Originally Posted by madfast
define out perform. and at what boost?
the problem is that there are very little SC kits out there that are properly designed. its really that simple. they either use old gen eaton roots blowers, or they dont have an integrated intercooler, or they use a vortech/non-rotrex style centrifugal kit with or without intercooler. ALL of those are NOT up to par with a turbo. i dont think anybody will disagree.
however im talking about the new age of supercharging. either a 6th gen eaton TVS or twin screw design. both offer adiabatic efficiency in the 70% range and some approaching 80%. they can run more boost, more efficiently. AND most modern kits have an integrated water-air intercooler.
so why doesnt anybody make they awesome kits for 4 cyl imports? CULTURE. the "import culture" has always embraced the turbo. maybe because the best imports (gtr, evo, sti, supra, rx7, etc) had factory turbos, maybe because the older gen SC's have a bad rep, etc. but the fact of the matter is, if you look at the domestics, they embrace the SC over the turbo. its part of their culture to slap a blower on. the result? AMAZING kits from lysholm, whipple, magnuson, vortech VTS, roush, edelbrock, kennebell, etc... again, not to say there are no turbo domestics, but if you want FI the common route is SC over turbo. for imports its turbo over SC.
so the bottomline is to not compare a well engineered turbo kit with a crappy second thought SC kit. the FACT remains that a SC will give you a better boost curve given MODEST boost levels. and those levels? they're increasing. it used to be if you go above 10-12 psi or whatever the SC would be so inefficient that you cant boost any more. nowadays? 15-20+ psi is simple and easy with more efficient lobe designs and integrated intercooling.
minimal lag is still lag. you cannot change this fact, lest you run WRC-style ALS on a street car. for some it makes a difference. for others it doesnt. the tq curve of a turbo engine will not be as flat as a SC. again, for some it matters and for some it doesnt
it may not be more efficient, but the efficiency is coming increasingly closer to a turbo. some SC literature/advertising even claim better efficiency. but i digress. its not always about efficiency. sometimes the boost curve/torque curve and the driveability of it is more important to you than numbers...
|