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How does an
Magnuson supercharger work? A supercharger is a positive displacement pump. Its purpose is to increase air pressure and density in the intake manifold. It does this by pumping more air than the engine would use without a supercharger. The supercharger is matched to the engine by its displacement and belt ratio, and can provide excess airflow at any engine speed. This concentrated charge of air provided by the supercharger results in a more powerful combustion stroke in the engine's cylinders, resulting in improved performance over non-supercharged vehicles.
The roots supercharger has been around for a long time, how is the
Magnuson supercharger different? The
Magnuson supercharger is essentially a Roots blower pump, with one substantial design wrinkle; each rotor has been twisted 60 degrees to form a helix. The two counter rotating rotors have three lobes, which intermesh during operation. These twisted rotors, along with specially designed inlet and outlet port geometry, help to reduce pressure variations resulting in a smooth discharge of air and a low level of noise during operation. This arrangement also improves efficiency over traditional Roots superchargers. With helical rotors and an axial inlet the
Magnuson supercharger can be spun to up to 14,000 rpm, thereby reducing package size.
How is a Magnuson supercharger different from a turbocharger?
A supercharger is connected directly to the crankshaft by a belt unlike a turbocharger which is driven by exhaust gases. An Eaton supercharger provides improved horsepower and torque, at lower engine rpm's, by pumping extra air into the engine in direct relationship to crankshaft speed. The positive connection yields instant response, in contrast to turbochargers, which must overcome inertia and spin up to speed as the flow of exhaust gas increases. The supercharger is a way to get around "turbo lag". The lubrication system also differs, in that, the supercharger is self-contained whereas the turbocharger requires engine oil.
How long has
Magnuson been manufacturing superchargers?
For over 39 years.
What are the benefits of the
Magnuson supercharger? 1) Patented technology to reduce noise, 2) Proven manufacturing capability, 3) Packaging flexibility, i.e. reduced package size, 4) Self-contained lubrication, i.e. no external oil connections to the engine, 5) Bypass system used for unloading supercharger during idle and light load, resulting in better fuel economy and quiet operation, 6) Competitive pricing.
Are Magnuson superchargers noisy?
The
Magnuson supercharger system incorporates a specially designed bypass valve, which is actuated by a vacuum motor near the throttle body, and re-circulates the supercharger air flow when boost is not required. During typical driving conditions, the engine is under boost around 5% of the time, which means the remaining 95% of the time the engine is under vacuum, allowing for better fuel economy and a quieter ride. In addition, the helix angled rotors, along with specially designed inlet and outlet port geometry, also reduce pressure variations resulting in a smooth discharge flow and a lower level of noise during operation. The associated ducting and mounting used in installing the supercharger can play a major role in reducing the noise emitted by the supercharger.
Is a Magnuson supercharger reliable?
The reliability of the
Magnuson supercharger was the first criteria, which was addressed during early design development of the supercharger. Dedicated engineers with backgrounds in compressors, gearing, tribology and metallurgy, as well as thermal and structural analysis enabled
Magnuson to find solutions to many reliability concerns. In addition, strict customer durability test criteria have been achieved. Successful completion of numerous 500 hour durability tests established a firm grasp on achieving a reliable product. In addition, numerous vehicles have successfully completed 100,000 mile, OEM (original equipment manufacturer), vehicle durability tests. Improvements in bearing and seal designs also aided in a product which meets all OEM durability criteria.
Is the performance benefit offset by the cost
associated with a Magnuson supercharger?
In comparing a supercharged 3.8 liter, 2-valve/cylinder V6 engine with a non-supercharged 4.0 liter, 4-valve/cylinder V8, the supercharged vehicle will provide better power [torque], and at a lower overall cost, than the non-supercharged vehicle. This is due to complexity and tooling associated with the more complex 4-valve/cylinder engine.
What about
fuel economy and flexible fuels?
Supercharging is compatible with all types of fuels
including flexible fuels, i.e. CNG (compressed natural
gas), propane, etc. Fuel economy is not compromised, as
described above in item #7, when utilizing the bypass
system in conjunction with the supercharger. EPA
(environmental protection agency) figures support this
claim. A typical domestic vehicle equipped with a
Magnuson supercharger shows no fuel economy penalty for
highway driving, and only a one mile per gallon penalty
for city driving.
