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Truth about S/C vs T/C..

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Old 01-08-2005, 04:30 AM
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Default Truth about S/C vs T/C..

Talk to two people, and you will get three answers. Here are some consideration's in deciding which one is the right choice for you:

Turbochargers fit easy on straight 4 or 6 cylinder engines. They must be fitted as close as possible to the head.

TC's must run very hot, just short of melting down. This requires that the surrounding of the TC must be well insulated from radiation heat, and that the engine must be kept idling for a minute or two after heavy use before switching off. Obviously, the turbo is water-cooled.

TC's must run hot because they rely on the exhaust gas velocity, which is directly proportional to the temperature.

TC's have turbo lag, the time it takes to wind the "fan" up. This is less noticeable with automatics or during manual gear shift, but very noticeable during a "standing start".

TC's are more commonly used in diesel engines.

TC's are used more frequently in Europe because smaller engines (4 cylinders) are more common.

TC's require a special exhaust branch, which must be made of high temperature material, if possible with no heat expansion ! Otherwise your exhaust branch gasket will not last.

You can fit two TC's on a V6 or V8, it works. But you must choose the TC carefully, and you have twice the radiation heat problem, twice the cost.

SC's are used exclusively in acceleration racing, because the turbo lag can't be tolerated.

Depending on the type of SC you are considering, the fitting varies from being outright impossible to easy as fitting an air-conditioner pump.

TC's are used on constant load engines such as trucks, marine engines and power-plants.

There are many types of SC's, but only one type TC. The selection of the correct size and manufacturer of either TC or SC is an art, which should be left to the experts. Many technical books have been written about it and free advice is available from the manufacturers of TC's or SC's.

When you look at the boost pressure curve of TC's and SC's, the SC's don't look too impressive. This is because they have to be geared to produce the maximum boost pressure at high RPM. In comparison, a TC has a regulation device built in, which opens a "waste gate" once the maximum boost has been reached. The TC curve doesn't explain the turbo lag !

A TC produces more power at low RPM, because a well selected TC produces the maximum boost between 1500 to 2500 RPM, when the waste gate starts to open. This operating mode may be useful for 4x4's. In the latest TC design, the turbo's fan's became smaller, the waste gate bigger, and the turbo speed higher.

TC's can't really produce very high boost pressure, above 1.5 bar (21 psi). Someone will prove me wrong, I am sure. But TC's are used normally between 0.4 to 1.2 bar (6 psi to 17 psi).

Another way to explain the turbo lag: A TC works on the chain reaction principle, it is the starting of the chain which produces the lag. Lets assume the engine idles and so does the turbo. The boost pressure is ZERO. Then you open the throttle to a particular point and keep it there. The engine operates in a decompressed state and produces very little power. The little power it makes raises the exhaust gas temperature and velocity. This makes the turbo spin a little faster and raises the boost pressure, which in turn makes a little more power, which in turn.....(the chain reaction sets in). The chain reaction is limited by the waste gate regulation, and the airflow through your butterflies. Also, the TC can limit the boost pressure, or RPM limits can come in, or your engine blows up.

SC's are more predictable in engineering terms. From the manufacturers data you can choose the correct gearing for the desired boost pressure and RPM.

SC's are more expensive and difficult to manufacture.

SC's are heating the boost air to the same extent as TC's, but the fitting of intercoolers is hardly every done to the roots type.

Summary: If you have a straight engine, not used in a dragster, consider a TC: it's less expensive, but requires a little engineering. Otherwise look at a SC. Make a market research as to the types, size, lubrication, cooling and gearing required.
If you are building dragsters, it must be a SC, and your choices are limited to two or three manufacturers, which are helpful in providing kits and free advice.

Sorry its so long, lol!

_____

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Old 01-08-2005, 08:20 AM
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Default Re: truth about sc vs tc

ICLUB this post is useless most of the info is just wrong or too general to be useful to the extent that I do not even want to waste time correcting all of it it.

Just three little wonders:

1) TC do not have to run hot. They get hot but that's a byproduct.
2) How is exhaust gas temperature proportional to its speed evacuating cylinder block?
3) The TC boost is ZERO only when the engine is off hence the lack of turbo lag in newer TC designs. It may get to negative, though, but that's another story (deceleration)

Originally Posted by ICLUB2
Talk to two people, and you will get three answers. Here are some consideration's in deciding which one is the right choice for you:

Turbochargers fit easy on straight 4 or 6 cylinder engines. They must be fitted as close as possible to the head.

