turbosocks

First we will start with a small FAQ that I have put together that i hear often.

Can I Turbocharge my car?
Short answer, yes, you can turbocharge almost any car. It will be much easier if there is a turbo manifold produced for your car, but you can always go custom. The extent of the system you setup on your car is only limited by how deep your pockets are.

How much will it cost to turbocharge my car?
It really depends. I would recommend going with only NEW parts and possibly a re manufactured turbo (as they sometimes exceed new turbo specs and are less $$) It also depends on how much power you want to put out.

If your not looking for much power, a 4-5psi setup without an Intercooler and a small turbo will suffice. This system for I4, v6, v8 will be at the low end of the price spectrum around 2000$+ range

If your looking to tear up the track, push 20+ psi with a BB turbo, pricing would probably be up there in the 5000$+ range

My best recommendation, is spend the money and do it right, the first time.

Which turbo should i get?
Depends on the power you wanna push, how you want the car to respond to your foot mashing the pedal, and your budget.

<u>Generally</u>
small turbos = less high end power, more low end power, fast spool

Big turbos = less low end power because of lag, more high end power, slower spool

Ball Bearing CHRAs = more efficient than thrust or journal bearings, faster spool

Turbos with smaller (T3) turbine housings and bigger (T4) comp housings = best of both worlds. you typically get pretty good spool times, and have a good power range from mid-high.

What size Intercooler should i get? Bigger is better, right?
The size of the Intercooler will also depend on your power goals. I would recommend gettting an Intercooler that will be efficient for a bit more than your power goals (ie, if your planning on 300hp, get an IC good for 350hp)

Bigger is not always better. If you get a HUGE Intercooler, and plan on low power numbers, you will lose more pressure through the system than you would with an appropriately sized Intercooler.

Also, when looking for an Intercooler (if your not buying one from me) i would highly recommend Bar and Plate style over the old finned style. I would also suggest an Intercooler with cast end tanks instead of welded.

Do I really need to spend all the money upgrading my fuel system?
YES, YES, and YES.

Fueling is the most important thing in turbocharging your car. Think about it, when you attach a turbo to your car, you are now pressurizing the air that goes into the motor (pressurized air= MORE air) With more air you NEED more fuel to achieve the power increase and not damage your motor from a LEAN condition.

In some cases, you can get away with rough tuning by using stock injectors and an FMU to raise fuel pressure on a certain ratio per lb of boost.

Although, i would recommend proper tuning with some type of fuel management (AEM F/IC) and aftermarket Fuel Pressure Regulator, bigger injectors, and if needed, a higher flowing fuel pump.

What does the CFM or lb/min mean?

Simply put, how much air the turbo can flow.
An Example is that a super 60 can flow 35 lb/min, and a t3/t4e 50 trim can flow 46 lb/min. This simply means, the 50 trim is bigger, can flow more air and will result in more power.

Some turbos will be listed in CFM (cubic feet per min) to convert lb/min to CFM, use the following calculation as a base.

lb/min / .070318 = CFM
35 / .070318 = ~497cfm, the turbo would probably be listed as a 500cfm turbo