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Supercharged B230 8V Build Advice/Thoughts

Rushin

New member
Joined
Jan 20, 2022
Hello everyone,

I'm slowly putting an engine together and would like some input. I haven't ever seen a supercharged B230 so I'm hoping mine will be one of the first. This is uncharted waters but I have experience in this field and I'm hoping that I can have a few people who are more knowledgeable than I to point out some flaws/issues/missing parts with my setup.

For starters, I know the first question will be "Why 8V? Why not the 532 head?". I considered this but decided to go with the 8v head for access to parts, and there is a very nice billet head made by a racing company that would eventually make for a direct swap, that is also an 8v. I also feel it's just cathartic to build such an underpowered head regardless.

I don't have a specific HP goal in mind, however I think 400WHP would be an acceptable goal after I upgrade to the billet head down the road.
This is certainly a long-term build that I understand will cost an obscene amount of time and money, I'm leaving the country for a year, so I don't expect this to be done for another 4-5 years.
With that being said, here are my current plans for the build:

Drivetrain:
Hydraulic Clutch Setup, Yoshifab FX400 clutch disk and flywheel, T5 transmission, undecided rear axle upgrade.

Brakes:
S60R calipers, Braided steel lines, etc

Suspension:
GAZ Shocks, lowering springs, spherical Kaplhenke racing bars where I can fit them, poly bushings for the rest.

Wheels:
5x108 Heavyweight custom wheels, shooting for fatter tires, slightly thinner sidewall. Undecided on current dimensions, most likely something similar to 535i tire dimensions.

Engine:
Here's the real meat of everything. Engine management will be a Megasquirt MS3.
Yoshifab fuel rail with 60lb injectors (80lb seems like it might be overkill)
Walbro In-Tank pump (converting from two pumps to a single high-volume pump)
93 squirter block completely rebuilt, machined, checked for tolerance.
Yoshifab forged pistons
Yoshifab forged con rods
ARP Main studs
ARP Head Studs
Yoshifab complete breather setup
Mercedes 2.4 Kompressor Supercharger with custom intake to accommodate.
Serpentine belt conversion
IPD VX Cam (On the fence over this one, still unsure if it's the correct choice)
Kevlar T-Belt, adjustable cam gear, Cometic HG
LS Coil conversion
Ported, polished, bigger valved 531 head with custom exhaust manifold for greater flow
Yoshifab valve springs
Possibly the K1 billet stroker crankshaft as well.

Plus some small bits and pieces that are not worth mentioning so as to not bloat the size of this post. Please let me know what your thoughts are, and if I am disregarding something that you believe requires attention.

Thank you!
 
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We did have a member on here maybe a ?decade ago? supercharge his 240. I don't remember his screen name though. I don't think he's active on here anymore.

Hopefully, someone with a better memory will chime in with that information so you can find his old build threads.
 
We did have a member on here maybe a ?decade ago? supercharge his 240. I don't remember his screen name though. I don't think he's active on here anymore.

Hopefully, someone with a better memory will chime in with that information so you can find his old build threads.

I remember there being a guy who strapped the supercharger from a Toyota Previa onto his 240. It made like 10psi or something like that and apparently drove fine.
 
Compressor sounds nice. Performance/work ratio is pretty low compared to turbocharging. You get easily over 300 HP with turbo on a B230 and bolt on parts. With compressor 200-250 HP is lot of work.

Supercharger spins in direct relation to the motor, whereas turbo has to spool up. I guess it depends on what driving experience the OP wants.

Or just go Nissan March super turbo and do both :lol:
 
Supercharger spins in direct relation to the motor, whereas turbo has to spool up. I guess it depends on what driving experience the OP wants.

Or just go Nissan March super turbo and do both :lol:

I have built one supercharged engine. Triumph 2500 with Eaton M62 and Vipec88.

It sounds nice but performance was pretty lame. Something like 170 lbsft with 7 psi boost.

This was the kit but I replaced Holley with Vipec and little hotter cam and headers
https://classicmotorsports.com/articles/six-shooter-how-supercharge-your-tr6/
 
Supercharger spins in direct relation to the motor, whereas turbo has to spool up. I guess it depends on what driving experience the OP wants.

That is the real question.

As reference data, performance numbers for the original SLK (2.3L DOHC): 190HP @ 5300 RPM 207ft-lb 2500-4800RPM (M111.973) @ 7psi. That does not look very impressive but those cows of a car are reasonably brisk off the line.

FYI, just that supercharger itself (M62 3rd gen) weights 18lb (source: me). Compare that to a Mitsubishi, Garrett, or Holset. I mean, you do it; I do not have one of them laying around to weight.

Also, on their run both the Chevy Cobalt SS and the forced induction Mini went from supercharger to turbocharger, gaining more power in the process.

Or just go Nissan March super turbo and do both
I can see that being done.
 
My thoughts exactly. A procharger looks like a much better bet

If one can work out the bracketry right then it would be possible to just stick the procharger in the same spot that a turbocharger would normally go. Then you could just re-use the intercooler and piping from a turbo setup.
 
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