TC's must run very hot, just short of melting down. This requires that the surrounding of the TC must be well insulated from radiation heat, and that the engine must be kept idling for a minute or two after heavy use before switching off. Obviously, the turbo is water-cooled.

TC's must run hot because they rely on the exhaust gas velocity, which is directly proportional to the temperature.

TC's have turbo lag, the time it takes to wind the "fan" up. This is less noticeable with automatics or during manual gear shift, but very noticeable during a "standing start".

TC's are more commonly used in diesel engines.

TC's are used more frequently in Europe because smaller engines (4 cylinders) are more common.

TC's require a special exhaust branch, which must be made of high temperature material, if possible with no heat expansion ! Otherwise your exhaust branch gasket will not last.

You can fit two TC's on a V6 or V8, it works. But you must choose the TC carefully, and you have twice the radiation heat problem, twice the cost.

SC's are used exclusively in acceleration racing, because the turbo lag can't be tolerated.

Depending on the type of SC you are considering, the fitting varies from being outright impossible to easy as fitting an air-conditioner pump.

TC's are used on constant load engines such as trucks, marine engines and power-plants.

There are many types of SC's, but only one type TC. The selection of the correct size and manufacturer of either TC or SC is an art, which should be left to the experts. Many technical books have been written about it and free advice is available from the manufacturers of TC's or SC's.

When you look at the boost pressure curve of TC's and SC's, the SC's don't look too impressive. This is because they have to be geared to produce the maximum boost pressure at high RPM. In comparison, a TC has a regulation device built in, which opens a "waste gate" once the maximum boost has been reached. The TC curve doesn't explain the turbo lag !

A TC produces more power at low RPM, because a well selected TC produces the maximum boost between 1500 to 2500 RPM, when the waste gate starts to open. This operating mode may be useful for 4x4's. In the latest TC design, the turbo's fan's became smaller, the waste gate bigger, and the turbo speed higher.

TC's can't really produce very high boost pressure, above 1.5 bar (21 psi). Someone will prove me wrong, I am sure. But TC's are used normally between 0.4 to 1.2 bar (6 psi to 17 psi).

Another way to explain the turbo lag: A TC works on the chain reaction principle, it is the starting of the chain which produces the lag. Lets assume the engine idles and so does the turbo. The boost pressure is ZERO. Then you open the throttle to a particular point and keep it there. The engine operates in a decompressed state and produces very little power. The little power it makes raises the exhaust gas temperature and velocity. This makes the turbo spin a little faster and raises the boost pressure, which in turn makes a little more power, which in turn.....(the chain reaction sets in). The chain reaction is limited by the waste gate regulation, and the airflow through your butterflies. Also, the TC can limit the boost pressure, or RPM limits can come in, or your engine blows up.

SC's are more predictable in engineering terms. From the manufacturers data you can choose the correct gearing for the desired boost pressure and RPM.

SC's are more expensive and difficult to manufacture.

SC's are heating the boost air to the same extent as TC's, but the fitting of intercoolers is hardly every done to the roots type.

Summary: If you have a straight engine, not used in a dragster, consider a TC: it's less expensive, but requires a little engineering. Otherwise look at a SC. Make a market research as to the types, size, lubrication, cooling and gearing required. If you are building dragsters, it must be a SC, and your choices are limited to two or three manufacturers, which are helpful in providing kits and free advice.

sorry its so long, lol!

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Old 01-08-2005, 09:25 AM
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Default Re: Truth about S/C vs T/C

Originally Posted by Stefan TC
ICLUB this post is useless most of the info is just wrong ot too general to be useful to the extent that I do not even want to waste time correcting all of it it. Just three little wonders: 1) TC do not have to run hot. They get hot but that's a byproduct. 2) How is exhaust gas temperature proportional to its speed evacuating cylinder block? 3) The TC boost is ZERO only when the engine is off hence the lack of turbo lag in newer TC designs. It may get to negative, though, but that's another story (deceleration)
He has good intentions, he's trying to educate people. If he's wrong, please enlighten the rest of us.

