Can you put a turbo in a car?

Samich · 04-10-2011 10:08pm #1

Have a 1.4 petrol, it's very dead, I'm sure you can hazard a guess at a very well known under powered car

Could ya get a turbo put in to give extra power and also to increase efficiency?

pudzey101 · 04-10-2011 10:16pm

Samich wrote: »

Have a 1.4 petrol, it's very dead, I'm sure you can hazard a guess at a very well known under powered car Could ya get a turbo put in to give extra power and also to increase efficiency?

you can put a turbo onto anything lol:) heres some info:
A turbo uses exhaust gas to drive a turbine to push more air into the motors intake. More air = more oxygen, mix that with more fuel and cram it into the combustion camber and you get more ZOOOOOOOM.:) it will take lotsss of $$$$ though!:)

what is it 1.4punto? haha

Nissan doctor · 04-10-2011 10:19pm

Samich wrote: »

Have a 1.4 petrol, it's very dead, I'm sure you can hazard a guess at a very well known under powered car Could ya get a turbo put in to give extra power and also to increase efficiency?

Unfortunately a Turbo is not something you can just fit into onto any engine.

A large amount of expensive work and changes to the engine internals etc etc would be needed to make it run properly and safely.

Anan1 · 04-10-2011 10:25pm

Theoretically, yes. Practically, change cars.

Alanstrainor · 04-10-2011 10:26pm

Not feasible in a lot of cars, expensive, and no insurer would want to go anywhere near you when it was done. New car time!

partyatmygaff · 04-10-2011 10:30pm

As everyone else has already said it's possible, just not a very good idea.

Unless an engine was originally designed to be turbocharged, you're going to need to make other changes to the engine. Considering it sounds like a fairly plain 1.4 petrol car it'd be a complete waste of time trying to turbocharge it. Just change your car.

firefly08 · 04-10-2011 10:30pm

The main question is answered, but a ould pic never hurts either:

http://944turbo.net/?attachment_id=457

It's a question that comes up frequently for cars that are available in a turbocharged version - why don't I just buy the non-turbo version and stick a cheap turbocharger on it? Well, that^ is why

and also to increase efficiency

Even if you did all the upgrades necessary to make a reliable turbo, it wouldn't do this^ anyway. It increases the power of the engine, and it does that more efficiently than a supercharger (which is belt driven) but it doesn't make the engine more efficient than a naturally aspirated one.

CiniO · 04-10-2011 10:32pm

Of course you can.

Example below.
Fiat cinquecento which strongest version (sporting) has 1.1 engine.
Below one with 1.2 engine - swapped from punto, and turbo added. (ps - those 1.2 engines never had factory turbos as well).

It accelerates and sound lovely

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBnVm1eDmqQ

PS. I'm guessing it's octavia.

Tefral · 04-10-2011 10:32pm

Samich wrote: »

Have a 1.4 petrol, it's very dead, I'm sure you can hazard a guess at a very well known under powered car Could ya get a turbo put in to give extra power and also to increase efficiency?

Guessing its a ford focus?

Youd have to use forged internals, a standalone ecu, bigger injectors, possibly use an uprated clutch, then youd want better brakes etc etc..

CiniO · 04-10-2011 10:34pm

Alanstrainor wrote: »

Not feasible in a lot of cars, expensive, and no insurer would want to go anywhere near you when it was done. New car time!

Are not insurers obliged to give quote in the end.

I heard somewhere, that if you are denied a quote from 3 insurers, you can apply somewhere (can't remember where) so they will automatically find you insurer willing to insure you.

Delancey · 04-10-2011 10:35pm

Would a garage /mechanic even be willing to undertake a job like that ?

Guy:Incognito · 04-10-2011 10:36pm

firefly08 wrote: »

The main question is answered, but a ould pic never hurts either:

http://944turbo.net/?attachment_id=457
.

It's weird that they only needed to replace the wheelsand tyres on one side.

CiniO wrote: »

PS. I'm guessing it's octavia.

I assumed the good old 1.4 Golf. Churning out an atom smashing 75bhp was it?

Anan1 · 04-10-2011 10:36pm

CiniO wrote: »

Are not insurers obliged to give quote in the end.

I heard somewhere, that if you are denied a quote from 3 insurers, you can apply somewhere (can't remember where) so they will automatically find you insurer willing to insure you.

This is true, but how much would you charge for a risk you didn't want to take?;)

CiniO · 04-10-2011 10:36pm

Delancey wrote: »

Would a garage /mechanic even be willing to undertake a job like that ?

I'm sure you could find a mechanic who would.

Definitely not any garage, and almost certainly none of mail dealers.

Nissan doctor · 04-10-2011 10:39pm

You don't necessarily need forged pistons but what is most important would be low compression pistons.

You can run a turbo on a standard non turbo engine but the amount of boost you could run would be very small with the exact amount depending on the compression ratio of the engine in question.

As stated, regardless of the boost used, a fully programmable ecu would be needed as well as larger injectors, uprated fuel pumps etc etc.

Guy:Incognito · 04-10-2011 10:41pm

Anan1 wrote: »

This is true, but how much would you charge for a risk you didn't want to take?;)

I could never understand why people want to force companies that dont want their business to give the silly qote just becasue they can.

Nissan doctor · 04-10-2011 10:41pm

Delancey wrote: »

Would a garage /mechanic even be willing to undertake a job like that ?

If the customer wanted to spend the money on having it done properly and the mechanic new exactly what was involved/what parts need ugrading/what works with what etc then it shouldn't be a problem.

tossy · 05-10-2011 12:21pm

You could Turbo it but to do it right i would estimate at least 5k and you would be probably end up with a car that is only as fast as a MK4 GTI golf but cost more money and is totally un-sellable.

I have experience of force inducting a car and i would always encourage originality but you have to look at the options available for similar money,is it special enough etc and decide if its worth it.

Eoin · 05-10-2011 1:11pm

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

I could never understand why people want to force companies that dont want their business to give the silly qote just becasue they can.

I think it's sometimes because some people are prepared pay mental money for insurance, rather than wait a while in a lower risk car.

triple-M · 05-10-2011 1:57pm

I guess an astra...

Master and commander · 05-10-2011 2:04pm

Its possible, but not practical and quite frankly stupid to do on a plain old runaround car. The cost of it if done preperly would probably exceed the value of the car anyway so it'd be an epic financial blunder. On top of that no-one will buy the car if they know its had a retrofit turbo.

Turboing a fancy high grade car for performance is a different kettle of fish altogether.

My advise, if yiou want a turbo car, go buy one. Cheaper and lots less hassle.

Squall19 · 05-10-2011 2:07pm

triple-M wrote: »

I guess an astra...

Why Turbo?

Engine swaps are not complicated.

Fella who works with me brother's a mechanic and swapped his Audi A4 90bhp 1.9tdi with a 2.5 tdi.

Engine cost him 700 euro and brother did the swap.

Couldn't OP but a 2.0 Turbo OPC engine into his Astra?

Loads of those engines available for cheap.

Wouldn't do it myself, as you will need better brakes, suspension etc etc.

Can you put a turbo in a car?

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