Terminology Explained – Turbocharger
No12: Turbocharger
Pull quote: “General figures would indicate that a turbocharged engine gives a further 35 percent increase in power over a naturally-aspirated engine”
It’s something we’ve all heard of, some of us used, and most find themselves unable to afford the insurance ramifications. A turbocharger is widely known as an application beneath the bonnet that greatly increases a cars performance, but just how exactly does it work?
A bit of history first folks: In 1905 the first Turbocharger ever made was invented by a Swiss born engineer under the name of Alfred Buchi. Buchi applied the turbocharger initially to diesel ships in the early 1920′s, which then eventually made its debut to the automotive industry shortly after.
For those who don’t know, engines operate on an air/fuel mixture basis, breathing air in and using fuel to create energy; in turn running the engine and its internal parts that operate the driveshaft and wheels.
A turbocharger operates by drawing in an increased amount of air, at a much faster rate allowing a quicker air/fuel mixture ratio. A turbo powered car may be recognisable by a badge placed to the rear boot, for example a TDI (Turbo Diesel Injection) or newly introduced TSI (Twincharger Supercharged Injection) from VW.
Now over to the tech spec side of things, non-mechanically minded people look away! Inside the turbocharger are a compressor and turbine linked together by a shared axis. The turbine inlet receives exhaust gases through the engine exhaust manifold, allowing the turbine wheel to turn around. With the turbine now turning, this then drives the compressor, compressing ambient air and sending it straight to the air intake of the engine. With the air compressed, this allows for the engine to take in a far greater amount of air than normal, thus meaning that with more air added, more fuel can be used too.
It’s said that most turbochargers take in 50 percent more air over a standard engine. The typical boost made by a turbo is in around 6 to 8 pounds per square inch. General figures would indicate that a turbocharged engine gives a further 35 percent increase in power over a naturally-aspirated engine, which in lehmans terms means greatly improved performance!
Turbochargers in recent years have become a feature associated only to larger high performance cars, however in 2006 Volkswagen stepped to fore by unveiling the all new Golf 1.4TSI engine. Despite being small capacity with a mere 1400cc’s, these impressive new engines can blast out in excess of 165bhp, however not only is the TSI engine turbocharged, but supercharged too! The engine has been fitted to the new Golf GT and Sport, boasting performance of 0-100kph in less than 8 seconds. And for the cost conscious among you, its extremely fuel friendly too, doing well in advance of 38MPG! The innovative TSI engine technology is now available in the Golf GT and Sport along with the Golf Plus, Touran SE and Jetta.
World’s Fastest Sports Cars – Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Review
Mercedes has long produced some of the most lavish and undoubtedly head-turning cars on the road. In recent years, the Mercedes SLR McLaren was known as one of the finest sports cars on the planet. Not a company to rest on their laurels, Mercedes quickly went to work again to produce the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG to replace their award-winning model.
Sales are almost ready to begin for the SLS AMG in Europe, with the US market getting their taste in 2011. The price for this Benz is expected to be in excess of $200,000 USD, making it one of the more expensive sports cars on the road, although still behind other big names like Ferrari and Lamborghini.
Mercedes immediately picked up a lot of recognition for this model when it was first unveiled at the 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show in Germany. Although it’s not technically out on the road yet, it is already the safety car for the Formula One Championship series, and it is also already featured in the PlayStation 3 videogame Gran Turismo 5.
The design of the SLS AMG is supposedly an update to one of the Mercedes’ all-time models in the 300SL Gullwing. The short body of this car and the passenger placement nearer the real axle make it both compact and easier to handle at higher speeds than other similar models. The wing door set-up is akin to Lamborghini’s (or Benz’s Gullwing) doors; and the doors are fully detachable.
Currently, Mercedes-Benz is planning on releasing four separate versions of the SLS AMG. The first is going to be a coupe-style vehicle with the abovementioned door features. A gold-colored version of this car made its global debut at the Dubai International Auto Show.
From 2011 to 2013, Mercedes will release their second version of the SLS AMG – a soft-top roadster with basic doors. There is also set to be an electric version of the car, although critics are already lining up to speak out against an electric sports car, as it cannot possibly perform as well.
The final version of the SLS AMG Mercedes plans to release is the Black Series. This will be the most daring of all four models, as the Black Series will be extremely trimmed down and is expected to have a reduced overall weight of 661 pounds.
As far as performance goes, the Mercedes SLS AMG is a powerful car for its size. The M 159 V8 engine has a displacement of 378.835 cubic inches and redlines at 7200 RPM. Handling the task of proper gearing will be a standard transmission – a 7-speed dual-clutch semi-automatic transmission with a lightweight carbon construction and multiple driving modes.
This Mercedes can definitely get up and go. It’s able to reach a speed of 60 MPH in only 3.8 seconds, and it has an electronically limited speed of 197 MPH (although the car is able to go much faster in theory). Carbon-ceramic disc brakes with 40% weight reduction are in place to slow the Benz down.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Twin Turbo Kits
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.