The simplest type of turbocharger is the free floating turbocharger. This system would be able to achieve maximum boost at maximum engine revs and full throttle, however additional components are needed to produce an engine that is driveable in a range of load and rpm conditions.
You can turbocharge almost any car, as long as the new equipment you need to add can fit on (and in) your vehicle. Turbocharging – when done correctly – can significantly increase the amount of horsepower your engine has.
1.0-litre engines
Engines of 1.0-litre or less typically feature three or four cylinders and many now use turbochargers for extra power.
“All of the engines are great with a turbo, but the 5.3 and 6.0-liter engines are the most popular. The 5.3 is the cheapest and easiest to find, so you'll see a lot of people use it. With a 5.3 and 6.0, you can see up to 1,000 horsepower on a stock motor if you push them.
Vehicles with a V8 tend to have more horsepower than vehicles with a V6, although this varies depending on the components of the engine. V8 engines generally have more torque although, the difference can be minimal in some models. The power of eight cylinders allows for heavier hauls and higher towing capacity.
A V6 engine can produce low RPM torque and power better than a turbocharged four-cylinder, because more air enters the pistons, which creates even bigger explosions. But the V6 isn't without downsides.
Many car enthusiasts are interested in exploring the possibilities of adding more power to their 4 cylinder engine, and twin turbocharging may be a viable option. Twin turbocharging involves installing two turbochargers on the engine instead of one, which can result in significant power gains.
In general, adding a turbocharger to an engine will add anywhere from 40 hp to 300 hp, but in some cases, much more. In my eyes, a healthy boost of power would be around 50%. For instance, if your engine has 200 hp, you can push it to 300 hp without many reliability issues.
I'll just say, in my experience, turbocharging two cylinders can be done successfully, but it's a little more complicated and you will not get the level of performance that you get from a four or six cylinder tractor of similar vintage.
Most failures are caused by the three 'turbo killers' of oil starvation, oil contamination and foreign object damage. More than 90% of turbocharger failures are caused oil related either by oil starvation or oil contamination. Blocked or leaking pipes or lack of priming on fitting usually causes oil starvation.
Pistons for turbocharged engines had a curved crown. That's no longer the case. Modern cylinder heads have smaller combustion chambers, which is why a curved piston is also used in naturally aspirated engines. Pistons with flat piston crowns are also used in turbocharged engines in order to reduce static compression.
Turbo fuel saving efficiencies can be in the range of 8-10%, but be warned, put the foot down and these little engines will show you just how much power they have, and that they can burn just as much fuel as the big boys when at full throttle.
Installing a turbo isn't hard for any individual who has the time and tools needed. But it does require a significant time investment and careful preparation before beginning the process.
A smaller engine 1.0 lit petrol turbo can generate high torque of 178 nm torque (as in Kushaq) whereas some engines of 1.5 lit (Maruti s-cross) generate lower range 138 nm torque.
When a turbocharger “kicks in” is based on exhaust pressure, so RPM's (Revolutions Per Minute) are a better indicator of when your turbo is activated. You could be driving 60mph at 1800RPM and the turbo might not be working, but at 20mph your turbo would kick in if you are hard accelerating once you pass 2200rpm.
A twin-turbo engine means two turbochargers aimed at optimal work with air compression. A twin-turbo setup also provides for the reduction of the lag. It helps produce power faster using 4 cylinders, while a single turbo requires all 8 cylinders for an optimal boost.
Pretty much anything can be turbocharged, whether it's an inline-3, or a V16, or a V8. You just need a good flow of exhaust gas to push the turbine around, and if even that is somehow difficult, use a supercharger instead.
Three types of twin-turbo layouts
It's best used in “v” engines (V6 and V8) because then each turbocharger can be assigned to one cylinder bank, which cuts down on the amount of exhaust piping needed for the system.
Depending on driving conditions, the V8-6-4 would run on 4, 6, or 8 cylinders, switching from one mode to the other and back again as needed.
Modern turbocharged four-cylinder engines, when engineered properly, will either beat or match a naturally aspirated V6 in almost every category. Turbo-fours are lighter, more efficient, and can be more powerful than a naturally aspirated V6. The only thing that a V6 will always do better is towing capacity.
With a 4-cylinder engine, a single turbocharger is sufficient to deliver the required amount of compressed air. However, two turbos on 4-cylinders have been used in the past. The 1999 Subaru Legacy B4 is one such example.
The most powerful 4-cylinder engine is the 416 horsepower inline-4 engineused by MercedesBenz in the Mercedes-AMG A45 S. It is a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-4 engine that produces 416 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque.
Often, there is little output difference between a V6 and a V8. For example, the Ford F-150's 5.0-liter V8 produces 400 hp and 410 lb-ft of torque. Its 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 generates 400 hp and 500 lb-ft of torque. As for towing, the V6 outshines the V8 in the above example.