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From: davidsen@steinmetz.UUCP (Davidsen)
Newsgroups: net.auto
Subject: Re: turbos and other superchargers
Message-ID: <659@steinmetz.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 20-Feb-86 14:26:28 EST
Article-I.D.: steinmet.659
Posted: Thu Feb 20 14:26:28 1986
Date-Received: Mon, 24-Feb-86 07:42:20 EST
References: <511@imsvax.UUCP>
Reply-To: davidsen@kbsvax.UUCP (Davidsen)
Organization: GE CRD, Schenectady, NY
Lines: 36

In article <511@imsvax.UUCP> ted@imsvax.UUCP (Ted Holden) writes:
>
>The turbocharger, despite any increase in backpressure it may cause, is
>still the most efficient kind of supercharger.  The only reason anyone
>uses belt-driven superchargers at all has to do with the requirements of
>drag-racing, in which split seconds mean winning or losing.

This is not the complete truth... The area in which positive displacement
superchargers (like GMC or Paxton) shine is low rpm boost and throttle
response. Since the boost is imediate and volume is proportional to the
engine rpm, there is a big gain under those conditions.

Some applications in which superchargers are preferred:
  1) large trucks and heavy machinery such as road graders.
  2) off road applications (4x4's)
  3) towing vehicles

For a given engine, adding a turbocharger feels somewhat like adding a
hotter cam; not much change at low rpm, power building through the
midrange, tons of power at the top end. A supercharger feels more like a
bore and stroke job; just more power everywhere. Having driven both, I
like turbos better on small engines and light cars which encourage sporty
driving, and superchargers on heavier vehicles and all my 4x4's.

Note that I have not quoted or disagreed with the balance of the original
posting, there is no need to repeat those points if you disagree.
-- 
	-bill davidsen

	seismo!rochester!steinmetz!--\
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"It seemed like a good idea at the time..."