Survey: Who has a turbo / supercharger / stroker and why?

What do you have?

  • Turbo

    Votes: 3 10.7%
  • Turbo w/intercooler

    Votes: 5 17.9%
  • Supercharger

    Votes: 5 17.9%
  • Supercharger w/cooler

    Votes: 3 10.7%
  • Stroker (self built)

    Votes: 7 25.0%
  • Stroker (bought)

    Votes: 5 17.9%

  • Total voters
    28

RubiconMike

TJ Enthusiast
Supporting Member
Joined
Oct 25, 2018
Messages
346
Location
Santa Cruz, CA
I'm curious about how many folks ponied up the big dough to get big power. Why did you choose to go the route you did and were there other things you were considering?

NOTE: There are no "Best" or "wrong" choices. I don't want this to deteriorate into a argument over the best way to add power to a TJ, I'm just curious who has done what and why. I'd like to limit this to a discussion of just forced air and strokers.

Politeness counts!
 
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My last TJ had the Boosted Tech supercharger, and I'm in the process of putting the Magnum Powers supercharger on my current TJ.

Why did I do it? Simple:

When you are going up a mountain pass in a TJ with an automatic transmission, you'll be in 4th gear at 60 mph with the OD on. When you decide you want to pass someone, you turn the OD off (so it kicks it into 3rd gear), expecting to pass someone with ease. Instead, there is no discernible difference in power, just a difference in noise. It goes from loud to louder, yet you aren't really going any faster.

The supercharger takes care of this 100%. Instead of not being able to pass someone, all it takes is half throttle or less (and no downshift) to pass.

My goal is to have around 270rwhp, which should be very, very possible, considering I'll be running 11 psi, and the air will be cooled via a heat exchanger and a water-to-air aftercooler.

For those who are curious, this is the kit I have:
https://magnumpowers.com/product/ornare-et/

I had considered going with a stroker, but I hear about too many long term / longevity issues with them. The other thing is that with the Golen stroker engine I was looking at, they wanted something like $6500. For $5000 I can get a supercharger which will have more power, more tunability, and won't require swapping in an entirely new engine.

With the supercharger, I also have the ability to run up to 25 psi should I ever decide to strengthen my engine. So I like that there is room to grow.
 
There are several ways to get a large increase in power from the 4.0, stroker motors, superchargers, and turbos to name a few. I went with the Banks turbo and intercooler setup for several reasons:

Banks reputation - They are known for making quality kits, and have a reputation as one of the best in the aftermarket turbo business. Also, they seem like someone who will be around for years to support their products.

Ease of installation - The Banks kits are complete, I did not need to go to the hardware store for misc nuts, bolts, etc. and did not have to fabricate or customize things to "make them fit". The kit can be installed by one person with hand tools and average skills in 2 ~ 3 days. It does require welding a bung on the oil pan, so you may need to take the oil pan to a welder. The instructions are very complete, follow them step-by-step and it's pretty simple.

It's a small turbo, so it spools up fast. That means no noticeable turbo lag, and Banks claims more torque at 1,600 rpm than the factory motor makes at peak. So it's still a good torque-y motor for rock-crawling. It's *not* a peaky rice-rocket motor.

Turbos are throttle-dependent, not rpm-dependent like a supercharger. If I don't want boost, I just use a light pressure on the throttle. When I put my foot in it, the power is there.

Forgot to add: 100% California Air Resources Board (CARB) legal. No issues passing smog (except for idiot kids that don't know how to verify aftermarket equipment - not Banks' fault).

I've been running the turbo setup for a couple of years now, and couldn't be happier. There are no drivability or reliability issues that I've come across, and I love having the extra power when I need it. Like I said, there are several ways to get big power increases for the 4.0. After weighing the pros and cons of each this is the path I chose, others may choose differently for their own reasons.
 
My last TJ had the Boosted Tech supercharger, and I'm in the process of putting the Magnum Powers supercharger on my current TJ.

Why did I do it? Simple:

When you are going up a mountain pass in a TJ with an automatic transmission, you'll be in 4th gear at 60 mph with the OD on. When you decide you want to pass someone, you turn the OD off (so it kicks it into 3rd gear), expecting to pass someone with ease. Instead, there is no discernible difference in power, just a difference in noise. It goes from loud to louder, yet you aren't really going any faster.

