Testing VMP’s New Gen II TVS Supercharger System

Taking performance to the next level is something that all enthusiasts strive for on a regular basis. One of the most popular ways to up performance for Mustang owners through the years has been with the addition of a supercharger. Mustang die-hards figured out early on that modular engines respond in spades to forced induction, and the current Coyote and Trinity engines are no exception.

VMP Tuning has carved a reputation out providing some of the best supercharger packages and tuning on the market for late model Mustang owners. Focusing on power, efficiency, and reliable performance, they’ve squeezed often insane levels of performance out of many Mustangs. Success can breed stagnation, but not at VMP. Founded by Justin Starkey – a self described perfectionist – the company is upping their game with their new VMP GEN II TVS supercharger package.

The GEN II housing in the center along with the VMP GEN I on the right and the current SVT Trinity 5.8 GT500 supercharger on the left.

The Next Generation

The Eaton TVS rotor package is an advancement in supercharger design, featuring high-efficiency twin vortices rotors that make power gains at low boost levels. With a pulley change those rotors can be made to spin faster for more boost and greater power without significant losses in supercharger efficiency. This efficiency is due to the 160-degree twisted four-lobe rotors. This high-helix design results in greater thermal efficiency and more horsepower without increasing the supercharger’s displacement. This rotor pack is so impressive that it has been the basis for supercharger systems from VMP and other companies for the last several years.

Left: The GEN II housing inlet compared to the inlet opening on the stock 2013-14 GT500 housing. Center: The GEN II (near) and the previous GEN I inlets. Right: The massive inlet area of the GEN II

VMP had mastered getting the most power out of their first generation TVS 2.3-liter design. Leading them to coming up with their new GEN II design. The GEN II is the result of over a year of extensive design and engineering efforts by the team at VMP. With respect to the rotor pack and drive system the GEN II is identical to its predecessor. The magic happens with a reworked case design with special attention to the inlet area of this supercharger.

What we did with the GEN II was take everything we’ve learned and create a package that was the culmination of the different supercharger designs that came before it. -Justin Starkey, VMP Tuning

The GEN II idea was spawned by the desire to create the best VMP TVS supercharger for the 5.0 and GT500 engines. “GEN II not only is a evolutionary step from our 1st generation VMP TVS, but it’s revolutionary in the sense that it builds on the massive torque curve the TVS is famous for while delivering greater peak horsepower than ever before. The GEN II makes equal power to larger displacement twin screws with a bigger, flatter torque curve. It’s also a direct bolt-on replacement to the GT500s factory superchargers,” says VMP’s BJ McCarty.

VMP head guru Justin Starkey adds, “We have packages for the 03-04 Cobra, three-valve, the GT500, and 5.0. What we did with the GEN II was take everything we’ve learned and create a package that was the culmination of the different supercharger designs that came before it.” “It’s all about airflow,” says Starkey. He says that with the older design (which is now obsolete) the first rotor (driver’s side) was somewhat starved for air. The design of the GEN II is setup to feed a much larger volume of air to that first rotor. “With the GEN II design we’re feeding the rotors symmetrically,”says Starkey.

The inlet design of the GEN II housing now incorporates the inlet elbow, with the inlet cast into the housing. Starkey says this allows for a better radius and larger inlet area for the incoming air charge. There’s no additional elbow to bolt to the supercharger case. Now the throttle body bolts directly to the supercharger eliminating the need of an additional part (the inlet). According to Starkey this allows for a much larger air path leading to big gains in the amount of air the supercharger can pull in to compress. The inlet area is larger as well as the throttle body opening. “We no longer have a mounting flange dictating our design. We’re able to turn the air much more smoothly.”

The floor of the housing where the inlet comes in has all but been removed from the GEN II design. This is part of the greater airflow equation and also helps feed both rotors symmetrically.

With the GEN II design we’re feeding the rotors symmetrically. -Justin Starkey, VMP Tuning

While the mounting flange on the GEN I allowed owners to upgrade their air inlet, it also held the supercharger design back in some respects. Any time multiple structures are to be bolted together, there must be a place for this to occur.

With the GEN II the elbow is incorporated into the supercharger case. With a simplified design that needs only to have the throttle body bolted to the supercharger housing there’s less in the way of the incoming airflow. Additionally VMP redesigned key points within the inlet area allowing for better airflow which feeds both rotors. “With the GEN II it’s all about taking that TVS rotor pack and making it perform in the best possible way.”

Left: The one-piece TVS supercharger housing and inlet design allow for a smoother radius that flows 18-percent more air than the GEN I design it replaces. Center: Just like the GEN I the GEN II accepts VMP's interchangeable blower pulleys and utilizes the same supercharger nose drive system. Right: The GEN II still uses the proven Eaton Twin Vorticies Series (TVS) rotor pack, the difference is all made up in the improved case design of the GEN II.

