Basic S/C questions

[snk1233]

I have been reading a lot of the previous posts about superchargers but I still have a few questions that I didn't get from the other posts. If they have been answered before I didn't find them but if they were I'm fine with links. Anyway, I am thinking about adding a supercharger to my '06 Stage 2 Roush. I really want to go with the Roushcharger setup because even though it has the lowest hp improvements compared to others, I feel it will be the safest route for me to go. Anyway here are some basic questions I have:

1) If I get the stock Roushcharger which will increase hp from 300 to 415, will I need to do anything to my car (engine wise) to make this completely safe for a daily driver? I really don't want my engine to blow and I care more about reliability and peace of mind than I do performance.

2) Depends on the answer to #1 but in the other posts I'v seen people talk about forged internals. I know basic stuff about engines so I'm sorry if this is a very dumb question but, what does this mean? People in other posts say to do this as soon as possible to make sure the s/c doesn't blow the motor. With the Roushcharger setup I plan on getting, would I need to do this, or since it is a safer, more of a daily driver setup would I be fine with my stock engine?

3) If I do get the s/c, I plan on doing it in a couple of months but in the time being I would like to add an offroad H-pipe or x-pipe. This is prob also a dumb question but would the roushcharger be compatible with that?

4) When I had my '01 GT I added a CAI and UD Pulleys. I was thinking of also adding these to my '06 Roush. However now that I am thinking of a s/c, does it make sense to add these parts? or does the adding of the s/c make these parts un-usable?

5) Final question. I have another car for a daily driver but I still love to drive my Roush as much as possible. I know adding a high powered supercharger reduces the life of your engine to a certain degree, but would the Roushcharger do this or do it as much since it is made to be a more reliable, safer setup? I have 600 miles on my car right now and I plan on keeping it and driving a lot and for many years. I def. want more power but my biggest concerns are driveability and reliability. I want to add the s/c but also have it on there for a long time. Is it possible and likely to add a low powered supercharger like the roushcharger and have your engine run fine for
70k-100k miles? If not what is the expected engine life with a s/c like the roushcharger.

Anyway sorry for such a long post but I'd really appreciate any help.
Thanks

[Mustanger]

Hey... the Roushcharger will be totally safe for your car, they keep the boost down to mild levels so that it won't overstress your engine. Look at all the past Stage 3's, hardly hear of anyone having engine problems, Roush engineers their tune to be safe & powerful.

I don't think you want underdrive pullies with the Supercharger but the rest should be fine, some of them might make it advisable to get a check on your tune & A/F ratio.

Forged internals, crankshaft, rods, & pistons are stronger than the stock GT internals but from what I've read as long as you stay below 450HP or so you will be fine. Don't run lean air flow ratio or allow any detonation conditions is all.

Thats all I know from reading here & talking to the experts! LOL... enjoy your ride!

[Scarface]

#1- Roush setup is the safest on the market you can get for a stock S197 engine. There's a lot of talk about 450 HP being the MAX for a stock engine is most superchargers will push to 450HP. The question is do you want to live at MAX and risk your engine. Roush has calibrated their software & boost to 420HP for the engine to live happily. Also note that your Roushcharger do come with the warranty FOR THE WHOLE CAR!!!

#2- Forged Pistions. You can rebuild your motor with forged pistons/rods and heads. The highest RWHP I've seen on a S197 engine with a rebuild motor is 740RWHP(Livernoise Motorsport, verified by MotorTrend, check out S197 thread for article). With this you will get max HP and its safe, BUT the question is..you want it street legal?? and you want it smog legal?? That being said, answer #1 is best because its CARB approved.

#3.o/r pipe- You will need to sent in your ECU to ROUSH for them to reflash the computer for your Roushcharger. I haven't know of anyone being abled to crack a Roush calibrated ECU. If you install the o/r pipe, you will get a "check engine" light, most companies will offer a flash handheld computer to plug undernearth the steering will to turn off the "check engine" light and to also add a few more ponies to your car. No remember, you have the Roush software installed in your ECU for the charger already, do you want to reflash this with some other tuner's software?? Also the Roush software will not take advantage of your o/r pipe. There may be a way around this, someone on this board may have already done it.

#4- adding CAI/Pully- Once again, the Roush software is harder to hack then Microsoft. Adding anything else will not change your HP rating because the ECU will not recorgnize it to take full advantage of it.