How does
Magnuson view supercharging for the future?
With the continued interest in performance, and the
desire to maintain fuel economy, supercharging could be
the ideal product of the future. Using a Magnuson
supercharger to increase power on a smaller displacement
engine, in turn achieving the performance of a larger
engine, but not compromising fuel economy seems too good
to be true--but that is what a Magnuson supercharger
provides.
Is the
supercharger available for aftermarket applications?
The majority of Magnuson supercharger
applications have been designed for specific OEM
applications. This is due to the fact that each engine
application has unique hardware installation
requirements and the design criteria of the supercharger
is matched to the specific engine. Recent interest has,
however, been shown in this market and has resulted in
aftermarket applications being sourced through Magnuson
Products, Inc.
What can a
supercharger do for my car or truck? A
supercharger is basically an air pump. There are three
requirements for combustion: Fuel, Oxygen, and Heat
Source. A normally aspirated engine relies on
atmospheric pressure, the action of the piston drawing
air into the combustion chamber, mixing with the gas,
and the spark of the plug igniting that mixture. This
process does not get the most from the engines potential
and this is where a supercharger comes in. By
compressing more air into the combustion chamber, the
fuel has more oxygen to react with, is more efficiently
consumed, and results in a more powerful explosion
pushing the piston down with more force. Thus, a
supercharger can add substantial torque and horsepower
to your vehicle. At the lower RPM’s the torque gains can
be dramatic. We often see rear wheel torque in the range
of 400 ft-lbs at slightly over 2000 RPM. For the owner
of a truck that may weigh in excess of 5000 lbs, this is
what will get the truck moving very quickly when
compared to a naturally aspirated engine. A result is
greater towing capacity, the ability to pull heavy loads
up a long grade with far greater ease. Most driving is
done between idle and 4500 RPM, and this the band
wherein the torque is most felt. Let’s hook up that boat
now and hit the lake!
Will installing a
supercharger void my warranty? It just
might...but not legally! This is best discussed with the
service manager or service writer at the dealership
where you purchased your ride. The Magnuson Moss
Warranty Act (US Code-Title 15, Chapter 50, Sections
2301-2312) states that the dealership cannot void the
warranty on a vehicle due to an aftermarket part unless
they can prove that the aftermarket part caused or
contributed to failure in the vehicle. For best results,
try working with performance oriented dealerships.
Magnuson Products offers a limited extended 3-year
36,000-mile warranty for $200.00 that helps with
potential problems with the dealership for additional
peace of mind.
Will a
supercharger kill my fuel economy? That depends
on how you drive. Many customers see an increase in
their fuel economy with the supercharger. With the Radix
system for example, a 2 to 3 m.p.g. increase is not
unusual. The supercharger actually reduces the pumping
loss of the engine. This loss is vacuum force required
to actually pull the air/fuel into the cylinder.
The supercharger equalizes all the cylinders and
actually helps to 'push' the piston down to the bottom
of the intake stroke, increasing engine efficiency.
The problem with most owners of supercharged vehicles is
that the "fun factor" goes through the roof, and it's
hard to keep your foot off the mat!
What computer
should I use for a Gen 3 motor? Choosing the
correct computer is less important than making sure the
components and sensors you use match the computer you
have. For instance, if you use a computer from a 2004
truck, make sure to use the vehicle speed sensor (VSS),
crank sensor, camshaft sensor, etc. from a 2004 truck.
If you use a computer from a 2000 F-body, you will want
to run the sensors from a 2000 F-body, and so on. To
answer the original question however, you will need to
run a 99 and up computer, but we recommend a 2001 and up
for best performance. I’m building a motor and plan on
using a Magna Charger supercharger.
Should the
compression ratio be set at 8:1 like my last blower
motor? The deciding factor when building a
blower motor is to decide how much boost you plan on
running, and what type of gas you will use. Compression
tolerance (the amount of compression gas will take
before detonation) of 91-octane is 13.5:1. This is just
a rule of thumb (there are other factors to consider).
In theory, if you run 9:1 compression then the max boost
you would want to run is 8 lbs (every pound of boost is
2 CR). On Gen 3 motors we have found that the
configuration of the motors is much more forgiving that
on a typical 10:1 motor and you can get away with even
more boost. These are static compression numbers only.