_____

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Old 01-08-2005, 10:32 AM
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i have no clue what this post is about. and i have no clue where to start correcting things.
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Old 01-08-2005, 04:58 PM
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http://auto.howstuffworks.com/question122.htm

problem solved

the rest of if is what your personal preference and most of that is usually whether you really like the sound of spooling up and the BOV the way most people talk.
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Old 01-09-2005, 11:26 PM
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Originally Posted by ICLUB2
TC's must run very hot, just short of melting down. This requires that the surrounding of the TC must be well insulated from radiation heat, and that the engine must be kept idling for a minute or two after heavy use before switching off. Obviously, the turbo is water-cooled.
Not always true. The turbo I put on my friend's civic wasn't watercooled. A lot of them aren't.
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Old 01-10-2005, 05:08 AM
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Default Re: truth about sc vs tc

Originally Posted by kaypee
He has good intentions, he's trying to educate people. If he's wrong, please enlighten the rest of us. Lets not get into an unnecessary flame war, shall we?
He may have good intension but that's not an excuse to post garbage.
Disinformation is MUCH worse that lack if information.

Just read his summary:
Originally Posted by iclub
Summary: If you have a straight engine, not used in a dragster, consider a TC: it's less expensive, but requires a little engineering. Otherwise look at a SC. Make a market research as to the types, size, lubrication, cooling and gearing required. If you are building dragsters, it must be a SC, and your choices are limited to two or three manufacturers, which are helpful in providing kits and free advice.
Have you ever read anything more useless? How much did you actually learn from that summary?

It is not a flame war I just could not believe my eyes when reading "truth about sc vs tc"....
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Old 01-12-2005, 11:01 PM
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Well it is true for draging a supercharger is better than a turbo.
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Old 01-12-2005, 11:18 PM
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Originally Posted by papi4baby
Well it is true for draging a supercharger is better than a turbo.



yeah if your doing 1/8 or wanna go slow. (talking bout 4bangers)
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Old 01-12-2005, 11:54 PM
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Default An easy way to see it

Car: Scion tC or any 4 Cyl car
Application: Street and occasional strip use
Complexity: Stage I turbo kit VS say supercharger from factory

Supercharger:
Most important/noticeable:
Pros: Flatten and quick torque curve
Cons: Lack of upgradeability

Turbo charger:
Most important/noticeable:
Pros: Higher torque peak and possibly higher HP gain
Cons: Installation and care-maintenance

While the Supercharger will have no lag, it will have just a few tricks you can do with the pulleys to gain more power and then it all about good old engine magic to continue the quest for HP/TQ numbers, the Turbo charger on the other hand, will show lag but will pull higher torque numbers resulting in a similar acceleration compared to the car equipped with the supercharger.

Now, installation but mostly the care-maintenance that you must have to ensure long life and good performance from the turbo might be the downside. Let’s not forget over-boosting that breaks turbos or engines…But that also is the added value of the turbo charging where you will be able to raise the boost to easy obtain more power.

Driving conditions: supercharged car, just like driving a car with a larger engine with noticeable higher performance, while driving a turbo car normally adds the acceleration sensation when engine speed and WOT get the turbo to boost normally around 4000RPM and away you go!

We know there are more Pros/Cons for both systems, but if you are not a race car engineer and just want to evaluate what to buy, we hope this helps.
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Old 01-13-2005, 02:15 AM
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my head hurts, ahh where to begin...

For starters, as said I believe, turbo's don't have to be "hot". Host exhaust gas does spin the exhaust turbine causing it to spool, this is connected to a compressor wheel which sucks in air through an intake. The compressed air increases in temperature only because of the compression of air. As air compresses it get's hotter because gas molecules are moving faster.

Yes turbo's are common on Desisel, but not uncommon on gasoline cars. Every saab is turbo charged.

Turbo lag is not tolerated? Just get a smaller turbo with appropiate trim. Most high hp drag cars are turbo charged. I usually see superchargers on domestics because typically they don't rev as high, and the torque band is lower. But every sub 12sec civic i've seen has been boosted. There's those few NA civics that are an exception.

I guess being close to the head is good, but airflow and temp is more important. Equal runner manifolds make a large difference in performance. The runners may be longer, but with the increased efficiency, they make more power, with slightly better response.