The supercharger takes care of this 100%. Instead of not being able to pass someone, all it takes is half throttle or less (and no downshift) to pass.

My goal is to have around 270rwhp, which should be very, very possible, considering I'll be running 11 psi, and the air will be cooled via a heat exchanger and a water-to-air aftercooler.

For those who are curious, this is the kit I have:
https://magnumpowers.com/product/ornare-et/

Don't forget to take the survey!
 
There are several ways to get a large increase in power from the 4.0, stroker motors, superchargers, and turbos to name a few. I went with the Banks turbo and intercooler setup for several reasons:

Banks reputation - They are known for making quality kits, and have a reputation as one of the best in the aftermarket turbo business. Also, they seem like someone who will be around for years to support their products.

Ease of installation - The Banks kits are complete, I did not need to go to the hardware store for misc nuts, bolts, etc. and did not have to fabricate or customize things to "make them fit". The kit can be installed by one person with hand tools and average skills in 2 ~ 3 days. It does require welding a bung on the oil pan, so you may need to take the oil pan to a welder. The instructions are very complete, follow them step-by-step and it's pretty simple.

It's a small turbo, so it spools up fast. That means no noticeable turbo lag, and Banks claims more torque at 1,600 rpm than the factory motor makes at peak. So it's still a good torque-y motor for rock-crawling. It's *not* a peaky rice-rocket motor.

Turbos are throttle-dependent, not rpm-dependent like a supercharger. If I don't want boost, I just use a light pressure on the throttle. When I put my foot in it, the power is there.

Forgot to add: 100% California Air Resources Board (CARB) legal. No issues passing smog (except for idiot kids that don't know how to verify aftermarket equipment - not Banks' fault).

I've been running the turbo setup for a couple of years now, and couldn't be happier. There are no drivability or reliability issues that I've come across, and I love having the extra power when I need it. Like I said, there are several ways to get big power increases for the 4.0. After weighing the pros and cons of each this is the path I chose, others may choose differently for their own reasons.

I went to their web site, looks like a nice system. I didn't see anything about CARB certification, is it legal in CA?
 
I went to their web site, looks like a nice system. I didn't see anything about CARB certification, is it legal in CA?

Nope, not CARB legal unfortunately. Not to my knowledge at least.

The guy who builds them lives very close to me. He manufactures everything, including the supercharger unit itself! Pretty darn impressive I must say.
 
Wow, he builds his own supercharger? That a Roots-type, they have to be very precise to work correctly. Kudos to him for being able to do it!

My understanding is that it's pretty expensive to go through the CARB certification process, which prices smaller businesses out of the market.
 
Wow, he builds his own supercharger? That a Roots-type, they have to be very precise to work correctly. Kudos to him for being able to do it!

Yep, he does indeed!

His design is based on an Eaton M90, but it's highly modified to be much more efficient. He explained the details to me, but a lot of it went over my head.

He's a smart guy. He started with muscle cars and got into building them for Jeeps by accident.
 
There are several ways to get a large increase in power from the 4.0, stroker motors, superchargers, and turbos to name a few. I went with the Banks turbo and intercooler setup for several reasons:

Banks reputation - They are known for making quality kits, and have a reputation as one of the best in the aftermarket turbo business. Also, they seem like someone who will be around for years to support their products.

Ease of installation - The Banks kits are complete, I did not need to go to the hardware store for misc nuts, bolts, etc. and did not have to fabricate or customize things to "make them fit". The kit can be installed by one person with hand tools and average skills in 2 ~ 3 days. It does require welding a bung on the oil pan, so you may need to take the oil pan to a welder. The instructions are very complete, follow them step-by-step and it's pretty simple.

I'll reply to this one so folks can compare sorta. I've installed several of the Boosted Technologies units and we can do one in about 8 hours taking our time and being careful. The second one went much faster due to large improvements by BT. Similar to your install, pretty basic with some fiddly bits, but nothing a moderately mechanical person can't do.

It's a small turbo, so it spools up fast. That means no noticeable turbo lag, and Banks claims more torque at 1,600 rpm than the factory motor makes at peak. So it's still a good torque-y motor for rock-crawling. It's *not* a peaky rice-rocket motor.

Turbos are throttle-dependent, not rpm-dependent like a supercharger. If I don't want boost, I just use a light pressure on the throttle. When I put my foot in it, the power is there.

