Kraftwerks Rotrex Supercharger Discussion

[Turbowned]

Originally Posted by SkAsphalt

My main issue with this kit and the JR kit is the aesthetics. The vortech SC is the nicest looking, just like the AVO kit is the nicest looking turbo.
For a lot of people, that matters

I completely agree. Part of it has to do with simplicity, part of it has to do with not looking like it's been modified. The better the packaging I feel the less f**king with it I'll have to do. I've yet to open my hood other than to do it's first oil change and I hope to open it as little as possible once modified (other than normal fluid checks, of course. My MR2 gets its engine lid opened weekly to fiddle with things; it's a PITA).

The Vortech kit looks nice and clean. The Innovate kit looks nice and clean. The AVO kit looks nice and clean. The P&L, Full Blown and FA20CLUB kits look OK but I'm not in love with their turbo placement. Kraftwerks has me wary of their separate pulley system, and Jackson Racing has me a little put off by the "I pieced this together in my garage" look to it. I'm sure they'll both be reliable and make power, because they've been in the game a long time and built some serious cars. But dayum are they ugly!

[digital_assassin]

If the Rotrex was coated black it would blend in much better.

[FreshFRS]

Originally Posted by digital_assassin

If the Rotrex was coated black it would blend in much better.

i agree, you could have it sent to Swaintech and get them to coat it in BBE which is a semi-gloss black heat radiating coating which could help to a minor degree with cooling. functional and more attractive, probably cost a couple hundred though.

[Calum]

Originally Posted by Turbowned

I completely agree. Part of it has to do with simplicity, part of it has to do with not looking like it's been modified. The better the packaging I feel the less f**king with it I'll have to do. I've yet to open my hood other than to do it's first oil change and I hope to open it as little as possible once modified (other than normal fluid checks, of course. My MR2 gets its engine lid opened weekly to fiddle with things; it's a PITA).

The Vortech kit looks nice and clean. The Innovate kit looks nice and clean. The AVO kit looks nice and clean. The P&L, Full Blown and FA20CLUB kits look OK but I'm not in love with their turbo placement. Kraftwerks has me wary of their separate pulley system, and Jackson Racing has me a little put off by the "I pieced this together in my garage" look to it. I'm sure they'll both be reliable and make power, because they've been in the game a long time and built some serious cars. But dayum are they ugly!

The way they have it set up should take a lot of strain off their tensioner and put zero additional strain on your OEM tensioner. Considering how many have had problems with shreding belts with other superchargers, I'd consider that a very big advantage.

[FT-86 SpeedFactory]

Originally Posted by ATL BRZ

Exactly. There are 4, maybe 5 Vortech fitted cars that I know of here that have seen repeated track abuse. Not just a one day event in a novice run group.

I've seen quantifiable track data from three of them: Gem's, Dezoris', and F1Point4's; but Gem is the only one I've seen really beat the shit out of the car and try to break stuff. The rest are driven rather gingerly around the track IMO. No offense, it's just how run groups are structured for driver's just getting into HPDE's.

There is also SpeedFactory's and Chase Bays' Vortech'd track cars, but so far all I've seen are lots of pictures and a few video clips, no extensive uncut track footage or data.

What type of Info do people want? We have 4 track days on our car with sessions ranging from 30-45 minutes and ZERO issues, plus 256WHP on 91 Octane. The Vortech kit is VERY track capable and reliable.

[digital_assassin]

Just found the 91 Octane Dyno Pull. 239.3HP and 176.3TQ on stock headers and exhaust.

http://cms.kraftwerksusa.com/id/952/...-Dyno-Results/

[Turbowned]

As in, stock exhaust and no other mods?

[digital_assassin]

I don't know for a fact if anything else is done that could possibly effect hp so I edited the last post to say stock headers and exhaust.

[ichitaka05]

Now, just to start out, I'm not doing this to sell this product! Hell, you buy it or not, I don't get any benefit or ANYTHING! So please don't get crazy ideas that I work for em.



