Almostgraduating

So there are Turbo Chargers, Superchargers and now there are V-Charge Superchargers? I just found this online and thought it was really interesting. Could be the the problem solver for those that want the extra kick in the CVT maximas..right? What do you guys think? According to the read, the whole point of this kind of application is to apply them to a smaller engine in order to make them produce more power like a bigger engine. Kind of like the 2.0turbos in some of the smaller cars right now.

VChargers by Tortrak

Mason Hatcher

I think the whole point of turbo and superchargers is to make them produce power like a larger engine.

And I can't imagine what difference a CVT would make in regards to either type of compressed air for the engine

Fishlet

I think this particular supercharger would work very well for the Max, if it were adjusted correctly. Looking at the video, they are talking about small cars but I can't see why it can't work for a larger car.

The argument against supercharging a car with a CVT is that the steel belt in the CVT can't handle too much power from the engine. So if you boost the horsepower from 300 to 350, you may very well exceed the limit that it can handle

According to the video, the supercharging effect of this unit decreases as the engine revs up, so there is more of a boost on the low end, but less on the high end. So we can get more of the horsepower at lower revs, while not exceeding the max horsepower at high revs.

This wouldn't be of much benefit for top speed, but who should help acceleration, which in my opinion is all that matters

Almostgraduating

Which goes hand in hand with a CVT's ability to function at moderately high speeds at lower revs so the Vsupercharger would be complimentary to the max. Considering a CVT is one of the fastest transmissions there are(totally argueable), it would enable the maxima to accelerate even quicker and maintaining those higher speeds at even lower revs.Though I'm not really sure how it would work on the Xtronic CVT for the maximas. I'd be happy with the performance boost from this and would love to go this route. It's something different, and unheard of by the community. It could be that one thing that changes the game for the maxima and giving it an actual 'racer's experience' and have more of a claim to the 4dsc title. Plus, it saves fuel economy and reaching higher speeds at lower revs puts less stress on the cvt and prolongs engine life right?

RickSmith

I'm confused here. You are claiming "it would enable the maxima to accelerate even quicker and maintaining those higher speeds at even lower revs..." Please explain how this is possible, as the Vsupercharger does not change the transmission ratio, nor does it change the axle final drive ratio.

Darn near impossible I'd say...hold on, impossible I say. If the car is cruising down the road at 70 mph...let's say @ 2000 RPM without a Vsupercharger installed, and you then install a Vsupercharger, what RPM will the car be turning at 70 mph? My money is on 2000 RPM.

"Plus, it saves fuel economy and reaching higher speeds at lower revs puts less stress on the CVT and prolongs engine life right?"


Please explain this one too.

Fishlet

Hi Ricksmith,

Are you saying you do not think this would work?

The concept seemed pretty fascinating to me. The typical supercharger adds more boost the faster the engine goes. It's a simple mechanism, the faster the engine turns, the faster the air is pumped into the engine. This supercharger uses its own "CVT" to reduce the boost as the Rpms increase. The goal... to prevent having too much boost on the high end. Having too much power at high Rpms is what threatens the Maxima tranny.

Disclaimer, im no mechanical engineer so I could be totally wrong, but the video seems pretty convincing.

Almostgraduating

Just going by what the video shows and also from reading a few things over there website and watching Torotrak videos. You're getting higher level of air compressed boosts at low speed rather than having the boost increasing with the engine rpm. And as your rpm goes higher, your boost tapers off, leaving your rpm lower than a conventional turbo or supercharger. Also I'm not claiming anything, these are just my assumptions based off of what I'm reading/seeing. I'm not an engineer either. I think its a really cool idea and would love to try it once my warranty expires. And as for the fuel thing i'm assuming if your boost kicks in at lower revs, you reach your desireable speed faster at a lower rpm since most fuel consumption is during acceleration rather than driving at a constant speed with a constant rpm rate.

Almostgraduating

http://www.torotrak.com/products-par...ucts/v-charge/

Almostgraduating

RickSmith

I don't doubt the Vsupercharger works...I just want @Almostgraduating to explain his more power/less rpm/better fuel economy claims.

Almostgraduating

like i said, i'm not claiming anything. I'm just assuming based on my understanding of the videos and research material.

RickSmith

Great answer...say your not claiming anything when asked to explain your claims.

But...you did make those claims that I quoted, didn't you?

Was your account hacked?

Almostgraduating

I apologize if what I said sounded that way but it could be my poor choice of words because I was eagerly excited while reading about this. Like I said, not an engineer just a enthusiast trying to learn as much as he can.

Fishlet

It's all good, thanks for sharing the link and video, it was very interesting and informative. I've been wondering for a while if such a thing existed, but didn't know the words were to describe it. Sounds like something I'd like to try myself (after the warranty expires of course)

BlueSR

If you are lucky, you may be able to install the VCharger onto your.....9th gen Maxima

Almostgraduating

If commercialized by then and NIssan decides to stay with the CVT theme, maybe it'll be an addon for the higher trim levels.

RickSmith

This VSupercharger talk is pie in the sky, “I want a pony for Christmas” talk. It will never happen. Because why? Because for the simple reason Turbocharging is the wave of the future because of CAFE, requiring automakers to raise the average fuel efficiency of new cars and trucks to 54.5 miles per gallon by 2025.

Superchargers by design require horsepower to operate. Horsepower that has a negative impact on MPG.

As the article stated, “So far, none of these options are in significant production.” These options are an answer that none of the manufactures are asking.

Notice that only super high horsepower cars have superchargers…

Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat
Chevy Camaro ZL1
Chevy Corvette Z06 and Z07
Cadillac CTS-V
Jaguar F-Type

What did Infinity do? Why didn’t they use the VSupercharger instead of Twin Turbos on their new 3.0 V6?

"Most advanced V6 ever offered by Infinity...RWD and 7 speed transmission"

New VR-series engine becomes the lightest, most powerful, cleanest and most fuel-efficient V6 engine that INFINITI has ever offered

Two power outputs available: 400 or 300 horsepower

Series of technical innovations enhance drivability and performance

Compact layout features new integrated exhaust manifold

The 3.0-liter V6 twin-turbo engine family will first be available in the 2016 INFINITI Q50 sports sedan

As Steven Tyler sings in the Aerosmith song “Dream On”...
Dream on, dream on, dream on
Dream on, dream on, dream on
Dream on, dream on, dream on
Dream until your dreams come true

Fishlet

Oh they WILL stay with the CVT. The GTR is coming out with one next year

Seriously though, there is nothing fundamentally wrong with the CVT, the only limitation is with the belt strength... which is already a steel belt in the Maxima (I think). someone in another thread say it's rated at around 280lbs of torque.

There's always a niche market for performance parts, if there are enough Maximas out there the market will catch up. I hear the base model is a popular rental car, so maybe there may be a bunch of used S and SVs on the road in a couple years... just waiting to be tuned. As Rick said, probably the turbo is preferable to this Vcharger... in any case if it functions the way I described above it shouldn't do any damage to the car

Almostgraduating

If they do a GTR with a CVT, and is able to create an engine that produces hp matching or comes somewhat close to the current gtr which i believe will definitely be faster than the current gen maxima. Wouldn't we be able to mod the maxima engine with the next year gtr parts? Would love to know more about how this would work, if possible.

RickSmith

You are not aware that @Fishlet is being humorous when he makes the GTR-CVT statement.

Will not happen. Ever.