Supercharged or Turbo?

[Firebirdcrazy]

I have been going crazy speaking to people about whats better. Everyone has different opinions. They say Supercharged is better because power is instant. Turbo is better because you can make more horsepower. After reading one thread speaking of 900 horsepower streetable cars its more difficut to choose. I have been doing alot of research of finding places to take on the task of doing up my engine, but I just dont know which way to go. What are the opinions out there?

[Kevin - Blown 95 TA]

If your goal is 900 streetable horsepower, be it a turbo or a supercharger, you're going to have to do the entire car, not just the engine. Plan on spending a TON of money. If you want a 500 hp forced induction car, do a minimum of the blower or turbo, fuel system, ignition, and suspension. If you don't build the engine, it will last a while before the pistons take a powder on ya.

[Firebirdcrazy]

The Suspension set up is all done. The set up is eibach springs front and rear with KYP adjustables. Suspension techniques front and rear sway bars, and Energy suspension Hyper flex bushings at all the front and rear points including the trans mounts, and torque are mounts. The springs lowered the car 1.2 in. My tires ar 18 in rims with KD G force tires. I think the suspension should hold it down somewhat. I am looking to do up my engine very soon so I want to choose already. The car is getting a complete make over now so I am excited to get the engine done too.

[Christopherrr]

The Suspension set up is all done. The set up is eibach springs front and rear with KYP adjustables. Suspension techniques front and rear sway bars, and Energy suspension Hyper flex bushings at all the front and rear points including the trans mounts, and torque are mounts. The springs lowered the car 1.2 in. My tires ar 18 in rims with KD G force tires. I think the suspension should hold it down somewhat. I am looking to do up my engine very soon so I want to choose already. The car is getting a complete make over now so I am excited to get the engine done too.

Your suspension is far from done...with lowered cars, like yours, rear end hop is an issue. Everyone would suggest you do the whole rearend...panhard, control arms, torque arm. That's just to help keep it planted when you decide to let those 900 hp loose!

[Firebirdcrazy]

Your suspension is far from done...with lowered cars, like yours, rear end hop is an issue. Everyone would suggest you do the whole rearend...panhard, control arms, torque arm. That's just to help keep it planted when you decide to let those 900 hp loose!

Those were replaced also. I cant detail every thing I have done. I did a complete suspension change! yes it cost me a few dollars but i figured at 102 K miles Its was time to do it up completely. Rear hop is almost inevitable with this car all we can do is minimize it. I dont plan on letting loose on the streets just want to make a good pass at the drag strip for fun at car shows. I am straying away from the subject on hand here. Supercharged or Turbo? whats better?

[HottestZ28]

I am pretty sure that lowering a car and putting poly's in it is far from completely doing your suspension. He's talking Boxed or tube lowers/torque arm, drop brackets, subframe connectors, and a stronger rear.

thats what I an doing right now so that down the road, when money is flowing horsepower won't be a problem but a solution.

[Trash man]

Those were replaced also. I cant detail every thing I have done. I did a complete suspension change! yes it cost me a few dollars but i figured at 102 K miles Its was time to do it up completely. Rear hop is almost inevitable with this car all we can do is minimize it. I dont plan on letting loose on the streets just want to make a good pass at the drag strip for fun at car shows. I am straying away from the subject on hand here. Supercharged or Turbo? whats better?

Supercharger takes some power to run it(since its crank driven) where as turbo is not, but turbo has more parts involved. so the comes down to waht u want, both are good ways, or why not build a sick 500hp motor and throw a 300 shot at it?

[Kevin - Blown 95 TA]

Those were replaced also. I cant detail every thing I have done. I did a complete suspension change! yes it cost me a few dollars but i figured at 102 K miles Its was time to do it up completely. Rear hop is almost inevitable with this car all we can do is minimize it. I dont plan on letting loose on the streets just want to make a good pass at the drag strip for fun at car shows. I am straying away from the subject on hand here. Supercharged or Turbo? whats better?

The problem is that you're asking the wrong question. What do you mean by better? Better in what way? They both have their advantages & drawbacks and some guys choose one or the other based on their needs. I would say, if you;re really interested in streetability of a 900 hp car, then get the turbo setup installed for about 5 grand and use the other 20 grand to get your car to work with it.

