Supercharging a Non-Supercharged 3.8 1994 Park Avenue

[Json]

Is it possible to blow a non-blown 1994 park avenue? I've heard through the grapevine that it's possible but I can never get any detail from anyone? I just don't want to change out the engine. I'd rather supercharge this one if possible.

[tman]

It's not worth it, the compression in the engines are different, you'd need a new belt assembly, you'd have to find a new computer, if you've got time and alot of money to invest, it's possible, but It's really not a great idea.

[Don Gwinn]

It's one of those things. Any combination of car and engine is possible if you're willing to spend the cash and the time, but as mentioned above, you're talking about changing internal parts like pistons or at the very least adding thicker head gaskets to bring the compression down (otherwise you get detonation with forced air) and making lots of other changes. At the very least, you're talking about pulling the engine, rebuilding it, getting the blower and all the small parts, getting the computer right, and reinstalling the engine, computer, etc.

Much cheaper and simpler (though I suspect still not cheap or simple) would be to find a supercharged donor car and take the engine, blower, computer, maybe the transaxle, and anything else that looks important. Are supercharged PA's intercooled? Might want the cooler, too!
Then you throw it all in. Same work, in theory, but it will probably end up cheaper and in practice there will probably be a lot less niggling little troubleshooting details.

[tman]

I always thought roots type superchargers, like the 3.8, couldnt support an intercooler, or so I was told. Until I read in Car & Driver that GM SC and intercooled the ecotec engine for the Saturn Ion redline.

[Json]

I was under the impression that the computer was all that would need to be converted over-of course, along with the belt assembly. I was told you could even use the same flywheel. Now, my source of information was from a parts guy who's guide book told him that the supercharger could be used with stock internals on the standard 3.8 but it would need the computer off of the supercharged car and the belt assembly would also be needed too. But other than that he said it would be a perfect conversion--according to his guide book, that is.