Supercharged Or Twin Turbo What's More Reliable

Bigv909

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Sep 16, 2016
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So in 6 months my coyote will be paid off and I'm planning on some major performance upgrades. I just debating on a what to do , what do you think is more reliable in the long run supercharged or turbo. I know I can get more power out of turbos but will it be worth it.
 
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A supercharger will be way easier to install and set up. Reliability may be subjective, but it'll probably be the about the same after you've got either setup running correctly. A twin turbo setup will most likely require modification of the front bumper and exhaust, among other things, while a supercharger typically doesn't require much.

Keep in mind that as you add power, you need to consider upgrading the rest of the car too if you want to be able both to control the car and reduce the risk of breaking something. If you haven't done so already, start looking into your suspension and drivetrain.

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Absolutely no question, SC. I've had both, multiple cars. There are just plain more failure modes with twice the piping and eventually, all that underhood heat starts to cook things to a golden brown. The Coyote is already high on the engine underhood heat scale even without another source.
 
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Thanks for all the input guys, I was leaning towards supercharger in the first place , but I had some people trying to convince me turbo is the way to go. Im really digging the Vmp supercharger kit , or maybe the roush kit. What would you do ?
 
Both VMP and Roush are positive displacement superchargers. There is some debate as to which is better but both are quality pieces from what I remember. Roush is probably the more popular one because of the name (and you might be able to get it installed at some dealerships...if that matters to you). Other positive displacement superchargers to consider are Kenne Bell and Whipple. You can also choose from Centrifugal superchargers like Vortech and Paxton. The difference between them is mounting and how they build boost. The positive displacement will mount on top of the engine and boost is instant at any rpm. Centris mount in front of the engine and build boost with rpm (lower boost at low rpm, high boost at high rpm). Some drag racers prefer this setup because it makes it a little easier for them to hook off the line. It's up to you and what you prefer. I suggest thinking about which type of supercharger you prefer and then looking into the brands from there. Consider how they are installed (some require some modification) and any other attributes you like (look, sound, etc). Some people choose Whipple over the others because of their distinct sound. Also think about your end goal. If you are never going to push it past a mild boost level, it probably doesn't matter which one you get.

Btw, you may see the terms roots and twin screw. They are both positive displacement superchargers but they are constructed differently. Roots use two lobes to move air from the inlet to the outlet (air is compressed at the outlet). As their name suggests, twin screw uses two screws to compress the air within it before reaching the outlet. Because of this, roots tend to take on more heat and are usually less efficient than twin screw. Centrifugals use an impeller, similar to a turbo.

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I would go supercharger. That is what I am planning to do in the next few years. Affordable and sneaky.

Turbos are efficient, but they take too long to spool up. Case in point: there is a kid with a Mazda Speed 3 with an upgraded turbo where I live. He races a lot of muscle cars and usually beats them on top end. Thing is he won't race from a stop/dig- he has to be going 60 miles an hour already to have any sort of competitive edge. Even so, I still beat him, but not by a lot. Kinda scary!

After 3 or 4 races while rolling (which I won), I raced him from a stop light just to make it obvious to him that there is no comparison and it wasn't even close. Rather funny and embarrassing for him in my own opinion. Sure enough, he comes flying back up and honking a count down at 60 miles an hour again. DON'T BE THAT GUY!

But if you do supercharger, you really need to focus on your suspension, transmission, and launch technique. We have problems launching with the base horsepower... I can't imagine an additional 100-150 horsepower are going to make it easier.

Not to change subjects, but I am actually debating putting an e-locker or other type of dual-use rear end differential in so that I can maintain limited slip for normal driving and have locking capability for straight line racing/track use (might also be good for Winter, too). You might ask some of the 2013+ Shelby guys what they do or research what upgrades those cars have to get the power down to the street.