Tech: Superchargers, Turbochargers, & Induction
Adding Boost? Compression, cams, and installation headaches.
By Fergus Ogilvy: The two most common uncertainties about the prospects of supercharging are fitment and engine tune. Will the supercharger fit under the hood and will it operate with all its accessories: alternator, power steering pump, and air conditioning compressor? The second relates to tuning in general and...
To intercool or not to intercool?
But first an amusing, brief story involving a big-block Chevrolet, an intercooler, and freon. By Sam Logan “I’m no authority on intercoolers,” admits performance carburetor specialist Dale Cubic of CFM, “but I do recall a memorable moment five years ago that involved one. Nothing too scientific,” he adds; nonetheless,...
Comparison: Testing a TorqStorm
But the best part was the TorqStorm’s ability to generate 400lb ft torque at 2000rpm; its rival reached 400lb ft at 2500rpm. At 3000rpm the ‘Storm generated 484lb ft compared to the Vortech at 436.
The anatomy of the supercharger or what makes it tick
By Titus Bloom: Superchargers are magical devices. They increase the oxygen supply to the engine by compressing the air, thus increasing its density. Accordingly, the engine burns more air-fuel mixture and produces more power. In a centrifugal supercharger, the air is propelled through the compressor wheel and compressed in the...
Mistakes that weaken a supercharger’s performance
Bertie S. Brown: Though they don’t cater to the Corvette market or late-model Ford Mustangs—none from 1994 to present due to congested engine bays—TorqStorm Superchargers’s product manager, Rick Lewis, has dealt with hundreds of incoming queries in the first decade of the firm’s history. Here are five of the...