Going against the grain: Practical use of centrifugal supercharger on KA?

[NISSAN_GUY_87]

So as a 240 owner, most everyone in the peanut gallery says, "Hey, drop in an SR20DET and convert to 5spd." Well I have always been known to go against the grain, hence why my previous project car was a 1.6L GA16DE Sentra. I try to go for the underdog I guess you could say. So here was my idea that came to me one night. Could there be a possible, practical, application for a centrifugal supercharger for the KA DOHC? Also would it yeild positive results on an automatic street car? After all, if you are not out drifting your car or racing everywhere you go, it can be nice to not have to worry about driving stick, an auto is nice for driving fast and some what relaxing behind the wheel. (Just my opinion) Has anyone out there, any manufacturers, individuals, successfully attempted or used a centrifugal on a 240sx? My internet research skills aren't the finest, but I haven't found anything yet to say anyone has. I would like to proven wrong. All I know is I have a friend who runs the centrifugal on his Golf GTi and it works really well for him, he runs constant boost all throughout the RPM range and has an automatic trans. So what dos NICO think? Can it be done, has it been done, did it work?
Modified by NISSAN_GUY_87 at 1:41 PM 6/27/2005

[InsanityInc]

So as a 240 owner, most everyone in the peanut gallery says, "Hey, drop in an SR20DET and convert to 54spd." Well I have always been known to go against the grain, hence why my previous project car was a 1.6L GA16DE Sentra. I try to go for the underdog I guess you could say. So here was my idea that came to me one night. Could there be a possible, practical, application for a centrifugal supercharger for the KA DOHC? Also would it yeild positive results on an automatic street car? After all, if you are not out drifting your car or racing everywhere you go, it can be nice to not have to worry about driving stick, an auto is nice for driving fast and some what relaxing behind the wheel. (Just my opinion) Has anyone out there, any manufacturers, individuals, successfully attempted or used a centrifugal on a 240sx? My internet research skills aren't the finest, but I haven't found anything yet to say anyone has. I would like to proven wrong. All I know is I have a friend who runs the centrifugal on his Golf GTi and it works really well for him, he runs constant boost all throughout the RPM range and has an automatic trans. So what dos NICO think? Can it be done, has it been done, did it work?

It would certainly work, and I would much prefer it to a turbocharger myself. The real problem is just fabricating everything, and finding somewhere to mount the supercharger.

[chmercer]

sucks, waste of time, kat, sr.

[InsanityInc]

sucks, waste of time, kat, sr.

Three cheers for retardation.

[seyath]

Hip hip Hurray!I would actually be interested in this as well. Seeing as I mostly hit the touge and sometimes drift, a supercharger would make sense. That would work just as well as a KAT, and it would def. be cheaper than me getting the RB26DETT front clip...

[Onizuka]

I think a roots blower would be the better option for the KA24. Yes its a decent size for a 4 cylinder, but the low end grunt could still be improved, and a centrifugal supercharger is not going to give you much of that.

[Rosco]

By the time you got around to making/fabricating all the parts and testing and tuning.....You probably would have spent just as much as you would with an SR or KA-T. If money isn't a problem then I would try it out. SR swaps are common because they are fairly easy...I geuss if you can afford to go against the grain then by all means do it....

[NISSAN_GUY_87]

I have always been known to take the different route. An SR swap would be ideal though, I can agree with that. It would be quick and painless, and I know it would yeild great results at the turn of the key. There is just some kind of alure to having something different under the hood, something noone has seen, although in my hometown, I am sure noone has seen an full SR swap into anything.... I guess only time, money, and research will tell. I am not certain at this point how I will build my 240, I just want to look for all the options, and find the road less taken. You don't want your 240 to be like everyone else's, isn't that the goal? That and a super charger just sounds sweet, but hey, so does a turbo with a nice BOV...

[Chingon]

excuse my pessimism, but you won't do it.

[AZhitman]

^ Knock it off.

I like the idea. As has been said, its gonna be a challenge, but if you think about it, an SR swap (done right) is gonna be $2K for 160-170 rwhp.

No reason you can't do a Procharger-type setup for less than that.

[AZhitman]

BTW - autotrans + boost = Mmmmmmm...

[j-z]

it would be really easy to setup a centrifugal unit on a 240. the only hard part is coming by a decent used centrifugal charger. i thought about doing this to my 240 over a year ago. it wouldnt cost much at all to setup. it would def be cheaper than turbo because you dont have to worry about any exhaust parts what so ever. this has been discussed extensively in the past. i know theres a thread in the ka section, and the technical section on this subject.

[unstable240]

I know Procharger has a universal supercharger kit out for imports. I think this would prove to be the most useful route. I personally think it is a really good idea since the torque would make up for the lag. You also wouldn't have the heat related problems you have when turbo charging...

[river57]

So as a 240 owner, most everyone in the peanut gallery says, "Hey, drop in an SR20DET and convert to 5spd." Well I have always been known to go against the grain, hence why my previous project car was a 1.6L GA16DE Sentra. I try to go for the underdog I guess you could say. So here was my idea that came to me one night. Could there be a possible, practical, application for a centrifugal supercharger for the KA DOHC? Also would it yeild positive results on an automatic street car? After all, if you are not out drifting your car or racing everywhere you go, it can be nice to not have to worry about driving stick, an auto is nice for driving fast and some what relaxing behind the wheel. (Just my opinion) Has anyone out there, any manufacturers, individuals, successfully attempted or used a centrifugal on a 240sx? My internet research skills aren't the finest, but I haven't found anything yet to say anyone has. I would like to proven wrong. All I know is I have a friend who runs the centrifugal on his Golf GTi and it works really well for him, he runs constant boost all throughout the RPM range and has an automatic trans. So what dos NICO think? Can it be done, has it been done, did it work?