I don't know these are jsut some thigns I cought. Sciontcperformance.com, nice post.
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Old 01-13-2005, 02:34 AM
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Turbochargers fit easy on straight 4 or 6 cylinder engines. They must be fitted as close as possible to the head.
Browse around this site for a while, hopefully they make a kit for the tC, this is some cool stuff

http://www.ststurbo.com/home

Saw it on Two Guys Garage
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Old 01-13-2005, 02:50 AM
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Default Re: An easy way to see it

Originally Posted by sciontcperformance.com
Car: Scion tC or any 4 Cyl car
Application: Street and occasional strip use
Complexity: Stage I turbo kit VS say supercharger from factory

Supercharger:
Most important/noticeable:
Pros: Flatten and quick torque curve
Cons: Lack of upgradeability

Turbo charger:
Most important/noticeable:
Pros: Higher torque peak and possibly higher HP gain
Cons: Installation and care-maintenance

While the Supercharger will have no lag, it will have just a few tricks you can do with the pulleys to gain more power and then it all about good old engine magic to continue the quest for HP/TQ numbers, the Turbo charger on the other hand, will show lag but will pull higher torque numbers resulting in a similar acceleration compared to the car equipped with the supercharger.

Now, installation but mostly the care-maintenance that you must have to ensure long life and good performance from the turbo might be the downside. Let’s not forget over-boosting that breaks turbos or engines…But that also is the added value of the turbo charging where you will be able to raise the boost to easy obtain more power.

Driving conditions: supercharged car, just like driving a car with a larger engine with noticeable higher performance, while driving a turbo car normally adds the acceleration sensation when engine speed and WOT get the turbo to boost normally around 4000RPM and away you go!

We know there are more Pros/Cons for both systems, but if you are not a race car engineer and just want to evaluate what to buy, we hope this helps.
Folks,
Everybody is generalizing here. There is no simple answer turbo vs supercharger as the design differs... Supercharges are used commonly in spor/muscle cars such as Mercedes/AMGs and turbos in Audis and Saabs...
All depends on actuall application. As a matter of pure physics rubocharger is more efficient as it utilizes energy that would be OTHERWISE lost, i.e. exhaust gasese velocity...
As far as lag it also depends on the application and tuning. There is a trade of betwwen large turbo vs. small as the small will spool up faster but deliver less power gain. Both superchargers and turbochargers need to spool up, today's turbochargesr suffer much less from the turbo lag than 20 years ago. If you do not believe me drive a tubro car such as 2000 Saab 93 Viggen and let me know if you notice ANY turbo lag at all.... You won't.

There is no MAINTENANCE on turbos. Today's turbo;s are most oftne watercooled and do not even require cool down like they used to years ago. I do not believe in bolt-on turbo application, there is too much of art and science involved to egt that app succcesfull...

I would wait for Toyota's own supercharger as it is designed and tested for this particular engine........

Turbo car feels exactly like a car with a much larger engine, just spend some time in a factory equipped turbo car like a SAAB or Audi or Mitsu and you will know.......
My 9000 was a 2.3L turbo and you would not believe it is not a V6 or V8 whiule driving it. Incredibely responsive with NO noticeable trubo lag...

Do not believe everything you read, especiaolly when it comes from so called tuners trying to push their products.......
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Old 01-14-2005, 10:36 PM
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Let's evaluate the turbocharger versus the supercharger according to several important factors.



Cost
The cost of supercharger and a turbocharger systems for the same engine are approximately the same, so cost is generally not a factor.




Lag
This is perhaps the biggest advantage that the supercharger enjoys over the tubo. Because a turbocharger is driven by exhaust gasses, the turbocharger's turbine must first spool up before it even begins to turn the compressor's impeller. This results in lag time which is the time needed for the turbine to reach its full throttle from an intermediate rotational speed state. During this lag time, the turbocharger is creating little to no boost, which means little to no power gains during this time. Smaller turbos spool up quicker, which eliminates some of this lag. Turbochargers thus utilize a wastegate, which allows the use of a smaller turbocharger to reduce lag while preventing it from spinning too quickly at high engine speeds. The wastegate is a valve that allows the exhaust to bypass the turbine blades. The wastegate senses boost pressure, and if it gets too high, it could be an indicator that the turbine is spinning too quickly, so the wastegate bypasses some of the exhaust around the turbine blades, allowing the blades to slow down..
A Supercharger, on the other hand, is connected directly to the crank, so there is no "lag". Superchargers are able to produce boost at a very low rpm, especially screw-type and roots type blowers.



Efficiency
This is the turbo's biggest advantage. The turbocharger is generally more economical to operate as it as it is driven primarily by potential energy in the exhaust gasses that would otherwise be lost out the exhaust, whereas a supercharger draws power from the crank, which can be used to turn the wheels. The turbocharger's impeller is also powered only under boost conditions, so there is less parasitic drag while the impeller is not spinning. The turbocharger, however, is not free of inefficiency as it does create additional exhaust backpressure and exhaust flow interruption.



