| If you go to Wikipedia you will find the following | | | | your engine, putting in a supercharger is one way |
| definition: A super charger is an air compressor | | | | to go. A supercharger is directly powered by the |
| used for forced induction of an internal | | | | engine usually with a drive belt. An alternative |
| combustion engine. Wow. Let's take a look at | | | | drive system for a supercharger uses a chain or |
| what this really means for your car. If your goal | | | | a gears to drive the compressor. |
| is more power from your car, read on. First a | | | | Some potential problems are possible with installing |
| little background information. As you may know | | | | an aftermarket supercharger. If the supercharger |
| both air and gasoline are brought, by different | | | | installation is not done correctly it can shorten |
| devices to the cylinders of an automobile. Then | | | | engine life. It is critical to carefully follow all |
| the pistons compress this mixture and next the | | | | instructions. And ask for help if they are not clear. |
| spark plug or glow plug on a diesel engine ignites | | | | A second potential problem with installing a |
| the mixture. The rapidly expanding fire creates | | | | supercharging is the compression ratio of the |
| pressure which in turn forces down the piston and | | | | engine. Generally a supercharger engine should |
| turns the crankshaft and produces power. Now | | | | have a lower compression ratio than a naturally |
| assume we want more power out of the engine. | | | | aspired vehicle. The problem is that sometimes |
| Putting more fuel alone in the engine will cause too | | | | the supercharger is added without changing the |
| rich of a mixture. You must always have a | | | | compression ratio of the pistons. If the original |
| balance between the air and the fuel. | | | | engine's compression ratio was too high, you can |
| Air contains oxygen, which is what allows the fuel | | | | also cause major damage. |
| to burn. The supercharger design forces more air, | | | | On the other hand, besides an increase in power |
| containing more oxygen into the engine, and the | | | | output, a supercharger may increase your |
| fuel system adds additional fuel. You then get a | | | | gasoline mileage. This can happen by adding one |
| much more powerful burning in the cylinders and | | | | to a small car with a small engine, This is even |
| the increase in expanding gases result in more | | | | after the increase in fuel use while the |
| power. If you want an increase in power from | | | | supercharger is compressing the air. |