Super charger review

A trans cooler is a good idea.

No need for the alternator tho, its a small pump.

 

I got employee pricing on the supercharger install, so what I paid wont help anyone make a decision. It didn't save me a lot on the supercharger its self, just a little cheaper on labor.

My TRD pro came with the tow package. If you build one online it shows the tow package now as part of the package.

I have 2000 miles on my truck now and still love the super charger. I agree with everyone that Toyota should have included this on the Tacoma as an option. This truck stock is so under powered by today's standards.

Glad I bought a 2015, I think the 2016 are as ugly as Toyota could have made them inside an out.

One thing to let people know about on the TRD Pros, the suspension they use has a lot off front end dip under medium to hard braking. Also at 100 mph it is not as stable as other trucks I have owned. The rear of the vehicle also sits slightly lower on the double cab. I might end of changing the rear springs to lift it slightly. I just want to make sure the springs have settled all the way. I was also worried about spin the rear tires a lot with the extra power, the TRD Pro suspension is soft enough to apply the power to the ground without spinning.

Dont let anyone kid you, the superchargers do make some noise above 2000 rpms on any acceleration more than just barely pushing the gas. But the power extra power is worth it.

I will try and do an accurate video of what the supercharger sounds like under normal driving. The one on YouTube is not completely accurate. the hard acceleration ones are accurate.

 

Got a 2014 with TRD Exhaust and AFE intake when i bought mine ("switched" from my trade in 2011)
Had the S/C installed half a year later.

Now believe it or not at high rpms (3k and up) the S/C is quieter than it was before with just the Intake and Exhaust.

 

I had the SC, trd exhaust and CAI installed at about 10000 miles. I don't hear the SC or exhaust anymore.

The dealer where I service at removed the CAI as its not (supposedly) compatible with the SC and I was getting the CEL.

It definitely is more fun to drive with the SC installed. Coming from a diesel engine with lots of torque, I found the V6 was a little dead on the low end. The SC fixed that.

 

How is drivability with a 6-speed manual? I'd love to have one, but mine suffers from a poor shifting trans. (Not debating that issue here) I'm concerned with building boost and enjoying the acceleration up till the point of having to shift, because it takes a long time to get in gear.

 

Just get one, you won't regret it.

 

Nissan/Infinit does this well with the VQ engine in the G37's... naturally aspirated V6 that gets more hp than the twin turbo'd bimmers.

 

Of course you were doing this speed on a track, right?

Honestly, I think most of the squirreliness you might be feeling at those speeds is the stock crap ass BFG A/T tires. I've run them at high speeds on my patrol vehicles and they are one of the worst. Granted, any A/T tire isn't exactly designed for Formula 1 conditions, but there are better options.

 

Breaking news, you dont have to be on a track to go 100 mph in a Tacoma.

It is more the long travel shocks at high speed than the tires. I have had BFG All Terrian for years on my other truck, I have been 80 mph on twisty 40 mph road with people falling out of view of my rear view mirror or so far up there a** they thought it was a Porsche in stead of S10 ZR2 behind them. Keep in mind tire manufactors change the tire componds with out telling us that theydid and they will call them the same tire model. The last set of BFGs was my worse as far as understeer and grip in the wet period, my best set was made in Japan about 2-3 years ago.

 

Costs for the SC can be all over the place. I had 4 dealers in Las Vegas to choose from. I could get the full kit and fit kit from Dallas Toyota shipped for about $4900. I could buy the parts from the dealer for $5200 up to $5700. I could get it installed $800 to $1700. One place offered $800 install if I payed $5700 for the parts. One wouldn't install the parts if I bought them from somewhere else. Two dealers said $1000 install.

I ended up going with the dealership that had the second best overall price and had a very active TRD mod section. I met the master tech before I decided and he convinced me he had done lots of them. They also gave me a rental Tacoma. I payed close to $5900

Drop it off on Monday, don't expect it back till Thursday. The tech gets payed by the job, not by the hour, he'll do it fast as he can, but let him know if he needs to step back and work a better paying job etc no hurry. Buy him pizza before to show your appreciation. Appreciate his skills. By the book it's a 10 hr install, more like 2 days. If it takes 3, no worries.

It's a wonderful increase in HP, worth every penny. It's the ONLY way for a big HP increase. I got the extended warranty so my 2014 Tacoma Sport with all the bells and whistles AND SC is covered till 2022. I'm not a big milage guy (5100 miles in 10 months) so in 2022 I'll get the SC rebuild, probably $1500ish.

I have also heard the SC needs removed to change spark plugs. Not sure about that. That's at 30k, and don't think that is covered in free maintenance. Probably an extra $300 and hope they put it on right.

Look at getting an oil catch can when you get the SC, easy enuff to install yourself.

 

Not true, the boosted 3 series has been dyno'd by several magazines and it has been proven BMW has underrated the HP ratings. The boosted 3 series are actually 340-360 hp. The reason BMW underrated the HP ratings is because they didn't want the boosted 3 series to cut into the M3/M4 sales.

 

Okay, but it's pretty damn close. A car with a 6 cylinder with TWO turbos should be walking away from a naturally aspirated 6 cylinder, and it doesn't.

The VQ with a supercharger is a beast.

I like both cars, to be honest. But I'd bank on the reliability of the Infiniti, not the Bimmer.

 

True on the reliability of the Infiniti compared to the BMW. I had a 3 series and it was great when it was running right.

 

The 2GR puts out 300+ HP with direct-injection in the Lexus IS. Interesting to see which version of the 2GR ends up in the new '16 Taco. If the Big T wants it to have 300 HP...it's there for the taking.

 

It's actually normal believe it or not. Burning smell? Unless they had some oil or coolant leak somewhere and they didn't wipe it clean then that would be the only burning smell I could think of.

 

Burning smell is normal, did it on mine for about 3 weeks. I think it is the paint on the supercharger are maybe some sort of assembly lube. Noticed more after driving hard.

 

Yep this is true. Its actually not that difficult to do, I was able to replace those 3 spark plugs in under an hour. The most difficult part was getting the belt on and off.

 

There's a couple of guys on here that have taken the spark plugs out without removing the SC. You just gotta use a bunch of universal joints.

 

What will a SC do to gas mileage? I have an 05 DCLB with a 3" lift and some heavy tires, so my truck is a pooch. would love to get more HP out of it for towing, but not at the expense of MPG.....

 

As long as you're not on boost, nothing but since you're lifted and have heavy tires you'll get the same crappy mileage and probably worst if you're always on boost. Several guys on here have the SC with no issues will mileage.