Supercharged or Turbocharged?

[travisHAZE]

OK, most of us, if not all of us, know the fundamental differences between super chargers and turbo chargers

but which does everyone prefer?

imo i prefer the belt powered super charger over the turbo charger, granted i dont have much experience with either, so thats just a nubs opinion.:lol:

[diceman469]

Depends on what you want.

Supercharger is what you want if you enjoy your powerband, but want to bump it up. Positive displacement superchargers will make your car feel as if it gained a liter or more. Full boost is instantaneous. But unless you're getting an in-your-face-out-the-hood-dragster setup, power is not infinate. Also very easily reversible if you want to change your setup or sell your car.

Turbo is all out power. Adds power up top for those cars that fall on their face at high RPMS. Multiplies high end for those that already have it there. Very hot underhood temps, usually alot more fabrication if no kit is available. And of course turbo lag, although it's not as bad as alot of people think.

My opinion? Daily Driver = supercharger. Weekend road warrior = turbo

And I've done both, so I'm in the position to compare them honestly.

[M-Ten]

Supercharger :)

[1slow1g]

i say turbo both for a daily and a weekend warrior because you can make as much as you could possibly want come the weekend by turning a knob and puttin in the good gas.

[travisHAZE]

well i was made to believe that u need higher grade fuel for the turbo, which atm is pricey as hell!

[M-Ten]

With a turbo, you'll be running around at full HP all the time. With a SC, you won't be. You can get good gas mileage with a SC, as long as you stay out of boost.

[turbo-max]

Turbo For The Mother Fucking Wiiiiinnn!!!!!!!

[Mr. K]

All american's that wouldnt spend the $$$ to turbo there cars of course will say Supercharger. Anyone that has dealt with a turbo would never go supercharger. Super chargers suck, period. Less potential. Turbo's are the replacement for displacement.

[chrisarella]

Ok, I've got my flame suit on so here goes...

With a turbo, you'll be running around at full HP all the time. With a SC, you won't be. You can get good gas mileage with a SC, as long as you stay out of boost.

Not entirely true. Every fossil fuel burning vehicle in the world has a powerband. Only electric motors have constant torque. If you mash the pedal on any car you'll get worse gas mileage. You are right about staying out of boost to save on fuel though, but this can be accomplished fairly easily on a turbo car as well.

diceman469 is mostly right. What to get can also depend on your car and what is readily available. There aren't any supercharger kits for cars that usually come with a turbo from the factory like STIs and Evos. But if you're talking about bolting on forced-induction to a naturally aspired car then as I said, it depends on the car and what is available. Supercharger kits are more popular amongst the muscle car and vette crowds. Turbos are more prevelant amongst the imports.

If you go turbo then there are different turbos for different applications and goals. So to simply say turbo = race application and supercharger = daily driver is not accurate and WAY to general IMHO. Perhaps that is the case with muscle cars but even then, there are turbo kits for daily drivers as well.

A good twin scroll turbo on a well matched motor will greatly reduce lag. Smaller turbos = less lag and less power. Bigger turbos = more lag and more power. Ball bearing tubos have less lag than thrust bearing turbos. More displacement = less lag. Smaller displacement motors will benefit better from superchargers but the fact that a supercharger leaches power from the the motor throughout the entire powerband is a factor as well.

For a reference point, I'm running a vf37 twinscroll turbo on a 2.5 liter ej257 STI motor. I see boost begin to build over atmosphere at 1500 rpms and full boost (16.5 psi obove atmosphere) at 2800 rpms. It holds boost just about all of the way to redline where it just begins to fall off. I'm getting 335 hp and 360 tq at the wheels and I can confidently say it is perfect for daily driving.

I would say yes to the fact that you need to run premium gas with both options because you're more likely to experience detonation (especially in Florida's heat). Unless you want to blow your motor then by all means buy the cheap stuff. You know what they say, the cheap man buys twice.

Also, if you are in fact bolting on forced induction to a naturally aspired motor then you should consider upgrading your internals. You'll need to run lower compression pistons (typically 8.5:1) even though you're running higher octane gas. Forged internals are good insurance. Sleeving the block is even better insurance when running a turbo with high boost. the level of mods depend on how much boost you are running and overall goals.

And yes, I've run turbos and superchagers on all different kids of vehicles for over 15 years.

All I can say is ask yourself what are your goals, which car are you applying forced induction to, and do your research.

