Superchargers are arguably more reliable than turbochargers. They're easy to install and maintain. They're louder than turbochargers—they enhance the RPMs by a considerable amount—and they're also more common as a result.
But each system comes with a unique set of trade-offs. For those looking to balance performance with fuel economy and efficiency, turbocharging is the better choice. For those more interested in a straightforward solution to raw horsepower, supercharging is more likely the way to go.
No lag: the supercharger's biggest advantage over a turbocharger is that it does not have any lag. Power delivery is immediate because the supercharger is driven by the engine's crankshaft. Low RPM boost: good power at low RPM in comparison with turbochargers. Price: cost effective way of increasing horsepower.
Turbos are designed to last the lifetime of the vehicle (or around 150,000 miles); however, it's possible for them to wear out over time depending on how hard you drive the car and the original build quality of the turbo.
No. today's turbochargers are designed to last the lifespan of the vehicle. The truth is, boosted engines require the same amount of maintenance and care that a naturally aspirated engine does.
In short - a turbocharger is an extremely reliable component, it will normally last as long as your vehicles engines life. Manufacturers design turbochargers to exceed 300 000 km's in terms of service in a single lifecycle, however many turbochargers don't see this due to engine maintenance related issues.
In contrast, small turbochargers have a lower boost threshold but don't produce as much horsepower and torque. Increasing the size of the turbo will allow for an increase in power output at the cost of putting more stress on the engine and possibly shortening its lifespan.
Cons of a turbocharged engine
Affordability: Cars with turbocharged engines are typically more expensive than vehicles with standard engines because may need to use premium gas in your car. Reliability: Turbocharged engines may not be as reliable as standard engines. Engines with more parts have more that can go wrong.
Through the use of a supercharger (or blower), horsepower and torque can be doubled or tripled. Unlike a turbo that's driven by hot exhaust gasses, blowers are driven directly by the crankshaft, so the speed of the supercharger directly relates to engine rpm.
Can you use a turbocharger and a supercharger? Yes, using a turbocharger in tandem with a supercharger is very much possible. In fact, racing cars have been using twin-charging (turbocharger+supercharger) to increase the power both at the low RPM band and the high RPM band.
That said, because superchargers do depend on the running engine to operate, it's a less efficient process than a turbocharger. They are also, on the whole, more expensive than a turbocharger, but they're also easier to install.
Basically a turbo is only one part of the overall kit. A full turbo kit for your application (if they make one) would be about the same cost as the supercharger. Agreed Supercharger kits, you're largely paying for the R&D. They spent a bunch of money to put these kits together.
Therefore, the effectiveness of the supercharger increases as the RPM increases. And unlike turbochargers, superchargers generally don't change the trajectory of the torque curve, so it's like driving a naturally aspirated car, just with more horsepower.
Most failures are caused by the three 'turbo killers' of oil starvation, oil contamination and foreign object damage. More than 90% of turbocharger failures are caused oil related either by oil starvation or oil contamination. Blocked or leaking pipes or lack of priming on fitting usually causes oil starvation.
Pushing the turbo to ever higher speeds, especially when making modifications to the engine, will take it beyond normal operating speeds and can cause damage. Components will be stressed more than the manufacturer originally intended and the components will fail over time.
Although the car will move with a blown turbo, it would be far more preferable to stop driving it and have the car taken to the garage to have the turbo repaired or a replacement installed. The longer the blown turbo is left without repair, the more damage can be caused to the car's engine.
For the best performance from a turbocharger, change the oil at least every 5,000 miles, replacing it with a fully-synthetic oil which is the right API for your car's engine type. Your vehicle's handbook should recommend the best choice of oil for your car.
A turbocharged engine turns into a fuel-hog under hard acceleration, because the large volume of air being pumped into the cylinders must be matched by a larger volume of fuel.
Maintenance-wise, unlike the concerns that some car owners may have, a turbo car requires the same care as a regular car. Indeed, there were certain upkeep tricks of older turbo engines – such as to wait a little bit before turning off your engine to make sure the turbocharger stopped working entirely.
Thus, you can use a smaller engine to achieve more output. Con: Turbo engines cost more money. Pro: You get more efficiency with turbo engines, saving money in fuel costs. Con: Turbo lag can occur when you try to accelerate quickly, a slight delay in the delivery of power due to the turbine taking time to spin up.