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There was a time when the V8 reigned supreme. When Theres no replacement for displacement! was affixed to every chromed-out muscle cars bumper. As Bob Dylan once said, though, The times, they are a-changin and in the automotive world, that change brings turbochargers.
A turbocharger is a system that helps an engine produce more power and torque through forced induction. Essentially, a turbo sucks in air, chills it, and then force-feeds the engine more air than what it would get through its standard intake. The end result is a lot more Whee!
Yet, turbochargers can be mysterious and their inner workings can seem impregnable to fully understand. They dont have to be. With The Drives crack informational team by your side, well get you from squinting at your engine and wrongly pointing to the starter to overnight parts from Japan…or Austria.
Ready? Steady? Go!
A turbocharger!
Further Mods To Aid Reliability And Power
When adding a turbo, for maximum performance gains, you should also get the head flowed, increase the port size, fit bigger valves and go with a larger exhaust header and system as there will be a much larger volume of air flowing through the engine.
Fitting an adjustable boost controller will allow you to experiment on a rolling road while attached to diagnostic equipment to find the optimum boost pressure and timing advance.
Particular attention should be paid to fuelling. More air requires more fuel or you risk the danger of burning too lean.
You also want to avoid over fuelling when the boost from the turbo drops as this can destroy the engine.
On most aftermarket turbo applications it is unlikely that the cars existing fuel delivery system will be able to deliver sufficient fuel so you will need to uprate the fuel pressure with a new pump and fuel pressure regulator, the injectors will also need uprating.
The car computer will also need to take into account the new fuelling requirements of a turbo, especially with regard to throttle position and wastegate control and rapidly changing fuel requirements between on and off boost conditions.
The air intake will also require upgrading, as few OEM air intakes can cope with the air requirements of a 40% power hike.
We strongly recommend a good aftermarket ECU to allow you to create a custom map for your new turbocharged engine.
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Cheap Used Turbo Cars
The pictures and descriptions below are of new cars for the 2021 model year. Since many of these cars have not been redesigned in the last couple of years, you could save thousands of dollars by buying a nearly identical used model.
Below each car is a description of the used model years that might interest you. There is a link to Carfax Used Car Listings, where each one comes with a free Carfax Vehicle History Report.
2021 Volkswagen Jetta / Photo Credit: Volkswagen
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What To Do If You Have A Blown Turbo
If you think you might have a blown turbo, get it looked at as soon as possible by a qualified technician. The longer you leave it, the more damage it’ll cause, and the more expensive it’ll be to fix the problem.
At Halfords Autocentres, we offer a Diagnostic Check for just £49.99. Our ATA-trained technicians use state-of-the-art car diagnostic test equipment to identify and advise on any necessary repairs. If your turbo does need replacing, a full quote will be provided before additional work is carried out. Only then will our team fit the right Original Equipment turbo to your vehicle.
Shopping For A Used Honda Civic
Honda redesigned the Civic sedan 2016 and has since made the Honda Sensing suite of ADAS features standard. The Civics hatchback body style launched in 2017. If you can find a used model between the years 2016 and 2020 with the features you are looking for, you can save yourself some money.
2021 Honda Accord / Photo Credit: Honda
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How To Tell If Your Turbo Is Blown
A turbocharger, also known as a turbo, is a clever device designed to boost engine power. Following the introduction of UK emissions laws, many car manufacturers now use turbos to deliver the same power found in larger, more powerful cars, while allowing motorists to enjoy the financial and environmental benefits that come with having a smaller engine.
Although designed to last as long as the car does, it is possible for turbos to become damaged over time. Find out more about what causes turbo failure below, and what you can do about it.
How To Tune Your Turbo Engine
February 3, 2015 by Muscle Car DiY
While this book is primarily concerned with the mechanical world, todays high performance engines have their mechanical and electronic functions fully integrated. In order to become successful with your project, you must become familiar with the basics of the electronic systems that control and monitor your engine. It isnt possible to cover everything in a single chapter, so instead well review some general info to get you started on the right foot. Well also talk about some very important references and additional publications that cover more specific aspects in greater depth.
This Tech Tip is From the Full Book, TURBO: REAL WORLD HIGH-PERFORMANCE TURBOCHARGER SYSTEMS. For a comprehensive guide on this entire subject you can visit this link:
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS BOOK HERE
Please feel free to share this article on Facebook, in Forums, or with any Clubs you participate in. You can copy and paste this link to share: https://musclecardiy.com/performance/tune-turbo-engine/
Tuning is more than just setting a new computer program to map fuel and boost profiles. There still are several mechanical adjustments that will typically need to be made, along with computer program changes. With most turbo setups, some variables are set mechanically, others digitally. There are many things going on inside a modern turbocharged engine that all happen so fast that it can be virtually impossible to tell whats going on unless you can record it.
