Procharger Supercharger Test: Beyond Bolt-On

We installed the Ford SVT Focus fuel pump on our Mustang. After removing the OEM pump from the tank, Dorian swaps the sending-unit hardware onto the new pump's canister. The SVT Focus fuel pump is a direct replacement for the stock Mustang unit, and can supply enough fuel for 8-10 pounds of boost with the Stage II P-1SC and stock fuel lines and rails.

We used spark plugs that are one heat range colder than stock with our P-1SC. Here, Dorian gaps the new NGK TR6 plugs (PN 4177; $1.89/each) to 0.035 inch.

Dorian gives our 4.6 a fresh dose of Mobil 1 5W-30 synthetic oil prior to installing the blower and beginning our tests.

This is an up-close look at the inner workings of a ProCharger P-1SC. The unit is self-contained, which means it's lubricated internally by oil that's manually added during the blower's installation, unlike oil-fed superchargers that are lubricated by engine oil that is usually diverted from the oil-filter housing. Note the temperature probe that sticks just inside the case. Our mission is to determine how hot the oil inside the blower gets and to compare it to the engine-oil's temperature as it enters the supercharger. This calibrated probe will be connected to a dual-channel pyrometer, and a similar sensor will monitor the heat levels of the engine oil.

This is the engine-oil feed line that ProCharger developed for our test. The oil we've tapped from the filter housing runs through the line and into the T-fitting that holds the second temperature sensor.

Residual oil continues on through the line and is deposited into the valve cover via ProCharger's mister-nozzle that has been plumbed into a standard oil cap for this test. The mister-nozzle serves the same purpose as a drain-back line that's normally tapped into the pan in an oil-fed, supercharger application.

The P-1SC requires 6 ounces of a proprietary blower lubricant. This is a fully synthetic, nearly zero-weight oil that should be changed every 6,000 miles.

With the supercharger installed, Dorian makes the final connections for our temperature sensors.

When it comes to California's pump gas, this is as good as it gets. Unocal 76's High Performance 91-octane is the fuel we normally use for all of the performance evaluations that are done in Cali, and it really is a far cry from the true, high-performance, pump gas that's available in other states (oxygenated fuel sucks). We filled up after installing the blower, then began to find out a few things about superchargers, on the road and on the dyno.

Custom tuning starts here, with the code that's tagged on the factory EEC V. This ID info is sometimes affixed to the passenger-side doorjamb, but, as you see in this photo, it's also attached to the processor. This processor code must be provided when ordering a supercharger system or a DiabloSport tune, as it's a starting point for modifying the factory settings and creating custom parameters for fuel, timing, and such for your Mustang.

Since we had our baseline dyno information recorded-both non-supercharged and supercharged with stock throttle body/plenum-we decided to further optimize the induction system by adding Accufab's 75mm throttle body and plenum for the 4.6 (PN F7546K; $469.99).

Note the difference in size and shape compared to the factory parts. The plenum bends smoothly into the intake manifold instead of directing air downward via an extremely inefficient 90-degree angle.