Really bad experience with Kraftwerks C30 supercharger

[s0sl0w]

I beg to differ that having a full exhaust with no cats won't make a decent difference.

But its academic anyway, Kraft refuses to recognize there's a problem, much less offer a solution which leaves only one option anyway. I can deal with my filter bitch and get over the tubing "issue" just a damn shame that 4k worth of supercharger kit looks like something that a high schooler cobbled together.

[Andrew025]

I'm sure everyone knows what it looks like by now... but the curve really is a non-issue. There's no weird sharp bends that are going to cause any problems.
I've been watching the IAT as well and it's never been high or gotten heat soaked.

[vgi]

Originally Posted by enivid

What is your hypothesis on why your kit tends to breaks belts? All user error or a design problem?

I'd say both in this case.

1. the op was running on smooth idle pulleys, since then KW have shipped out cogged pulleys and later on they have also revised and shipped out crank and ss bigger pulleys. I'd say it's the early kits design issue as well as user's issue for not registering or keeping up with updates. Sounds like he's bought a second hand kit.

2. the instruction on KW kit belt tensioning are confusing where they suggest an alternative method of tensioning the belt by measuring the bolt space and setting it to 21mm, I'd remove that note as people tend to measure at wrong places.

The instruction do specify clearly though that the belt tension has to be set to 61hz. Now, how many people who have broken their belts have followed this instruction (including myself on my first belt)???

3. The OP obviously did not properly tension the belt - he stated himself he was not able to do that using phone app. He said he's kit was installed by a mechanic, has he ever asked the mechanic if he has a special frequency measuring belt tension tool? I doubt many mechanics have it as it costs over 1k and just few belts require tensioning by frequency.

4. There bunch of posts on how to properly tension the belt in the owners thread and it doesn't look like op has read it.

I'm not a big fan of the cogged belt KW uses (it seems too fragile if overtensioned) neither I'm a fan of the tensioning mechanism (bolt), I'd much prefer a belt that could slip and spring based tensioner. As is, it's too easy for DYIers to overtighten the belt by not following what the instructions call for. I'm rather a big fan of a kiss principle - make it hard to use it wrong.

However if installed propely and tensioned properly the kit is reliable.

[CSG Mike]

Originally Posted by s0sl0w

If you looks at the exhaust data, the Kraft kit makes almost all of the power of the JR but is doing it with a cat back and 2 cats in play vs the JR car having no cats and "full exhaust" (header?). Since the tuner and gas was the same and they use the same blower that pretty much leaves the tubing. Kraft has placed the blower and filter better (more efficiently) but then fucked it all with belt/pulley setup. Ideally a Kraft kit with non cogged pulleys/belt would be the best I'd hazard.

Kraftwerks also spins the Rotrex at a slightly higher rpm than the Jackson Racing kit does.

By the tuner's admission, whos dynos were used for that comparison, the header did nothing for power.

[CSG Mike]

From the other thread.

Dear Mr. Giovino

Our superchargers do not necessarily have to be driven by a poly-V rib belt, but this is our standard as it accommodates most modern engines original belts. An advantage of the poly-V belt is that it can slip, compensating for engine rattle and rapid transients. All our internal tests are done with poly-V rib belts, but we do have costumers that uses cog drive belts with good results.

Best regards,

Søren Schmidt
Lead Engineer, Support & Quality Assurance

[s0sl0w]

Originally Posted by CSG Mike

Kraftwerks also spins the Rotrex at a slightly higher rpm than the Jackson Racing kit does.

By the tuner's admission, whos dynos were used for that comparison, the header did nothing for power.

I'm gonna be pissed if my uel doesn't give me more power vs a stock manifold when I finally get there.

[CSG Mike]

Originally Posted by s0sl0w

I'm gonna be pissed if my uel doesn't give me more power vs a stock manifold when I finally get there.

Specifically, it was a HKS header.

[morswestford]

i am having the same exact issue with my kraftwerks system, my belt broke as well. i wonder if they will ever fix these problems with their systems.

[Apoc]

Originally Posted by morswestford

i am having the same exact issue with my kraftwerks system, my belt broke as well. i wonder if they will ever fix these problems with their systems.

What problem could they fix? The install instructions? The kit works fine with proper belt tension.

[morswestford]

i just had my belt tightended a few weeks ago because it was too loose. now it broke. i guess it was too tight.

Originally Posted by Apoc

What problem could they fix? The install instructions? The kit works fine with proper belt tension.

[SPCorBUST]

Originally Posted by Apoc

What problem could they fix? The install instructions? The kit works fine with proper belt tension.

They can't fix anything - the piss-poor drive system is a marketing gimmick. He wasn't the first, nor will he be the last to snap a belt.

NEWS FLASH: Noone's belt should ever snap to begin with!

Unfortunately, people don't like to hear that they could possibly have made the wrong choice and that they're in the hole for thousands of dollars of their hard earned money.

"Proper belt tension" is a farce. Look at all the owners with "proper tension" that have to re-tension it again and again. Every single page of that thread is filled with some owner asking about a stupid belt noise or tension issue, again and again and again, having to buy belts again for no damn reason other than a shitty design that snapped it to begin with. Its like a broken record.

"But the owners are like, "I love the kit!" "

No. You love boost on your car. Boost is awesome. The kit though, sucks.

The hardware rusts and the oil cooler is cheap as hell. IMO the KraftWerks system is a budget-build low-quality kit, plain and simple. Sorry if that hurts anybody's feelings.

[industrial]

Originally Posted by SPCorBUST

The hardware rusts and the oil cooler is cheap as hell. IMO the KraftWerks system is a budget-build low-quality kit, plain and simple. Sorry if that hurts anybody's feelings.

Somebody is being dramatic.

I disagree with your assessment. I used to work with military grade aircraft parts. The mounting plate and hardware are all very high quality. The parts that matter such as the rotrex unit, oil reservoir, and intercooler are also high quality pieces. The size of the "rusty" bolts makes them very hard to source in anything other than hardened steel. Which is a fine metal for such a bolt. Now I'm not sure why they chose allen head bolts in those sizes and not just regular stainless metric bolts or something along those lines.

The engineering behind the KW system is fine, it's just very German feeling. Over engineered and not user friendly. The jackson racing system is by every measure (except consumer cost) a cheaper, simpler system and it's better for it IMO. Just because one system is easier to install correctly doesn't make the other system shit.

[SPCorBUST]

Originally Posted by industrial

Somebody is being dramatic.

I disagree with your assessment. I used to work with military grade aircraft parts. The mounting plate and hardware are all very high quality. The parts that matter such as the rotrex unit, oil reservoir, and intercooler are also high quality pieces. The size of the "rusty" bolts makes them very hard to source in anything other than hardened steel. Which is a fine metal for such a bolt. Now I'm not sure why they chose allen head bolts in those sizes and not just regular stainless metric bolts or something along those lines.

The engineering behind the KW system is fine, it's just very German feeling. Over engineered and not user friendly. The jackson racing system is by every measure (except consumer cost) a cheaper, simpler system and it's better for it IMO. Just because one system is easier to install correctly doesn't make the other system shit.

The Rotrex oil cooler is an important component - you honestly believe that flimsy POS with the KraftWerks kit is comparable to the Setrab unit...?

Between the JR and KW kit, the Rotrex unit is the same, as well as the oil reservoir.

And the frequency of issues is an indicator of design quality. I didn't even refer to installation.

[SPCorBUST]

The primary difference in the design of these two kits is the divorced drive system - which is EXACTLY the source of the vast majority of issues for those owners.