Modified by NISSAN_GUY_87 at 1:41 PM 6/27/2005

Against the grain is good. After swapping a 2JZ in my S13... I truly believe anything is possible.

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/751542

The accolades and driving my project car were worth all the efforts.

[TheOne]

either procharger or powerdyne make a centi that doesn't require oil lines, make a braket where the A/C goes, make another pulley that you can attach to the crank pulley so you can have a wider belt(i think the stock crank belt is too small and would probably slip which lowers the boost that can be ran), you could probably even run an intercooler and a smaller pulley to give more boost.(or run a roots type like this 1, should be the same concept)

[GrilledCheese33]

you know, that sounds like an awesome idea! I mean smooth, constant power through an auto trans sounds good AND different. GO FOR IT!

[cyrus240sx]

im confused on how that skyline motor would even work.... but i have even thought of doign something like this..... hell you can buy a roots type supercharger for a v6 mustang on ebay for like 500 bucks http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors...&rd=1

[Florida240sx]

Maybe after certian psi the supercharger stops and valve closes.And boost form turbo rries to go back up and hits the charger and thne it acts liek a valve so everything flows straight all happens in less than a second.

[xekushnr]

i may be wrong, but i didnt think the auto transmission held up that well after maybe 250-300hp. with some other power mods you may end up ruining the transmission. just wanted to give you a heads up just in case, even though you most likely wont run into any problems.

[TheOne]

get a transmission cooler and it should hold up 300hp, but try to get the supercharger to do that much.(you'd need a decent supercharger for that)

[Nismo_Freak]

Turbocharge it and be faster.

The turbo will make more power per acceleration.

The automatic won't allow the turbocharger to despool once you accelerate providing you with a solid full boost until you lift throttle.

[paemt6220]

Faster, Yes, in the long run. I want to AutoX. A roots type supercharger would be very good for that. A centrifical supercharger would be better for the motor, later boost onset, would make up for what the KA lacks in the high RPMs. Might be a little more than a turbo as far as price, since turbo kits for the KA are cheap(relatively speaking). A procharger with a 11lb pulley and good tuning could make 250whp, maybe more with header, exhaust and a ton of torque. The KA could definently take 11lb of boost on stock internals from a centrifical since the peak boost would be at redline when cylinder pressure is lower.

Correct me if I am wrong

Chad

[InsanityInc]

Turbocharge it and be faster.

The turbo will make more power per acceleration.

1. Going as fast as you possibly can doesn't net the best results on an autocross or road course. He isn't talking about just drag racing.

2. Power per acceleration? That makes no sense at all.

[dfw240_EE]

excuse my pessimism, but you won't do it.

Yeah, I can be like that too. I get so many crazy ideas, the trick is to know which ones to pursue.

Crazy idea, could you run without powersteering? The location of the powersteering pump may be an ideal place for the centrifugal. If you had the money you could even try to replace the hydraulic powersteering with an electric unit.

[masticatingcow]

Yeah, or kill your A/C.

The A/C compressor just sits there at the bottom of the engine bay. I think that spot would be ideal. You already have a pulley, hell, you already have mounts... you'd just need to fab up an adaptor plate to use 'em. And you might as well run an intercooler, since you have to get the charge across the engine bay anyway. IMHO, if you could live without A/C, that'd be a good way to go.

Hmm, cold charge, relatively easy install, good power, why not?

I will say this about turbos... Nismo_Freak is right; in an automatic, the engine would hold boost between shifts. Not a bad prospect either. Also, you'd probably see more top-end gains from a turbocharger. But a supercharger is a great idea, and it's frustrating how many times people have tried to do it and just stopped. So go for it.

[Red coupe]

Seriously some one needs to put an end to this speculation and just do it already...not me though *hides in corner*

[Florida240sx]

I'm doing it on my vert.Trying to get info now.Yup that was my idea to remove AC and use it's pulley.Making a bracket is simple.

[Red coupe]

lol Is that before or after you get the ka turboed, the vg swapped in, and finish with the keg install? super charger done in 2008? In all serious DO IT! before you do those others, Nico needs a supercharged s13

[paemt6220]

This is for real, I think we should contact the companies that produce supercharger kits and ask them to look into developing a kit for the KA. If they get enough inquiries about something, and they believe it is profitable, they will do it! Case in point, all the turbo kits that are avalible for the KA now. Even 5 years ago, there were few to none!

It may be better to organize here and have someone like Greg contact companies and let them know there is interest in supercharger kits for the KA. Just a suggestion.

Vortec,procharger,Jackson racing,comptech all have expirence with 4 cylinder supercharger kits!

Chad

[hybrid_flyer]

This is for real, I think we should contact the companies that produce supercharger kits and ask them to look into developing a kit for the KA. If they get enough inquiries about something, and they believe it is profitable, they will do it! Case in point, all the turbo kits that are avalible for the KA now. Even 5 years ago, there were few to none!

It may be better to organize here and have someone like Greg contact companies and let them know there is interest in supercharger kits for the KA. Just a suggestion.

Vortec,procharger,Jackson racing,comptech all have expirence with 4 cylinder supercharger kits!

Chad

dont forget Stillen they seem to like workin on Nissan Infinity platforms already