Whats the difference in a Supercharger and a Turbo?

[jcambros]

Again, sorry for the noob question!

I think one is belt fed off the engine, and the other is exaust fed... but is there a practically difference to the two?

J

[rdrunr8]

i was gonna say one blows up the GTS engine..the other doesnt :chuckles:

Great Falls huh?? I work pretty close to there :wave:

[S|Lv3rBu||et]

Originally posted by jcambros
I think one is belt fed off the engine, and the other is exaust fed... but is there a practically difference to the two?


You are basically correct abour thew first part, check out How Stuff Works (www.howstuffworks.com) for more complete infor as to how each works.

As far as a performance difference, there is a few:

1.) A turbo takes time to 'spool up' to the speed where it is providing optimal boost, whereas a supercharger is directly connected to the engine so the boost it provides has a more linear relationship to engine speed.

2.) By playing with the wastegate (the thing that determines how much of the exhaust flow gets to the exhaust turbine) you can dial in the exact percent of boost you want your turbo to provide. The only way to change the amount of boost your supercharger provides is to swap in a different sized pulley.

[Atticus]

Also, this is a generalization but a turbo is more for high end power, where as the supercharger is more for instantaneous torque. correct me if i'm wrong

[vatik]

s/c's are parasitic, where t/c are not. this means that you will be able to build higher power with a turbo, but they turbo won't have near the torque of the s/c .. or the reliability

most of the people around here are t/c crazy, but i think for a good daily driver, a centerfugial s/c would be the way to go.

[Blue Bomber]

Originally posted by vatik
most of the people around here are t/c crazy, but i think for a good daily driver, a centerfugial s/c would be the way to go. :stupid:

[Atticus]

You celi guys can fit the tRD s/c now right? i rmemeber someone wiht the CF trd hood. plus that trd sc is warrant'ied

[S|Lv3rBu||et]

Originally posted by vatik
i think for a good daily driver, a centerfugial s/c would be the way to go.

Yeah, and I would think this type of superchager would actually fit under our stock hood!

[vatik]

it would, someone in the uk did it

[S|Lv3rBu||et]

Originally posted by vatik
it would, someone in the uk did it

I remember seeing pics of that car (silver, with some colorful vinyl on it) but I wasn't aware that he had a centrafugial supercharger....I thought it was a tradional roots type that he simply placed lower in relation to the intake ports.

[vatik]

Yep, it sure was. made by rotrex. the pic you saw was on a gt, but someone from the uk claimed to do the same on a gt-s with very good numbers (260-280whp) at 7psi

This is the s/c I had in mind (http://www.rotrex.eu.com/bodytxt.php?id=22&sub=3)

[boostjunkie26]

There are a few factors that need to be addressed first.

1. What kinda supercharger?
A roots-style blower uses lobes that rotate, pressurizing another chamber that forces air into the engine. This supercharger gives instantaneous boost but is usually limited in the upper rpm ranges. It is the least efficient supercharger and what the TRD unit is.

A cenrifugal supercharger takes the compressor housing from a turbo and mates it to the crankshaft, using a set of gears to stepup the rpms (otherwise, the compressor would never spool). This supercharger is very efficient, but the boost comes on like a turbo charger, with the max boost obtained in the high rpm.

A screw type (autorotor) supercharger uses a cork-screw type configuration within a chamber that constantly forces air into the engine without another chamber for pressurization. These are not only efficient, but they provide constant efficiency even in the higher rpms! The trade off is that they're MUCHO expensive.

2. What kinda turbo?
A smaller turbo (ie: one that has a small compressor housing and/or exhaust housing) can make INSTANTANEOUS boost, completely throwing out the arguments that only superchargers can make instantaneous boost. However, these turbos usually poop out at higher rpms, much like the roots-style charger. Drive a low-boost factory car like a Saab oir Volvo and you'll see what I mean. Instantaneous boost.

A larger turbo (ie: one that has a larger compressor housing and/or exhaust housing) can make lotsa power, but is usually what people compare to a supercharger when they're talkin about lag. Much like a centrifigual supercharger, the onset of boost is later in the rpm range.

A medium sized turbo (anything in between) has a mixture of the above qualities and acts more like a screw-type supercharger.

3. Parasitic loss. Supercharger setups these days use electromagnetic clutches that disengage when the engine is not under load (these are similar to the a/c condenser). Therefore, the argument about parasitic loss is not as valid. There will still be some SLIGHT loss, as evidenced by the clutch mass being added to the rotational mass of the engine, but it's nothing to discredit a supercharger.

Now which one is better? NO ONE KNOWS!! Each setup has its pros and cons and it shouldn't be assessed that only superchargers can make instantaneous boost.

[gassser]

very nicely put boostjunkie26. if only people realize lag time with a turbo is NOT evenly comparing the same style of boost obtained with a s/c (i.e "roots-type" s/c vs "larger turbo").

as far as which is better, personal preference/goals would be the question to ask. attaining the high hp gains would not be possible with the s/c vs a turbo setup; that's a given.

[migs]

Originally posted by vatik
s/c's are parasitic, where t/c are not. this means that you will be able to build higher power with a turbo, but they turbo won't have near the torque of the s/c .. or the reliability

most of the people around here are t/c crazy, but i think for a good daily driver, a centerfugial s/c would be the way to go.

I thought t/c's were parasitic because they feed from the exhaust...am i a dumbass?

back to my "turbo for dummies"

[jway83]

Originally posted by migs
I thought t/c's were parasitic because they feed from the exhaust...am i a dumbass?

back to my "turbo for dummies"

i think that being parasitic would mean taking something from the engine that the engine can use. the exhaust gases are basically waste, and, well, one man's garbage is another man's treasure...

[silverCELICAgt-s]

here u go there is a whole article on the difference between turbochargers and superchargers on howstuffworks.com

http://www.howstuffworks.com/question122.htm

-greg

[S|Lv3rBu||et]

Originally posted by S|Lv3rBu||et
You are basically correct abour thew first part, check out How Stuff Works (www.howstuffworks.com) for more complete info as to how each works.

Originally posted by silverCELICAgt-s
here u go there is a whole article on the difference between turbochargers and superchargers on howstuffworks.com

http://www.howstuffworks.com/question122.htm


Great idea greg. :rolleyes: