Turbocharger Benefits

As we like to say, with great power comes great advantages. Turbochargers for diesel engines offer precisely that — an excellent power output. If you are also considering installing a turbo or buying a car that has an integrated one, you must discover all turbocharger benefits.

Let us guide you through the world of engines and help you learn more about the benefits of a turbocharger. By the end, you will determine whether a turbocharged engine is worth it.

The Turbocharger Benefits

There are many turbocharger advantages. They range from simple things like less noise production to generating more power. Here is an overview of the most important turbocharger benefits you must know.

Turbocharging petrol and diesel vehicles

The first benefit is the installation. Both petrol and diesel vehicles can have a turbocharged engine. However, diesel engines were the first ones that became turbocharged, and till today, they are the most common vehicles.

The main reason for having more diesel car turbos for sale than gasoline ones lies in diesel combustion. Diesel as a fuel is less flammable. Hence, in a diesel engine, the high pressure and temperature in the chamber spontaneously make the combustion.

Another thing that influences the turbocharging between the two engine types is the heat difference. Due to the higher temperature of gasoline exhaust gas, turbocharging gasoline vehicles require more advanced materials. 

Power output

Perhaps one of the most significant advantages of turbochargers in diesel engines is the increased power output. In fact, that is one of the main factors our clients decide to order a turbocharging system from us. In other words, with a turbocharger, you will allow the same engine to generate more power.

But how does a turbocharger improve performance? The turbochargers work by compressing the airflow into the engine. Consequently, more air will enter the cylinders, and each explosion will cause the engine to burn more fuel.

So, how much will the turbocharger increase the performance? The answer depends on several things, such as the type of vehicle, engine size, and, most importantly, the type of turbocharging that is being installed.

Generally speaking, the turbochargers we sell might increase the horsepower between 30% and 40%, or between 40hp and 300hp.

Fuel efficiency

Contrary to the belief that more power leads to higher fuel consumption, turbochargers might enhance fuel efficiency. Theoretically and practically, if you drive sensibly, a turbocharged engine can be from 8% to 10% more fuel efficient than the same engine without a turbocharger. 

Therefore, the turbo benefits regarding fuel economy result from various features such as:

• Cleaner chemical reactions by increasing the amount of oxygen and decreasing the use of fuel ignited.
• Less fuel consumption for a quality burst of acceleration.

The efficient fuel-burning process leads to better miles per gallon (MPG numbers), making turbocharged vehicles more economical.

Reduced noise

The turbochargers we sell might reduce your vehicle’s noise pollution. The turbo spools the turbine and absorbs much of the exhaust pressure, reducing noise.

In addition to muffing any excessive noise that the engine generates, you can add silences for the noise generated by the turbocharger. They will help you reduce the pulsation and blow noise, which are the turbocharger's most severe noises.

Size and weight

We always explain to our clients that turbochargers are the best way to make smaller-sized engines more powerful without sacrificing quality. By ordering a turbocharger from us, you can achieve superior acceleration without increasing the engine size or adding significant weight to your vehicle.

Less carbon emission

One of the most important jobs of a turbocharger is to use the otherwise wasted energy from the exhaust gas. As the turbocharger sucks more air, the engine can burn more fuel. Hence, turbochargers are environmentally friendly because they:

• Reduce carbon emissions
• Increase the energy amount the engine can produce

Types of Turbochargers and Their Advantages

In the turbocharging world, we come across various engine layouts. There are five main types of turbochargers you should know about, and each one has its advantages.

Single-turbo

In the single-turbo system, the air is compressed only by one turbocharger before it enters the engine. If your car has one, you should know that it increases the engine’s power and efficiency. 

On the other hand, if you plan to order one from us and install it, you can do that without breaking the bank. Single-turbochargers are cost-effective and one of the easiest systems to install.

Single-turbochargers improve the gas mileage by decreasing the weight of your engine. At the same time, it reduces maintenance costs because it typically builds a more high-performing exhaust manifold.

Twin-turbo

As the name suggests, the twin-turbo has two turbochargers, which can be either identical or different. There are three types of twin-turbo you should know about: parallel, series, and sequential twin turbocharger setups.

We recommend the parallel twin turbo setup if you want efficient packaging within the engine bay. It comes with the least amount of exhaust piping. The last advantage of this setup is that it avoids turbo lag at lower revs because it typically uses smaller turbos instead of one large one.

