A supercharger is an excellent way of increasing the performance of an internal combustion engine. Unlike a turbocharger that needs high engine speeds to spool up, a supercharger delivers an instant boost in power right from the moment you crank up the engine.
But there is a trade-off for this instant boost in performance. A supercharger is belt-driven, which means it, like all other belt-driver accessories, creates a parasitic draw. IN the case of the supercharger, however, it makes up for it by allowing for air to be compressed and forced into the engine to create more power. In comparison, this makes superchargers less efficient than turbochargers, which are powered by exhaust gas.
A handful of factors come into play when you operate an automobile that has a supercharged engine. Engine efficiency, reliability, performance gains, and increased maintenance, among other things, are all on the list of things you need to be aware of before supercharging or buying a supercharged car.
In order to give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from various manufacturer websites and other authoritative sources, including J.D. Power, GetJerry, and Hagerty.
A supercharger boosts an engine's performance by forcing more air into it, which means more gas can be pumped in, and combustion rates can be increased. But not all superchargers do this similarly. Broadly, these forced induction systems can be classified into three types.
Out of these three, the Centrifugal supercharger is the most efficient. But the gains it offers are not consistent. Like a turbocharger, it works best when the engine speeds are higher. Unlike a Centrifugal supercharger, a twin scroll moves the same air per revolution, offering a consistent boost. Since a roots supercharger blows air into the air intake instead of compressing it, these are sometimes called blowers.
Like a turbocharger, superchargers also generate some noise when they operate. While automakers try to keep the supercharger's noise to a minimum in luxury models, they dial it up in high-performance cars like the Dodge Challenger Hellcat.
Not all superchargers are loud by design. Since a centrifugal supercharger does not use helical or twisted rotors but instead deploys impellers, it is the quietest in operation. But it still produces a whistling noise. A roots supercharger is the bulkiest and the loudest of the three. Factory-installed superchargers are typically quieter than aftermarket superchargers that are part of a tuned build.
Superchargers provide a significant boost in engine performance. However, the increase in horsepower and torque comes at a cost. Supercharged engines consume more fuel compared to their naturally aspirated or turbocharged counterparts.
Automakers offer turbochargers in their economy models because of the higher fuel consumption of supercharged engines. A turbo does not use the engine's power to operate and is instead spooled by the passing exhaust gas from the engine post-combustion.
Higher fuel bills won't be the only expense you will incur if you add a supercharger to your vehicle. This modification could also increase the amount of money you spend on your automobile maintenance.
The amount of money you will spend will vary depending on the type of supercharger and your vehicle. It will also depend on how well the modification was carried out.
While aftermarket upgrades like superchargers can lead to increased wear and tear on stock engine components, engines in vehicles that are supercharged from the factory are designed specifically to accommodate the additional strain. Factory-supercharged vehicles do typically run on shorter maintenance schedules than their naturally aspirated counterparts.
Adding a supercharger could negatively impact the reliability of an engine. However, this would depend on if the engine was built with a supercharger or if it was strapped onto it later as part of a modification. An OEM-made supercharged engine should run without any trouble with just the regular maintenance specified by the carmaker.
But regular maintenance won't do you good if you drive the car aggressively. This could increase the wear on the engine components and result in premature failure. Adding a supercharger to an engine that wasn't designed to run with forced induction could affect its reliability, as the internal components were not built to handle the additional stress such a modification would throw at it.
At some point, you might want to sell your supercharged vehicle. However, if you have added a supercharger to your vehicle's engine as an after-market modification, it could take a big hit in terms of its resale value. Professionally installed modifications by reputable tuners could very well increase a car's value, but low-quality and poorly executed modifications could decrease a vehicle's value.
The best way to ensure the best resale value for your supercharger vehicle is to ensure the modification is carried out by an experienced technician. You can also look for buyers looking to buy a car with the exact modifications you are running on your vehicle.
Automakers typically fit superchargers to high-performance models, and these vehicles have higher insurance premiums than economy cars. However, getting them insured is not an issue as such vehicles come with a supercharged engine from the factory and are covered under manufacturer warranty. When you step into the aftermarket scene and supercharge a car that wasn't designed by the factory for it, then you start to run into issues with high insurance premiums or even finding a company that will insure the vehicle at all.
Failure to disclose vehicle modifications to your insurance company may (and will most likely) lead to your policy being considered void in the event of an accident.
Some insurers do not cover these types of big mechanical modifications. At the same time, some do extend the coverage but at a higher premium.
Every mechanical component in a vehicle is designed for a set tolerance level. When you add a supercharger to its engine, you are effectively putting more stress on a lot of stock parts. The bump in horsepower and torque could push the stock parts beyond their design limits.
As discussed in the previous point, adding a supercharger to your vehicle might cause compatibility issues with the stock parts as they cannot handle the extra bump in performance. To avoid damaging your car, you might have to do many other upgrades if you strap a supercharger to the engine.
You must upgrade your brakes and switch to high-performance tires to ensure you don't end up in a wreck. Besides upgrading these parts, it would be advisable also to tune the E.C.U. to ensure that all systems are optimized to avoid engine damage.
The supercharger forces more air into the engine, leading to a higher combustion rate. The result is an increase in engine performance, but it could also lead to higher emissions, as engines that are running too rich or too lean will produce more noxious gases.
So, if you plan to add a supercharger to your vehicle, tune it properly and get a supercharger kit with proper emission control systems. If you're thinking of upgrading your car's factory supercharger, make sure you do all required modifications. As an extra precaution, you can also check your local emission regulations and standards and get your vehicle certified after you modify it with a supercharger kit.
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