Want to boost your car’s performance? A turbo is a great addition to any naturally aspirated engine that can boost horsepower, torque, fuel economy, drivability, and more. But one question that many car owners wonder is: will a vehicle need tuning after a turbocharger upgrade? Turbos add a lot of power to the engine. Can the rest of your car’s components keep up? Let’s find out.
What Are Turbochargers?
Turbos are forced induction devices. They increase the amount of power the internal combustion process produces by drawing in extra air, compressing it, and feeding it into the combustion chamber. This translates into more power and less waste.
Can You Turbocharge Any Naturally Aspirated Vehicle?
A naturally aspirated engine is one that doesn’t rely on a forced induction device. Instead, atmospheric pressure draws the air into the combustion chamber.
Can you turbocharge any naturally aspirated vehicle? Adding a turbo to a naturally aspirated engine doesn’t change how the engine works. It just helps the engine work better. So long as you take the time to find the right fit for your vehicle, then yes, you can turbocharge just about any naturally aspirated vehicle.
Size is an important factor when choosing a turbo for your engines. Small turbos work better at low RPMs and large turbos work better at high RPMs. But you need to be careful about getting a turbo that’s too small or too large for the engine. Make sure to size your turbo according to not only your needs but also to your engine’s capabilities.
Post-Turbo Tune-Ups
Will a vehicle need tuning after a turbocharger upgrade? Technically, yes. Turbos draw more air into the engine. As turbos spin, they produce a lot of heat. As a result, turbo engines are more prone to overheating. To combat this, turbos come with intercoolers that cool the air the turbo compresses.
To ensure your turbo is drawing in as much air as possible, you may want to consider a new intake and exhaust. But it takes more than just air to generate power—it also takes fuel. To make sure the air-to-fuel ratio in your engine is balanced, we recommend upgrades to the fuel pump and injectors. Modifying the ECU with a tuner can also help balance out the air-to-fuel ratio after a turbo addition.
Need turbos and turbo parts? Turbo Turbo has everything you need for your turbocharged engine. Need to replace the wheels? Check out our selection of turbo turbine wheels today!