Procharger pros and cons : V-Twin Forum: Harley Davidson Forums

nighttrainer · 09-29-2012, 02:18 PM

Just wandering how successful Procharger superchargers are. Have they sold many? Any problems? They have been around a good few years now. What dealers are selling them.
I don't see a lot about them on the forums. What would I look out for when buying a used kit?

FLTR2008TRIKE · 09-29-2012, 03:00 PM

Check with Frank @ Dragos Bike Works >> http://dragosbikeworks.com/pro-charger__turbos

He know his stuff about ProChargers and Turbos for Harleys

qtrracer · 09-29-2012, 04:08 PM

They will be heat generators, anything that compresses air will generate heat. Whether or not a person can live with the extra heat is a personal thing.

dog155 · 09-29-2012, 04:35 PM

More heat and more weight to carry around.My thing has always been liking to see as much of the motor exposed as possible,and always liked riding Strokers,been doing it since the early 80's.We all march to a different beat.
Keep in mind depending on how you ride you need a healthy bottom end when you pressurize those cylinders.

streetg · 09-29-2012, 07:40 PM

If your dead set on a forced motor, then Frank is the man to talk to like was mentioned above. For the money your gonna spend though you can build a pretty bada$$ed naturally aspirated motor, or buy a crate motor. I guess a lot depends on if you can do the work yerself or, if not, finding a good wrench in England thatcha trust.

windwolf · 09-30-2012, 02:09 PM

I looked into the Procharger a while ago. They are belt driven,one belt is subject to oil all the time. Belt tension appears to be absolutely critical and failure is common if not set right. Even then the belts are to be replaced every 10000 miles.
Way too fussy for me! No way I would carry spare belts and tools required to keep this system operational.
If you must have a "pressurized" bike thats FI, I'd go with a turbo.

I ran a Magnacharger (bolt on gear driven) at 12psi on my 95" 01Dyna for 3 yrs (carbed). I absolutely loved the power, had no problems at 125hp/125t. Fuel mileage was awful, long trips became very painful in the pocketbook. Best mileage was 30 at 70 mph. Full throttle thru 5 gears used about 3/4 gals!!
I still miss the 4 gear rolling burnouts tho!! 11.07/123 quarter.
My 124 S&S makes the same power, and delivers almost twice the mileage when not WOT. FWIW windwolf

CowboyTutt · 09-30-2012, 06:42 PM

I've been interested in the Magna Charger products for over a year now, but it looks like it would interfere with your right leg quite a bit, and maybe even roast it too? Have they been able to move beyond carburation yet? -Tutt

windwolf · 09-30-2012, 07:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CowboyTutt

I've been interested in the Magna Charger products for over a year now, but it looks like it would interfere with your right leg quite a bit, and maybe even roast it too? Have they been able to move beyond carburation yet? -Tutt

As far as I know, they have not perfected an FI system yet. I talked to Richard Peppler at RC Turbos once, he didn;t think it would be a big issue to convert to FI, just expensive. He would have used parts he commonly run on his 550hp Hayabusa. I couldn't afford it, so left it carbed.
I must say that even Magnacharger left me kind of holding the bag with false info about suitable camshafts, carb tuning and needle calibration. Thye designed it to work with a kit for the CV40 carb, and it did work, just short on power. I installed a 42 Mikuni, machined my own needle to compencsate for boost transition. selected a proper cam (SE204) and it all worked beyond my expectations! Can you say 165mph at 6500rpm! Suprised a lot of other brands. Nothing quite matches the rush of 12 lbs boost. windwolf

CowboyTutt · 09-30-2012, 08:41 PM

I was talking with the rep from these guys many months ago. He really tried to steer me clear of any FI set-up as they had nothing to offer in that regard and any changes to FI would be horribly expensive.

http://store.4x4tuff.com/ss8.html

A few months later he contacted me to say they were just working on their first TBW set-up. When he told me that, I could only imagine the problems that caused as the the early HD TBW set-ups are pretty quirky. I don't know why they ignored the earlier TB set-ups. I guess they wanted the customer to pay for the development costs IMHO. -Tutt

windwolf · 09-30-2012, 09:56 PM

Hi Cowboy: Probably because the roots type supercharger is "0ld school" according to todays thinking, Magnacharger sales just won't justify the expense of adapting FI.
I handbuilt and air to air intercooler, plumbed from left side under and up to right side carb, it reduced intake temps by 20-30 degrees, kept the engine at 200 degrees on normal days. Nothing I've driven, including my new S&S 124, had the upper end rush of the 95" on 12 lbs boost. The 124 has that rush in 4rth gear but not quite there in fifth. The system was 100% reliable, just before I sold the complete assly, I had a oil leak from return in head gasket. I tore the engine down for inspection to the J&E pistons, at 25000klms, they looked as new.
If I could have found a reasonable way to convert to FI to get mileage back for travelling, it would still be on the bike. windwolf

Jbco2 · 10-01-2012, 12:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by windwolf

Hi Cowboy: Probably because the roots type supercharger is "0ld school" according to todays thinking, Magnacharger sales just won't justify the expense of adapting FI.
I handbuilt and air to air intercooler, plumbed from left side under and up to right side carb, it reduced intake temps by 20-30 degrees, kept the engine at 200 degrees on normal days. Nothing I've driven, including my new S&S 124, had the upper end rush of the 95" on 12 lbs boost. The 124 has that rush in 4rth gear but not quite there in fifth. The system was 100% reliable, just before I sold the complete assly, I had a oil leak from return in head gasket. I tore the engine down for inspection to the J&E pistons, at 25000klms, they looked as new.
If I could have found a reasonable way to convert to FI to get mileage back for travelling, it would still be on the bike. windwolf

WW, am I to understand that you plumbed an intercooler on the left side of a MAGNACHARGER?
If so, pics would be greatly appreciated.
Joe

windwolf · 10-01-2012, 08:11 AM

Hi Jcbo2: The air to air intercooler was mounted on the left side of the bike; It was a polished aluminum 7 row, vertically stacked, approx 4 1/2wx 3deep x 12 tall. A 5" K&N air filter was mounted at the top leading edge. It was all mounted on thedowntube.
A 2 1/4" stainless duct took the air down around the bottom of the bike and back up to the 42 Mikuni mounted on the front face of the Magnacharger.
I had some pictures until recently, when my computer crashed.A friend is trying to get the Picture Files saved. All of this took place just as I went front a film camera to digital, so none of the pic's I found last night show this setup.
Sorry I can't provide any pic's right now, I will asap. windwolf

windwolf · 10-01-2012, 08:32 AM

I just found a single picture of the system, scanned it into my pic files. Its a little faded but I think you can see enough to get the idea. windwolf

CowboyTutt · 10-01-2012, 09:48 AM

Neat set-up! Thanks for sharing. -Tutt

Jbco2 · 10-02-2012, 01:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by windwolf

I just found a single picture of the system, scanned it into my pic files. Its a little faded but I think you can see enough to get the idea. windwolf

WW, thank you for your reply. I am to understand you where cooling the incoming air charge into the the supercharger. How beneficial was that being that the heat build-up is on the air charge is usually inside the compressor itself? and that the intercooler usually cannot drop the charge (incoming air) below ambient temperature which is where it is at as it enters the carburetor anyways.
Please don't misunderstand my questions, have a Magna-charger on the shelf that I would like to run in a next project, just looking at the best way and options...

Thanks

Joe