I just picked up a 2008 650 Sand Spider and like many others on this site I am not a fan of the tall first gear. On steeper hills the buggy will bog out and die; if I stop on a hill I usually can not hit the gas and go - I have to back up and turn around. Everything runs great on flats and smaller or shorter hills. Reading the forums here it looks like many have either done the Fast Freddies Weber dual-carb/header kit or they have put on a turbo charger. Since I can not do both, which one is better? What are the benefits and disadvantages of each? I am not a super mechanical person; I can change oil, cV joints and I have changed a clutch on my civic; I have never really "tuned" anything other than changing plugs/wires (pathetic, I know). I may try and install whatever one I buy or might just take it to the dealer (who I do not think is incredibly experienced with turbo's). Most of my driving is on ATV trails in the desert; I may go to the sand dunes a few times a year. Let me know what you think.

I would go with a Turbo. Forced induction is usually better than a new carb.

Contact Scott at unleashed motorsports. google it I dont remember his number. He has done alot of upgrade work on the 650 joyner and can help you with a decision and the install.

Thanks for the recomendations; could you tell me the difference between how the two would perform on say, climbing hills, accelleration, top speed, etc?

With the weber setup you will have good power through out the power band...good low end power and more fuel delivery on the top. The power will be instantaneous but will not have the power that is available from turbo.

With a turbo set up there is turbo lag. The engine has to reach a certain rpm for the turbo to kick in. You will always seem to have to have your foot in it to keep up the rpms so you have all available power produced by the turbo.

I would go with the weber setup. It is safer for the engine and will give good results. If a turbo is the way you want to go, I can get those for you also.

Glade

Glade do you have any diagrams of the factory turbos and how they were installed on the 650s. Van

What is the HP difference between the carb. and the turbo?

650spider, does your buggy have the lower ratio trani.?

And when your turbo'd buggy is getting double the HP, LAG is not an issue.


jojano

I don't have anything handy. I can check into it though....if you like.

Glade

Please do, mine doesnt seem to have a return line for the oil that lubes the turbo, and it should, I would really like a digram or schematic of how they configured it if possible. Thanks Van

I don't think the turbo is going to help off the line for high torque needs. I see the same thing with my regularly aspirated 650 when stopping on a steep hill, it is geared so high that I have over-slip the clutch to start or it will stall out.

Can you post the link to the lower 650 gearing?

I think West Coast has some dyno charts for the 650 and 800.
You will be surprized how much more HP you get from beginning to end of the power band compared to stock. About starting from a position on a steep hill. You kina get use to the power band on the turbo. Especially when you launch off the top of that steep hill you were always stuck on. Go turbo it's worth it.

jojano