driving a supercharger
- Thread starter thinman56
- Start date
I added a centrifugal supercharger to my '88 RX-7, and what I learned is that the additional hp & ft-lbs will identify all the weak components of your car. It may/will require additional cooling, stronger clutch, etc... And unfortunately, you might find out the hard way. That's why the best thing you can do is think it through, eliminate the weak links and make your drivetrain stout before you add the blower. Just my $.02
wow, quick responses, thanks. i did read through a few posts to get an idea of turbo vs super, blow-thru vs draw-thru, horsepower claims, etc. i get the part about blowing up the weak links. this winter i planned to do the bottom end - balancing, fasteners, cam, cam chain. i have an 8" rear going in and just finished the suspension and brakes, so it's getting ready for more HP. what i was really curious about was 'driveability' - hard starting, high temperatures, anything wierd about turbos or superchargers that made the car more tempermental or harder to drive daily (like a 300-degree cam would).
kirkallen143
Famous Member
What tranny are you going to use? My turbo 200 inline 6 motor pretty much "blew-up" the stock 3.03 3-speed, I am using a NP435 four speed truck tranny now. Beware.
Kirk
Kirk
in2hotrods
Well-known member
That's a typo, right? I assume you meant 1989 or 1990 as the 1999 used a T-45
thinman56,
I've never driven a supercharged car, but I have lots of turbo time!
Driving around town in a turbo'd car is no different than a N/A car.
If the motor remains "in vacuum" then it's no different.
Turbo cars (and probably supercharged ones) just really come alive when the loud pedal is depressed.
Will
I've never driven a supercharged car, but I have lots of turbo time!
Driving around town in a turbo'd car is no different than a N/A car.
If the motor remains "in vacuum" then it's no different.
Turbo cars (and probably supercharged ones) just really come alive when the loud pedal is depressed.
Will
I just drove a friend's car last night; 2001 Jag XJ-R (supercharged). I've had extensive time behind a 1998 and 2007 Vette that I know is faster, but by no means was more fun. The Vette growls, the XJ-R hummed. I was so impressed last night. The car, so well refined, put the power on the ground so quick, quiet and effective! It was extremely fast and put you in the back of the seat with each pedal no problem.
Motorcycles are still well beyond it in speed and power, but have no comparison in luxury and refinement.
Motorcycles are still well beyond it in speed and power, but have no comparison in luxury and refinement.
I've driven both and they both have appeal.
The supercharged cars tended to start out strong right at the bottom end. The turbo cars, like my old SVO and my current Mazdaspeed, have an aggressive power curve that can be felt hard in the higher rpm band. Driving a supercharged car feels like a bigger engine, but a turbo car feels like a power adder that gets turned on.
The supercharged cars tended to start out strong right at the bottom end. The turbo cars, like my old SVO and my current Mazdaspeed, have an aggressive power curve that can be felt hard in the higher rpm band. Driving a supercharged car feels like a bigger engine, but a turbo car feels like a power adder that gets turned on.
8) if you use a suoercharger, dont be reving the engine when cold. a lean mixture can, and does, cause a backfire, and depending on the fuel you use, and the harshness of the backfire, you can pop a blower off the engine. a minor backfire is nothing to worry about though, but sometimes the blow off valve will stick open and cause a huge vacuum leak. otherwise there is no rela difference in drivability between a turbo or supercharged engine and a normal aspirated engine. in fact since you will be running a milder cam with a forced induction system, drivability is usually better. just be aware that if you get a minor backfire, and the engine starts running roughly, or wont stay idling, the check the popoff or blowoff valve to make sure they are seated.
Bort62":m2r13vg1 said:
Except with a narrow, extremely peaky powerband that can't be fixed. A turbo can at least be sized and tuned to deliver power down low. There is no centrifugal supercharger that can do that.
I've driven turbo cars that made gobs of tire-destroying torque from under 2000 rpm. Sure, the 502 with a Procharger will make good torque. It's a 502.
A turbo would be a better bet because it only makes boost when you are hard on the throttle where a supercharger is always making boost. The turbo will act just like a naturaly asperated vehical untill you want the extra power. They tend to get better mileage than a supercharger but a lot of it has to do with how the package is built.
rommaster2
Well-known member
kirkallen143":3cu2z5n5 said:
How much power were you running? I ask cause those 3 speeds were used up to big blocks (my dad has a bunch at his house)? Its almost pretty much a four speed toploader with only three gears. Toploaders are bulletproof?
Thats a bit scary considering that i want to run a low boost setup on mine with a 3.03.
mild cam with turbocharger? i just spent an hour reading though old posts, and looks like a short-overlap cam with same duration exh and intake is the way to go? any of mike's cams better suited to turbocharger?
sounds like i need to decide if i'm going turbo before i rebuild my bottom end.....
sounds like i need to decide if i'm going turbo before i rebuild my bottom end.....
kirkallen143
Famous Member
rommaster2":1bk09isq said:
I have never measured the engine's ouput, but to guess I would say 200 - 250 at the crank. I really have no clue.
All the inline sixes used a HEF trans and not the RAT or RAN that the V8's used. There is a difference in bearing sizes, input shaft thickness and also the thickness of the gears. I asked alot of questions when I had the tranny looked at by a reputable manual trans shop in Houston, Texas. And I did ask him if this inline six tranny would hold up to the turbo engine in the bronco. He looked at me and said, "...you'll find out, soon. I do have a NP435 here...fresh rebuild."
Kirk