“Auto racing began 5 minutes after the second car was built,” Henry Ford once said.
Since then the so-called 'car culture' has exploded in many directions and modified cars have become a way of life for some. We have seen movies like 'Gone in 60 Seconds' and 'The Fast and Furious' that epitomise the era of car customisation.
However for many of us, such gaudy vehicles seem way above our budget and we settle for the smiles of admiration and envy when we hear a turbocharged Golf GTi, Subaru or AMG Mercedes whiz past as we trawl along in our ordinary cars. Yes, some of us want more out of our cars; we want to grin when we cruise the streets. We want a turbocharger.
So exactly how difficult is it to turbocharge a car?
The answer will make most people wince. Installing a turbo is not the hardest or most expensive thing in the world, but you will have to stretch that budget if you want to optimise performance and avoid premature engine failure. There is an assortment of modifications that should be done to the vehicle beforehand and these are known as 'turbo supporting modifications'.
DON'T FORGET THE BRAKES
The first thing you'll want to beef up is the braking system. It is pointless having a ton of power if you are unable to stop. In fact, it is just plain dangerous. Shop around and search the internet for a brake upgrade that suits your vehicle. You are going to want disc brakes on all four wheels, with ABS of course.
It is recommended that you have the brakes upgrade done by a professional so that you have peace of mind and there is some sort of warranty on the components that are used.
CHOOSE THE RIGHT TURBO
The next step will be to select a turbocharger for your car. Remember that, with turbochargers, bigger is not always better. With a larger turbocharger, it takes longer to 'spool up' meaning that there are a few moments of lag before the power from the turbo can be felt. This is called 'turbo lag'. Consult with a specialist about what turbo will be correct for your application and purchase it.
It is advisable that you purchase a new turbocharger so that you can be assured of quality yet there are reputable companies that sell reconditioned turbos and they do offer warranties on them.
COOLING AND COMBUSTION
You will need to upgrade the cooling system and water pump, because turbocharged engines generate more heat and thus require greater cooling to keep them running correctly. Also be sure to use a fully synthetic oil type, so that your engine is properly lubricated.
You will also require a front-mount intercooler to ensure that your turbocharger is pumping cool air into your engine, as well as an oil cooler to make sure that the oil in your vehicle remains at an optimum temperature and does not burn or boil, bigger fuel injectors coupled with a high-pressure fuel pump and a fuel pressure regulator to ensure that your car gets enough fuel for maximum combustion.
Also opt for a custom exhaust system so that the engine can exhale as fast as it inhales. The exhaust is particularly important because some of the exhaust gas is rerouted to power the turbocharger and if this is done incorrectly, the exhaust may prove to be too restrictive on the motor or not rerouted enough to spin the turbocharger at its optimum.
THE NEW BRAIN
Your car will require a new 'brain' in the form of a management system so that the settings for your turbocharged setup can be fine tuned for economy, performance or a balance between these. Depending on how much you are willing to spend, some of these management systems are so advanced that they can continually adjust settings according to your driving style and some even have modes that can be preset and selected at will like a 'race' mode, 'economy' mode and 'balance'.
PISTON AND CAM MODS
Thus far, we have handled all the modifications that you will need without interfering with the actual workings of your car engine. However, modifications to your car engine are advisable if you want to reduce the risk of damaging it in the long run. You will require low-compression pistons, preferably forged pistons, and we'd certainly recommend a camshaft (or camshafts) that have very little overlap so that you do not lose turbocharger pressure (boost). Overlap refers to when the camshaft keeps the intake and exhaust valves open at the same time. On a turbocharged car, this is not what you want because it means that the turbo will just push boost straight through the combustion chamber without it being used.
The cylinder-head will also require some work in the form of porting and polishing so that air flow is less restrictive and so that there is no heat build-up that might otherwise cause the component to sustain damage or warp.
DRIVE COMPONENTS
It is also important to note that the transmission, drive-shafts, half-shafts and, in the case of rear-wheel-drive cars, differential of your vehicle was designed to handle the vehicle engine as it came from the factory so turbocharging your car could reduce the life of these components depending on the habits of your right foot. It is advisable to upgrade these components and consider using an aftermarket performance clutch system so that power from the engine is seamlessly transferred to the wheels and not into mashing or damaging components that transfer the power to the wheels.
DO IT MYSELF, OR NOT?
If you have the mechanical knowledge, you could do this assembly yourself but remember that the components you need to use are not cheap so it is advisable that you get this job done by a professional to prevent damage to your car and to enjoy the benefit of having a warranty in the event that something goes wrong in the process. Always ensure that the mechanic doing the work on your vehicle is RMI (Retail Motor Industry Organisation) approved, meaning that they have a certificate stating their capability and competence.
FINAL TUNING
Once the assembly is done, your car will need to be tuned with the new management system that is installed. Do this at a professional tuning shop and on a dynamometer so that the car can be perfectly tuned for the setup that you have installed.
Once tuning has been completed you can hit the streets in your turbocharged ride, knowing that a custom turbocharged car turns more heads than one which is straight out of the factory. Just be safe out there…
IOL Mojo