Simple poll folks...I am stuck. I need more power but all the options are super expensive and have drawbacks. My '97 80 only has 125k miles so I am leaning towards a Magnuson SC but I don't have access to an SC'd cruiser to drive and compare.
POLL! Magnuson SC- Would you do it again???
- Thread starter CascadeCruisen
- Start date
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I can't respond to the poll since I don't have a SC, but I was thinking about the SC route but decided to do turbo instead for about half the cost. Jury is still out on whether it was "worth it," but I definitely got some good HP per dollar. Only reason I question the "worth it" aspect was the time spent on the project and the fact that I think a stock cruiser on 265 tires is adequately powered on it's own. I will verify on the dyno once all the bugs are worked out.
Having never driven an SC'd 80, the following is just speculation, but I would imagine the SC has a more immediate and noticeable effect around town, off road, etc. Turbo really gets going at higher RPMs, which makes it great for highway. Running a smaller turbo would pack more of a punch, but would also require stand alone engine management, which would alter the bang/$ ratio significantly. My setup works just fine with 100% stock computer and fuel delivery.
Pro's of the supercharger is that it has been done hundreds of times (thousands?), comes with all the parts in a kit with instructions, and there's nothing to "figure out" along the way.
Having never driven an SC'd 80, the following is just speculation, but I would imagine the SC has a more immediate and noticeable effect around town, off road, etc. Turbo really gets going at higher RPMs, which makes it great for highway. Running a smaller turbo would pack more of a punch, but would also require stand alone engine management, which would alter the bang/$ ratio significantly. My setup works just fine with 100% stock computer and fuel delivery.
Pro's of the supercharger is that it has been done hundreds of times (thousands?), comes with all the parts in a kit with instructions, and there's nothing to "figure out" along the way.
if there was a bolt on turbo kit for half the price of the SC, it'd be a no-brainer...
Shopping list posted in my thread, you're welcome
TurboClunker (a.k.a. cheap-ass slaps a turbo on his LX)
/threadjack
2fpower
SILVER Star
I may be biased, but love the SC. I have helped a bunch of others here on MUD to smile when they press the skinny pedal.
FWIW, I can get you into one for less than $5k.
FWIW, I can get you into one for less than $5k.
NLXTACY
Wits' End
It's not the best $15k I spent but I'm pretty happy. Seeing where conversions are and where they are going if I were to do it again it would be a SBC.
FiftyTwoEighty
FZJ 80: The Best 4x4xFAR
Very happy with my SC for the last 100,000+ miles.
I can drive my Cruiser at altitude, with no problems, with my current build and fully loaded.
Examples:
1) Before, Eastbound Vail Pass on I-70, was a 25 mile an hour affair -- now I can pass traffic.
2) Still have power at 12,000' climbing up to Black Bear Pass
3) Grapevine on The 5, I can hold 80 mph going up.
4) Bishop to Tom's Place on HWY 395, I can hold 80mph. Rubicons and 100 Series, watch in disbelief, as I pass them on their Right!
I can drive my Cruiser at altitude, with no problems, with my current build and fully loaded.
Examples:
1) Before, Eastbound Vail Pass on I-70, was a 25 mile an hour affair -- now I can pass traffic.
2) Still have power at 12,000' climbing up to Black Bear Pass
3) Grapevine on The 5, I can hold 80 mph going up.
4) Bishop to Tom's Place on HWY 395, I can hold 80mph. Rubicons and 100 Series, watch in disbelief, as I pass them on their Right!
Just so that we keep it apples to apples a SC will definitely lose boost at altitude as its rpm driven and thin air means less to compress at that given rpm, while a turbo like Heckraisers which is already running way under max, will provide the same boost whether at sea level or 10,000ft
FiftyTwoEighty
FZJ 80: The Best 4x4xFAR
Agreed, which is why light planes have turbo-prop engines.
The supercharger will loose efficiency, but will still have more oomph relative to the same 100% NA engine.
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Correct, just want the people who live at 5000ft to know they are not going to get the ROI with the TRD SC as the people at sea level would report.
OhmStyles
Needs to win the lottery!
Def one of the better modes I have done. Really enjoy the power it now puts out up and around the mountains of Colorado. Couldn't go back to not having.
I am at 850 ft here in Michigan, and I did feel the loss of power in Colorado, but still pretty strong. I bought my built 80 with the supercharger already on and it hauls pretty well vs my stocker 80. If stock like reliability with more power, along with a well laid out install is your thing- go supercharger. If you don't mind some creative wrenching, follow @Heckraiser
My built 80 is my toy, so I still want more. My next move would be to pull the supercharger, and go standalone engine management with turbo or LS (LS is getting my attention because I want a 6 speed auto hooked to it, but thats another thread topic).
If I did all that, the supercharger would go on my stocker 80 though.
My built 80 is my toy, so I still want more. My next move would be to pull the supercharger, and go standalone engine management with turbo or LS (LS is getting my attention because I want a 6 speed auto hooked to it, but thats another thread topic).
If I did all that, the supercharger would go on my stocker 80 though.
I've had my blower for over 15 years. I think the next time I'd go LS. More power, not as picky about cooling, you can buy parts at Walmart at 3 in the morning and, well, that V8 exhaust note.........
NLXTACY
Wits' End
Hmm, I don't really notice much of a power loss. I was just at 10k ft and the truck ran as normal.
LS is very hard to beat. Small, light, proven track record, parts and tuning on every corner. Emissions legal with the EROD. I really want to build up a new LS as there are so many awesome possibilities, billet aluminum blocks, billet ported heads, titanium valves, etc. none of which exist for the 1FZ....
NLXTACY
Wits' End
@azcrackshot needs to get in on this conversation
The rule of thumb is about 3% per 1000ft in NA applications and .5% per 1000ft in SC applications. So at 10,000ft a NA truck would be down on 30% power, and a SC truck would be down 5%.
I've had this truck for almost 20 years, 95 LC, and i can say that there is always something I'm doing to it whether it be fluids or HG change or swapping fog lights because i wanted to see if the LED was brighter than the HIDs. This was a birthday/fathers day gift to myself and I'm glad i did it. I went this way over turbo for several reasons but one of the top was that i was in and out in 2 days. 2 days for the full install along with the methanol injection, changing a ton of hoses including phh, flushing the radiator, heater control valve and running new green stripe hoses to the rear heater because it gets cold in Chicago. Also, change the oil pump cover gasket and crank seal while your in there. After thinking this all out, i really did get alot done in those 2 days. The only bad thing that happened was 1 knock sensor went bad, swapped it out, no issues since except for floating between open and closed loop. Push too hard on the go pedal and afr gauge goes to 10.0... I did swap to the smaller pulley and it did make a difference although the tires will only half-a$$ spin if its raining, lol. But @2fpower warned me before i made the purchase from him, This is not a chirp the tires power, just a constant available passing kind of power. Purchasing through him did go very smoothly. I did dyno before doing anything and it came out to 150hp/200 torque. My after install dyno is scheduled for Tuesday after labor day so i can't say on paper how much a difference it made but all in all, I'm very happy. Its a daily driver.
Will be great to see your after dyno numbers
