Why don�t more people turbocharge their cars (a la VX220) ?
Now, from what I understand, although turbochargers are harder to fit as an aftermarket product, and more difficult to get spot on; they are considerably more efficient, cheaper, and the biggest plus point I see is that you don�t have to put up with that annoying whine from the supercharger.
So why don�t people fit turbos in their Elise/Exiges? (if you can do it in a VX why not in a Lotus)
(From what I�ve heard/read it�s something to do with the camshaft or bulkhead something or other. I�m sure the answer is blaringly obvious so sorry if I�m �dumming down� the site)
Easy, because most people like the power delivery of a NA engine, i.e.: no lag.
At least Supercharging maintains that power delivery as it pulls from the bottom, and some people actually like the whine a supercharger makes
Also, there are packaging problems with turbocharging due to the heat and the fact that the car is mid engined and small. Not a lot of airflow back there, things get cooked.
AND, the Toyota can be turbo’d, Forcedfed has done it with excellent results, but to turbocharge the K reliebly I feel you’d have to start with an iron block, and that’s heavy (unless somebody comes up with a proper way of strengthening the block)
There is a turbocharged version of the 1.8 litre K series, as was used in the Rover 75.
However, the problem with it is that the turbocharger is mounted just where the bulkhead is in Elises/Exiges. So it won’t fit.
I suppose you could re-engineer it, but nobody has bothered. This is mostly because if you want a turbocharged car, you go to Bernard Scouse for an Audi 1.8T conversion, which will give up to 300bhp and by all accounts is a quality product & installation.
I see is that you don�t have to put up with that annoying whine from the supercharger.
It’s MUSIC to my ears !! And it quite literally is behind my ears.
Part of the bulkhead is cut away and replaced with a domed cut out, NOT really enough room for a Turbo…
Why don�t more people turbocharge their cars (a la VX220) ?
Wasn’t Adrian Neweys 300bhp Elise a K-series turbo car (done by BBR?)
Plenty of people are turbocharging their car (again not using the K-series like the VX220 doesn’t either !) AutoTeknix has a considerable queue of people waiting to have theirs done.
Nobody who’s been out in my car has complained of lag
not using the K-series like the VX220 doesn’t either !
Are you implying that I don�t know my engines
What kind of price difference is there between Turbocharging and Supercharging? I know that Turbo Technics charge �6300 for a supercharger, what are we talking for a turbo (I had a look on the AutoTeknix�s website, but it�s somewhat devoid of info).
Prices vary depending on precisely what you want… but it’s circa �6000 for a 250bhp Audi engine fitted (less what you can get for your old K) and �9000 for a 300bhp version (less the K)
Which makes it a good �4K-5K cheaper than a S/C Honda
I’d say as well as space and heat which are both a bigger problem with turbo’s won’t there also be more work in mapping a turbo car than a supercharged car ?