What's your flavor???

[SStrokerAce]

NA is a actual challenge!

Centrifigals I like for power adder setups mostly because I make REALLY nasty cams for them!

[WelderMike27408]

prochargers dont need lines plumbed to the oilpan.but the nitrous is cheaper.

[willyfastz]

Originally Posted by WelderMike27408

prochargers dont need lines plumbed to the oilpan.but the nitrous is cheaper.

nope but most turbos do

[chopper]

Here is a video I think is impressive, check it out.
http://videos.streetfire.net/video/L...-on_168394.htm

[eficalibrator]

Interesting discussion, as it becomes easy to see where everyone's priorities lie for "performance."

The drag racers naturally gravitate toward nitrous because there is no cheaper way to get 1/4 mile performance, period. The short duration lends itself to this setup, but running out of bottle on the street at 9pm on a saturday is no fun.

The drag guys with more money just move over to the centrifugal since they rarely have to worry about being out of its efficiency range during a drag race. There is a HUGE range of efficiencies in centrifugal compressors out there, but we can save that for a separate discussion I suppose. Vortechs and such are definitely fun on the street since they also give big power cars a chance to hook before really pouring on the boost.

My personal preference reflects my priorities of street performance and the occasional trip to the road course for 20+ minute sessions. From an engineering standpoint, you just can't beat a properly matched turbo for this. Proper installation, layout and tuning are even more critical, but hey... I like doing that stuff! I love the "right now" power delivery of a properly matched system along with the stealthy ride off boost. I'll soon be working on my 4th personal turbo layout, and have installed/tuned countless others over the years.

Positive displacement compressors are just turbos on crutches (belts) that tend to run out of headroom a bit earlier and have slightly higher losses. Still good clean fun on the street for short blasts, but definitely compromised for extended use thermally speaking.

[SStrokerAce]

Greg,

I've autoXed both turbo cars and NA cars and I got to say the lack of throttle response of a turbo is not something I like for that duty. A turbo can be tweaked and it can be driven but it's very unforgiving or slow if you are too early or late to the throttle. At 9/10ths it doesn't matter because you leave enough on the table but at 10/10ths you have to be perfect on your throttle application points or your not going to be there..... in a NA car you can be a tad early and still do a slight lift to save yourself and that lap, a turbo car if you lift your dead.

Bret

[eficalibrator]

Bret, it sounds like your experiences have been with poorly matched turbos for the engine used. There is absolutely no excuse for turbo lag when you have more than 5 liters of displacement. (Even my 3.2L turbo M3 has zero lag!) It's all a matter of picking the appropriate compressor and turbine for the application.

Too many people gravitate toward "dyno queen" or "drag strip monster" turbos on the LSx engines. The result is a laggy response with a very abrubt onset of uncontrollable power that is all but useless unless you're pointed straight on an ET Street or better. A T88 (or even T76) has no place on a street/track driven 6.0L engine or smaller if you're looking for smooth response. I've had best results with a single 60-1 hifi or GT35r (or twin GT28's)on these engines with nothing greater than a .96 a/R exhaust housing. This results in massive amounts of controllable torque from 2600rpm up. That extra 100hp up top means squat on the exit of turn 10 at Grattan. Properly done, a turbo 6.0 should just feel like a naturally aspirated 9.0L to the driver.

[SStrokerAce]

Yeah OEM motors with OEM turbo's but much smaller than 3.0L, basically any of the Jap "Rally" cars. Still there is a big difference between a 2.5L motor with a small turbo and a LS1 in bolt on trim. Either way the turbo makes the motor harder to drive in that application. I still want to play with the Solstice GXP because I have heard that it's seamless to drive.

I agree with you on the selections for the V8's we play with.

Bret

[NicD]

I like turbos because you don't need a rowdy lumpy camshaft or a crazy motor build to get the power and torque out of it. Maybe I am just getting old or something but I like the brute power of a turbo setup that generally doesn't have a very loud exhaust note. I like street sleepers.

[bthrb4u]

I'm a nitrous guy just cause I'm broke, but if i had the money it would be twins and big cubes. With the price of twins and all the supporting equipment your in 10k for a good set up. You can have a really clean, simple and fully adjustable N20 set up for around 1500. But i think tuning comes into play a lot more when you step up to the large shots (250 and up) compared to a turbo at the same power levels. I think you have a lot more leeway with a turbo in regards to tuning.