Heat
Because the turbocharger is mounted to the exhaust manifold (which is very hot), turbocharger boost is subject to additional heating via the turbo's hot casing. Because hot air expands (the opposite goal of a turbo or supercharger), an intercooler becomes necessary on almost all turbocharged applications to cool the air charge before it is released into the engine. This increases the complexity of the installation. A centrifugal supercharger on the other hand creates a cooler air discharge, so an intercooler is often not necessary at boost levels below 10psi. That said, some superchargers (especially roots-type superchargers) create hotter discharge temperatures, which also make an intecooler necessary even on fairly low-boost applications.



Surge
Because a turbocharger first spools up before the boost is delivered to the engine, there is a surge of power that is delivered immediately when the wastegate opens (around 3000 rpm). This surge can be damaging to the engine and drivetrain, and can make the vehicle difficult to drive or lose traction.



Back Pressure
Because the supercharger eliminates the need to deal with the exhaust gas interruption created by inserting a turbocharger turbine into the exhaust flow, the supercharger creates no additional exhaust backpressure. The amount of power that is lost by a turbo's turbine reduces it's overall efficiency.



Noise
The turbocharger is generally quiter than the supercharger. Because the turbo's turbine is in the exhaust, the turbo can substantially reduce exhaust noise, making the engine run quieter. Some centrifugal superchargers are known to be noisy and whistley which, annoys some drivers (we, however, love it!)



Reliability
In general, superchargers enjoy a substantial reliability advantage over the turbocharger. When a a turbo is shut off (i.e. when the engine is turned off), residual oil inside the turbo's bearings can be baked by stored engine heat. This, combined with the turbo's extremely high rpms (up to 150,000rpm) can cause problems with the turbo's internal bearings and can shorten the life of the turbocharger. In addition, many turbos require aftermarket exhaust manifolds, which are often far less reliable than stock manifolds.



Ease of Installation
Superchargers are substantially easier to install than a turbos because they have far fewer components and simpler devices. Turbos are complex and require manifold and exhaust modifications, intercoolers, extra oil lines, etc. - most of which is not needed with most superchargers. A novice home mechanic can easily install most supercharger systems, while a turbo installation should be left to a turbo expert.



Maximum Power Output
Turbos are known for their unique ability to spin to incredibly high rpms and make outrages peak boost figures (25psi+). While operating a turbocharger at very high levels of boost requires major modifications to the rest of the engine, the turbo is capable of producing more peak power than superchargers.



Tunability
Turbochargers, because they are so complex and rely on exhaust pressure, are notoriously difficult to tune. Superchargers, on the other hand, require few fuel and ignition upgrades and normally require little or no engine tuning.



Conclusion
While the supercharger is generally considered to be a better method of forced induction for most street and race vehicles, the turbo will always have its place in a more specialized market. Superchargers generally provide a much broader powerband that most drivers are looking for with no "turbo lag". In addition, they are much easier to install and tune, making them more practical for a home or novice mechanic.

and here's something from howstuffworks.com


What is the difference between a turbocharger and a supercharger on a car's engine?


Let's start with the similarities. Both turbochargers and superchargers are called forced induction systems. They compress the air flowing into the engine (see How Car Engines Work for a description of airflow in a normal engine). The advantage of compressing the air is that it lets the engine stuff more air into a cylinder. More air means that more fuel can be stuffed in, too, so you get more power from each explosion in each cylinder. A turbo/supercharged engine produces more power overall than the same engine without the charging.

The typical boost provided by either a turbocharger or a supercharger is 6 to 8 pounds per square inch (psi). Since normal atmospheric pressure is 14.7 psi at sea level, you can see that you are getting about 50-percent more air into the engine. Therefore, you would expect to get 50-percent more power. It's not perfectly efficient, though, so you might get a 30-percent to 40-percent improvement instead.

The key difference between a turbocharger and a supercharger is its power supply. Something has to supply the power to run the air compressor. In a supercharger, there is a belt that connects directly to the engine. It gets its power the same way that the water pump or alternator does. A turbocharger, on the other hand, gets its power from the exhaust stream. The exhaust runs through a turbine, which in turn spins the compressor (see How Gas Turbine Engines Work for details).

