Corky Bell, the author of the best selling Maximum
Boost, has done it again with the publication of
Supercharged! Design, Testing and Installation of
Supercharger Systems. Superchargers have become one of
the most popular performance bolt-on products for all
engine sizes-from the diminutive, but powerful, Honda
and other import four cylinder engines, to Porsche and
BMW engines, and Detroit's V6s and V8s. However, bolting
a system on that works to the enthusiast's expectations
and at the same time is reliable has been a "mystic
art." No longer! As with turbochargers, Corky Bell
provides clear and comprehensive information on how to
select, size, and install a complete supercharger system
that is both successful and reliable. This comprehensive
book with numerous illustrations deals with all aspects
of the supercharger system from the initial planning to
the actual implementation. Corky begins at the beginning
devoting chapters to the three basic types of
superchargers, giving the reader a grounding in the
pluses and minuses of the Roots type, centrifugal, and
screw-type superchargers. From there he moves onto to
the other elements of a supercharger system, devoting a
chapter each to: intercooling, electronic fuel
injection, secondary components, and drive mechanisms.
There are also chapters devoted to engine preparation,
mounting the supercharger, and testing procedures. Each
chapter is complete with accurate information, such as
formulas for calculating necessary elements of the
system, like size of the supercharger, intercooler,
drive mechanisms, etc. But Supercharged! is not just
theory. Corky gets down to the hands-on application of
his information. In the chapter "Implementing the
Design" he takes us step by step through the
calculations, design, installation, and testing of an
original supercharger system for a BMW Z3 that ends up
producing 10 more horsepower than originally estimated
to propel the car down the drag strip in the mid-14
second range. In the next chapter, "Installing a
Supercharger Kit," he shows us how to install and dyno
check a Toyota off-the-shelf factory system on a Toyota
pick-up truck. A suppliers list and glossary are also
included at the end of the book. The supercharger has
become the most powerful piece of bolt-on performance
equipment. For anyone interested in installing a
supercharger system, or just in learning about them,
Supercharged! Designing, Testing, and Installing
Supercharger Systems is a must have book!
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