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What Do I Need To Know To Choose The Right Diesel Upgrade Turbocharger
The amount of power that a diesel engine makes is directly proportional to the amount of fuel injected into the cylinder and that fuel needs sufficient air for complete combustion. For smoke-free performance, the engine needs about 18 times more air than fuel. So clearly, as more fuel is added, additional air needs to be added also. In most applications, the stock turbo has some additional capacity for increased power, but as the compressor reaches the choke limit , the turbo speed increases rapidly, the efficiency drops dramatically, and the compressor discharge temperature ramps up very quickly. This creates a snowball effect in that the higher discharge temps mean higher intake manifold temps and higher exhaust gas temps.
The lower efficiency means that more turbine power is required to reach the same boost causing higher back pressure in the exhaust manifold. This can usually be seen on an engine with a performance chip and maybe an intake or exhaust upgrade. Under heavy acceleration, smoke is pouring from the tailpipe as the EGTs and turbo speeds are climbing into the danger zone requiring a prudent driver to back off the accelerator pedal early to keep from damaging the engine. Under these conditions, the stock turbo is running on borrowed time.
Is It Really A Big Problem
In a word, no!
At one time, turbo lag was very noticeable in the majority of turbocharged vehicles, and was cited as one of the main downsides of the turbo. However, today things are much different.
The advanced materials and designs of the turbochargers fitted to most modern engines mean that the lag is fairly minimal, to the point that the vast majority of drivers wont even notice it.
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What Are The Benefits Of Turbos
Turbochargers offer a range of benefits, hence why theyre now so popular on modern cars. Here, we list the main plus points of a turbocharged engine.
Power
Turbos produce more power in the same sized engine. Thats because every stroke of the piston generates more power than in naturally-aspirated engines. This means that more cars are now fitted with smaller, turbocharged engines, replacing larger and less economical units. A good example of this is Fords decision to replace its standard 1.6L petrol engine with a 1L turbocharged unit, which it calls EcoBoost.
Economy
Because turbochargers can produce the same power output as larger, naturally-aspirated engines, this paves the way for the use of smaller, lighter and more economical engines. Now, all modern diesel cars are fitted with a turbocharger, improving fuel economy and reducing emissions.
Torque and Performance
Even on the smallest engines, turbochargers produce more torque, particularly lower down the rev range. This means cars benefit from strong, nippy performance, which is great around town and helps the engine to feel more refined at higher speeds on motorways and A roads. At low speeds, small turbocharged engines can outpace cars fitted with larger, naturally-aspirated engines, because of the torque they produce.
Quiet Engines
Does My Car Have A Turbocharger
Maybe. There are a few ways of checking. The first and easiest is thumbing through your cars dusty manual. The second is looking it up online, either on the manufacturers website or Google. The last way is to visually inspect the engine. If theres a cylindrical snail-like metal part near your cars exhaust or along the V of the engine, youve got a turbocharged car. Turbo whistle?
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How Much Extra Power Can You Get
If a turbocharger gives an engine more power, a bigger, better turbocharger will giveit even more power. In theory, you could keep improving your turbochargerto make your engine more and more powerful, but you will eventually hit a limit.The cylinders are only so big and there’s only so much fuel they can burn.There’s only so much air you can force into them through an inlet of a certain size, and only so much exhaust gas you can expel, which limits the energy you can use to drive your turbocharger.In other words, there are other limiting factors that come into play that you have to take intoaccount as well you can’t simply turbocharge your way to infinity!
Using Two Turbochargers & More Turbo Parts
Some engines use two turbochargers of different sizes. The smaller one spins up to speed very quickly, reducing lag, while the bigger one takes over at higher engine speeds to provide more boost.
When air is compressed, it heats up and when air heats up, it expands. So some of the pressure increase from a turbocharger is the result of heating the air before it goes into the engine. In order to increase the power of the engine, the goal is to get more air molecules into the cylinder, not necessarily more air pressure.
An intercooler or charge air cooler is an additional component that looks something like a radiator, except air passes through the inside as well as the outside of the intercooler. The intake air passes through sealed passageways inside the cooler, while cooler air from outside is blown across fins by the engine cooling fan.
The intercooler further increases the power of the engine by cooling the pressurized air coming out of the compressor before it goes into the engine. This means that if the turbocharger is operating at a boost of 7 psi, the intercooled system will put in 7 psi of cooler air, which is denser and contains more air molecules than warmer air.
