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Some Basics to the Toyota Tundra Supercharger

Author: JasonLancaster
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Here's a quick look at the numbers for the new Toyota Tundra supercharger from TRD: it adds 504 HP and 550 lb-ft of torque; sells as a complete kit for $5 875; and costs about $6 800 total when installation is figured in, based on a labor rate of $105/hr.

The evolution towards the 5.7-liter TRD supercharger is truly intelligent design. TRD has developed horsepower/torque pushers for the 2000-03 Tundra, the V-6 Tacoma, the Camry Solara, the Scion tC and others. Tundra watchers knew it was only a matter of time before the wizards at TRD addressed the big '07 Tundra. Then, at the November 2007 Specialty Equipment Marketing Association (SEMA) show in Vegas, a concept Tundra Double Cab was spotted with a supercharger and air-to-liquid intercooler generating "approximately" 500 horsepower. Since the Toyota booth display vehicle was attached to a 10,200-pound gooseneck car hauler, the extra power had to be more than simply wishful thinking.

The Tundra TRD supercharger is an Eaton-Roots, or positive displacement type. Fun fact - the patent comes from when Philander and Francis Roots first used the technology way back in 1860 to ventilate mine shafts. When automakers needed to improve engine performance, they had to choose between increasing engine size or efficiency, and went with efficiency. Gottleib Daimler began incorporating blowers into automotive engines in the early 1900s, and they began appearing in racecars and premium autos by the 1920s. Eaton-Roots type superchargers are reliable yet require almost no maintenance, and have the added bonus of eliminating drag on the engine when their boost is not required.

The TRD Tundra supercharger contains Eaton's Twin Vortices System (TVS), which features twin four-lobe rotors with 160 degree twist, improving air-handling, and reducing noise and vibration. The supercharger kit comes with 8 new high-flow fuel injectors, lower heat range iridium-tip spark plugs, and an intercooler. The intercooler decreases air inlet temperature to the engine, which allows for more aggressive ignition timing.

In order to supply the supercharger with enough air, TRD provides a new high-performance air intake, similar to the cold air intake kit offered by TRD as a standalone part. Finally, when installing the supercharger, the engine control unit (ECU) is programmed with a new high performance engine management profile. The reprogramming allows the Tundra to use all the extra power from the supercharger - it changes the engine's timing and the transmission's shift points to maximize power - while still maintaining 50 state emissions certifications.

Toyota's estimated installation time is about 9 hours, and as long as the supercharger is installed by your local Toyota dealer, Toyota will honor the remainder of their 5yr/60k mile powertrain warranty. Considering the quality of TRD's engineering, and Toyota's willingness to honor the full warranty, it's safe to say that adding the supercharger definitely won't hurt your truck.

There's just one catch - the TRD supercharger is only sold as a dealer-installed or over-the-counter option AFTER the sale of a new Tundra. The supercharger cannot be bought or added at the same time as you purchase a new Tundra, and it cannot be financed along with the truck. If you really want to buy your new Tundra with a supercharger, your local dealer can likely work something out, but it'll probably cost you some cash.

About the Author

The author Jason Lancaster operates TundraHeadquarters.com, a web site with information, news, and reviews of Toyota Tundra parts and Tundra accessories.