There are tradeoffs in both systems. In theory, a turbocharger is more efficient because it is using the "wasted" energy in the exhaust stream for its power source. On the other hand, a turbocharger causes some amount of back pressure in the exhaust system and tends to provide less boost until the engine is running at higher RPMs. Superchargers are easier to install but tend to be more expensive.
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Old 01-14-2005, 10:43 PM
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2 Errors in the original post:

1) Most turbos are oil cooled, not water cooled. This is why after hard driving you need to idle the car for a few mins so the hot oil have cool down and leave the turbo. Hot oil will cool too quickly and turn solid in the turbo.

2) Turbos can boost well over 21 psi. On a drag car they make between 35-40 psi. On a diesel motor they can make upwards of 70 psi.
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Old 01-14-2005, 11:21 PM
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ok cool...now we got sum facts...we like facts...i think i still like the turbo though, i dont know i guess it comes down to that pssssssstttt! blow off sound
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Old 01-15-2005, 06:54 AM
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Originally Posted by florencescion
2 Errors in the original post:

1) Most turbos are oil cooled, not water cooled. This is why after hard driving you need to idle the car for a few mins so the hot oil have cool down and leave the turbo. Hot oil will cool too quickly and turn solid in the turbo.

2) Turbos can boost well over 21 psi. On a drag car they make between 35-40 psi. On a diesel motor they can make upwards of 70 psi.

Florence my only turbo experience comes from Saab (9000 AERO and 95 AERO)
and to the best of my knowledge all SAAB trurbos are now watercooled hence no need, at least in theory, for a cool down (I would still do it remebereing this nice glow yo get under the hood after 100 miles)
Saabs are pretty much the first production cars in the world equipped with turbo so I would think they they have experience in implementing trubo on passenger cars...

Anyways, one of the biggest advantages of Saabs is their propiretary engine mamnagement (Trionic Ecopower) system that was designed to support turbo (i.e. ECU controlls wastegate and by-pass making it a part of the algorhitm).
That's also why I question addon turbo kits since turbo app with a significant boost requiers upgraded (more pressure) fuele delivery and redisigned ECU algorithms...
How do you deal with that on an add-on turbo kit?

I am going to leave this discussion as I already made up my mind, I would rather have a warranty covered and factory tested although less performing s/c than risk
the powertrain by installing aftermarket turbo on an engine that was simply not designed to be abused that way. Remember where this engine is coming from....

Yes trubos ca boost. The question is how is the powertrain going to take it?

BTW, Wanna turbo? Buy an S4...
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Old 01-15-2005, 09:06 AM
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Default Re: truth about sc vs tc

Originally Posted by ICLUB2
They must be fitted as close as possible to the head.
that is not true. a longer equal length manifold witch mounts the turbo significantly further away from the head than a shorter "log" manifold and creates greater and more efficient power.


Originally Posted by ICLUB2
TC's must run very hot, just short of melting down. This requires that the surrounding of the TC must be well insulated from radiation heat, and that the engine must be kept idling for a minute or two after heavy use before switching off. Obviously, the turbo is water-cooled.
the cooler the turbocharger, the better for the reason of thermal efficiency. it is usally a good idea to allow the turbo to cool before the engine cooling system is shut down, and that is what turbo timers are made for. as stated many times in this thread, all turbochargers are not water cooled and as far as i know, most aftermarket turbochargers in the import market are oilcooled.

Originally Posted by ICLUB2
TC's must run hot because they rely on the exhaust gas velocity, which is directly proportional to the temperature.
not true due to the reason(s) stated above.

Originally Posted by ICLUB2
TC's have turbo lag, the time it takes to wind the "fan" up. This is less noticeable with automatics or during manual gear shift, but very noticeable during a "standing start".
turbo "lag" is not a bad thing. turbo lag is the time before your turbo is in it's boost range, which is the time when your turbocharger is not burning away your fuel-economy (which the tc already has a problem with) making power when you don't need it. if you want the power, downshift. if you don't, drive normally and low rpms and enjoy your somewhat decent gas milage.

Originally Posted by ICLUB2
TC's are more commonly used in diesel engines.
somewhat true, but based on what? compared to what? and even if it was completely true, just that statement is useless.

Originally Posted by ICLUB2
TC's are used more frequently in Europe because smaller engines (4 cylinders) are more common.
oh, so that's why?</sarcasm> same answer as above.

