The Best Supercharger for G35s: Your Guide to The Perfect Kit

Engines function like air pumps. The more air they draw, the more power they can make. The best way of pumping more air into your engine is through forced induction.

Superchargers and turbochargers are the two most common ways of doing this. They both compress air but they do it differently.

If you’re looking to boost your Infiniti G35 in a reliable way, getting a supercharger is usually the best way to go.

In this guide, we’ll explain why superchargers are often better than turbos and we’ll list the best kits you can buy for your G35.

Why Forced Induction?

So you’ve had your G35 for some time, you’re happy with it, but you wish it did more. Then another Infiniti G35 or 350z owner leaves you at the lights, as if you are standing still.

“A few mods on my G35 won’t hurt, right?”

You know what happens after that.

Tuning and upgrades are addictive; especially performance upgrades. You can’t just stop at one.

Apart from secondary upgrades like exhaust systems, test pipes, and so on, the most significant “power-adding” upgrade is forced induction.

Sure, engine swaps are a possibility but it’s far more complex and expensive to install, not to mention more difficult in passing emissions requirements and getting insurance coverage.

If the Infiniti G35’s stock power just doesn’t cut it and you want a wider grin when you floor it, consider forced induction.

Both superchargers and turbos do the same thing; they force more air into your engine’s combustion chamber.

Infiniti G35 Supercharger vs Turbo: Which is Better?

For many Infiniti G35 owners, going FI is a big decision to make. It’s not something you do every day, It’s expensive and requires commitment. That said, choosing the right type of forced induction is vital.

Superchargers and turbos use different sources of energy to make power. That’s why they feel so different. Both produce tons of power but deliver it very differently.

It comes down to personal preference. If we had to choose one, superchargers would be our top choice. Here’s why.

Mechanical Differences

A supercharger uses a belt that runs directly off the engine’s crankshaft to spin a compeller. Once it starts spinning, it compresses the air and pushes it inside the engine.

Because superchargers derive energy directly off the crankshaft, the power delivery is direct.

Superchargers are mainly of two types;

1. centrifugal and
2. positive displacement.

Centrifugal superchargers are better suited for the VQ35DE engine. They’re less complex and much better at managing heat. For this reason, they’re the ones we’re covering in this guide.

Turbochargers, on the other hand, aren’t directly connected to the engine.

Instead, they use the engine’s exhaust stream to spool up a turbine. Depending on its size, the turbine can spin at up to 150000 RPM to power a compressor which pushes air into the engine.

Usability

Unlike G35 turbo kits, power delivery from a supercharged Infiniti G35 is more predictable. Thanks to a direct connection with the engine, your throttle input (how much you put your foot down) will always match the power output.

This makes superchargers ideal for tight situations where you absolutely don’t want any lag. It’s best used for time attack, twisty canyon runs and drifting.

The power delivery with superchargers is very linear. You’ll start experiencing boost from the moment you start driving, all the way up to the redline as it increases gradually. It’s safe and reliable.

Instead of spreading the additional torque through the rev range, turbochargers deliver all of it in one go. It usually starts between 2000 and 3000 RPM depending on what type of turbo it is.

The time it takes before the boost is called turbo lag. This happens because the turbine needs some time spool up and collect air.

Pros & Cons

The fact that turbos use waste exhaust gases as their primary source of power makes them very efficient. However, efficiency comes at a price. Turbochargers require more maintenance and have a delayed power delivery.

Turbochargers are expensive, difficult to install and can produce limited power gains on pump gas; especially if the exhaust heat under your hood is too high.

If you live in a hot climate, power gains will be lower than on a similar car in a much cooler city. Turbochargers can also reduce reliability of your engine.

Some enthusiasts argue that turbo kits are a better use of their money. If they’re spending close to five figures, they want heavy gains; which we think is fair. It comes down to personal preference and how reliable you want your build to be.

Superchargers are far more reliable, easy to install and require little maintenance. Because of this, you’ll end up spending a lot less on a supercharger than what you would on a turbo kit.

Here’s a quick glance at what’s different between superchargers and turbochargers.

Superchargers	Turbochargers
Superchargers are cheaper than turbos.	Turbo kits get quite expensive, especially considering the supporting mods.
Superchargers are easy to install which further reduces the cost.	Turbochargers are far more complex and require an expensive installation.
The power delivery is linear and manageable.	Intense power delivery when boost is active. It can take time to get used to.
Best used for time attack, drift, daily-driving.	Best used for time attack, drift, and daily driving.
Superchargers whine.	Best used for time attack, drift, and daily driving.
Boost kicks in as soon as the engine starts.	No boost till sufficient exhaust gases are produced.

Top G35 Supercharger Kits

Vortech

Manufacturer: Vortech
Engine Compatibility: VQ35DE
Type: Centrifugal
Suits: G35 Coupe
Warranty: 3 Years Supercharger Warranty (1 Year on Tuner Kits)

As far as superchargers go, there are quite a few really good ones on the market. The V3sci by Vortech is among the best.

The Vortech V-3 SCi is the best supercharger for G35 owners who love driving hard and flat-out. Once it crosses 4000 RPM, it will embarrass even some twin-turbo kits. Although, anything below that will feel pretty much stock.

The only drawback with this kit is that it won’t hit full boost until your G35 is close to the redline. You’ll have to really wring its neck to experience the Vortech V-3 SCi at its max potential.

This could be an advantage in disguise depending on how you look at it; especially if you daily drive your G35. The more time your supercharged G35 spends on low boost, the more longevity you get.

The V-3 SCi is equipped with a centrifugal compressor that delivers turbo-like performance. Centrifugal compressors do a much better job of pushing air into your engine as compared to the thermally inefficient roots-type compressors.

The Vortech supercharger kit is one of the easiest kits to install and usually takes 8-12 hours from start to finish. Also, the V-3 SCi supercharger is a much quieter system than its previous iterations.

If your goal is to make 400 horsepower at the wheels, the Vortech supercharger is your best option. You can even go beyond that with the right support mods in place.

It’s cheap, reliable, looks great and sounds brutal. We feel it’s the best supercharger for G35 coupes.

Stillen

Manufacturer: Stillen
Engine Compatibility: VQ35HR
Type: Centrifugal
Suits: 07-08 G35 Sedan
Warranty: 3 Years Powertrain Warranty

After Vortech V-3 SCi, the Stillen supercharger kit is your next best option; partly because it shares a lot in common with the Vortech. However, it performs very differently.

It took the crew at Stillen an entire year to develop this centrifugal supercharger kit for the dual-throttle body VQ engine. It’s hands-down the best supercharger for G35 sedan owners.

The most noteworthy feature about this supercharger kit is its excellent thermal system. Less heat = more power. This is why it manages to provide such an intense power boost so early in the rev range.

The secret to this exceptional thermal system an in-house designed intake manifold that supports air-to-water intercooling. This unique design allows the Stillen supercharger to use the properties of air and water cooling.

This constantly provides cooler, denser air to your combustion chamber. Combine this with Vortech’s self-lubricating V-3 compressor and you’ll get the most powerful and reliable supercharger kit. It’s a tough fight between the Vortech V-3 SCi and this one.

If you want your G35 sedan to haul ass from stoplight to stoplight, go for the Stillen supercharger. The power is available right from 2500 to 3000 RPM. However, it does utilize most of the boost before 6000 RPM and goes a bit flat after that.

HKS

Manufacturer: HKS
Engine Compatibility: VQ35DE
Type: Centrifugal
Suits: G35 Coupe
Warranty: 1 Year

The HKS V2 supercharger kit isn’t something you’ll come across too often. Vortech and Stillen almost always steal the spotlight with proven performance and rave reviews. However, we feel it’s very underrated.

Installing it on your Infiniti G35 will require some minor fabrication work as it was originally designed to fit the Nissan 350z (which uses the same VQ35DE engine).

The best part about this kit is its self-contained oiling system. Unlike some other systems, it doesn’t use your G35’s engine oil. Thanks to this, the only maintenance it needs is air filter servicing and replacement of SC oil.

Another awesome thing about this supercharger kit is the way it delivers power. If you check the results on a dyno, you’ll see that it doesn’t just boast a peak HP number at redline.

Instead, it makes most of its power nice and early around 3000 RPM and keeps it going all the way.

This way you can actually use its power when you need to. You won’t have to keep looking for an open road to fully experience what it has to offer.

HKS V2 is surprisingly quiet. Most other supercharger kits have a loud whine which can get annoying for family members who don’t “get it”. If you want your exhaust to be the dominant sound, you’ll appreciate the HKS V2. It’s the quietest G35 supercharger kit for sale.

ATI ProCharger

Manufacturer: ATI
Engine Compatibility: VQ35DE
Type: Centrifugal
Suits: G35 Coupe
Warranty: 1 Year

Considering the fact that ATI came up with the industry-first intercooled supercharger, you’d expect them to be as popular as the rest. But that’s not the case.

The ProCharger by ATI is an underrated supercharger kit that shows a lot of promise. It sports the same features that make the Vortech V-3 SCi and Stillen kits so desirable.

ATI claims that their intercooler technology gives you consistent performance without the power fade suffered by non-intercooler and air-to-water intercooled FI systems. Their main goal with the ProCharger was to provide more power per pound of boost in a reliable way.

This is true to some extent, provided you have the right supporting mods in place. Of course, you’d  need to do this with every other supercharger kit in this guide.

With the ProCharger kit in place, you’ll have up to a 45% power gain and improved quarter-mile performance by 1 whole second. It also helps you retain stock driveability and reasonable gas mileage while still being able to push you back in your seat every time you give it some.

The Best Supercharger for G35s

The forced induction scene for G35s is littered with turbo kits. There aren’t many superchargers on the market for your Infiniti G35. However, this lack of variety is made up for with great quality.

You can blindly pick up any of the superchargers mentioned in this guide and it’ll be worth every penny. If we must pick a favorite though, here’s what we’d choose…

The Best G35 Supercharger for Low-End Torque: Stillen

If you’re a “I want full boost and I want it now” sort of person, go for the Stillen supercharger kit.

You won’t have to wait for the tacho needle to cross 6k and you’ll keep grinning even at low RPM. It’s the next best thing to a twin-turbo.

The Best G35 Supercharger Kit (overall): Vortech

If you’re someone who drives sedately on the street but goes full hoonigan on the track, the Vortech V-3 SCi is your best option.

Which supercharger kit would you pick? Do you prefer turbos over superchargers?

Let us know in the comments below!