Supercharger vs Turbo: Head Gaskets

[99FiveOh]

I am seriously considering putting a turbo on my car. The sound of a turbo spooling up is just pure sex! However, it seems like almost every turbo build I read ends up with blown head gaskets! Yet, I see so many supercharged combos live a long time with stock head gaskets.

When I had my S trim on my old 95 GT I thought I was going to blow a head gasket at any time! I was so convinced that I had a set of gaskets on standby waiting. Miraculously, never blew a head gasket! Even with 15 psi on 100* days while beating the snot out of it!! Of course it was tuned by who I consider to be one of the best, if not the best 94/95 tuners in the country.

So, why do turbos seem to blow head gaskets more than supercharged cars?

 

[ProKiller]

i don't think that's necessarily true, i've popped my headgaskets three times now with my s-trim. If i had to guess though, turbos are a little more difficult to tune. that and it's all too easy to up the boost.

 

[revhead347]

I think it's because people get careless with the boost.

Kurt

 

[VibrantRedGT]

Turbo's seem to be really torquey all the way through the RPM's, seems to be more strain. I owned a 1986 Buick Grand National back in 1999 and even as heavy as it was the damn thing would throw you back in the seat. Also had a TE-44 Garrett blowing 21psi and 3" down pipe. I also blew headgaskets twice with my Vortech on the 94. That was because I got greedy with the boost 12psi pulley was making like 14.5psi. Main key with any type of power adder is getting it properly tuned. My Grand National made 500+HP on a conservative dyno tune.

 

[BK_CAULEY]

Probably because alot of people have ****ty lines running to there wastegates and they lose vacuum. seen that once or twice.

 

[revhead347]

A lot of it has to do with tuning the fuel/rpm ratio. On a blower, the boost is consistent with RPM. With the turbo it varies a lot at different rpms, so it gives a different angle to the tunability.

Kurt

 

[Black Stampede]

Because people are stupid. And some just unlucky.

 

[FastDriver]

buy the right gaskets (Felpro MLS or cometics)... you'll blow a piston before the gasket

Don't want to blow a piston? Pick the right boost lines, and tune the car to stay conservative with the A:F. Stay at 11.5:1 and keep timing conservative, too.

Good luck.

Chris

 

[VibrantRedGT]

One more thing to add. Pressure gauge essential but Air / Fuel ratio gauge connected to the O2 sensors are always overlooked. If I had this on my 94 with the Vortech I probably would have never blown a HG.