Originally Posted by ICLUB2
TC's require a special exhaust branch, which must be made of high temperature material, if possible with no heat expansion ! Otherwise your exhaust branch gasket will not last.
it's called a turbo manifold, which is basically a header that connects to a turbo at the end rather than your cat or exhaust piping. and they have been built successfully for quite some time now.

Originally Posted by ICLUB2
You can fit two TC's on a V6 or V8, it works. But you must choose the TC carefully, and you have twice the radiation heat problem, twice the cost.
we're not dealing with engine with more than one cylinder bank here, the information within the statement is not necessary here nor is it completely correct. sure you can put two on there, you could also put one on an engine with dual cylinder banks, or you could put two on a inline engine... what's the point? arguably, there is not a significant heat radiation (not radiation heat) problem. twice the cost of what? the whole system of a whole turbocharger setup? no. just the cost of an additional turbo and merging downpipe setup, which may not be a huge jump in price depening on the setup.

Originally Posted by ICLUB2
SC's are used exclusively in acceleration racing, because the turbo lag can't be tolerated.
have a look at import drag racing, all the forced induction racers are using turbo chargers. lag is not an issue at the rpm you race at. as stated above, turbo "lag" is a good thing when you anticipate it and size the turbo correctly according to your goals.

Originally Posted by ICLUB2
Depending on the type of SC you are considering, the fitting varies from being outright impossible to easy as fitting an air-conditioner pump.
true to a certain extent, but modifications can be made and are often nessicary for aftermarket turbocharger systems as well.

Originally Posted by ICLUB2
TC's are used on constant load engines such as trucks, marine engines and power-plants.
so are superchargers. turbochargers are also used in other situations of need as well, as are superchargers. it is not as if that is the only situation in which turbochargers are suitable.

Originally Posted by ICLUB2
There are many types of SC's, but only one type TC. The selection of the correct size and manufacturer of either TC or SC is an art, which should be left to the experts. Many technical books have been written about it and free advice is available from the manufacturers of TC's or SC's.
i'm no expert on superchargers, but as far as i know, there are two common types of superchargers... roots and centrifugal. it doesn't take an expert to choose the proper turbocharger for a certian application, it just takes a compressor efficiency map and the ability to read and understand one. that statement makes it sound like superchargers are more versatile than turbochargers, which is completely not true. you can choose from many different turbochargers to suit your needs when putting together a system. where as in the import market, there are usally only one or two companys making a single supercharger for any one application with not many options to suit your needs. and in the tc's choice, there is only one choice... trd.

Originally Posted by ICLUB2
When you look at the boost pressure curve of TC's and SC's, the SC's don't look too impressive. This is because they have to be geared to produce the maximum boost pressure at high RPM. In comparison, a TC has a regulation device built in, which opens a "waste gate" once the maximum boost has been reached. The TC curve doesn't explain the turbo lag!
the satement about the "gearing" is true for roots type superchargers... which is it's downfall. centrifugal superchargers are similar to a turbocharger, but they are driven by a belt off the engine witch takes power. where as the turbo charger runs off exhaust gasses which also creates backpressure which takes a little more power from the engine to push thru (loosely put). wastegates are generally not built into turbochargers on aftermarket turbo systems. but the statment is correct that a wastegate regulates boost pressure. the turbocharger's boost pressure curve does explain turbo "lag". first there is no boost when the turbocharger is in "lag" mode, then boost starts to build as the turbocharger is spooling, then in most cases, the boost pressure levels off as the wastegate opens to maintain the set level of boost.

Originally Posted by ICLUB2
A TC produces more power at low RPM, because a well selected TC produces the maximum boost between 1500 to 2500 RPM, when the waste gate starts to open. This operating mode may be useful for 4x4's. In the latest TC design, the turbo's fan's became smaller, the waste gate bigger, and the turbo speed higher.
blatently and complely wrong. superchargers are known to create more low end power than superchargers for the fact that it is the time when the turbocharger is in "lag". if a turbo is at maximum boost at 2000 rpm, what's it gonna be doing at 7000 rpm? spinning to hell, wasting away free power that is being vented out of the wastegate... rediculous.

Originally Posted by ICLUB2
TC's can't really produce very high boost pressure, above 1.5 bar (21 psi). Someone will prove me wrong, I am sure. But TC's are used normally between 0.4 to 1.2 bar (6 psi to 17 psi).
a small turbocharger on a large engine could generate 65716876467646168psi, but that wouldn't be very efficienct. the reason that you see most turbochargers peaking out in that range is because that is generally where they are in their ideal efficiency range. although a lot of high powered hondas make thier peak power at 30+ psi.

