| Question: |
Is the supercharger always working? |
| Answer: |
While the supercharger is always spinning and moving air, it is not always producing boost in the engine. Boost is a function of engine load and RPM. The majority of the time your supercharger will not be producing boost. The supercharger produces boost under high load conditions which may include heavy acceleration, going uphill, passing another vehicle or under towing conditions. Superchargers offer the power you need on demand, the reminder of the time the engine is working just like a normally aspirated engine. |
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| Question: |
What is the difference between a centrifugal supercharger and a roots type supercharger? |
| Answer: |
A roots-type supercharger is a positive displacement supercharger that forces air into an engine with two rotating, intermeshing rotors. A centrifugal supercharger has an impeller that pulls air through the center and directs the air into a scroll using centrifugal force. The scroll resembles a large blow-dryer with a circular shape and a discharge tube. The air is directed in the scroll, pressurized and forced out of the discharge tube and into the engine.
The two types of superchargers have different performance characteristics that have led to several debates on which supercharger is preferable. Proponents of roots blowers argue that more boost is available at lower RPM to provide off the line acceleration. Centrifugal supercharger enthusiasts argue that roots blowers are limited at higher RPMs and can increase air temperature and decrease horsepower. Paxton Superchargers offer significant horsepower at low RPMs with superior mid and high RPM performance. In situations where you demand performance from your vehicle, you are spending most of the time in the mid to high RPM ranges. |
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| Question: |
What would cause my engine to detonate at high RPM? |
| Answer: |
Detonation is generally caused by lack of fuel or improper ignition timing. Other causes of detonation can be high engine temperature, improper spark plug gap, excessive boost, low octane fuel, excessive discharge temperature, or bad spark plugs. |
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| Question: |
Where should the source for a boost reading be taken? |
| Answer: |
Boost readings should be taken at a clean manifold source. Perhaps run a T Line off of the vacuum/fuel pressure regulator.
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| Question: |
What is the function of a spark plug? |
| Answer: |
The spark plug is what causes ignition. It takes a voltage surge from the coil through the distributor, and produces a high voltage spark that ignites the compressed/boosted air fuel mixture within each cylinder. If everything is working properly and your fuel curve is set appropriately, an even and safe burning of the compressed mixture will result. The piston is pushed down, the crankshaft turns, and the engine runs efficiently. This provides maximum fuel economy, lowest exhaust emissions and is the ideal, safe ignition scenario for a boosted application. |
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| Question: |
Are headers recommended with my Whipple supercharger kit? |
| Answer: |
Keep in mind that if you choose to use headers, you may experience an overall increase in power output. However, you will see a change in the torque band. Torque will be produced slightly later in the rpm range because there will not be any back pressure as a result of the headers working in conjunction with the exhaust system to improve overall airflow efficiency. |
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| Question: |
What is the difference between a supercharger and a turbocharger? |
| Answer: |
Both turbochargers and superchargers are called forced induction systems. They both compress the air flowing into the engine . The advantage of compressing the air is that it lets the engine stuff more air in a cylinder. More air means that more fuel can be stuffed in too. Therefore you get more power from each explosion in each cylinder. A turbo/supercharged engine produces more power overall than the same engine without the charging. The typical boost provided by either a turbocharger or a supercharger is 6 to 8 PSI. Since norTurbochargers are powered by exhaust pressure while superchargers are driven from the engine crank pulley. Superchargers allow you to attain boost and horsepower on demand. A turbocharger requires the exhaust pressure to build resulting in a "lag" in horsepower increase. A turbocharger will typically have a higher discharge temperature than a centrifugal supercharger. This higher temperature is a result of the turbo impeller spinning faster and the heat generated from the exhaust gas. |
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| Question: |
Which is more important, horsepower or torque? |
| Answer: |
Horsepower is a rate based measure of an engines ability to do work. In order to accelerate a given mass from 0 to 60 mph for instance, a certain amount of horsepower is needed. Torque, on the other hand, is merely a force. Torque can exist with no motion. Therefore a torque rating really does not tell you much without an RPM that the torque was measured at. If you have torque and RPM, you can calculate horsepower HP=(torque ft*lbs x RPM)/5252. So you may wonder why people get so hung up on torque. Well, given a peak torque and RPM, and the peak HP rating, you can tell some characteristics of the engine performance you won't get with just HP. If you have an engine with a peak torque above the peak HP, you have an engine that does not care to rev but instead has good power at low engine RPM. If you have an engine with torque (ft*lbs) and HP ratings about the same, it is a typically automotive engine. If you have an engine with high HP ratings and low torque ratings you have an engine that has poor power down low but can rev very high. Bottom line, any performance estimates will require the HP, not the torque. |
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