[M-Ten]

Ok, I've got my flame suit on so here goes...



Not entirely true. Every fossil fuel burning vehicle in the world has a powerband. Only electric motors have constant torque. If you mash the pedal on any car you'll get worse gas mileage. You are right about staying out of boost to save on fuel though, but this can be accomplished fairly easily on a turbo car as well.

diceman469 is mostly right. What to get can also depend on your car and what is readily available. There aren't any supercharger kits for cars that usually come with a turbo from the factory like STIs and Evos. But if you're talking about bolting on forced-induction to a naturally aspired car then as I said, it depends on the car and what is available. Supercharger kits are more popular amongst the muscle car and vette crowds. Turbos are more prevelant amongst the imports.

If you go turbo then there are different turbos for different applications and goals. So to simply say turbo = race application and supercharger = daily driver is not accurate and WAY to general IMHO. Perhaps that is the case with muscle cars but even then, there are turbo kits for daily drivers as well.

A good twin scroll turbo on a well matched motor will greatly reduce lag. Smaller turbos = less lag and less power. Bigger turbos = more lag and more power. Ball bearing tubos have less lag than thrust bearing turbos. More displacement = less lag. Smaller displacement motors will benefit better from superchargers but the fact that a supercharger leaches power from the the motor throughout the entire powerband is a factor as well.

For a reference point, I'm running a vf37 twinscroll turbo on a 2.5 liter ej257 STI motor. I see boost begin to build over atmosphere at 1500 rpms and full boost (16.5 psi obove atmosphere) at 2800 rpms. It holds boost just about all of the way to redline where it just begins to fall off. I'm getting 335 hp and 360 tq at the wheels and I can confidently say it is perfect for daily driving.

I would say yes to the fact that you need to run premium gas with both options because you're more likely to experience detonation (especially in Florida's heat). Unless you want to blow your motor then by all means buy the cheap stuff. You know what they say, the cheap man buys twice.

Also, if you are in fact bolting on forced induction to a naturally aspired motor then you should consider upgrading your internals. You'll need to run lower compression pistons (typically 8.5:1) even though you're running higher octane gas. Forged internals are good insurance. Sleeving the block is even better insurance when running a turbo with high boost. the level of mods depend on how much boost you are running and overall goals.

And yes, I've run turbos and superchagers on all different kids of vehicles for over 15 years.

All I can say is ask yourself what are your goals, which car are you applying forced induction to, and do your research.

Didn't read it all lol, but maybe I wasn't completely right with what I said.. Regardless, I would choose Supercharger.. Go grab an F-1 Procharger and call it a day :)

Not only that, but the turbo creates SOO much heat under the hood..

[chrisarella]

As far as heat goes, more boost equals more heat. Both a supercharger and turbocharger have a compressor wheel that compresses gases. Heat is the bi-product of compressing air. Both require an intercooler to cool the charge air. The higher the boost you run the more heat you produce and the bigger the intercooler needed.

[M-Ten]

Right, but the turbo creates WAY more heat under the hood than a Supercharger.. no?

[Mr. K]

Superchargers usually run less boost. His point was that the higher the boost, the higher the heat.

[Still_sl00]

Turbos FTW. thats why EVERY mustang guy thats serious goes out and buys a 03 cobra junks the super charger and goes either twins or big single. look at every FAST street car around town and 90% will be turbo or nitrous. personally 3 of my close freinds have gone from a superchager, sold that, and now are turbo. talking mainly in the mustang scene.

[chrisarella]

Superchargers usually run less boost. His point was that the higher the boost, the higher the heat.
Exactly! That is what I was saying. Superchargers TYPICALLY only put out between 4-8lbs of boost. A stock WRX puts out 13.5 lbs. More boost = more heat. Further, if you turn down the boost on a turbo application to be the same as a supercharger (with all things considered like the compressor wheels and housings being the same to flow the same amount of air) then you can expect to see the same amount of heat bi-product.

[97mustanggton18s]

All american's that wouldnt spend the $$$ to turbo there cars of course will say Supercharger. Anyone that has dealt with a turbo would never go supercharger. Super chargers suck, period. Less potential. Turbo's are the replacement for displacement.


^^^^^ I had a turbo 300zx and sold it to get a mustang, but anyways, i rode in a SC camaro and IMO I liked the sc better.There wasnt any lag and it was balls to the wall. Thats just me tho.