A turbocharger has many components and is a vital part of your engine. A standard engine is only reliable if its internal pumping capabilities are up to standard. Rotating assemblies spin, to inhale air, but between all these air particles is *wasted space*. Forced induction systems such as turbos and turbochargers compress everything together to fill these open spaces with even more air.
When it comes to truck spare parts, what is the difference between turbocharging and supercharging?
Just like a supercharger a turbo makes power by compressing air, allowing more of it into the engine. A turbo relies on the gases from the engine’s exhaust to spin the turbine, which, even though it is on a standard shaft, spins an opposing wheel that compresses the incoming air. Superchargers aren’t driven by these exhaust gasses and are controlled by a belt that is linked to the crankshaft pulley.
When it comes to efficiency, not much can compare to a turbo.
To turbocharge an engine, you need more than just a turbo. Every turbo system relies on a bypass valve or wastegate to redirect exhaust gasses away from your turbo to regulate boost pressure. A blow-off valve is another part of a turbo system which relieves pressure to prevent damage to the turbo while improving.
Every turbo truck spare part is made up of a compressor housing and wheel on one side and a turbine housing and turbine wheel on the other with a centre cartridge sitting in between both housings along with a standard shaft located inside supported by bearings that connect both wheels. The iconic snail-shaped housing hasn’t changed much over the years and is just the place where the wheels are stored.
Choosing the right turbo:
Before you do anything, what is the horsepower you have in mind? Don’t lose sight of what your truck is being used for, how much traction you can muster, and whether your driveline or engine can handle it. Boost pressure doesn’t matter look at the horsepower and airflow you want to gain. Boost pressure means that whatever turbocharger for your truck you have chosen will generate less heat due to not working as hard but consider what your engine is capable of and make your choice based on cylinder pressure rather than boost.
When selecting your turbine housing and compressor, choose the one that pumps the most air into the cylinders but doesn’t raise the temperature.
Oversized compressors and turbo lag – while there is little correlation between the two, delay is associated with the speed the shaft spins – determined by the turbine wheel, as size increases, heat rises and efficiency drops. Of course, 10Psi will always be 10Psi no matter the size of the turbocharger you choose, but air quality will be different – as will the power. When the efficiency drops, so does the air density, leaving less air for the combustion chamber to do anything with.
When choosing a new turbocharger for your truck, it is also essential to get the compressor right, remember that efficiency is more important than size. Look for a turbocharger that will pump the most air into your engine’s cylinders, but one that will do this in the most efficient way possible. You will find that a lot of turbo manufacturers provide graphs and charts that outline specifications for you, making choosing the right one a lot less complicated.
Before you look at these charts, you need to know two things –
• Your engines airflow rate
• Your engines proposed boost pressure ratio
It isn’t hard to work out your engines boost pressure ratio – divide the outlet pressure that you want (14.7 + boost pressure) by the inlet pressure (14.7), and you have your pressure ratio.
Trying to limit yourself to a reasonable number is hard, so, start with a realistic boost pressure – 10Psi and play around, and if you are not near sea level then you’ll need to work out your inlet pressure as it won’t be 14.7 Psi
Airflow indicates how much air is entering your engine for any given period ascertaining the correct number and with the right pressure ratio, you’ll be able to find the perfect turbocharger for your truck.
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