How to Turbocharge Cars
- 1). Decide on a turbocharger to use for your custom kit. The size and characteristics of the turbo will determine how much boost pressure you can run, therefore it is important to choose a turbo well-suited for your engine and ultimate horsepower goals. Various manufacturers produce custom turbochargers, with extensive spec listings to make choosing the right turbo easy. For budget turbo kit builds, a used turbo from a production turbocharged vehicle is a good choice. You can find one in car enthusiast classified ad listings for a fraction of the price of a new turbocharger.
- 2). Find a replacement exhaust manifold to bolt the turbocharger to your engine. You can buy it from an aftermarket parts dealer, or have it custom fabricated by an exhaust shop. Depending on the size of your turbocharger, a turbo flange adapter may be required for mounting to the exhaust manifold. You will also need a custom exhaust down pipe to connect the turbo exhaust manifold to the catalytic converter.
- 3). Piece together an intercooler system, which is a radiator and piping kit that cools the charged air before it enters the throttle body. Most intercooler units are universal, mounting to any vehicle radiator with minor modification to the front bumper. To connect the intercooler to the turbocharger and throttle body, you will need an intercooler piping kit. Once again, you can buy it from a dealer or have it custom fabricated. If you buy an aftermarket piping kit, make sure it is specific to your vehicle to avoid extensive vehicle modification to fit it on the engine.
- 4). Use a cone-shaped air filter in place of the stock air intake. Cone filters will mount directly to the turbocharger inlet, eliminating the need for a custom air box setup. To lubricate the turbocharger, the stock oil pressurization system must be tapped. To avoid extensive drilling modification to your engine block, find an aftermarket turbo oil line kit. It splices into the stock oil system with minor modification of stock components. For turbo vacuum lining, use universal rubber tubing which is available from most auto parts retailers.
- 5). Have an engine management system professionally installed and tuned on your vehicle. Due to the substantially increased airflow generated by the turbo system, the stock fuel tuning will not allow the engine to run with your custom turbo kit. Professional tuning will customize the engine's fuel curves for your turbo setup, maximizing horsepower and reliability. Some makes and models also may require upgraded fuel system components, such as a high-flow fuel pump and injectors, for proper fuel tuning.