Turbo vs. Super - Questions!
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 90
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From: San Fernando Valley
Turbo vs. Super - Questions! These questions have probably been answered before, but here they come again! thanks! 
1. Which is more streetable (easier to maintain on a daily driver/ easier to pull off on pump gas) and why?
2. Which requires more tuning and why?
3. Which one will give me more HP/Top End Pull? - not low end TQ!
1. Which is more streetable (easier to maintain on a daily driver/ easier to pull off on pump gas) and why?
2. Which requires more tuning and why?
3. Which one will give me more HP/Top End Pull? - not low end TQ!
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Nov 2003
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1. Turbo. No stress on crank snout, easy to adjust boost in car, easy to adjust boost based on gear for "Traction control", makes more power per pound of boost over a blower, so more power on pump gas.
2. Turbos generally take more tuning to get the vacuum-boost transition right, it's quirky compared to a blower because within about a 1000 RPM's you have a shift from vacuum-full boost. Any competent tuner should be able to handle it though.
3. Turbo. Mid range is much much more powerful than the supercharger, so it will be accelerating harder all throughout the rpm range, even if the blower makes equal or more peak power!
The only negatives to turbos are cost and packaging. It is more expensive to run a turbo kit on V8's, and it can be tricky to package all the piping in there if you are building your own kit.
2. Turbos generally take more tuning to get the vacuum-boost transition right, it's quirky compared to a blower because within about a 1000 RPM's you have a shift from vacuum-full boost. Any competent tuner should be able to handle it though.
3. Turbo. Mid range is much much more powerful than the supercharger, so it will be accelerating harder all throughout the rpm range, even if the blower makes equal or more peak power!
The only negatives to turbos are cost and packaging. It is more expensive to run a turbo kit on V8's, and it can be tricky to package all the piping in there if you are building your own kit.
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 553
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From: Columbia, MD
Centrifugal superchargers don't do anything until the pedal is to the metal. Normal driving will not hurt your engine.
We got my tuning dead-on in two tuning sessions. It would have been only one, but the injectors were maxed out the first time.
I really haven't driven an LS1 turbo car, but there's no question that a small block with a blower and headers will not dissapoint you. That combo has been proven for a couple of decades.
I would just add that if your engine is still 346ci (not bored/stroked), the Vortech V9 kit has been tried and tested for over 4 years now to put down a reliable 500+ horses to the ground.
Granted, people are now cranking out more horses with turbo kits. But if you want a supercharger kit that works right out the box with no frills and pick up some great power, I highly recommend the Vortech.
We got my tuning dead-on in two tuning sessions. It would have been only one, but the injectors were maxed out the first time.
I really haven't driven an LS1 turbo car, but there's no question that a small block with a blower and headers will not dissapoint you. That combo has been proven for a couple of decades.
I would just add that if your engine is still 346ci (not bored/stroked), the Vortech V9 kit has been tried and tested for over 4 years now to put down a reliable 500+ horses to the ground.
Granted, people are now cranking out more horses with turbo kits. But if you want a supercharger kit that works right out the box with no frills and pick up some great power, I highly recommend the Vortech.
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Dec 2001
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From: Germantown, MD
I agree with Crunch. Superchargers are more streetable, way easier to tune, and are almost unnoticable under normal driving. Plus you don't have to wind it up to let everyone know you have a blower on the car 
I myself went the ATI route cause I wanted the bigger blower that will give me more room to grow. But both Vortec and ATI are good kits.
As far as power, that is totally dependent on your pockets and your know how. On paper turbos are great. But in reality their "superior" powerband is not as night and day as many turbo owners would like you to believe. Less we forget the fastest FI car on this board(and not by a small margin) is a Centri blower car. Not many people race in their mid range power anyways.
I'd say the major advantage of the turbos are non linear midrange power and ability to adjust boost level on the fly. Supers are belt driven so no boost lag. IE you get on it, build boost, let off the gas, and get back on it, your boost is still all there. No need to respool. Makes driving on the street way more enjoyable and "predictable". Supers are more mainstream, which means you have two chooses and many have done what you're doing and can give you advice. There are many smaller turbo companies, with no clear leader of the pack. Some are single, some are twin, but you got 10 different setups that divides the turbo "knowledge" about a particular kit up.
