Should I Supercharge?
04-22-2003, 04:40 AM
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Should I Supercharge?
After 2K miles on my supercharger I hope to summarize my thoughts and experiences for those considering taking the plunge. I agonized over this decision and read everything I could. The problem is that the information is scattered all over several boards. Here’s my two cents in one post.
I found a slightly used supercharger for a reasonable price through Customtacos.com. The guy was in a pinch, we both got a fair deal. After reading everything I could find, I installed it myself in about four hours. It is not a difficult install, basic tools and some common sense. You will get to know your 14mm wrenches very well, add in a torque wrench and a decent set of metric sockets and box wrenches and you’re good to go.
The day before the supercharger installation I installed the cooler thermostat, flushed the radiator and installed the cooler plugs that TRD recommends and drove the truck. I am cautious about making too many changes at once. Both jobs were fairly straight forward, again, do a little research. I had 35K miles on the truck, and both services were due.
The first thing you notice is the supercharger wine, my son says it “doesn’t sound like a truck any more!” It is a noticeably different sound!
I am fortunate enough to have 93 octane gasoline available. It’s roughly twenty cents a gallon more expensive, which translates to $3.00 a week to my fuel bill. It’s the price for a little fun! Gas mileage is roughly the same as long as you keep your foot out of it! The first tank was down about 2 mpg. Then again, that tank had about as many WOT as I normally do six months! I have yet to experience any ping. I consider myself lucky! The hill where I normally drop it out of overdrive, I can climb in overdrive without any ping. Maybe the 2001 computers can handle the supercharger better or the added torque makes the climb much easier. Overall gas mileage is down about a mile per gallon.
Yes, WOT is a lot more fun, but the thing I notice more often, I’m easy on a car, is the added torque and effortless acceleration from 45 mph or so to 65 mph on the highway. A very light touch on the gas pedal and you accelerate very nicely. The supercharger does confuse the cruise control, it kicks in on a hill a little too aggressively now.
There is a down side. With the supercharger, the shift from first to second and second to third are very slow. The Level 10 VB upgrade is clearly next project. I am debating the fuel modification, injectors and pump, along with one of the piggyback computers that are being evaluated. I’ll let a few other do the exploration for now!
Do you need it? No! Will you like it? Most definitely! If you consider installing the supercharger, add the cooler thermostat, plugs, an ATF cooler and the valve body upgrade to your calculation. I believe this is the minimum configuration! Additional fuel modification and a piggyback computer will fine tune the configuration and get every last bit of horsepower out of your engine, but not required.
I found a slightly used supercharger for a reasonable price through Customtacos.com. The guy was in a pinch, we both got a fair deal. After reading everything I could find, I installed it myself in about four hours. It is not a difficult install, basic tools and some common sense. You will get to know your 14mm wrenches very well, add in a torque wrench and a decent set of metric sockets and box wrenches and you’re good to go.
The day before the supercharger installation I installed the cooler thermostat, flushed the radiator and installed the cooler plugs that TRD recommends and drove the truck. I am cautious about making too many changes at once. Both jobs were fairly straight forward, again, do a little research. I had 35K miles on the truck, and both services were due.
The first thing you notice is the supercharger wine, my son says it “doesn’t sound like a truck any more!” It is a noticeably different sound!
I am fortunate enough to have 93 octane gasoline available. It’s roughly twenty cents a gallon more expensive, which translates to $3.00 a week to my fuel bill. It’s the price for a little fun! Gas mileage is roughly the same as long as you keep your foot out of it! The first tank was down about 2 mpg. Then again, that tank had about as many WOT as I normally do six months! I have yet to experience any ping. I consider myself lucky! The hill where I normally drop it out of overdrive, I can climb in overdrive without any ping. Maybe the 2001 computers can handle the supercharger better or the added torque makes the climb much easier. Overall gas mileage is down about a mile per gallon.
Yes, WOT is a lot more fun, but the thing I notice more often, I’m easy on a car, is the added torque and effortless acceleration from 45 mph or so to 65 mph on the highway. A very light touch on the gas pedal and you accelerate very nicely. The supercharger does confuse the cruise control, it kicks in on a hill a little too aggressively now.
There is a down side. With the supercharger, the shift from first to second and second to third are very slow. The Level 10 VB upgrade is clearly next project. I am debating the fuel modification, injectors and pump, along with one of the piggyback computers that are being evaluated. I’ll let a few other do the exploration for now!
Do you need it? No! Will you like it? Most definitely! If you consider installing the supercharger, add the cooler thermostat, plugs, an ATF cooler and the valve body upgrade to your calculation. I believe this is the minimum configuration! Additional fuel modification and a piggyback computer will fine tune the configuration and get every last bit of horsepower out of your engine, but not required.
04-22-2003, 09:32 AM
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Just thought I'd add, my very first mod was the TRD SC, if I were to do it all over again, my very first mod would be the TRD SC 
*edit* I added tranny cooler the next day!
*edit* I added tranny cooler the next day!
04-22-2003, 10:09 AM
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I heard a maroon SC'd 4Runner take off from a stop light while I was about 50 yards away. That SC whine had to be the coolest thing I have ever heard (besides a turbo with the wastegate opened up).
Posts like these just increase my jealousy. Thanks a a lot.
Posts like these just increase my jealousy. Thanks a a lot.
04-22-2003, 12:01 PM
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Originally posted by pfdaxe
Hey 96:
Let me know if you want to check out my ride. You can even take it for a spin and feel the s/c....
Paul
Hey 96:
Let me know if you want to check out my ride. You can even take it for a spin and feel the s/c....
Paul
Heck, I would be satisfied just listening to your truck go by!
I will catch up with you on PM when I get back from DC.
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04-22-2003, 12:50 PM
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Originally posted by 93_Runner06
I was just wondering:
What is the Level 10 VB upgrade? I'm guessing it's some sort of shift kit, but I'm not sure.
Thanks
I was just wondering:
What is the Level 10 VB upgrade? I'm guessing it's some sort of shift kit, but I'm not sure.
Thanks
04-22-2003, 12:50 PM
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Level 10 reworks the A/T valve body and supplies stronger springs. Take a look at http://www.levelten.com or http://www.gadgetonline.com/Transmission.htm for the details. Makes the shifts FIRM! Take a look at my post today on Level 10 Valve Body HydroSystem https://www.yotatech.com/forums/show...&threadid=9577
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