Turbo VS TT VS SC

bigdaddyD · 03-30-2008, 12:28 PM

ok i have a simple question, which would you guys think would be better for performance for an everyday driver? Obviously a turbo charger would be the least expensive, or so i would think, and depending on the size of the TT and SC that could probably be arguable as far as which give better performance and which is more expensive. I would just like to get your guys opinion.

misslindseysue · 03-30-2008, 12:49 PM

Depends what kind of performance you want. I love my turbo, some people love the 1st gen superchargers. Turbo is better for fuel economy. I like whistle, some people prefer whine. Superchargers can be better for packaging.

[ion] C2 · 03-30-2008, 12:59 PM

You're going to get responses all across the board. It's more of, what do you want to do? They're all going to cost a bit of money, they're all upgradeable, they're all going to give you power. No one makes any ready-to-go kits for the 3400, besides the RSM supercharger which is known for problems.

You're right there, so you better come to the Alero Show and Straveganza 2008 in LANSING June 13-15th!

GA_turbo · 03-30-2008, 01:22 PM

well since you seem squeptical about what you want, i wouldnt do neither, but if you are looking at the road ahead and keeping your car for a while i would go turbo, Why you ask well ,,, cause you can always start at low boost and work your way up, its a better investment there is more room for more performance with the turbo....

Looking at the actual picture, you will have to run premium with either or, so both will cost you more money then what you are spending now.

bigdaddyD · 03-31-2008, 08:01 AM

if i didnt run premium but i had either turbo or SC, would that hurt or damage the engine? or would i just not get the extra performance out of it? i think if i did go with something i think it would be a turbo, what would you guys recommend for something to start out small with but has the options for going to fairly big power?

bigdaddyD · 03-31-2008, 08:02 AM

Oh and im definatly goin to ASS '08

BlackJack · 03-31-2008, 09:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigdaddyD

if i didnt run premium but i had either turbo or SC, would that hurt or damage the engine? or would i just not get the extra performance out of it? i think if i did go with something i think it would be a turbo, what would you guys recommend for something to start out small with but has the options for going to fairly big power?

91 Octane minimum is the requirement for boosting of any kind. If you typically find yourself short on cash by the end of the week and having to scrimp on gas by getting the cheapest you can (87 Octane) just to get to work, boosting is not for you.

Boost puts extra pressure in the cylinders, and can cause premature detonation from heat/combustion. The only way to reduce or remove detonation with boost is by octane increase. I would not count on putting "off-the-shelf" ocatane boosters into the tank to compensate, because that's like playing octane-roulette.

If you don't plan on being able to run 91 minimum all the time, every time, then I wouldn't even consider boosting, or even a hot N/A build for that matter.

misslindseysue · 03-31-2008, 10:27 AM

Yeah... "You gotta pay to play" comes to mind here.

I ALWAYS run 93 in my MINI - I don't even think about it when I pull up to a pump, that's just how it has to be. And even with 93, I don't get it from the cheapest place, I get it from the best/busiest place.

Redog · 03-31-2008, 10:35 AM

Yeah, if you're planning on going any form of boosting you need to run 91 or better. You cannot run 87 on a turbo or s/c app.

I'm not boosting, but I do have a DHP PCM in my car, which also requires 91 octane.

Like Lindsy said, you gotta pay to play. I don't even look at the prices of regular.

Gotta run what the car is programmed on

[ion] C2 · 03-31-2008, 11:07 AM

Plus, if you're like me (which is unlikely), I don't care about gas prices. I could pay $5 a gallon for 93 which I need to run, and it really wouldn't bother me much. It'd be nice if gas was back down to $1/gal like I remember it, though.

BlackJack · 03-31-2008, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Redog

I'm not boosting, but I do have a DHP PCM in my car, which also requires 91 octane.

And as you well know, that's because in order to squeeze more power in an N/A application with tuning, they advanced the timing.

bigdaddyD · 03-31-2008, 12:48 PM

ok, i guess ill run 91 for a while, just to see how hard it hits the budget, but i dont forsee it being a problem. i just hate paying $3.50 or so for gas, or what ever 91 is at now.

meadus101 · 03-31-2008, 12:54 PM

I don't know much....

But personally, I don't know if Boosting a Daily Driver is really a good Idea?
I mean, It's going to put alot of extra Wear on your engine, so it's really going to reduce the life of the Alero... I think.

Plus, Your fuel costs are going to go up too.

I think for a Daily Driver, You shouldn't go further than Intake, Exhaust, and Basic Upgrades...

Of Course... Just my $.02

Redog · 03-31-2008, 02:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlackJack

And as you well know, that's because in order to squeeze more power in an N/A application with tuning, they advanced the timing.

Yes I know that, but it's a good point to bring up for the newb

BlackJack · 03-31-2008, 03:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Redog

it's a good point to bring up for the newb

Precisely!

bigdaddyD · 03-31-2008, 03:19 PM

YA NEWB!.....oh wait thats me.

AleroB888 · 03-31-2008, 09:02 PM

My car is also the grocery-getter, the only time I don't drive it is when it's apart and I need to fetch parts for it. But I don't use it for work, so the mileage had stayed fairly low...

I use Octane 104 additive and run 91 Octane up here, or whatever is the highest I can find when on a road trip. I got 28.6 mpg on the last trip to sea level. I have never got measureably better results as far as knock sensitivity by using racing gas, but I have not tried any at the present boost level of 12 lb.

I have upped the boost a couple psi every year for the last 3, and probably averaged 10 psi over the last 2.

If you are boosting these cars to 10 psi or so, Tuning capability is a must, and with that you could tune the car for a day at the track, or detune it for daily driving or road trips. The knock sensor based timing retard becomes the all-inportant tuning/safety device, and on these cars I believe it is more sensitive than it needs to be, and that's good.

I tune with a timing curve based on IM IAT, and use it on the street and track. I'm really, really trying to break this thing, ..but it just....won't....

kwhauck · 04-03-2008, 09:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GA_turbo

well since you seem squeptical about what you want, i wouldnt do neither, but if you are looking at the road ahead and keeping your car for a while i would go turbo, Why you ask well ,,, cause you can always start at low boost and work your way up, its a better investment there is more room for more performance with the turbo....

That is a very uninformed response. From his questioning I would say that he will not do a majority of the work himself. If that is true the supercharger and turbo are on a level playing field because both will be custom.

A supercharger you can start with low boost and work your way up, it is called a pulley change. Takes about 5 minutes.

Although if $50,000 were had to mod a stock block alero, yes I would say a turbo would be the fastest in the end, but for this guy a supercharger could get him into the 13s or 12s just as easily as a turbo....

bigdaddyD · 04-03-2008, 10:27 AM

actually i do plan on doing a majority of the work my self, besides borrowing the required tools on an occasion. i have read up on the pully change for a SC, atleast on a riviera. it seems like a fairly simple concept of changing pullys for more power, smaller pully = more boost = more demand from engine and more mods to the engine.

BlackJack · 04-03-2008, 12:09 PM

I haven't had a modern version of an S/C, but from what others tell me, when you change the pulley, doesn't that change the powerband progression at a scalar rate? If so, that would require a retune (or reflash) every time you change pulleys.

Not to say that either one is better, but I like the fact that once I tune for 15psi, I can turn down the boost without changing my tune.