Think your vehicle could use a major performance boost? Turbocharging your vehicle is an effective way to increase horsepower, torque, fuel economy, and drivability. But installing a turbo is a bit more complicated than you might think. Here are some things to consider before turbocharging your vehicle.
Before You Turbocharge
You can install a turbo on pretty much every kind of naturally aspirated vehicle as long as you're willing to make a few adjustments. Check a few things before you turbocharge.
Can your ECU handle turbo-boosting? If you have a stock ECU, consider replacing it with a more powerful aftermarket ECU before turbocharging. You should also check your injectors. Turbos draw extra air into the engine. To maintain your engine's air-to-fuel ratio, the injectors need to be capable of supplying enough extra fuel to match the extra intake of air.
Don't forget to check how much space you have in the engine. If you have no room in the engine, you'll have a hard time finding a turbo that fits.
The Commitment
The next thing to consider before turbocharging your vehicle is whether you have the time and money to spare. You're not just installing a turbo. Unless your engine is already in excellent shape, you'll also need a new ECU and fuel injectors. The kind of fuel you use in your vehicle will also change. And you might want to tune your vehicle with a tuner.
If you're prepared to take on the time and cost commitments, then go for it! This is a powerful mod that's worth the effort. But don't purchase a turbo and install it without making any additional modifications to the engine. Otherwise, it won’t work as efficiently as you want.
The Turbo
Ready to pick out your new turbo? You should consider the turbo’s type and size. There are several kinds of turbo kits, but most fall into one of three groups. You can find single turbo kits, which consist of just one turbo, and twin turbo kits, which feature two turbos. You can also find twin-scroll turbo kits. Despite the name, these only include one turbo. "Scroll" describes the path that exhaust gases take once they enter the turbine section of the turbo.
Sizing your turbo is incredibly important. Your turbo should fit your engine snugly. A turbo that's too small or large can cause problems. Sizing your turbo involves a lot of complicated calculations, but luckily, Turbo Turbos explains the process in simple terms in our guide to matching your turbocharger to your engine.
Want a high-tech and high-performance Mitsubishi Heavy Industries turbo for your vehicle? Turbo Turbos carries MHI turbos and more. For all your turbocharging needs, shop with us today!