#5- Reduce the life of your engine- the Stage3 comes with the Roushcharger with full factory warranty. If the Roushcharger affects engine/driveline/chassis in anyway negative, you won't find Jack Roush putting his name on it. I think what you are looking for is something driveability and reliability, can't go wrong with a Roushcharger ($$$), CARB approved and full factory warranty.

[05-1947]

I really don't want my engine to blow and I care more about reliability and peace of mind than I do performance.

Then don't do the Supercharger. Get yourself some gears, pulley's, intake, tune and you should be very happy with a consistant 12 sec reliable car.

[RoushRocks]

#1- Roushcharger is the way you wanna go
#2- No need for forged internals and all if you're not gonna go sick crazy with
the horsepower
#3- Definitely recommend an offroad x or h-pipe. Just get some MIL
Eliminators to get rid of the Check engine light. I have the UPR Offroad
x-pipe and LOVE the sound.
#4- Definitely get a CAI, I've never been crazy about underdrive pulleys so I
have no opinions on those
#5- Roushcharger is very reliable and safe. I think you can't go wrong with it

[tooltime]

I Have the roush s/c and it is great. Normal driving you would not even know it is there. The instructions when installed did not want header, xpipes . cai as they actually hindered the performance. Do the roush s/c exactly the way they want and you will be 110% satisfied as I am. Spend the extra money on your wife or girlfreind

[snk1233]

thanks for all the info. I'm glad to hear that the roushcharger is so safe. As far as the x-pipe / h-pipe goes, I would just want it for a beafier sound as I feel the stock roush exhaust set up is way too quiet. I think I would just get the s/c and the offroad pipe but the mil eliminators on there so the check engine light doesn't come on. I would not mess with the Roush software at all.

[360Rocket]

If I'm not mistaken,(here comes Ryan) the Roushcharger package comes with the tune which gives you the reliability your looking for. It's a pretty safe tune so no need to worry too much about blowing it up. It comes with a baffled fuel tank to keep you from fuel starvation in cornering and different fuel pumps as well.

[Roushinator]

Read This article on the Roush Sc system...

http://www.fnsweet.com/about/05roushcharger101.shtml

[protomec]

1) You should not need anything other than the kit to run reliably.

2) #1

3) Compatable, pretty much. But, it could present a problem with your warranty if something went wrong.

4) Underdrive and SC = bad idea. It will slow the SC and get less boost. I have seena mustang with CAI and Roushcharger and it did not run very well.

5) Engine reliabilty should be pretty decent. See #1.

[Lucy2005]

1- Roushcharger is very safe and reliable. Mine is a daily driver with 25k right now.

2- see # 1

3- cant remember what 3, 4, and 5 were, but you dont want a cold air intake, because it wont work right- my dealer put the CAI on mine when he installed it- the intake is designed to use the factory air box, and any change messes with the Mass air flow (something about turbulence) and will screw with the tune. Underdrive pulleys defeat the purpose. Smaller underdrive pulleys, specifically, crank pulley, results in the SC pulley turning more slowly, which means less boost. A larger crank pulley would be like having a smaller S/C pulley, and thus more boost, but that would likely require a re-tune, which is near impossible, and I dont think a larger crank pulley is available(or possible) I changed to Hooker longtubes and catless X-pipes, and 02 simulators, and mine gained a few hp, and runs great, but this probably voids the warranty. Bottom line, if you want to put max safe power, and think you will be satisfied there, just go with the Roushcharger, Roush Tune, and leave the rest alone, except for maybe a cat-back exhaust system. If you dont think you will be satisfied there, then start with a block with forged internals, and just build the sucker. How much time and effort do you really want to put into it?

[snk1233]

Thanks for the advice. After posting this a while ago I have decided I want to go with the Roushcharger. Iv already put in new axle back exhaust so I have my sound, and I think I will be more than pleased with the extra 115hp the s/c provides. I also like the fact that it is so reliable. Oh by the way the catless pipe you installed does unfortunatly void the warranty. I wanted to do the same thing but I knew in the future that I am going to do the roushcharger so I called Roush up to ask. They said a catback system is fine but if you take off the cats with an x or h-pipe it voids the warranty. So I went with new smaller mufflers to get better sound.