[V8Rumble]

Hey guys, just got my SS about 3 weeks ago, I was shopping for either an SS or a CTS-V coupe. Having driven both, I now feel that the SS is slightly better in terms of balance/handling, but to be entirely honest, I do miss the power that the V puts down...

So of course I've been considering the addition of an LSA supercharger, but I don't know how much is involved with adding one to my car. Common sense suggests that the following items would require adjustment/tweaking:

Injectors;
Cooling;
ECM tuning;
And probably a couple of other things that aren't coming to mind at the moment...

I would like to add the LSA blower in (mostly!) a budget fashion - although I am planning on adding long-tubes, a supercharger-specific cam/valvesprings & a tune at the same time. While these items aren't strictly necessary (well, except for the tune), I feel that they work together so well that they justify the additional expenditure.

So my questions are:

1 - What is the minimum necessary to add an LSA supercharger to my SS?

2 - What about the LS3's compression ratio? Isn't it something like 11.2:1?? I know that with older engines, there's no way you could run boost with that kind of CR, so I'm more than a bit curious to find out what's possible with this engine...

3 - Are there better options at a comparable price?? I don't want the heat from a turbo, & all of the other options appear to be at least twice the price...

Thanks in advance guys. ccasion14:

 

[V8Rumble]

One thing I forgot to mention - I'm hoping not to have to add a bunch of "supporting parts" like a stall converter, bigger radiator, beefier rear-end, etc.

Thanks guys.

 

[Kannon]

1 - What is the minimum necessary to add an LSA supercharger to my SS?

At a minimum, you need these parts:

LSA supercharger, lid, balancer (pinned), idler assembly/tensioner/belt, heat exchanger/pump/plumbing, fuel rail and injectors, wiring pigtails, some various other components like fuel line and PCV bits, competent tuner.

Lots of good threads on here that discuss the various parts needed to add an LSA to the SS.

 

[Lokapujya]

a cheap supercharger install will be the most expensive thing you do

 

[LSPowered65]

Cheap is subjective.....

$3-4K if you do the install yourself and source the parts as cheap as possible, used parts and warehouse deals, also that’s sticking as close as possible to the factory power output of a stock GM LSA motor. That lets you get by with used GM pieces that many discard in search of more power. $5-7K for a full kit from Magnacharger, Whipple or Procharger, bolt it on and go fast. I used lots of the threads already available on this forum to build my kit and install it. All the information you need is here, use the search function.

In any case, cheap and fast don’t usually work well together for reliable fun power.

Good Luck

 

[Hoss Coog]

The LS3's CR is 10.7:1. Instead of getting a cam for my build that's made for a lower compression LSA engine, I went to Matt Gower at GP Tuning to get a blower cam designed for higher compression valve events. From a size and sound comparison, the cam falls between his Stage 2 and Stage 2.5 LSA blower cams.

Still accumulating parts, nothing installed yet.

 

[V8Rumble]

Kannon, LSPowered65, & Hoss Coog, thanks for the specific data in your replies. For whatever it's worth, I am aware of what's required for a "proper" forced-induction build - the engine in my GTA features forged rods, forged lower-CR pistons, head studs, main studs, LS9 head gaskets, a camshaft that was specifically chosen for the intended power-adder/use, etc.

But this SS is my daily driver - I don't want the same power level that the GTA is being built for. The "factory power output of a stock GM LSA" is the goal that I had in mind. I am (admittedly) new to these cars, but it appeared to me that people are successfully running blowers on these cars without ripping into the bottom ends like I did with my other car. My original post was an attempt to learn how people are doing that, AND (if it's something that can reasonably be done for $5k - $8k or so) a way to start laying out my own plan.

I can understand the 'Use the search button, dummy!' suggestions, ****, I've been guilty of that on other sites. What was a bit unexpected (and, quite frankly, not entirely welcome) was the implied suggestion that it was unintelligent to even consider that option. I suppose another possible option would be to put the money toward a 416ci build + tune, that could get me to the target power level & be a lot of fun as well... (But, of course, that would also involve the same down-time that I'm hoping to avoid...)

Anyway, I appreciate your replies.

