i see everyone tossing this term around. what exactly are people talking about when it comes to turbo reliability?

I mean it doesnt seem like you car is just not going to start some days.

Just wanting to learn.

 

I think there talking about how long our engine will last if we decide to go FI on this motor. Everytime someone mods an engine to produce more HP you take away from the engines life. This also depends on how you drive the car, but lets face it people do not mod cars to pamper them. Thats why my car has the greddy on it. If I was concerned about reliability I would of left the car alone.

 

that makes since to an extent, but also people say reliability is greater in superchargers.. so that doesnt make since..

 

It also has to do with Turbos being a more complex system than superchargers which means more potential things to go wrong. Turbos run, from what I understand, hotter than superchargers and need a cooldown period (turbo timers) after being run hard to avoid caking the oil from letting it sit still in the heat. I guess there is more maintenance with a turbo to keep it running properly. These are a couple things I have come to understand from friends with turbos and superchargers and reading about both. I have always been NA so it is not personal experience.

 

Well superchargers being belt driven will not overshoot your desired boost level, Turbos can easily do this. A slow reacting boost controller or loss of a signal line to the wastegate could end in disaster. Over the years this has never happed to me, it's all about proper installation and tuning.

I have poped a motor due to a failed fuel pump, this would apply to a turbo or supercharger setup. Each has it's weak points, but I'm a turbo guy all the way.