Originally Posted by ICLUB2
Another way to explain the turbo lag: A TC works on the chain reaction principle, it is the starting of the chain which produces the lag. Lets assume the engine idles and so does the turbo. The boost pressure is ZERO. Then you open the throttle to a particular point and keep it there. The engine operates in a decompressed state and produces very little power. The little power it makes raises the exhaust gas temperature and velocity. This makes the turbo spin a little faster and raises the boost pressure, which in turn makes a little more power, which in turn.....(the chain reaction sets in). The chain reaction is limited by the waste gate regulation, and the airflow through your butterflies. Also, the TC can limit the boost pressure, or RPM limits can come in, or your engine blows up.
this statement seems to be based on the incorrect theroy stated earlier that boost pressure is related to the tempture of the exhaust coming out of the head. i can't make much sence out of the whole "chain reaction"... but maybe it's just me.

Originally Posted by ICLUB2
SC's are more predictable in engineering terms. From the manufacturers data you can choose the correct gearing for the desired boost pressure and RPM.
same goes for turbochargers, just look at a compressor efficiency map.

Originally Posted by ICLUB2
SC's are more expensive and difficult to manufacture.
than what? all depends on which supercharger system you're comparing to what turbocharger system. that statement holds no water.

Originally Posted by ICLUB2
SC's are heating the boost air to the same extent as TC's, but the fitting of intercoolers is hardly every done to the roots type.
they are not heating the compressed air to the same temperature as eachother. the temperature of the compressed air would depend on the efficiency of the compressor (be it turbocharger or supercharger) among other variables. and you're right, roots type superchargers generally don't have intercoolers because they are mounted directly to the head. which is also another downfall of the roots type supercharger, the addition of an intercooler cools the compressed air which makes the air denser which allows more air molecules for any given amount of space which allows more fuel to be added to the space which in turn makes more power.

Originally Posted by ICLUB2
Summary: If you have a straight engine, not used in a dragster, consider a TC: it's less expensive, but requires a little engineering. Otherwise look at a SC. Make a market research as to the types, size, lubrication, cooling and gearing required. If you are building dragsters, it must be a SC, and your choices are limited to two or three manufacturers, which are helpful in providing kits and free advice.

sorry its so long, lol!
my summary is use this information in conjunction with your own research to make the best decision on what, if any forced induction system will best suit your needs and wants for your application.

now let me say that i am not an expert on this subject but did my best to relay what i believe to be correct information that i have collected from being into forced induction hondas for the last four years or so. you might have been able to tell by reading my post that i don't care for the term "turbo lag" and the way that it is commonly used as i do not feel like it is correct. i am also bias to turbochargers because through my research it is what i believe to be the most appropriate for any application i have ever been interested in.

i also want to take this chance to say hi to everybody. i'm new to scionlife and am contemplating purchacing a tc and have been browsing these forums for quite some time but have just started posting today.

sorry to the original posted for the times that i was rude in my post, it was just a bit frustrating at times. please don't be hardheaded and do absorb the information in this thread.
no hard feelings .

if anybody feels that any of this information is incorrect please post your argument. i, like everybody else on here, am here to learn. thanks.
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Old 01-15-2005, 09:14 AM
  #19  
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Originally Posted by Stefan TC
That's also why I question addon turbo kits since turbo app with a significant boost requiers upgraded (more pressure) fuele delivery and redisigned ECU algorithms...
How do you deal with that on an add-on turbo kit?
most aftermarket turbo kits come with some form of fuel managment. one type is a fmu which raises the fuel pressure with the boost pressure forcing more fuel thru the injectors as boost pressure raises. an fmu is the simplest common way used, but also far from the best. some kits come with a piggyback engine managment system, which i know is the case with the scionspeed it. it comes with a pre programed greddy e-manage. it not only allows you to edit the fuel maps, but ignition timing as well. although some kits may come with a base map, it is always a good idea to get your car retuned with some type of engine management system on a dynometer with a egt gauge as well as an a/f meter.
in addition to the solutions listed above, there are many aftermarket stand alone fuel management systems that completely replace the ecu like the aem ems, motec, haltech as well as endless others.
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Old 01-15-2005, 08:12 PM
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topic cleaned up.....
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