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First Drive: 2022 Nissan Rogue Vc
Stephanie Wallcrafttimer
Nissan is taking its award-winning and bestselling model, the third-generation Nissan Rogue that was first introduced just last year, and is making a new 1.5-litre, three-cylinder engine the default on most trims beginning in 2022.
If this statement shocks you, I encourage you to be open-minded. I was skeptical, too, until I drove it. In the end, it impressed me more than I expected.
This engine uses Nissans VC-Turbo technology, which has also been used in engines found elsewhere in the Nissan and Infiniti product lineups, though its only other application in Canada is the 2.0-litre four-cylinder found in the Infiniti QX50. VC stands for variable compression, which means the compression ratio in the cylinders is automatically adjusted on the fly to suit the driving conditions. When the driver steps on the throttle looking for quick acceleration, the compression ratio lowers to 8:1 and the engine produces more power. When the car is cruising along the highway, the ratio goes higher to 14:1, which helps the engine run more efficiently.
On the one hand, RAV4 Hybrids are very hard to come by and have months-long wait times, and Tucson Hybrids are only available at higher price points. How to choose, then? Buy the car you prefer, cross-shop feature packaging at your preferred price point and decide how long youre willing to wait for the car thats right for you.
2022 Nissan Rogue VC-Turbo
Drive method: Front-motor, all-wheel-drive, CVT
The Cause Of Low Turbo Boost Pressure
You chose your vehicle because of its high-performance engine, which means that when it begins to underperform, its important to figure out the cause and find the best solution to get it back in working order. There are many reasons that your turbocharger could be displaying signs of trouble below are some of the most common reasons for low turbo boost performance:
Turbine is Not Free
The cause of low turbo boost pressure can be a result of a restricted exhaust as a result of having the turbo turbine connected and obstructing it. This then results in the need for the engine to push back against the exhaust with a larger force, decreasing the amount of energy that can be transmitted from the cylinders for engine power when driving.
Oil Starvation
As you probably know, oil is one of the essential fluids needed in your engine in order for your European vehicle to operate optimally. If your turbocharger is starved of oil whether from an oil leak or a restriction between the turbo and engine, this can not only translate to noticeably poor performance on the road but can result in long-term and irreversible damage.
Air Leak
Consistent and strong air pressure is critical to the performance of your vehicles engine. If you notice a difference in the way that your engine is delivering power to your drive, check the turbo hoses for leaks or loose connections).
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Ways To Prepare Your Car For Turbocharging
Jason Fenske from Engineering Explained is once again joined by his friend Charles from Humble Mechanic in this latest informative video which looks at forced induction. Specifically, the topic at hand is about what it takes to add a turbocharger to a non-turbocharged vehicle.
Obviously, you’ll first need a car. That should go without saying but some folks are pretty thick out there. After that, naturally, you’ll want to find a turbocharger, especially if you can get it as part of a kit. Charles is using a kit from Garrett to upgrade his 1998 Volkswagen GTI. It has the familiar VR6 engine, and he’s looking to see it make quite a bit more power.
After the turbo kit is sourced, you’ll need to upgrade your fuel components. You are pushing more air into the cylinder during the combustion process, so you’ll want to raise the amount of fuel to match. In that vein you’ll also need an engine management system that can handle the newly added boost alongside the revised air and fuel ratio the engine will crave.
Now that you have more power and a spinning turbo, you are going to need to increase your cooling capabilities. An intercooler can help with this as can an oil cooler. That turbo needs oil to spin and not turn into a friction bomb, and your engine needs to stay cool since it’s working harder than it was intended to work in order to make that fresh new power.
How To Put A Turbo In A Car
wikiHow is a wiki, similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. To create this article, volunteer authors worked to edit and improve it over time.There are 9 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 62,229 times.Learn more…
Turbochargers come in all sorts of sizes and specifications in order to cover a wide range of applications and serve many different purposes. The way a turbocharger works is, the exhaust gases from an engine spin the exhaust turbine, which is connected to the intake turbine by a shaft. Thus, the intake turbine spins as the exhaust turbine does, inducing air flow into the intake side of the turbo. This air flow is pressurized by the intake turbine and is forced into intercooler piping. The air flows through the intercooler piping, through the intercooler where it sees a drop in temperature, through more intercooler piping, and finally into the intake manifold on the car. From there the air is forced into the engine so that there is more air being forced into each cylinder.
Turbochargers are very effective for making engines more powerful and are an alternative to swapping a smaller displacement for a larger one for the sake of power gains. For cars that are turbocharged from the factory, swapping in a larger turbocharger is one of the most cost effective ways to gain more power.
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