Quote: Originally posted by Flying Scotsman on 11 August 2003
Rob,
The Supercharger is continuously driven at full boost speed for the given engine speed. This offers almost immediate boost response
The Supercharger exhibits an airflow delivery characteristic very close to the engine requirement. Thus, boost remains almost constant over the total speed range without wastegating or other compromising control systems
Superchargers can be lubricated by self contained systems which without the extreme heats experienced by Turbochargers will last for periods well in excess of the engine lubricants
Superchargers do not require aftercooling as outlet temperatures rarely get as high as turbos
Having diven cars with either form of boost, the SC delivery is much nicer, giving a pretty fat and flat torque curve .... just what is required for acceleration and mid-range performance. Personally, the "whine" is not really that bad and actually quite nice compared to the woosh/fart/clunk noises you generally get from turbos.
Stock turbos normally give all of their power low down the rev range, but superchargers only produce max near the end of the range, you may get immediate response but not all of it! Please remember nowdays small efficient turbos produce little or no turbo lag so i think the first two points are a little outdated.
As for the last two its simple, as long as you maintain the car properly there wont be problems, only an idiot would get a turbo kit, fit it and then expect that would be all they have to do.
No one can say a turbo is better than a SC, or vice versa, it depends on what people want. I personally would take a turbo ebcause theyre more effiecient, sound nicer and you can get variable power, whereas you cant change an SCs boost.
-Rob
turbos still better thou!
