How to add a turbo to a non turbo car.
The basic reason for forced induction (turbo or supercharger) is not to increase compression or the maximum pressure in an engine cylinder, it is to increase volumetric efficiency (the efficiency of the engine at drawing in air) although forced induction is the most effective method of upping compression.
In computer games we just tick a box, and within seconds our car is fully turbocharged and running much faster. In the real world things are very different.
Principles of porting an engine and big valve conversionsThe inlet and outlet ports on the engine block are usually larger than those of the manifolds that connect to them.
This allows for scope in the manufacturing process to allow for mismatched alignment.
Generally the engine ports are larger in the upstream flow direction avoiding turbulance but power gains can be made by matching these up.
Chip Tuning – better engine management.The days of fiddling around in the engine bay with a spanner to make the car go faster are numbered.
Modern engine computers (ECU’s) take over many of the controls of all aspects of engine management from timing to fuelling and more.
This actually means you get better power, a cleaner burn and more reliable engine but it does not mean the end of tuning.
Cryogenic engine treatmentsWhen putting more power through an engine you need to ensure that every part will perform at its optimum.
One of the motorsports favourite techniques to improve the durability of an engine is a process know as cryogenic treatments.
As you can guess from the use of the word Cryo – it involves the cooling and heating of the engine block to temper the metal changing its structure.