O/T Centenary of the Turbocharger

[RET]

Possibly a little O/T, but today marks 100 Years since the birth of Turbocharging.  There's an interesting piece that covers a little of the history, design and technology of the turbo to be found at AustralianCarDirectory.

Be warned, a lot of talk of Porsches and no Holdens.  But the "How Does It Work" aspect I felt might be of interest.  Hence the "O/T" (Off Topic) subject.  If it doesn't interest you, don't feel compelled to read it (or to flame me, for that matter.)

cheers
RET

[craiga]

No flames here RET ;-)

I am a recent convert to turbocharged cars, having driven a Turboed 'Peter Wherret' Turbo Sigma when they were new, all I thought of them was that they were slow of the mark and not able to provide the real torque push of a V8. All this has changed recently since I got a Golf GTi as a company car. It goes OK, and has no real turbo lag, it could do with some shorter gearing, but nevertheless, gets along alright.

Its lease is up soon so I went and drove a new GTi, and a Subaru Forrestor XT. Well, these things are incredible. The GTi was a DSG version, auto but using a manual gearbox with computer controlled clutch activation, very trick and went amazingly well, with NO turbo lag. 147kW of pure fun.

Then I went and drove the 'boring' looking Subaru Forrestor, 179kW, 2.5 litre WRX engine in a boxy 4WD. Does this thing fly or WHAT!! Heaps of torque down low, and just a rush of power. Give me a turbo anyday! Especially as a company car that someone else pays for!

Anyone seen a turbo manifold for a red motor lately? Might have to get some action happening on the 149 in the Poo Mobile :-)

Cheers,

Craig

[fccool59]

I have one with a to4 on it.
gee, you must have a flash job, we sell a few turbo cars at work now, for the poor but richer than me we have the all new B200 turbo wich will soon be luanched, next up is the SL65 Biturbo V12 and then there is the plusho CL65 biturbo V12 coupe, whenever I get out on the road in one of these I usually only get to drive about 20 metres, thats a bit of a tease but with the CL65 being little under half a million dollars its probably a good thing I dont get to wind one out.

[186RED]

i'm in the middle of a twin turbo 186 build and putting a T70 on a lexus V8.

will prob run aftermarket management on the 1UZFE, but i'm thinking about using 1000XX honda blackbird coils on the 186 and trying to get a delco to fire the lot.

[fccool59]

i'm in the middle of a twin turbo 186 build and putting a T70 on a lexus V8.

Hey 186 red, I am in the middle of a supercharged red.
I would be interested to see what your doing with your motor.
mine is a 179 with a black 3.3 crank, block is being bored, decked and O' ringed with a arp head stud kit.
rods are closed, honed and shot peened black motor with arp bolts. pistons are dish top acl race series with further machining in the dish to drop compression.
head is a ported 12 port black head with cc'd chambers and swirl polished stainless steel valves.
rockers are yella terra billet, cam is a crow custom supercharger one with solid lifters.
timing gears are crow adjustable straight cut.
head gasket is copper.
this is also a pretty common recipe for turbo motors.

[186RED]

atm i have large valves in a 192 9 port head
heavy duty springs.
eBay 1.5:1 yella terra roller rockers ($300 for the set!)
a pair of subaru forester turbos (one for 123 and 456) on a custom steampipe manifold
custom plenum

still to decide on a bottom end.

i have a 186 that i'm toying fitting a blue crank into with starfire rods (all linished, nitrided and polished) and using a grumpy 32/72 cam in but i dunno if the blue crank will fit. you said you're using a black crank? was it an easy fit? did you have to clearance the counterweights or anything?

studs are mandatory for  mains caps and head clamping.

going for max CR (like 9.0:1+) and about 10psi of boost.

will be using ACL bearings and ACL HE pistons - no forgies here.

also using a BFO W2A intercooler and water/meth injection.