magnacharger

[TheGoodHummerMan]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Patriot:
"Here in Pa, we have a lot of hills. All my driving is backroad and under 45mph. The H2 just struggles. Low power and TM keep it always looking for the right gear. I'm getting the SC to make it a bit easier on both me and the H2!"
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

You're the perfect person to ask! Since superchargers "kick in" and are most effective between certain rpms, for example between 2700 and 5500 rpms --- how will a supercharger help you if you drive a lot at 45mph? No, I didn't mean to ask a stupid question, it just popped right out!

Lets say you are driving on a relative level section of that Pennsylvania backroad and the engine is not reving very high at all. At that point, the supercharger is doing pretty much nothing, right? But then, lets say you come to an uphill portion of the road. As you begin to climb the hill, the engine downshifts, revs jump and the supercharger starts "working". Instead of laboring up the hill, the H2 engine is comparatively loafing (as compared to me following you in my non-supercharged H2). Then as you crest the hill, the rpms fall back, the supercharger stops boosting and you glide downhill, almost coasting...

The WHOLE point of supercharging in THIS case, is that because the engine is getting a "boost" of air/fuel and is developing more horsepower and torque --- the engine doesn't have to strain to make it up the hill?

Is this why you "sometimes" get increased fuel mileage? Because it is developing more horsepower, it can pull a heavy trailer but not need to drop into a lower gear to do it --- thus using less fuel than given the same situation without a supercharger?

If these questions border on the far side of stupid, please excuse me. I never told anyone I was a member of Mensa...

Thanks!

Ed