Just my $0.03,
Mike
I myself went the ATI route cause I wanted the bigger blower that will give me more room to grow. But both Vortec and ATI are good kits.
As far as power, that is totally dependent on your pockets and your know how. On paper turbos are great. But in reality their "superior" powerband is not as night and day as many turbo owners would like you to believe. Less we forget the fastest FI car on this board(and not by a small margin) is a Centri blower car. Not many people race in their mid range power anyways.
I'd say the major advantage of the turbos are non linear midrange power and ability to adjust boost level on the fly. Supers are belt driven so no boost lag. IE you get on it, build boost, let off the gas, and get back on it, your boost is still all there. No need to respool. Makes driving on the street way more enjoyable and "predictable". Supers are more mainstream, which means you have two chooses and many have done what you're doing and can give you advice. There are many smaller turbo companies, with no clear leader of the pack. Some are single, some are twin, but you got 10 different setups that divides the turbo "knowledge" about a particular kit up.
Just my $0.03,
Mike
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Mar 2003
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From: Jersey boy
really the only negative things about a blower (centrifugal) are its powerband (very peaky) and the horsepower that it robs from the crank. turbo boost robs significantly less horsepower than superchargers so lb for lb, the turbo should make more power.
turbos are more difficult to tune though, and they require more maintenance than blowers. all the piping and packaging involved tend to make turbos more expensive too.
basically, if you want simplicity and want to save a few bucks, go with the blower.
if you want something different or just all out power (excluding N20) and have the money to spend on it, go turbo.
either way, do alot of reading on both to find the little ins and outs of each so whatever you decide in the end, youre sure it's the right decision fo ryou.
turbos are more difficult to tune though, and they require more maintenance than blowers. all the piping and packaging involved tend to make turbos more expensive too.
basically, if you want simplicity and want to save a few bucks, go with the blower.
if you want something different or just all out power (excluding N20) and have the money to spend on it, go turbo.
either way, do alot of reading on both to find the little ins and outs of each so whatever you decide in the end, youre sure it's the right decision fo ryou.
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 553
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From: Columbia, MD
Originally Posted by buschman
I agree with Crunch. Superchargers are more streetable, way easier to tune, and are almost unnoticable under normal driving. Plus you don't have to wind it up to let everyone know.....
Just my $0.03,
Mike
Just my $0.03,
Mike
ATI or Vortech. You can't go wrong with either supercharger (esp with the new ATI 8-rib setup). Big cubic inches - go ATI.
Last edited by Crunch; Apr 29, 2004 at 02:31 PM.
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TECH Enthusiast
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Originally Posted by buschman
Supers are belt driven so no boost lag.
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TECH Apprentice
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 308
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From: Austin, TX
Turbos have way more potential, but the complexity is much higher. Lots of turbo kits that should be making big power just don't perform for whatever reason and it is sometimes very tricky to figure it out. If you can find a proven kit that is sized just right for you application then you will be very happy with a turbo.
I have a C5 and there was really no turbo option for the DIYer when I decided to go FI. If something good and proven comes out I may swap over to a turbo setup. For now I'm running a slightly customized ATI d1 kit and making 670 RWHP at 10psi with potential for quite a bit more. Belive it or not this is on a stock bottom end for now. These blowers can make some pretty insane power if done right. 750RHWP is very doable with a D1 on a 347.
I know the f-bodies have had some belt issue, so you would want to make sure those are resolved before you go with a specific kit.
I wish I could have both, but the blower is keeping me pretty happy right now.
I have a C5 and there was really no turbo option for the DIYer when I decided to go FI. If something good and proven comes out I may swap over to a turbo setup. For now I'm running a slightly customized ATI d1 kit and making 670 RWHP at 10psi with potential for quite a bit more. Belive it or not this is on a stock bottom end for now. These blowers can make some pretty insane power if done right. 750RHWP is very doable with a D1 on a 347.
I know the f-bodies have had some belt issue, so you would want to make sure those are resolved before you go with a specific kit.
I wish I could have both, but the blower is keeping me pretty happy right now.