Works Power Twin Screw Supercharger

[Chris@Works Power]

Hi All,

First post here. Let me know if I make any mistakes.

Just wanted to share our new supercharger upgrade for Exige S and other supercharged Lotuses. It is a bolt-in package that replaces the factory Eaton M62 supercharger with a larger, more efficient twin screw supercharger. (actually, as former Technical Director of Magnuson Products, I think I am correct in saying the stock supercharger is a Magnuson MP62 variant of an Eaton M62)

Sorry for the ugly pic and goofy bolts, we had a guy dying to get his hands on the first one so we bolted it all up quick and snapped a couple shots.



I understand there is a lot of information floating around in the Lotus world about Rotrexes and Eatons and twin screws and so on. Maybe to better explain this product, here's some background on superchargers that may be informative. I hope it's not redundant info here.

If you want to add torque via low end boost, you pretty much have to use a positive displacement supercharger rather than a Rotrex, Vortech, Paxton, Procharger, or the other centrifugals. Centrifugal superchargers tend to build boost more or less linearly, which is a nice way of saying "like a turbo that's laggy as hell".

As with everything, there are pro's and cons, and while centrifugals don't share the boost response typical of positive displacement supercharger, they do have some other benefits and that can include ease in packaging. Most centrifugals are mounted via some brackets to the engine and don't require a special intake manifold or intermediary casting to mount it to the engine.

Also, most centrifugals blow through the throttle body whereas aftermarket positive displacement superchargers typically draw through the throttle body. It's easy to blow through a metal pipe into the stock throttle body and stock manifold with a centrifugal, while manufacturing a cast draw-through inlet that rigidly mounts the throttle body and other features (hoses fittings, bypass valve, etc) drives engineering and tooling costs way up for the manufacturer.

As far as positive displacement superchargers go there are basically two commonly available types: Roots and screw type. Roots superchargers do not compress internally, whereas screws do. In general terms, Roots superchargers tend to be good at low pressure ratios, and they tend to be significantly less costly to produce than screw compressors. Screw superchargers can be "tuned" (via rotor and housing design) to be extremely efficient at anything from low pressure ratios to what we call "high" pressure ratios in terms of passenger car use; however, screws tend to be significantly more costly to produce than Roots compressors.

Eaton has a new series of Roots superchargers with rotors that have a higher helix (more twist) called the TVS series. However, it has been said the compressor maps for these shown on Eaton's website are not generated by conforming to the SAE compressor test standards, thus the numbers seem extremely high when comparing them to conventionally mapped superchargers. Eaton justifies this by pointing out that a supercharged vehicle isn't driven in a manner similar to the SAE test procedure. This is sort of like having a G-Tech style in-car "electronic dyno" that reads a lot higher than a dynamometer, and justifying it by saying "You never drive around on a dyno, so our numbers are accurate as far as we're concerned."

Eaton has a valid point and this is true; you typically don't drive around with the compressor thermally loaded and normalized just as you can't drive on a dyno Works Power uses Eaton superchargers for some applications and like anything they can work great when applied correctly. However, without Eaton explaining how they are generating their numbers, the compressor maps they publish can be very misleading as they make the TVS seem to compare directly to some screw compressors.

What we've built is a bolt-on twin screw replacement for the factory Eaton. It is designed for cooler discharge temps and reduced parasitic drag, especially as boost is raised. It is also capable of a LOT more airflow than the factory 62-cid unit. It can support well over 400 horsepower, though we wouldn't recommend trying that on your stock engine.

We'll have some more info following on our new site shortly. If you have any questions in the meantime, PM me.

Thanks,
Chris Weisberg
Works Power

[antinym]

I know you said "PM me" but... Are you planning on making a kit for the NA guys? We need manifolds and love, too.

[andrewgotanelise]

[cspak71]

Subscribed:

+1 on n/a engines... including a Elise solution if possible (since that's what I drive.)

[charliex]

This is the kit frank (ronin) paid $12,500 for works power to develop, the cars been waiting since late april for the finished SC, this ones just a mock up that they test fitted yesterday, currently frank is asking for the money back, you can read the epic tail on monkey since frank can't post here.

