What is the Difference Between a Supercharged Engine and a Turbocharged Engine?
2 Answers
Here are the specific differences between a supercharged engine and a turbocharged engine: Structural Aspects: The supercharger's structure is simpler than that of a turbocharger. The higher the engine speed, the greater the boost pressure, and there is no turbo lag phenomenon as seen with turbochargers. The turbocharger has a more complex structure, resulting in a higher failure rate compared to superchargers. Fuel Consumption: The supercharger is driven by a belt, which consumes engine power, making it less fuel-efficient compared to turbochargers. Turbochargers provide stronger boost pressure, allowing even small-displacement engines to deliver powerful performance while being more fuel-efficient.
I've driven several forced induction cars, and the main difference between supercharging and turbocharging lies in how they deliver power. A supercharger is directly driven by the engine's crankshaft via a belt - like installing an electric fan in the breathing system. There's almost no delay from throttle input to acceleration, making it extremely responsive, but at high speeds it siphons off some engine power, resulting in higher fuel consumption. As for turbocharging? It's exhaust-driven, essentially stuffing a tiny windmill in the exhaust pipe. The turbo only spins up when there's sufficient exhaust gas, causing about half a second of turbo lag at low RPMs. But once it spools up, the kick is incredibly fierce, plus it doesn't directly consume engine power, making it more fuel-efficient at highway speeds. For tuning potential, turbocharging has greater headroom since exhaust gas is essentially limitless.
