hp at the rear wheels, would light the tires up at 20 MPH, ran 13.9 at the drags and was great for towing. Well... except for one thing... it sucked down ALOT of gas! Best mileage will pulling a 24" enclosed car hauler was 7.8. I now have two DuraMax powered Sierras (an LLY and the new LMM). Haven't towed the hauler with the new truck but the LLY usually gets about 11 MPG with the trailer behind it. The new truck sees 17-18 MPG while not towing. Good thing is, $500. can add at least 100hp to these.

jrrod2004 · August 15, 2007

Can anyone tell me what would be the best setup for a 2006 Silverado Crew with a 4.8 powerplant when it comes to a supercharger, I am looking to install one onto this pickup and I am leaning over to the roots type Whipple Chargers. In addition to this, I have a 3.23 rear axle and I am concerned about what would happen to the transmission should I throw on a supercharger. what options do I have when it comes to making sure this transmission can withstand the new power load (I dont plan on towing too much, maybe 3 times a year at most) thanks

trever1t · August 17, 2007

Whipple's are twin-screws, not Roots type superchargers. The Magnacharger Radix is a roots style. Shift kit and servos plus a good aftermarket trans fluid cooler will help prolong trans life.