[smashfactory]

[Chris@Works Power]

Thanks for the PM's and kudos, everybody! We had a ton of fun tooling this up but it was a lot of work.

Before Charlie stirs up the drama cloud we've learned follows Frank around, Frank Profera didn't pay $12,500 for this setup. Charlie, I know secondhand information caused you and Frank to lose your friendship for a while there and I suggest to check your facts so it doesn't happen again.
The photo is not a mockup but a real supercharger and Frank received it as promised.

I like Frank and he can be a lot of fun to shoot the breeze with. He did try to sell some of these to his buddies, but after doing this project we opted not to do any more business with him on other kits, I think that is what Charlie was talking about. So we join the list of places (including this forum I'm now told) that would rather not deal with Frank Profera on anything other than a friends level and that's ok.

We think it's unprofessional to slam anyone (especially a customer) publically, or post proof that Frank is wrong and we are right. We can unarguably refute Frank's claims, so if any potential customers would like to hear the reality of the situation please don't hesitate to contact us.

There are two sides to every story. Until you have all the information you can't make an informed opinion.

Thanks,

Chris Weisberg
Works Power

[alexandertg4]

Need more popcorn!

[ivan1]

.

[charliex]

I think the information I posted is accurate, i've been involved in the project since its inception, as have many others, no ones more aware than i am that frank likes to get stuff done, he's a very driven individual, he was very excited about this supercharger, as was i, but so far it has underperformed and underdelivered, every time you guys didn't turn up on time, i was usually on the phone with him.

If this SC could come to fruition and it could provide 400HP he'd be all over it, anyone who knows him, knows that , we already broke the 300HP barrier, so the 400HP is next.

I'm sure he wouldn't mind you posting information publically, at least that way everyone gets to see both sides, rather than keeping it private and only one side being told, and that way the story gets to be somewhat policed by all involved.

He did indeed call some other people around to see if they were interested in getting a kit out the door, those people paid upfront too, Frank has returned the money due to it
not being delivered within the agreed time frame or the project not going as it was initially advertised.

Its quite a common thing to try to use someones personality as a reason as to why something didn't go to plan, we've all heard this story many times before, its certainly a good excuse, but it remains an excuse.

If you're unwilling to post your side of the story, then it will remain an 'uninformed' opinion, but in my experience the reason people don't want the story to go public has nothing to do with not wanting to bad mouth someone, you didn't have any problems informing everyone about my past history with him, my previous friendship status with him, or saying i'm stirring up drama.

[WEB 3.0]

Most of your original post is text book information that I would back up. Nice setup as well, looks like it was an intensive project.

However, I do take issue with this statement

Centrifugal superchargers tend to build boost more or less linearly, which is a nice way of saying "like a turbo that's laggy as hell".

You can't tell this by driving my car nor can you see it in my dyno. I think you may chosen your words in haste.

Let's see some numbers! The proof is in the pudding as they say.

[Lotus F1]

All I have to say is Ronins Crystal Ball has been frightenly accurate when it comes to BS and new vendors.. The guy has a sixth sense for this kind of sh!t. There's a good reason he ain't happy and it's not because things were done right. He's built the best sorted 300hp Elise in the country on his dime and time.. that means alot in comparison to any new company or vested business.

[Icedog_16]

Originally Posted by WEB 3.0

Most of your original post is text book information that I would back up. Nice setup as well, looks like it was an intensive project.

However, I do take issue with this statement

You can't tell this by driving my car nor can you see it in my dyno. I think you may chosen your words in haste.

Let's see some numbers! The proof is in the pudding as they say.

I'd have thought that building boost linearly is the opposite of turbo lag. Perhaps, I'm mistaken. I'd say my 335i builds boost linearly; you'd be hard-pressed to tell it's not NA. At least, that was my first (surprised) impression. (I've had a number of turbo cars in my days.) It's the neck-snapping acceleration on a laggy turbo that I don't consider linear. Kind of like the difference between the Elise at 2K rpm and 6200 rpm.

[Chris@Works Power]

Don, I don't know which part you think isn't kosher.

