Turbo charging is booming in popularity due to small capacity factory hi-po hot rods ruling the streets wasting V8's.
When attempting either an upgarde to a factory turbo'd car, or converting an early vehicle, the biggest mistake is going too big in turbo size. Bigger doesn't mean better! To choose the correct turbo size the total engine package needs to be taken into account.
If the engine runs cast pistons, boost presure should be limited to around 15Lbs, and only for very short squirts, so the turbo can afford to be small. This will maximise response low down giving a higher torque yeild and making the car launch significantly faster. Torque gets you moving. Horesepower sustains the momentum. If the engine has forged pistons, a proply sized intercooler and sound head gasket integrity, then a slightly larger turbo can be used at a higher boost pressure to give quantum gains in power. Again, the biggest will not be the best. Too big and the engine will not generate enough back pressure to drive the turbo resulting in bad lag, poor throttle response and lots of lost races and red faces.
On most factory turbo'd cars , a large intercooler often yeilds the best gains per dollar spent and creates a sound basis for further upgrades.
Once the charge temperature hits 60 degrees C or more you're in seroius trouble. Don't believe everything you read T04's are not the answer for every vehicle and are quite old technology compared to recent design gains in reciprocating mass and air density efficency.
Don't treat your turbo choice as a phalic symbol, bigger is not better.
Go to the Rx-7 Turbo page
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