Quote:
Originally Posted by Ken in AZ
Superchargers have a much higer failure rate than turbochargers due to the inherent design of adding more moving parts - ie belts, pullies, brackets, idlers, tentioners. Also the supercharger itself has it's own self enclosed bearings and gears that introduce new failure points as well. Failure of the supercharger "normally" doesn't meant the engine goes boom.
Turbochargers have 1 added moving part - the turbine and compressor blades that share a common shaft - technically if you have the ceramic ball bearing option you can include that but it has been proven to be nearly bulletproof even when you include oil starvation. If you include the Wastegate and blowoff valve then techically that is 4 moving parts added to the engine. "Normally" a failure with the turbocharger makes the engine go boom.
Technically Kyle - superchargers are more prone to failure unless they are engineered correctly and installed with prowess. Mercedes and Ford have it down pat. Jackson Racing did well with the honda stuff but there were induced failures that did occure due to engineering mistakes. ATI - I've seen bracket problems, same with Vortech, do you need a cogged belt or will a serpentine do just fine type of problems with superchargers. I have even seen bearing failures on pto shafts for your superchager on the titan - which is not the engineer's fault, but it does happen.
Most Failures with a turbo are blown boots on the intake piping which causes relatively no harm. If it is tune related or wastegate failure - then you have a blown up engine. Rare failures are compressor blade breaking being ingested by the engine.
Most failures with a supercharger are belt noise, belt breaks, broken pullies, bearing noise, rare occasion is FOD (foreign object damage) to the pistons and valves, Leaking air to water intercooler causing excessive smoke and or hydrolock on startup.
I think Kyles post refering to reliability is to the point that superchargers "normally" don't blow an engine when they fail and that turbochargers do. You can't get boost greed on a supercharger like you can on a turbo. It is very easy to pop an engine on a turbo car UNLESS you are very responsible with that boost controller - lol
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Or the fact the the EXTREMELY high heat inherent in turbocharger systems cooks the bearings and cause metal fatigue and burn-off and turbocharger units typically are considered needing replacement between 50 and 100,000 miles on STOCK turbocharged cars and much sooner as soon as the rpm of the turbocharger unit is operated out of the manufacturers suggested range. They also have oil seal problems over time as the seals age from the heat and typically burn more oil and smoke more than supercharged cars. Whenever you deal with modification though there are always going to be people that do things incorectly and abuse the car and the parts for both superchargers and turbochargers and failures will happen.