Which way to go? No2, Turbo, SC?

[Fett]

I have been thinking about this for a while, as I need to start collecting the pieces for my next engine build. At first I was thinking turbo, but after seeing some friends with turbos go through a bunch of issues, I don't know if that is the way I want to go. I wanted to go that route before I hooked up some nitrous to my current motor.

With a turbo there is so much tuning to deal with, sure they make great power...even on a stock motor, but you spend most of your post-build time tuning.

From what I have seen, SC is less tuning and slightly more "user friendly". And nitrous is fairly easy.

I can't decide which route to take. If I go turbo, I will most likely go with stock displacement, a SC slightly more, and if I stay nitrous I would go with a nice stroker.

This won't be a DD at that point, but I will drive it around. I want a nice, fast street car, that I can take to the track and throw down some nice numbers. I do NOT want a trailered car. It is much more fun driving out to the track, swapping tires, and throwing down an 11 second pass.....swapping tires back out and driving home.

I am leaning towards a stroked nitrous car, something that would be fun on the streets, and nasty at the track. I wouldn't worry too much about the tuning on something like that, because my Tweecer would be perfect for such a setup. Where as I see a lot of turbo guys switching from Tweecer and going with Megasquirt type PCMs for turbo.

Anyway, I am just tossing ideas around and was curious to see what others thought. I am not starting my engine build this week or anything, I just like planning things out. I figure to start building the motor this winter.

 

[bill302]

looking at your times i think you have a good combination already especially with stock ported heads...if it were me i would keep the same setup with a good aluminum head and nitrous at the track and supercharger if thats not fast enough..prolly be fast enough on the streets without sc for me with a good aluminum head..

 

[bullitstang1313]

Personally I'm swayed to the turbo (I do work for a Diesel engine manufacturer). Plus I'm really trying to get into the tuning and doing something difficult. I'm not a big fan of nitrous. Don't know why, just like the idea of having the extra power all the time. In your situation I would probably go with the supercharger as it may be easier to slap on and be able to drive around without having to spend to much time tuning.

 

[bentley429]

I would say turbo is the one thats going to make a ton of power always on hand at low boost. Superchargers are great, much cheaper then a turbo, less tuning, and the power is always there like a turbo just not quite as much at the same boost level. Nitrous is cheap and easy. Can change from a 50 shot to a 200 shot in the matter of acouple minutes. All depends on what you want. I wanted power there at all times but couldnt afford a turbo and can split the block with the sc Iam running now anyways so whats the point? Next rig will prob be a nitrous car...

 

[Fett]

I'm not sure which route I want to take. I had been planning on turbo, but just watching friends of mine go through the constant tuning changes kind of scares me away. On one hand it would be fun because after the build I would be tinkering with it constantly to get more out of it, so I wouldn't get bored. On the other hand, after that first pass with my 100 shot...I was in love with nitrous. As I giddily exclaimed just after my first pass with the spray, "I found my new drug".

 

[86bluecobra]

I have nitrous right now and I love it. I have also been toying with the idea of swapping to another power adder. If money were no object then I would go with a turbo but i see myself buying a s/c'er down the road.

 

[Mafia Mustang]

Turbo! look what it does to those small displacement 4cyls. Its a constant power unlike nitrous. and after you build it you can find your cars "sweet spot"

 

[jcw88]

stroker all the way!! mine runs like a bat out of hell (if you can keep the ass end down). do your stroker kit right and you won't need nitrous to see 11's. advice go w/ a victor jr head stage 111 setup, crazy power!!

 

[turbogt]

No2 Won't do a thing for you, but N20 would...
Nothing.....NOTHING BEATS THE POWER AND TORQUE OF A TURBO...

 

[Foxfan88]

overall i think a turbo really makes the most efficient power.

runs on exhaust so there is no drag on the engine unlike a SC ( centrifugals arent too bad about drag but a roots or similar IS)

with a turbo boost and impellar rpm are NOT constant to anything.

while DDing the car, it will see no boost and will act like a totally N/A car. when you cob down on it and put a load on it you start making boost.

with a centrifugal SC (pretty much the same as a turbo just belt driven), it acts like a turbo somewhat but impellar speed is determined by RPM, boost isnt, you have to let the pressurized air past the TB to pressurize the engine. once you get some RPM and at WOT in them it will make boost. they also use centrifugal force to hurl the air out of the compressor. which creates less engine drag.

a roots on the other hand FORCES the air into the engine at all time and the engine itself becomes pressurized all the time. a roots will create instant torque and rip your head off but may be too much for a street car. normally you dont want gobs of power until you plan your foot to the floor. roots is making boosted HP all the time.

nitrous is good also. when released from the bottle it vaporizes. rapid COOLING the intake to extremely cold temp ( not sure on the actually temp) and when n20 vaporizes it creates oxygen, for example one molecule of n20 when it vaporizes creates 2 oxygen molecules. with extra o2 and the extremely dense air charge due to the cooled intake you have a very very oxygen rich environment in the engine and it will run TONS better than just regular air. nitrous hits very hard from what i hear, i have never ridden in a n20 car but they tell me it hits harder than any other power adder. run a 150 shot its an instant 150 HP at the push of a button and thats at all rpm.

all power adders to the same thing, putting more oxygen into the cylinders. which is the key to making power.

you cant go wrong with any of them...

if your looking for HP on the cheap, nitrous is your ticket, give incredible gains. but the downside is your power is dependant on a bottle. you can run out often and have to fill upp alot. which costs additional money. but on the plus side you can have a DD car, runs and drives like a champ on the street, and then you turn the bottle on and you have a race car ready to pull the wheels lol

for extreme HP and budget is no limit. a turbo would be a wise choice, there is more indepth tuning on a turbo and installation is more complicated and harder but the gains can be HUGE and since boost doesnt come on under a load you can have a nice DD car that has good street manners and when you want to go fast. you dont have to turn on a bottle like n20, you just hit the pedal and your off.

if you want great power but not dependant on the bottle and want it right there anytime. a nice SC would do well. a centrifugal gives excelltent power gains and good drivabilty since boost doesnt come on until higher rpm. install is fairly easy and tuning isnt as hard as a turbo.

for a street car i'd get a centrifugal. for the track a goot roots works well.

a roots will cost more but like stated above. the engine is under boost at all times. the engine is always pressurized so the moment they intake valve opens the cylinder is filling up fast. roots will make excellent low end.


and remember with any sort of forced induction when driving around the engine will be more efficient. especially with a centrifugal, while it may not be making boost but it may be pushing air like a fan, which helps the engine alot, instead of the engine starving for air and having to get it all by itself the SC will push some air into the engine and make it work less to get it, results are a more effiecient engine and less pedal you have to give it to get up to speed while driving normally

hope this helps someone, i just started posting stuff.

if there is any incorrect info in posted please correct me i am still learning stuff also

 

[millhouse]

If your going with forced induction...you need to get a tune be it turbo or supercharged. Sure, it's easier to "get away" without a tune with a super setup...but that does not make it right. Any reputable tuner can tune a turbo mustang and it will be good to go. There is no more tuning to be done afterwards....you just set it...and forget it!

 

[enyawix]

+1 twin turbo