Frank didn't put his car up for our R&D, we went to Tri-Point Engineering looking to hire them to do fitment on a customer car and they suggested Frank. I won't speak for them but they didn't want to get involved with his car and a mechanic there ended up doing it on the side. You are right, we do not want to do retail especially in California. That is why we contacted Tri-Point. Frank stated we would end up running this through he and Charlie's tuning business in Nevada. In the end, he didn't.

In case it is not clear, we are not trolling the forums trying to take orders. I didn't state "PM if you want to buy one direct!" nor anything about purchasing them or even price. It is our goal, as we stated to Tri-Point, to Frank, and to you, to sell this through dealers.

As far as R&D, Frank took his car down and once he saw how cracked his modified Greddy manifold was, opted for it to remain down and to switch to Exige manifolds.

I've enjoyed talking to you on the phone, Don, and I don't get into pissing contests on the forums (especially over a third party) so let's not jump to conclusions.

If you suspect any of what I say isn't true I suggest you ask Reggie at Tri-Point, factory backed Mazda racing team and pretty credible guys.


Thanks,
Chris

[MaineLotus]

I'm one of the guys that was going to buy the kit - those are my chopped up and refabbed Exige S manifolds in the picture they posted above. Works-Power is basically a shell corporation, check out their website - Works Power it pretty says it all. I don't think these guys even own a frigging drill press - they are Ragnorak revived.

They still have some of my parts, which they have not returned. And yes, it is true that Frank (Ronin) put up around $12,000 for this "kit". Don't send money to these guys and then post a sad story on LotusTalk - because you have been warned!

[Chris@Works Power]

Hi WEB 3.0,

I have driven some laggy turbo cars that did almost nothing below 4,500, then all the boost came on with a rush. Others (depending on compressor selection) that I call laggy build boost steadily very much like a centrifugal. The latter is what I am referring to and that is why I send "tend to" rather than "do" as if it were one size fits all.

Post your dyno chart, I would like to see it, and please share a little about your blower setup, especially a boost vs rpm curve. I'm not a big forum guy so I don't care if this thread drifts into other topics. Just sharing something fun we built, looks like lots of people appreciate it, that means a lot.

Thanks,
Chris

[sfelise]

I think that if you are serious about doing this you need to worry less about what people are saying and get the car running, tuned, and show some dyno numbers. There is more to it than just dyno tuning but really its the next step if you want to be taken seriously. I have seen all to many new posts from someone who shows a few pictures of half installed supercharger setups, I get excited, and then they vanish, if we are lucky. Sometimes it ends with someone's blown or damaged engine.

Lets just say that I am excited, yet again, and hope that you are able to deliver, but you have come out of the gait surrounded in drama already so lets see some numbers!

[Chris@Works Power]

MaineLotus, you need to get your facts straight before you call somebody a crook.

You say you were going to buy a kit from Frank and as you state Frank used some of your components when he converted his car to an Exige. I don't know the details of your transaction with Frank as you and I have never spoken, however, we do not have your parts, sorry if you are under that impression.

We're not a shell corporation and I wasn't aware we needed a retail website when we aren't going after retail business.

In the meantime here's a company with a much bigge website than ours, who we did another project for a few years back.

Ford Motor Company - Featured Story - Lincoln-Mercury Taps Customized Luxury Trend

Thanks,
Chris

[Chris@Works Power]

Originally Posted by antinym

I know you said "PM me" but... Are you planning on making a kit for the NA guys? We need manifolds and love, too.

Yes and no.

Our goal was to build an upgrade supercharger for factory-supercharged Exiges, one that could also be used as the basis for supercharging a normally-aspirated Elise, etc.

If somebody like a Sector111, Tri-Point, Blackwatch, ForcedFed, etc., wants another option than to buy a Greddy kit and then throw most of it away, this is intended to serve that need.

We have told everybody we've talked to all along that we want to provide the hardware side of things, not the tuning side of things, and provide them to dealers so they can build their own kits with their own "ingredients." Maybe one company will use Charlie's tuning while another will use a ROM tune from another place, or an Xede, etc.


BTW, we do own a drill press. It's neat! Thanks.

Chris

[Lotus F1]

So exactly how are you going to handle the tuning of this car? It's been the single most important factor when considering this HCR engine.