 

[Hoss Coog]

My plan had been to do an LSA build on my SS, but I am going to go with a Magnuson Heartbeat TVS2300 instead. Reason I made the change is that I live in Houston where it's hot and humid, so I want cooler IATs. I'm not going to put a smaller pulley on the Maggie because I'm not chasing a number and I don't want to get so extreme that I have to upgrade the fuel system and install forged parts in the engine. Going with ID1050x injectors instead of the injectors that come with the kit. Will have my shop do the cam install and I'm going to do everything else.

I kept it reasonable when I supercharged my Lotus because I didn't want to get extreme and blow up the transmission on the track.

 

[2074]

a cheap supercharger install will be the most expensive thing you do

:bestpost:

 

[PPV]

Subscribed. This isn’t going to end cheap. I did most of the work and sourced the parts for my SS LSA build and it adds up quick. I stopped tracking the costs when I was north of $8k and that was at about 2/3s. Now it’s time for a clutch, driveshaft, diff and half shafts.


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[LSPowered65]

Subscribed. This isn’t going to end cheap. I did most of the work and sourced the parts for my SS LSA build and it adds up quick. I stopped tracking the costs when I was north of $8k and that was at about 2/3s. Now it’s time for a clutch, driveshaft, diff and half shafts.


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Sounds like we are on the same page PPV, I’m right at $10k with rear suspension upgrades included. I have a Camaro diff with trutrac and 3.73 gears, Z28 diff cooler, aux fuel pump, e85 sensor and some other goodies to install still. They aren’t included in that total. The sky is the limit!!! I have done all of my own labor minus tuning.

 

[willy92]

...And my car friends keep asking me, why don't you supercharge it?...Ha! Ths thread is why! But, more power to ya',...I ain't mad at ya!

 

[Smirnoff67]

a cheap supercharger install will be the most expensive thing you do

That was [email protected] funny, and so very true!

 

[copacetic1]

I can understand the 'Use the search button, dummy!' suggestions, ****, I've been guilty of that on other sites. What was a bit unexpected (and, quite frankly, not entirely welcome) was the implied suggestion that it was unintelligent to even consider that option. I suppose another possible option would be to put the money toward a 416ci build + tune, that could get me to the target power level & be a lot of fun as well... (But, of course, that would also involve the same down-time that I'm hoping to avoid...)

Anyway, I appreciate your replies.

To be fair your original post didn’t mention anything about your target cost. $4-5k would be cheap for an LSA, $8k is probably in the ballpark for a reliable conservative build.

But, at that point you should take a look at the complete Maggie Heartbeat kit as mentioned by Hoss. For ~ $8k you can have a complete bolt-on kit designed for the SS that will produce reliable stock LSA power levels. There a quite a few owners that have them, very clean looking install and there don’t seem to be any common issues that get brought up.

But I’m an innocent bystander that plans to do a Maggie at “some point” so take my thought for what it’s worth...exactly what you paid. Good luck as you figure it out!


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[Hoss Coog]

To be fair your original post didn’t mention anything about your target cost. $4-5k would be cheap for an LSA, $8k is probably in the ballpark for a reliable conservative build.

But, at that point you should take a look at the complete Maggie Heartbeat kit as mentioned by Hoss. For ~ $8k you can have a complete bolt-on kit designed for the SS that will produce reliable stock LSA power levels. There a quite a few owners that have them, very clean looking install and there don’t seem to be any common issues that get brought up.

But I’m an innocent bystander that plans to do a Maggie at “some point” so take my thought for what it’s worth...exactly what you paid. Good luck as you figure it out!


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I added up the cost for my LSA build, which included a new LSA blower I bought in 2017 and the difference in cost between the LSA build and Maggie Heartbeat wasn't bad when also factoring in porting the LSA blower and snout. Several dealers do offer deals on the Heartbeat kit and I'm going to install it myself because it's a complete kit with extensive instructions.

Original plan had been having the shop install the LSA when it does the cam install. It's basically a wash for me on cost between the two.

If in the future I decide to upgrade the engine internals, rear end, etc, the Heartbeat will have more room to support those mods.