Archive for the ‘What Are Twin Turbo Kits?’ Category

MJ Marks asked:




Turbo kits are turbochargers that can be purchased in kit form for installation in your vehicle. These are pretty cool! A turbocharger is a performance part that will boost the power of an engine by a whopping 40-45%. It’s true that some cars ship with a turbo already installed as part of the stock package, but most don’t. This means if you want to get the power and efficiency that one of these bad boys will give you, then you need to find a kit that you can install yourself. Of course, you could always buy one and have someone else put it in your car or truck for you. Regardless of who puts it in, it’s nice to know that you at least have the option.

Let’s talk about some of the different parts that you can expect most turbo kits to include, and some of the details about those parts. This is not an all-inclusive list and there are obvious differences between manufacturers.

First of all is the turbocharger itself. This is the central brain of the whole thing. It’s where the magic happens. Basically, these things work by compressing air from the gases that come out of the engine after the fuel and air combust. This air is then directed back into the engine, thus allowing more power to be created by the engine on subsequent combustion cycles. Obviously, different turbo kits are going to have different size chargers. This means, in broad terms anyway, that the larger the turbocharger, the more power is potentially generated. But don’t think that larger is always necessarily better. The large turbochargers do take more time to spool up and, therefore, take a bit longer to max out. This means that you shouldn’t expect full power to be had until after a bit of lag that is often experienced during throttle-up. Not a big thing for most, but certainly something to note.

Turbo kits almost always include an exhaust manifold. This is a part that directs expelled gas away from the engine after it combusts. Since exhaust has to be routed alternatively from the normal route (through the exhaust pipes), it has to go out an exhaust manifold designed with this purpose in mind. Turbochargers use the exhaust for power so this only makes sense. Right? Right.

Another thing that turbo kits often include is what’s referred to as a wastegate and blow-off valve, respectively. These serve to regulate pressure. The wastegate makes sure that the pressure in the exhaust manifold going up to the turbocharger isn’t too high, and the blow-off valve makes sure that the pressurized air that leaves the turbocharger isn’t too high when it goes back into the engine. Pretty straight forward stuff.

Turbochargers need an oil to keep things lubed up and moving properly. Excessive heat equals bad. So, turbo kits usually have an oil supply and appropriate return lines to help keep things cool.

Finally, better turbo kits will include an intercooler. Again, heat is the enemy. An intercooler works to keep the compressed (and heated) air as cool and dense as possible so that power can be maximized.

Turbo kits open up a whole new world for people interested in performance parts. They boost the power to your vehicle by compressing air. If a little attention is paid to what is included in aftermarket kits then a high degree of satisfaction can be expected. Vroom, vroom!



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MJ Marks asked:




The first gasoline powered car was invented by Karl Benz of Germany in 1885, and only 20 years later the first turbocharger was invented by Swiss engineer, Alfred Buchi. But unlike twin turbo kits of today, the first turbocharger was not intended for cars, but for large diesel engines on ships and airplanes. They were later used on diesel trucks, but it was not until the late 1970′s that the first turbocharger was successfully used on a car. Any guesses what that was? You are correct if you said a Mercedes Benz!

Since then turbo’s have been added to almost any type of car, many added later in the form of turbo and twin turbo kits. Many people think these types of kits are only for guys and gals who want souped up, high powered engines that make a lot of noise. But that is not necessarily true, there are advantages and disadvantages to these kits that anybody can consider.

Advantages

If you need increased power, then it is available for you to use. Depending upon the kit and other add-ons, you can see up to a 40% increase in power. This can be really helpful for passing someone, going up long, steep roads, or if you live in a mountainous area. Decrease in emissions. Twin turbo kits use the exhaust (wasted energy), to create new energy (compressed air) to power the turbo. Essentially it is a form of recycling. By using the exhaust, instead of just spewing it out, you are decreasing your carbon emissions, which is good for the environment. With decreased emissions, and recycling the exhaust, you should see an increase in your gas milage, and that is always a plus! It has been estimated that you can get up to 20% better fuel economy. So you are getting both increased power and increased fuel efficiency. Twin turbo kits, since they have two turbochargers, reduces the lag time that it takes the turbine to spool up and be ready to function properly. Basically, this means that you can get up to turbo speeds quicker than a regular turbo charger.

Disadvantages

They do not provide an immediate power boost when you step on the gas. It takes a moment for the boost to kick in, but as mentioned above, this amount of time is reduced with twin turbo kits. When the turbo engine does kick in, you may feel a lurch. If you have a fuel-injected engine, you may have to do other modifications to increase the fuel ratio to obtain the maximum benefit of the turbocharger. This may be necessary because sometimes in the fuel-injected engine, the system that controls the fuel to oxygen ration can malfunction and not provide enough fuel to the turbo engine. This does not always happen, but is good to be aware of as a first thing to check if you do not get the expected performance.

So, if you are thinking about turbo charging your car, consider the pros and cons when making you decision. But lets face it, if you have a four or six cylinder car, it would be really nice to power up hills and pass other cars, getting up to 1000hp out of your engine. Twin turbo kits could be the answer for you.



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