Boost Your Fun

This cutaway illustrates the various components of a turbo. On the right is the turbine where exhaust gas enters the unit. On the left is the compressor where boost is generated and air is directed into the engine's intake system.

Do you want lots of horsepower from a 3.5L motor? The guys at Chevrolet added a turbocharger to this Vortec 3500 inline-five concept engine and made 315 hp and 315 lb-ft of torque.

The exhaust-housing size can alter the low-speed torque and change the available stall speed on automatic-equipped cars. Notice how the end of the turbine has been slightly ground. Turbonetics performs this operation on all of its turbines to precisely balance the turbocharger's operation.

This patented Turbonetics ball-bearing design adds durability and allows quicker spool up.

Turbochargers employ a device called a wastegate (right), which bypasses exhaust gas past the turbo when a certain boost limit is reached and protects the engine from too much boost. Wastegates are sized according to the amount of horsepower they need to control. The bypass valve (left) is sized for the amount of power produced and releases compressed air after the throttle closes.

This custom Spearco air-cooled intercooler (available from Turbonetics) lowers the engine's inlet air temperature, increasing the charge density. This means more fuel can be burned, which increases power. Race vehicles with turbos often use liquid-cooled units.

This '69 Camaro is being fitted with a turbo system from Innovative Turbo. In front of the Camaro's radiator is the intercooler, which will direct a colder and denser charge of air into the engine. The special headers are also custom pieces from Innovative Turbo.

The special wastegate on Innovative Turbo's unit helps ensure that the exhaust pressure does not get too high.

Pair off a 572ci big-block Camaro against a 2.0L Cavalier, and see which car gets to the finish line first. In this case, the Cavalier did, at 8.51 at 176 mph against the Camaro's 9.50 e.t. Of course, the Cavalier had help a little turbocharger help.

The 8-second Cavalier has an interesting resume. Engine: 2.0L Ecotec turbocharged with 25-38 psi boost; horsepower: 1,000 at 8,500 rpm; torque: 580 lb-ft at 7,100 rpm; fuel: methanol; transmission: six-speed; weight: 1,850 pounds.

Inside Innovative Turbo's third-gen Camaro, the engine vitals are managed with this laptop Computer system placed on top the Intercooler. The Camaro has run several 8-second e.t.'s.

Innovative Turbo's Camaro engine keeps boost under control with this MSBC-1 boost controller. It has six stages of timed boost and can be adjusted for different track conditions.