[JL8Jeff]

You have to decide what power range you want to have. 500 hp means a lot less modification to the rest of the drivetrain and body. 7-900 hp means you need to build up the motor, trans, rear, suspension(you're mods did nothing to help handle 900 hp so you're not close to being done with suspension). It's easy to say I just want 500 hp, but once it's up and running, most people want to turn it up and that's when stuff starts to break. It doesn't really matter if it's a turbo or supercharger when the other stuff starts breaking.

[Firebirdcrazy]

Doing more research it does seem as a better option for streetability use the turbo is better. Supposedly with the turbo system you can control it better as in lowering or raising the boost levels to fit your needs at the moment. And it keeps good fuel economy is my understanding. So yes I probably will do more to build my rear suspension, and I definately know I need to build my trans as well. Anyone else have any opinions? I redid the stock suspension, but what other options I have to modify the rear for a more horsepower application. While the car is still being done up I can take this time to have it installed.

[JL8Jeff]

You'll need a stronger rear end depending on what hp level still. Personally, I think the turbo gives a broader range of power level to apply, but then you have to deal with the heat issue where you wouldn't with a supercharger.

[Joe 1320]

Lets get the facts straight.

A Turbo is driven off the exhaust gas, a supercharger is driven mechanically off the crank.

Both pressurize the incoming air which according to Boyle's law..... compressing air increases it's temperature. An intercooler is recommended to lower the air temperature prior to forcing it into the engine.

A Turbo's boost can be controlled by a wastegate whether it is a simple manual mechanical design or remote manual/electronic control. A supercharger requires pulley swaps for large differences in boost.

A Turbo has a small amount of lag before the boost pressure builds, a supercharger is instant.

A Turbo basically freewheels when not under load, a supercharger is always driven off the crank so it consumes a certain amount of power just to turn it.

A Turbo being driven by exhaust gas means it gets really hot! A supercharger stays a little cooler.

I happen to be a big fan of forced induction, probably the Turbo gets my vote for all around adjustability. I have an adjustable wastegate control on my GN......... I can dial it down to 10 psi to conserve fuel and make the car less violent and run it on pump premium, or twist it up to 23 psi with race gas and let it rip. I don't think I really need to tell you the difference in torque between 10 psi on pump gas and 23 psi on race gas.

As far as to what is better? That depends on the intended useage. There are numerous examples of both doing very well, after all.... they both compress air, they both heat it, they both produce large increases in torque and they both lighten your wallet by a considerable amount.

With all that out of the way, with the such increases in power, you better really dig into the chassis and suspension or the extra power will not be effectively used. You'll likely get beat by a car with a less favorable power to weight ratio merely because they hook and you don't.

Now........ like it or not, there is nothing you can do to keep the factory differential from turning itself into itty bitty pieces. You will need a complete rear end. Either a Ford 9" or GM 12 Bolt. Plan to spend a couple thousand minimum on the low end to do it right. There is no way around it with that kind of power level. Your transmission will take a dump too. In order to live behind that kind of power, expect to spend another 3 grand minumnum to do it right. Next is the driveshaft. It won't last either....... chalk up another $500-800 to do it right. Next is the wheels and tires. You won't hook well with 18" wheels. Plan on another $1000 for sticky tires and wheels. As far as the chassis, you'll need a driveshaft saftey loop, subframe connectors, solid heim joint drag race rear sway bar, different springs, different shocks, relocation brackets, lower control arms, torque arm, engine mounts, trans mount, perhaps even limiter straps, front shocks, and on and on...........just the chassis parts alone to do it right will cost you a couple grand on the low end. We aren't even to the point of safety equipment needed for you to be allowed to run at a track. Basically what everyone is telling you is that the instant you put in that much power, everything else breaks because the parts were not engineered to handle that power. You are looking at perhaps 10 grand worth of stuff just to make the car stay remotely planted and not break every time you hit the throttle. Now add that to the cost of you power adder and you'll have a pretty hefty total.

[fastTa]

How much money ya got?

[Firebirdcrazy]

I already knew that I was going to drop between 10-15 gs on engine, and trans. I already dropped close to 8 gs just getting it all fixed up to almost new again. So if I keep the horsepower range between 550 and 700 can I get away without completely modifying my rear?

[darkz711]

not if you keep it under 450 you might be fine with your rear end. above that and you are taking quite the risk that that 10 bolt will just eat itself up

might wanna think about a new exhaust while you at it. flowmasters are a little restrictive