Supercharger Swap Out

Customers with a Coyote engine and a VMP GEN I supercharger can take advantage of the new GEN II housing without having to buy a new kit. VMP is offering a deal to previous customers for a housing swap out package. Existing customers will be able to take their rotor pack and nose drive and swap them into the GEN II housing, load an updated tune and take full advantage of the GEN II features. At around $1,500, the cost for this swap out will be around half the $2,999 cost for a base GEN II supercharger kit. The swap can be completed by anyone competent with turning wrenches in two-three hours according to Starkey. A video on how to do this swap is forthcoming from VMP.

This increase in airflow allows the VMP GEN II supercharger to inhale more air. At the same boost levels, with the same pulleys as before the supercharger’s efficiency is thus greatly increased. The entire design of the GEN II was done using CAD modeling. When the GEN II housing design was tested against its predecessors Starkey tells us, “We put the new design on the flow bench and compared it to previous designs. What we found is that this new design flowed 18-percent more air than the previous design, what we now call our first-gen TVS.” He says this is accomplished without changing the displacement of the supercharger, which is still a 2.3-liters as well as still using the same Eaton TVS2300 rotor pack that’s been popular with enthusiasts for several years.

Installation

Installation of the GEN II is pretty much the same as the GEN I. Starkey tells us, “The GEN II will bolt up just like the GEN I did, requiring no unusual modifications to your hoses or fuel lines. Boost levels will dictate whether the car’s fuel system will need additional upgrades. The supercharger is a simple swap with access available to all of the mounting bolts. It also features VMP’s interchangeable pulley system which allows owners to step up performance as their craving for more horsepower dictates. Included with the GEN II is the customer’s choice of one pulley. All the necessary ports are in place for the vacuum lines, and the system even maintains the use of EGR on GT500 models.

VMP Swapped the GEN II onto BJ McCarty's 2007 GT500. The swap was as simple as changing out the VMP GEN I supercharger and installing the new GEN II unit. With no tuning changes and the same pulley the car spun the Dynojet roller to make 51 more horsepower with only a two-psi boost increase over the GEN I unit and on an engine with 51,000 miles on the clock.

VMP has been putting together supercharger packages for years. Buying one of those packages means that a proven and reliable tune is backing the installation. With that in mind Starkey says that customers who purchase a supercharger package are going to be able to bolt on the GEN II system, install their new VMP tune, and start enjoying their upgraded GT or GT500 right away.

Power Gains

McCarty’s ’07 GT500 picked up 51.1 hp and 47.4 lb-ft of torque by switching from the GEN I supercharger to the GEN II. A two-psi increase in boost was realized and the power gain came with no tuning or pulley changes. The airflow difference is that dramatic.

The GEN II supercharger is offered for both GT500 owners and Mustang GT owners with 5.0 Coyote engines.

Key GEN II Features

  • Industry first one piece blower housing and inlet elbow design.
  • Improved airflow into rotor packs.
  • No longer starves inside rotor.
  • All internal bumps and bosses removed.
  • All bolts can be accessed with socket & extension for easy install.
  • 50-60 rwhp gain over VMP GEN I.
  • 30-40 rwhp gain over 5.8L “SVT” Trinity blower.
  • Available as an entire blower, or a housing only upgrade in the case of 5.0L.
  • Boost from 12-23psi.
  • Bolt on pulley hub for 2.4, 2.5, 2.6, or 2.8-inch pulleys, can be used with 10 or 15-percent OD lower.
VMP is known for their dyno testing and tuning, using their in house Dynojet to prove out everything they do. With GT500 engines VMP is already seeing big gains “At high boost levels of around 22 pounds of boost we’re seeing gains of 50-60 horsepower over the GEN I,” says Starkey. “Even at low boost levels of around 14 pounds we’re still seeing 20-25 horsepower gains over the GEN I.” This was done using the same cold air intake and throttle body as before, the only hardware that has changed is the use of the new GEN II housing.

At the time of this writing, Starkey says that the Coyote are seeing a gain of 40 horsepower at the tires on 18 psi just from swapping to the GEN II housing. “On my personal 5.0 we’re currently seeing 871 hp on the dyno” says Starkey. McCarty who had the GEN II upgrade performed on his ’07 GT500 saw a gain of 51.1 hp and 47.4 lb-ft at the rear tires jumping from 673.4 hp with the GEN I supercharger to 724.6 hp with the GEN II. This was on an engine with 51,000 miles on the odometer. Currently testing continues at various boost levels and pulley configurations on the 5.0.

With the VMP GEN II design delivering more power there’s the potential for even more record setting performance to come out of their shop in the coming months. Look for VMP to be performing some GEN II and even rotor pack swaps at events they attend. With VMP’s GEN II, Coyote and GT500 owners are truly looking at the next generation in supercharged horsepower.

About the author

Don Creason

Don Creason is an automotive journalist with passions that lie from everything classic, all the way to modern muscle. Experienced tech writer, and all around car aficionado, Don's love for both cars and writing makes him the perfect addition to the Power Automedia team of experts.
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