Turbo or supercharger

lazyjoe247

Active Member
I might get flamed but im curious to everyone response . is it better to turbocharge your drifter or supercharge it and why? I know most everyone owns a turbo or would like one but why not a supercharger in your s13 lol.(jUST WONDERING)
 
Each one has it's advantages. It's up to the driver and the use of the car really.

Turbo cars all have a powerband when you are in full boost.... if you constantly drop from that rev band, then your car will fall under boost and losing that hp will kill your drift. A turbo would shine at a track like Orlando Speedworld with a huge oval. (Or something like Irwindale)

Supercharged cars build boost linearly..... meaning the more you're revving, the more you're boosting. The nice thing about it is that since the power is linear, it allows you to play around with your revs a lot more in a turn... which would be good in a technical track such as Ocala where you constantly have to lift off the throttle.

Technical courses can be done with turbos as well... you just have a better advantage with a supercharger.

That should cover drifting with forced induction.

Now... the reason why most of us turbocharge our cars is that it is easier to install one. Superchargers usually require fabrication unless you buy kits (VERY expensive).
 
If you need anything in-depth, I would also suggest to google it! You'd be surprised at what gogole holds for you. I found this article for you as well.

I had a big write-up in the works, but RWDrift beat me to the punch. :p
 
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hmmm...well, I would have to say this: super chargers are great for 8 cylinder (v8) engines with major torque off the line...which is why, traditionally american cars; meaning muscle cars, prefer to go with the super charger. bad side to the super charger is that your always boosting, no save in gas at all...& a super charger takes from the hp your car already has and creates about 70 to 75 percent more....and thats the top market super chargers that say they can give you that much... so if your sitting with 300 hp and you super charge it...it will pull about 20 to 25hp to bring you up to approx. 380 hp.... theres your good and bad on that.

turbo works a lil differently..... the power is there when u need it... if u stay under your boost level your great with fuel...and when u want to run...trust in your fuel to be sucked up lol....furthermore, turbo is not a paracite...turbo build hp on top of what you have and companies claim to give you up to 90 percent more power.... not really an issue on price...the prices for both are quite the same on package deals...or when u build it yourselves...fabrication is the same ie, turbonetics set up that im doin on my Z requires fabrication...the rerouting of my radiator piping away from the hot side of the turbo while placed at the top.... all kits require some sort of fabrication period......

so there you have it...

J
 
because no one makes a supercharger for s13 and you can custom make one but you can custom make a turbo kit for less and save time :)
 
Turbo = more high end power
Supercharger = more low end torque
N/A= Supercharger response at turbo RPMs with no power or torque, but I am an N/A guy.
 
jdm ae86t said:
Turbo = more high end power
Supercharger = more low end torque
N/A= Supercharger response at turbo RPMs with no power or torque, but I am an N/A guy.

That depends on the supercharger. A centrifugal sc will exhibit a form of lag like a turbo. With modern GT series turbos, one can acheive quick spool and top end power from a turbo.

Also, as previously noted but not elaberated on, a supercharger is parasitic while a turbo is "not". I put emphasis on "not" because the increased in exhaust backpressure a turbo creates WILL rob your motor of some power. So a turbo is parasitic by definition.
 
I think Erik covered it pretty well. They both produce power. Simplistically, they do the same thing, they force air into the motor. It's how they go about doing it that's so different.
 
Superchargers are very reliable on the street but you are limited to the amount of boost you are able to push. Turbochargers has a much higher potential because you can always turn up the boost to much higher levels and as long as you have enough fuel for it, you should be good. In my opinion, I prefer turbo.
 
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