[LSxJunkie]

Originally Posted by Asterisked Accolade

Superchargers tend to put stress on the engine via a pulley-- that is something i don't prefer. (I'm not implying a turbo puts no stress on the engine)Also, superchargers ran on the track heat-soak themselves into HP loss. It has been noticed strongly in SuperCharged Corvettes-- after a few laps, the charger is so hot the HP gain lowers considerably. Also, with little 4 cylinders, Turbo is usually the better way to go. V6s and V8s do very well with SCs. There is a 65' Mustang in the SCCA with a turbo and is a pretty wicked set-up, however.

Those are my main reasons. I would consider a SC if i had a well-ventilated engine bay and/or V6/V8.

Yeah, ZR1s are down on power after a few laps in 90 degree weather. So are Supras. Heat-soak is heat-soak. Bolt a blower to the top of the engine or run exhaust through a turbo, you're still getting a massive amount of heat.

Originally Posted by 86'd

1. SCs are limited to certain HP numbers vs a turbo set up.

Entirely untrue. Both are limited to a specific flow volume. At a certain point in both a turbo and a blower, it doesn't matter how fast you spin it, no more air can physically be pushed through the unit.

2. Most people who want tons of power don't road race, they drag.

Also untrue. C5s are some of the most popular HPDE cars out there now because of the price.

3. Turbos are more easily fabricated. You can't make a roots/eaton/whatever blower yourself. Just grab a snail, bend some pipes (exaggerating) and have at it.

It is no more difficult to fab a mounting bracket for a D1/T-Trim/Novi1500 than it is to fab the hot side of a home build turbo kit.

Most SCs in say a Honda application will "magnify" (for the lack of a better term) the powerband; more low end TQ etc. You'd be lucky to reach 100hp+ max power for a bolt on race kit.

Hondas aren't the be-all end-all of aftermarket FI. I wouldn't put a blower on a Honda either. Too much parasitic loss for gutless motors.

Turbos on the other hand will always achieve more power. Sure the powerband would suck for anything but drag racing (especially if its a big turbo) but you're getting 200+hp for the same money spent vs the SC setup.

A nice SC set up are great for the street, but people are always chasing numbers and turbos just provide more.

SCs do have problems as well. You need to make sure it's oiled, tighten pulleys/check belts on occasion, and monitor your cooling and A/F on a regular basis. Plus most cheap bolt on SC's don't have a cooling aspect, like say an intercooler, so you'd have to be careful about things like heatsoak and all of that.

You're aware that turbos aren't dry, right? And cooling and A/F are important on ALL aftermarket FI applications. Lean out a turbo car and tell me how well that works out for you.


I've never bolted on, worked on, or even seen a blower kit that doesn't have either an intercooler or a heat exchanger. But I've never seen or touched a cheap blower kit.