Procharger vs. Supercharger: What's the Difference?
Hannah DeWitt
· 4 min read
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Many gearheads are interested in modified cars, whether it’s fitting their vehicle for the racetrack or just giving them more oomph. Adding a supercharger or procharger is one way to do this, but these parts aren’t exactly the same.
The main goal of these upgrades is to get more oxygen into the engine so that fuel will burn faster, which will improve the car’s performance.
According to
HotCars
, though prochargers and superchargers are variations of the same part and perform similar functions, they use different technology.Are you overpaying for your car insurance?
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What is a supercharger?
Superchargers are a relatively cheap way to give your car more power. There are a few types of superchargers, each with its own pros and cons. They are versatile, and there are many styles out there, so practically any car could have one. However, their size often requires some hood
modifications
.The largest, most basic option is the Roots supercharger. When installed, it’s nestled in with the intake manifold and usually juts up through the hood of the car.
This supercharger works by using mesh lobes that push air back and forth between them to build up pressure inside the intake manifold. This allows air to be shot into the engine in short gusts. Each time a burst of air hits the engine, the car gets a surge of power.
There are also twin-screw superchargers, which use two long, spinning, screw-like parts to draw the air in and store it to build up pressure. These are much smaller than Roots superchargers, so they don’t take up as much room, but their noise level usually requires a sound suppression system.
Superchargers give drivers quick access to the generated power, but since the air only hits the engine in short spurts, cars tend to lag a bit. The system can also seriously decrease range and make it expensive to fuel up performance cars since it relies on the engine for power.
What is a procharger?
MORE: 4 Classic Cars You Shouldn't Modify
Prochargers have a solution to this problem. Unlike a basic supercharger, the procharger gives the engine a steady stream of air.
A procharger is a type of centrifugal supercharger that uses a rotating impeller to draw air into itself. Once air is inside the impeller, it is then directed outward in a circular manner. The air is converted to high pressure so that it’s driven out of the procharger and into the engine with a constant amount of force. The consistent pressure takes away any lag for a smooth increase in power.
The procharger is attached to the engine itself and is compact enough that extra modifications aren’t usually necessary. They also don’t take more than the legal limit of power, which superchargers tend to do.
However, they can be pricier than superchargers and emit a loud whine when they operate.
How to care for modified cars
MORE: Car Modifications that are Illegal in the U.S.
Whichever "charger" you choose for your car, you should know that installing them will increase your engine’s heat and put additional stress on it. If you don’t service your car regularly, maintenance costs could get high.
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