Zot

Hi all, I am still kind of new at the options we have for our S2K's. I am looking for info on the differences between a Super charger and a Turbo charger.

What is the difference?

Don't they do the same thing? i.e. forced air induction?

Thanks in advance,

Zot

Tedster

You're right, the what (forced induction) is the same. It's the how that's different.

The big deal is the design and tuning, which affects the when and how much!

For a real answer, try this link from HowStuffWorks.

Zot

Tedster, thanks for the link, interesting reading.

Now next question...

I have seen tons of info/pics etc on SC'ers here on the board like the Comptech one but not much on a turbo charger which is the way I am kinda seeing my self go.

Any owners have a turbo installed?

Thanks in advance.

cjb80

Do a search on speedcraft turbo, derryck has a turbo on his installed by Speedcraft, the kit is done very well and makes 320 to the ground at 8 psi. The bottom line is that a turbo will make more power after being fully tuned, because there is no parasitic loss (supercharger takes power to make power.) Also S/C's are pulley driven which means that it makes power differently... a turbo won't boost at neutral acceleration, but when you mash the gas it will start boosting, where an S/C is always boosting.. on the flip side, a turbo will boost at lower RPM's than an S/C (unless you have a roots type blower is is made for low RPM boost.)

alphahelix

Ok, this is a topic that goes back and forth. Here is my take. Honda Motors are built and built well. They can take some beating. Going the SC route has its pros. Heat is the greatest one. A SC does not heat up the engine bay like a turbo charger does....beleive me it does. Also, the manifold (or output duct) of the SC does not get hot. Honda does NOT build their cylinder heads to cope with excessive heat. So, when you get happy and stay on the gas under boost with a turbo charger, it begins to heat the manifold excessively (they glow bright red) and the heat is transfered to the cylinder head. Guess what happens next...your motor runs a little hot. Honda likes to use stainless valve retainers. They don't like heat either, so the valve guide seals wear down then you have oil in the cylnders. Most aftermarket folks will replace the retainers with bronze. Any how, a turbo will usually make more power than a SC, but the power of a SC in linear and (besides Comptech's) give a lot of grunt down low. So for street racing i.e. stop light, the SC will get you going earlier in the powerband. SCing though has a hard time getting intercooled with conventional bolt on kits. So, the SC begins to pump hot air into the motor and your power gains are not consistent. The big con of a SC, if you want more power, it is a bit of work, you have to change a pully and a belt. With a turbo, just turn up the boost with a boost controller. PLEASE keep in mind, the S2000 motor has a high static compression ratio, this is normally not conducive to forced induction. Boost does not kill a motor, bad fuel and ignition timing does. Turbos...I love them. The parasitic loss argument of a blower is not as serious as people make it sound. The only take about 5 hp away....that is not going to make or brake you. The turbo, when it spools up, the feeling is great! But, you must take into account the extra cooling needed to have a reliable car for years to come. Take a look at OEM turbo charged cars, the heads have coolant channels for the heat the turbos create. Besides that, the turbo is a great choice, but both choices demand good fuel and ignition control. I know there are folks out there that have turbo hondas, but I guarranty they run hot (use a true temp gauge not the OEM) and they have issues that they have had to work through. Ok enough babble....

derryck

Good explanation but lets make it clear here that you are talking 'theory'. My turbo makes substantially more power down low (or anywhere for that matter) compared to the Comptech SC. (Wes or others, please don't get offended this is not intended as a flame). By the way, my EGT gauge has never seen 700 degrees.

netwiz

derryck, where'd you mount the EGT sensor?

tresbon

would love to hear from Chris D 'bout his new speedcraft installation! where are you Chris? how's it performin? r u happy?

derryck

Netwiz,
Not sure where the EGT probe is located. I missed certain portions of the installation especially towards the end. As for ChrisD, his car isn't finished yet I believe.

rocketman

Zot,

As someone who also doesn't know much (although I know more now since I have the comptech SC), here is my $.02:

Keeping in mind my only experience is with the SC I currently have, operation can be "install and forget". I have never had it dynoed for tuning purposes (eg, change fuel mixture, etc.), I don't have an aftermarket VAFC, etc. This said, I don't know if I am wringing out the last ounce of power I can get. There are issues when the weather is hot, but apparently the S2000 has these issues whether you have forced induction or not. I can tell you when the whether is cool (70 deg or below), the SC kicks ass. When vtec kicks in - KAZOOWIE!

My impressions from everything I have read concerning turbocharging the S2000: you have to be careful with fuel/air mixture and other settings to ensure there is no detonation - everything I have seen concerning TCing an S2000 REQUIRES a VAFC, maybe an aftermarket ECU, you need to tune it on a dyno, you need aftermarket guages and boost controller (don't know if you really NEED boost controller, but all aftermarket turbos seem to have them). BOTTOM LINE (my impression only, remember) - a LOT of work goes into tuning and tweaking and you have to learn how to read your guages and run your controllers; seems like a turbo is definitely NOT "install and forget", even an aftermarket off-the-shelf kit.

I stand ready to welcome anybody correcting my impressions of a turbo; maybe it's because what I am reading is written by guys that have time and like to do all of that stuff and a good, aftermarket turbo kit is "install and forget". However, there does not currently exist an aftermarket, off-the-shelf turbo kit; there is an off-the-shelf SC kit.

Boy am I talkative today!