Hi,

I just want to know some basic advantages and disadvantages to both turbos and supercharges.

Also do you actually have to keep getting a supercharger "supercharged" for it to stay fast and if you do where do you get that done.

Newbie questions i know, i just dont know much about turbos and supercharges yet.

thanks.

 

They basically do the same thing, compress air and force it into the intake manifold. A turbo is an air compressor attached to a turbine which is spun by the exhaust gases that flow through the exhaust manifold. Turbos must be "spooled" by the exhaust gases before it can make significant "boost" into the intake manifold.

A supercharger is also an air compressor but it cranked by a belt and pulley from the engine. The main difference with the supercharger is that it is always being cranked by the engine so you have power on tap where as you must spool a turbo.

Generally, a turbo will spin at much faster rpm's so it will create more heat than a supercharger which could cause issues. The downside to a supercharger is that the engine needs to crank it like the alternator, so it takes power away from the engine. Also a turbo is much more easily adjusted for a desired amount of boost; a supercharger's max boost is limited to its pulley size.