AMD Supercharger     //  03.15.2013

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When I first bought the car, I knew one of the things I was going to do eventually was get it supercharged. I just didn't know with which kit or at what time. That time finally came early in 2013. First things first, I'll share my thoughts on how I came to decide which supercharger I would go with.

My selection criteria:

  1. Value ($/whp gained)
  2. Ease of entry (financial)
  3. Future upgrade potential without ripping everything out
  4. Local tuner

For me here in the US, it was really between the APR kit and this one, and AMD won out because it fit my criteria better. The $/whp gained comparison, goes as follows: at the time I looked (fall of 2012), the APR kit was advertised at $15k. I've heard you can get install included, but it doesn't say so anywhere. Still - giving the benefit of the doubt, let's say it's included. Looking at the site and dyno chart here, you look to gain 126 whp over stock with their kit on 93 octane (we get 92 in Seattle). That's $15k/126 = $119/whp gain. From day one of talking with AMD, it was clear the base kit would get around 100-120whp. I knew this going in, I also knew I'd be paying $10,750 installed. So, let's be conservative again and say 100whp. $10,750/100 = $107.50/whp gain. Note: actual $/whp gained (see dyno chart below) turns out to be $94/whp for the base kit. Please also note: I give full props to APR. Seems like they have a great product with proven results. I only provide the above comparison because it's the process I thought through when deciding.

Criteria 2-4 were also all in favor of AMD, and in the end probably a bit more important to me than this first one. For #2, AMD was/is the only vendor I'm aware of that is offering several stages of the supercharger, allowing me to break up the amount of money I need to spend in chunks, versus putting it all down at once. The kit I have installed now, is just the start, and it provides performance relatively on par with the existing offerings from a HP/TQ perspective as measured on a dyno. I know that I'll be able to spend a bit more in the future to gain more power, without needing to switch to a completely different system. The blower AMD chose has plenty of headroom. Finally, having the tuner local is something I've come to value immensely over the years. I got lucky that AMD is just 25 minutes away from where I live.

Details of the Supercharger kit

The start of the AMD offerings is what I got installed. Often referred to as the "Base kit", "Baby kit", "Stage .9", or most recently "Low Pressure Kit". It is the first of 3 stages that will eventually all be available. The next two are in development, and sorry for the tease, but  - - there is plenty more 'go' coming. I witnessed it myself!

What did I pay for the kit and what comes with it?

All hardware and software, installed at AMD for $10,750. I believe if you install elsewhere, you'd need to add install (12-14 hours?). Kit uses the TVS R1900 blower, runs a 115mm pulley, and boost is around 9-10 psi. This kit has Twin Air-Water intercoolers, uses the Aux Radiator as the heat exchanger, and does NOT add a FMIC. This base kit does NOT upgrade any fuel pumps either. The next stages from AMD include both upgraded fuel pumps and cooling.

What's included with software aside from more go? 

Launch control and flat shift. :) I was very happy about these being included!

  • Launch control: Make sure the S button is on, car in neutral. Hold rpm's to where you want to launch, blip brake with your left foot. You'll see the check engine light blink once to indicate it's set. Depress clutch, and put your foot fully to the floor. Car will keep rpm's to where you set them. Release clutch :)
  • Flat shift: Keep the gas pedal floored while you shift. You only need to blip clutch when shifting. Engaging the clutch pedal switch cuts ignition which results in you getting into the next gear with 100% throttle :)

To the numbers...
Dyno details:The above left chart is from the AMD dyno (Mustang), all corrected numbers. The 414 represented above was one of 4 runs. Others were 408, 416, 417.  You see 3 runs which reflects the history of my car: stock, then with DP's and software and no cats, then the S/C results. I still run my stock catback, btw, so likely leaving a little bit on the table. I took it to a local shop that uses a Dynojet also to see differences (shown on the right). Most people see Dynojet numbers more often these days. Results: 453whp, 361tq

What's it like to drive?  Am I happy with it?

Instant power, that never goes away until you shift. It's a completely different car. On top of that, driveability is perfect. You can be smooth and quiet and put around town if you're so inclined or just hammer it and get instant response. Super happy with my results :)

5.08.2013 - 11.812s @ 118.72mph!

Car made it down to the strip! Back seat bench and seat backs were pulled to try and make up for the weight of my amps, subwoofer, and sound deadening that lines the trunk and both front doors.

I asked Jason@AMD to take it down, as I just don't have the time right now. 11.812s @ 118.72 mph! Thanks to Jonathan @ Aviva for putting this video together.

Upgrade to High Pressure [HP] Kit   // 08.02.2013

Wow is all I can say for now! More details when I have time.
Here's a run from when the HP kit was in development: