Supercharger Lid and Blower Pulley Upgrades: What They Do and What They Cost
A smaller blower pulley or ported lid is the first and most cost-effective upgrade for any Hellcat or Redeye.
The Supercharger System Basics
The Hellcat's 2.4L Roots-type supercharger is belt-driven off the crankshaft. The ratio of the crank pulley diameter to the blower pulley diameter determines how fast the supercharger spins. Faster spin = more boost.
Lid Porting
The supercharger lid houses the throttle body and the inlet to the blower rotors. Factory lids have casting restrictions that limit airflow.
What porting does: Enlarges and smooths the inlet passages, reducing restriction and improving mass flow. A ported lid typically adds 20–40 hp on a stock-boost Hellcat without changing boost levels.
Who does it: STS Turbo, SHR, Lethal Performance, and others offer ported Hellcat lids.
Cost: $400–700 for the ported lid exchange service. Worth doing before spending on pulleys.
Smaller Blower Pulley (Underdrive Pulley)
Replacing the 2.65" factory blower pulley with a smaller pulley spins the blower faster, generating more boost.
Common upgrades:
- 2.45" pulley: ~1–1.5 psi more boost, 30–50 hp gain
- 2.40" pulley: ~1.5–2 psi more boost, 40–60 hp gain
- 2.10" pulley (aggressive): Requires upgraded fuel system and tune, significant cooling demands
Important: Pulley upgrades require a tune. Running more boost without recalibrating fuel and ignition causes detonation.
The Lid + Pulley Combo
The most popular Hellcat first step: ported lid + 2.45" pulley + E85 tune.
Expected gains on a stock Hellcat:
- From 707 hp at the crank to approximately 620–650 whp
- Quarter mile improvement: typically 0.3–0.5 seconds off the stock ET
Supporting Mods Required
- Upgraded spark plugs (one heat range colder, 0.035" gap)
- Tune calibrated for the new boost level
- Verify fuel pump can support increased demand
- Consider heat exchanger coolant upgrade for sustained use
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