Last week, I received a call from Group-A Autosports saying they have Kraft Werks Supercharger they have been working on and see if I'm interested in check them out. My answer to that was... Of course! If something to do with FR-S, BRZ, 86 or a chick, I'll be happy to check em out!

I was going to LA for "vacation"... but it became little "business" trip.


...so sadly Macross World Convention had to wait a bit.



After few chat on the phone to get their address and appointment. Here I was Group-A Autosports/Skunk2 Racing building.



& here was black & white BRZ (Panda BRZ? lol). replaced with several carbon fiber parts. They used this BRZ for Import Tuner FR Shootout.



Here's the Kraft Werks Supercharger kit. First thing first. Kraft Werks SC is different from Jackson Racing SC. Yes, they both used Rotrex C30-94 unit, but after that, they're using different parts and design. Like ALT BRZ explained in this post.

Now for the dyno charts:



OEM 91-octane BRZ with no modifications VERSUS 91-octane BRZ with supercharger kit (OEM headers/exhaust)



OEM 91-octane BRZ with no modifications VERSUS E85 BRZ with supercharger kit (Skunk2 headers/Skunk2 exhaust)



Using ECUTek and 11row intercooler to keep this kit cooled & controlled.



Interesting & plus side of this supercharger kit, I thought was Independent Drive System with Toothed Belt System. IF (again IF) belt breaks, you won't be left stranded at track or worse middle of nowhere. At least you can drive home or to shop to get that fixed. Toothed belt will help not slip even you're pushing the supercharger!




Like I've wrote in Dyno 2, they're currently working on S2 Header & Exhaust system. Yes, they're working on that right now & looks interesting setup... & yes, it's EL header & no, it doesn't come in SC kit.

Here's the sad part... well, not really sad, sad, but for me it was sad. I wasn't able to test drive it. due to it's still pre-production kit and this visit was surprised visit, so they had different MAP in there (MAP they had was over 11psi instead of 9psi lol), I wasn't able to test drive to see that extra 125WHP as they claim to have.

I had a chance to drive, Vortech SC, AVO TC, & HKS SC... I was hoping to compare this kit to see the difference between other force induction FR-S/BRZ. They said, they'll fly me back to test drive to get the impression for this supercharger kit, so sound of that S2 header & exhaust system had to wait til... prob Nov?

Kraft Werks Supercharger kit should start selling in Nov.

Thank you Frank & Dave for letting me come and check their shop answered all the questions.
[/SIZE]

[digital_assassin]

Hey @ichitaka05 . It was good meeting you at 86Expo. Great write up. You should merge this into the discussion topic for the Kraftwerks kit that's been going. I'm jealous I haven't got to see this kit. I've placed an order though. Been waiting for the Rotrex to pop up and this solution seems better than the current set up from Jackson

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=39560

[ichitaka05]

Originally Posted by digital_assassin

Hey @ichitaka05 . It was good meeting you at 86Expo. Great write up. You should merge this into the discussion topic for the Kraftwerks kit that's been going. I'm jealous I haven't got to see this kit. I've placed an order though. Been waiting for the Rotrex to pop up and this solution seems better than the current set up from Jackson

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=39560

We'll damn, I must missed it or I must be blind lol

Thanks

[vgi]

50K miles or 2 yrs oil change interval - big plus over Vortech kit for lazy folks like myself.

I would be curious to see C38-61with wastegate for about $400-$500 more

[FreshFRS]

Originally Posted by vgi

50K miles or 2 yrs oil change interval - big plus over Vortech kit for lazy folks like myself.

I would be curious to see C38-61with wastegate for about $400-$500 more

i am thinking about doing the same with a C38-71, Kraftwerks definitely gets my vote thanks to it's offset design. An innovate intake manifold with a plenum in top would shorten the piping route by 70% or so, therefore boost should ramp up slightly faster (I think?), i might have to do a double stack of intercoolers to support the power but shouldn't be to hard to have a second intercooler made and a small machined plate to separate them. the only concern i have is the amount of room i will have to play with MAF placement. and whether i'll be able to run pump gas.

[Sellout]

Loving that cogged belt.