Cam choice has an even bigger determination on what you
can get away with.
I just installed
my Radix and now it takes longer for my truck to start,
can you tell me why? A common cause of this
comes from a fuel pressure issue. On the backside of the
fuel pressure regulator is a small O-ring that was
reused during the install. Most likely that O-ring is
askew or has been left out. A way to confirm this is to
hook up a fuel pressure gauge. Key the ignition on, but
do not start it. Fuel pressure should rise to around
55psi. Turn the truck off and check-confirm that your
fuel pressure stays up. If it bleeds off any more than
10 pounds over 30 seconds, the O-ring will need to be
checked. On 04-up with an in-tank pump you must check to
be sure pump was installed correctly as the fuel
pressure regulator is part of the pump assembly.
Can I run an
aftermarket cam with your supercharger?
Aftermarket parts such as headers, cams, heads, etc.
should be used cautiously. If you’re looking to squeeze
high horsepower numbers out of your motor a selection of
bolt-on’s can really tweak your motor up to it’s full
potential. Most of the time however, a new tune will be
required for the vehicle. To answer your question, yes,
you can run an aftermarket cam.
Can I run nitrous
with your supercharger? If so, is there a kit
you recommend? There are a lot of people running nitrous
through our blower with no ill effects. The problem you
will run into is two fold. First, because there is
almost no way to run the nitrous after the blower, all
kits are run before the blower and through the rotors.
Over time, this can erode the coating off of the rotors
and clog your intercooler. Second, with the increased
cylinder pressures and additional fuel and tuning need,
you run the risk of actually cracking the top manifold
of the blower. Neither situation will be covered under
warranty.
Is there any
maintenance required with my kit? Do I need
to change the oil in it? A big advantage of our kits
is the lack of any scheduled maintenance. The only item
to keep an eye on is the drive belt. Just as any drive
belt, if it shows any signs of wear, immediately replace
it. The nose oil, however, has a service life of 80,000
miles.
General Info:
Normal sea-level
atmospheric pressure runs about 14.7 P.S.I. The laws of
physics state that if you double that atmospheric
pressure you will double your horsepower. In practice,
however, there are variables. Number one, engines in
practice realize approximately 80% volumetric
efficiency. That means that if you were in a cylinder of
a standard engine you would be receiving only 80% of
your available air pressure on intake. Allowing for that
one variable alone brings you the fact that it would
take closer to about 17 pounds of boost to bring your
engine up to double horsepower. You realize about 20%
gain in horsepower just by getting full atmospheric
pressure inside your cylinders. After that comes the
boost above the pressure generated by the column of air
over your head (or in this case your engine). All
superchargers are basically air pumps, forcing more air
into your cylinders than what is generated by the vacuum
created when the crankshaft draws down a piston. You can
expect to gain about 20 horses per pound of boost in
practice, or around 125 horsepower and about 125 ft-lbs
of torque increase with a Magna Charger supercharger
kit.
Most Magna Charger
supercharger kits are available with intercoolers. An
intercooler reduces the discharge temperature of the
compressed air from the supercharger. Physics, in this
case Boyles Law, states that when air is compressed it
gets hotter. A rule of thumb is that for every 10
degrees that you can reduce the temperature, a 1% power
increase can be gained. Even more efficiency is
available!
When looking at buying
a supercharger, don’t make the mistake of being
concerned only with peak horsepower numbers. People
drive so infrequently at the peak power range, that it
is pretty much an insignificant number. Magna Charger
supercharger systems demonstrate a remarkably fl at
torque curve, meaning that your power to the wheels is
demonstrable throughout the power range. This is
particularly enticing when you find yourself pulling a
boat to the lake, or hauling your friends up a steep
grade. You should be concerned with the quality of the
system, inspect the quality of the machined surfaces,
spend some time on forums, hear what people say that own
the systems. The Magna Charger kits come complete
with all necessary components. There's no need to
be a welder or fabricator. We offer the perfect
balance of high end horsepower and low speed torque, the
best of both worlds for the ultimate in high performance
street ability. DO YOUR HOMEWORK! You'll
want to talk to us. For more information on
complete Magna Charger supercharger systems, visit
www.MagnaCharger.com. |