I bought and installed one because I could and because I wanted to know several things about them.
1- do they kill motors like everyone says? No they don't. Like most things, how you do it and what you pay attention to is far more important than the mod.
2- are they the pain in the ass throttle on throttle off switch that everyone says they are? No they aren't. In fact, unless you put your foot in it and don't listen for the gear rattle from the straight cut gears in the rotor drive, you can NOT even tell there is a significant increase in power. The stock drivability is wholly unaffected and charger is 100% transparent until you put your foot in it. That doesn't matter if it is at idle or near full throttle, demand is what produces the response, not throttle position.

3- are they worth the time and effort? To me, yes they are. There are few ways to bolt on solid horsepower gains with few other effects in a couple days and then just go put a smile on your face every time you drive it.

4- Is that it, just bolt it on and go? Yes and no. There are worthwhile benefits from better exhaust, better throttle body, better rockers, and of course, better tuning than what comes with the kits. You can run it as is, you can tinker with it and make it better. A gauge set with boost/vacuum and an AFR gauge are your friends.

Forgot to add: 100% California Air Resources Board (CARB) legal. No issues passing smog (except for idiot kids that don't know how to verify aftermarket equipment - not Banks' fault).

I've been running the turbo setup for a couple of years now, and couldn't be happier. There are no drivability or reliability issues that I've come across, and I love having the extra power when I need it. Like I said, there are several ways to get big power increases for the 4.0. After weighing the pros and cons of each this is the path I chose, others may choose differently for their own reasons.

I have a friend looking hard at the Banks stuff. He has indicated that the kit is only CARB compliant for certain years that don't include his. As we know, the BT stuff isn't compliant either so when I did my install, I built a duplicate set of everything that had to be modified. When it comes smog time, I spend a few hours, convert it back to stock, get it smogged, reinstall every thing and I'm good for another 2 years.
 
I supercharged my 4.0 because I use my Jeep to haul my 5x8 trailer and drag motorcycles home, and I like to be able to maintain interstate speeds and accelerate up hills lol Plus who doesn't like MORE POWER?!?!

I debated the blower or an LS swap, but didn't want to deal with the expense, labor, and down time of the LS swap. Found a killer deal on a used Kenne Bell setup and the rest is history! I would certainly do it again, it makes my Jeep a lot more fun on the street and i have all the power I need when i need it!.
 
Maybe I'm an outlier, but I'm turbocharged with less power, but big torque down low. And obviously diesel (if that even counts for this post) why not have a turbo? I may have not gotten an intercooler but Cummins told me to and I obeyed.

Personally I wrestled with this since I really like the 4.0. I probably would have gone stroker and some gearing though if I kept the 4.0, just to make it a bit better on the highway. IMO the beauty of the 4.0 is simplicity and I felt forced induction went slightly against that idea, but there's something nice about the whine that makes me smile. Obviously power is pretty easy with a quality forced induction system.

I wanted a diesel TJ and bought my Jeep exclusively for a diesel swap. I like the 4.0 so much though that it made it a really hard decision to pull that engine. Ultimately it was the thought that any day of the week I can run out and buy a TJ with a 4.0, but couldn't do that for a diesel. I need to sell the 4.0, but it's even hard to part with it as it seems like I could use it for something.
 
My last TJ had the Boosted Tech supercharger, and I'm in the process of putting the Magnum Powers supercharger on my current TJ.

Why did I do it? Simple:

When you are going up a mountain pass in a TJ with an automatic transmission, you'll be in 4th gear at 60 mph with the OD on. When you decide you want to pass someone, you turn the OD off (so it kicks it into 3rd gear), expecting to pass someone with ease. Instead, there is no discernible difference in power, just a difference in noise. It goes from loud to louder, yet you aren't really going any faster.

The supercharger takes care of this 100%. Instead of not being able to pass someone, all it takes is half throttle or less (and no downshift) to pass.

My goal is to have around 270rwhp, which should be very, very possible, considering I'll be running 11 psi, and the air will be cooled via a heat exchanger and a water-to-air aftercooler.

For those who are curious, this is the kit I have:
https://magnumpowers.com/product/ornare-et/

I had considered going with a stroker, but I hear about too many long term / longevity issues with them. The other thing is that with the Golen stroker engine I was looking at, they wanted something like $6500. For $5000 I can get a supercharger which will have more power, more tunability, and won't require swapping in an entirely new engine.

With the supercharger, I also have the ability to run up to 25 psi should I ever decide to strengthen my engine. So I like that there is room to grow.

Chris, What made you decide to go with a Magnum power supercharger this time over the Boosted tech?
I was originally considering the Boosted Tech setup, however the cost has jumped up almost 1k over the past couple of years. This puts their kit in the same price range as a Sprintex, which includes a new not rebuilt supercharger and 6 injectors.
With 108k on my odometer, I plan on pulling the head and doing a valve job with some light porting to the exhaust side. I'll also install ARP head studs as I do intend on running 8-10lbs of boost.
 
My goal is to have around 270rwhp, which should be very, very possible, considering I'll be running 11 psi, and the air will be cooled via a heat exchanger and a water-to-air aftercooler.

For those who are curious, this is the kit I have:
https://magnumpowers.com/product/ornare-et/
With 108k on my odometer, I plan on pulling the head and doing a valve job with some light porting to the exhaust side. I'll also install ARP head studs as I do intend on running 8-10lbs of boost.
What sort of modifications do you have to do to run 10/11 psi of boost? (Is there a good article or guide somewhere?)
 
What sort of modifications do you have to do to run 10/11 psi of boost? (Is there a good article or guide somewhere?)

Not much other than probably some ARB head studs and an intercooler setup. You'd also want higher flow injectors obviously, and some other minor stuff. But you should be able to run that psi on stock internals from everyone I've talked to. That's about as high as you can go on stock internals.
 
Chris, What made you decide to go with a Magnum power supercharger this time over the Boosted tech?
I was originally considering the Boosted Tech setup, however the cost has jumped up almost 1k over the past couple of years. This puts their kit in the same price range as a Sprintex, which includes a new not rebuilt supercharger and 6 injectors.
With 108k on my odometer, I plan on pulling the head and doing a valve job with some light porting to the exhaust side. I'll also install ARP head studs as I do intend on running 8-10lbs of boost.

Better design by far.

The Magnum Powers is a clean sheet design, not a repurposed supercharger from an old Buick. It's more efficient, flows better, and puts out considerably more power. The Sprintex unit is complete garbage. After talking to Charles from Magnum Powers and finding out how those are made, I'd never even consider buying one.

The Magnum Powers also comes with a water-to-air setup, an aftercooler, and more. This is one more reason it's able to make more power (aside from being a better design). The Boosted Tech unit can only put out about 6 psi since it doesn't come with any sort of cooling setup.

In addition, Mark at Boosted Tech is sort of resting on his laurels with that setup. Rick Rimmer designed the supercharger but left the company. Mark scrambled to try and figure things out, but he's not an engineer by any means. Last I heard from a number of people, the customer service is horrible (which makes sense), and there's some shortcomings with the design.

Mark is a nice guy for sure, he just doesn't know anything technical about the kit he sells, since he didn't design it, and the guy who did took off and left.
 
Better design by far.

The Magnum Powers is a clean sheet design, not a repurposed supercharger from an old Buick. It's more efficient, flows better, and puts out considerably more power. The Sprintex unit is complete garbage. After talking to Charles from Magnum Powers and finding out how those are made, I'd never even consider buying one.

The Magnum Powers also comes with a water-to-air setup, an aftercooler, and more. This is one more reason it's able to make more power (aside from being a better design). The Boosted Tech unit can only put out about 6 psi since it doesn't come with any sort of cooling setup.

In addition, Mark at Boosted Tech is sort of resting on his laurels with that setup. Rick Rimmer designed the supercharger but left the company. Mark scrambled to try and figure things out, but he's not an engineer by any means. Last I heard from a number of people, the customer service is horrible (which makes sense), and there's some shortcomings with the design.

Mark is a nice guy for sure, he just doesn't know anything technical about the kit he sells, since he didn't design it, and the guy who did took off and left.

Did a little more reading on the Sprintex, seems like longevity is questionable and there are tuning issues. I would love to invest in the Magnum Power setup, but its out of my price range. Plus my wife would shoot me.
I have read a lot of good things about Boosted Tech in the past, but with the current pricing for a rebuilt unit and what your telling me about whats going on within the company, I'm going to hold off for a bit.
Thanks for your quick response.
 
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