Option 1: Remove supercharger, get reflashed, return engine to stock. (Side note: If I do that, I can sell my Hydra EMS which I haven't installed yet and get some money, but I also don't have the intake parts needed to return to stock) (estimated costs)

Option 2: Make my supercharger more reliable (not having any issues now, but if I drive my tC more, I want it more reliable). (estimated costs)

Since I am in California, I also can not go the way of turbo (especially since I will have to smog next year)

Just trying to figure out what I should do.....

 

What has happened due to the supercharger so far? I thought bearings and leaks were the biggest problems?

 

Its not just that, but the increased stress and lower gas milage with the supercharger.

 

i say keep it?


-make it more reliable?-
-i dunno, im about to get mine in a few hrs, waiting for UPS truck to come.

 

I'd keep the supercharger bud. Go back to your stock psi pulley. The bit of lower gas mileage is the price to be gangstaa, and your paying it haha.

Anyway man, hit me up to go shooting range man!

 

Keep it, it is a nice boost in power, maybe not good enough to keep up with turbo guys but its definitely nice to move around in traffic.

More reliable? It seems like the s/c have a good batch and a bad batch, maybe you got a good batch and won't have any issues ever, so don't stress it too bad. Worst case scenario just rebuild it with Kikcaffeines kit

 

I personally think the TRD supercharger is a piece of poop.

The horror stories about that thing seem endless and with it being discontinued if something does happen to it, parts will be hard to find and will begin to be pricey. I wanted one for the increased power but after talking to TRD Sparks I opted not to, it was probably the first time the actually talked me out of a sale.

I don't know if you're going for power, reliability or a combination of both. For reliability take your tC back to stock. For power and reliability....I don't know, you're in Cali so its hard to do anything to the car, you might even get questioned when you put gas in it.

 

I say sell the supercharger kit & hydra, then get a Descedant kit. With a good tune and good driving, a turbo setup can be as reliable as an NA engine.

 

-but he has to smog his car next year, and he won't pass visual, let alone the gas part. unless its all under the table.

 

I thought the Descendant kits were CARB approved?

 

-wow really? in california?

 

i been think about option 1 with my sc.
I want to know how much it cost to go back to stock too.

 

-I would guess like the same price it cost to put the S/C on?

-if it was like that, how about just beefy up the S/c with gompka shaft and bearings, more reliability for the S/C

 

i don't think they are yet..

 

Not really an expert on going turbo or keeping the SC. However the labor costs to revert your setup back to stock would be a pretty big blow. I say keep the S/C (and whatever warrenty information that it came with).

I know that there were talks about someone developing a more balanced shaft for the SC. I would imagine that with that and a nice tune, it would take some pressure off the SC and prevent the more common leaks/ seals breaking and possibly help out with mileage if its de-tuned a bit.

 

Wow! thanks for the input so far.

My only issue is either way that I go, I may need to rent a car or something since I currently use my car to goto work.

I am just disappointed with my car currently and trying to figure out what would be best to do.

 

If you're disappointed with the car then get a turbo and have some fun with it. It seems like whoever decides to go that route seems to enjoy the tC more. But again, not talking from experience, only experiences others have mentioned. If you're trying to figure out pricing costs, heres the best i would imagine.

For option 1 - you would probably be paying similarly to what you paid to put it on (not sure of exact pricing for that)
For option 2 - maybe a detune could cost you a couple hundred bucks, but if a detune was possible, you would be back at around stock HP with a supercharge. Which to me seems like a waste of putting it on in the first place
Option 3 - leave it, and add a turbo kit to it like the ATI tc back in the day

 

I alway forget your name, but if you decided to go back to stock and need an airbox, Ill sell you mine for cheap.


I might just need to borrow it when I smog but thats not for awhile.

 

Get yourself a new car more reliable

 

Keep the SC mike!

And as for the Descendant turbo kit, how would it ever be CARB approved? Turbo kits for us delete the primary catalytic converter.