Next, our clients who want to minimize turbo lag to a large extent get a series turbo setup. The turbo lag is minimized because the second turbocharger is pre-charged by the first one.

Although the sequential twin turbocharger setups are the most difficult to dial in, they can provide your engine with a boat of at least 1,8000rpm. How the sequential twin turbocharger works is that it uses the small vaned turbo for lower speed and the second one for higher revs.

Twin-scroll turbo

The twin-scroll turbocharge setup got its name from the two pipes it uses for the exhaust system. This type of system divides the exhaust pulses so the engine can use the whole pulse energy.

Compared to single-scroll turbochargers, which only use thermal energy to compress the intake air, twin-scroll turbos use both thermal and pulse energy. We recommend the twin-scroll turbo system if you drive the car with medium engine speed and load. This setup has a higher performance in such conditions.

Another advantage we noticed of the twin-scroll turbo is that it has good performance while you are accelerating. Plus, the boost response comes much sooner when you use a twin-scroll turbo. You will also benefit from:

• Up to 5% better fuel consumption
• Reliability
• Up to 8% higher efficiency on the rev range
• Compact turbocharger system that takes less space than a twin-turbo system
• More tuning flexibility

Variable geometry turbo

Variable geometry turbo is also called a variable nozzle turbine. From our point of view, VGTs have limited production because they cost a lot of money. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t consider the VGTs. They offer a wide range of benefits, and the first one is the reduced turbo lag.

Furthermore, the variable geometry turbocharger will give your diesel engine significant flexibility over the pressure ratio. In other words, the flexibility will improve the low-speed torque characteristics and provide better driving EGR flow.

We like our clients to make informed decisions and always point out the following benefits of the variable geometry turbo design to them:

• Increased intake of air boosts pressure at low speeds.
• Improved turbocharger response time during transient engine operation phases.
• Over-boosting prevention at high engine speeds.
• Reducing exhaust gases while improving exhaust gas recirculation rates.
• Better torque of the engine and faster engine torque response.

Electric turbo

With an electric turbo, you can get both the efficiency of a fully active turbocharger and turbo lag elimination. One of the biggest advantages we emphasize about the electric turbo is that you can turn it off when you don’t need it.

If you know the right time to turn the electric turbo off, you will be able to save fuel and achieve higher efficiency. To illustrate, we recommend turning the electric turbo off when you are on a long road and driving at a constant speed.

The last of the electric turbocharger benefits is that it takes less space than a supercharger but provides the same performance. It also uses exhaust gases to power generators and reduce emissions simultaneously.

Turbocharger Limitations

As with every engine setting, there are advantages and disadvantages of turbochargers. The turbocharger has the following limitations:

• Possibility of overheating if an intercooler isn’t used.
• The engine might wear out at a faster rate because of the increased acceleration.

Turbocharger vs. Supercharger

To make the right decision before purchasing from our shop, you need to know the pros and cons of a turbocharger and a supercharger. The pros are that both can be used to increase engine power and achieve fuel economy.

But what are the differences? Here is a brief overview of the main distinctions between the two engine settings.

	Turbocharger	Supercharger
Energy source	Uses a turbine and compressor fan to use the vehicle’s exhaust gas	Powered by the engine itself
Connection to the engine	Not directly connected	Directly connected
Emission	Have wastegates that reduce emission	Emits more smog than turbochargers
Construction	Complex	Simpler
Power output	Less powerful	More powerful
Overall engine efficiency	Better	Slightly worse
Horsepower	Produces less horsepower than supercharging	Produces more horsepower than turbocharging
Engine compatibility	Better for smaller displacement engine applications, typically for four-cylinder engines	Recommended for larger displacement engines with more cylinders
Turbo lag	Yes	No, offers instantaneous power delivery
Sound	Quiter	Louder and more abrasive

Where Can You Get a Turbocharger?

If you want to purchase a turbocharger for your vehicle, we at Goldfarb & Associates offer high-quality products. You can choose between new and rebuilt diesel turbochargers. We hold various turbocharger brands like Delphi, Holset, IHI, Air Research, etc.

Conclusion

The turbocharger benefits are definitely something you should consider before ordering one. Generally, you can expect to enjoy all of the advantages by purchasing one of our products.

Your engine will have increased power output and work more efficiently. Turbochargers are designed to improve combustion efficiency and fuel economy and, at the same time, decrease carbon monoxide emissions.

So, check out our inventory now, order one, and start enjoying the benefits of turbochargers!