Do I Want A Turbocharged Car?

LanEvo said:

The problems I did run into had to do with the associated plumbing: mostly intercooler hoses popping off at inopportune times.

This happened to a Volvo at the last RallyX here - 3 or 4 times.

Pete. (l33t FS) said:

When I rallycrossed my S40, I generally turned the boost all the way down to make it more drivable.  It would also build full boost at 1/4-1/3 throttle thanks to the tiny divided-turbine turbo.  At street boost levels (8-9psi) it was either coasting or spinning the tire(s) even with rally tires on.  It was also kind of like that on the street a lot of times, too 

In regard to rallyX I can see how turbo lag would be weird and require some anticipation. Actually that thought was floating around the back of my mind. Can you / how do you adjust the boost?

In reply to Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) :

I've found that Canadians maintain stuff far better.  Not once have I seen a Volvo with any return line issues.

In reply to Streetwiseguy :

I agree on the Canadian/maintenance stuff.  Most of the problems I have seen with them were from my time at the shop in TX, so potentially an ambient heat factor as well?  I had a half-dozen Volvos that came in with smoking issues, and when I pulled the return line off the block, it was packed with black, crystalline gunk.  PITA to rod out, too, because there is a 90 degree bend in the block about 3/4" in.

Edit:  Sorry... 19mm, not 3/4"  :)

kb58 said:

I think the combination of water-cooling bearings and better ECU management has done away with the worst of the issues. Unfortunately, like owning a pitbull, there's lasting damage to their reputation no matter how well behaved they are now (we own a pitbull mix :). Back on topic, my car went through all sorts of drama, but none of it involved the turbocharger directly.

Water cooling and Engine Management. The computer on my Abarth will run a small auxiliary water pump on engine shutdown, this cools the turbo until the electrons deem it cold enough to manage on it's own.  I am pretty sure that most new cars have a similar system. Whole I know the SRT doesn't and do not know about the mini, a turbotimer or a timed electric waterpump can keep heat under control.

I have never had a problem with any turbo charged car. Any issues people have that i've known have been because of modding. Mostly using a bad tuner or tuning it themselves lol. 

Couple of things that can affect longevity.  You really want a water cooled turbo. If you don't have one, be sure to fit a 'turbo-saver' to the oil feed - a one way valve and a small oil reservoir that continues to feed cool oil through the bearing after shut down. 

And  water cooled centre bearing is ideal, but it isn't a solve-all. I knew a kid with  a hot-shoe turbo car and although he had the water cooled turbo, his inevitable practice when driving home up some long hills was to floor it on the hills, pull into his driveway and shut the very hot engine off.  The water that happened to be in the bearing housing would boil and the oil in the bearing would ash and the life on his turbo was reduced by his own stupidity.  Idling down for a few minutes after that sort of silly foot to the floor stuff would probably have greatly extended the turbo life.

Streetwiseguy said:

Japanese,  OK, although the two most popular Japanese turbo cars don't seem to have sturdy enough head gaskets for anything more than commuter work

I am curious what engines you are thinking of.  The only Japanese turbo engines I ever see out and about are Honda 1.5s.  They put that in everything.  If you see a Civic made in the past five or six years, it most likely has the 1.5 turbo.  I think 100% of CR-Vs.  It is also the base engine in the Accord.

L5wolvesf said:

Pete. (l33t FS) said:

When I rallycrossed my S40, I generally turned the boost all the way down to make it more drivable.  It would also build full boost at 1/4-1/3 throttle thanks to the tiny divided-turbine turbo.  At street boost levels (8-9psi) it was either coasting or spinning the tire(s) even with rally tires on.  It was also kind of like that on the street a lot of times, too 

In regard to rallyX I can see how turbo lag would be weird and require some anticipation. Actually that thought was floating around the back of my mind. Can you / how do you adjust the boost?

The turbo wastegate control solenoid died, and so of course I bought a Turbosmart manual dial-a-blam valve to replace it.  I left the failed solenoid plugged in to keep from setting a circuit fault, and the engine computer was perfectly happy not being in control of boost pressure.

Base boost pressure in that car was about 4psi.  It never set an underboost code or anything, but the car had no boost gauge so I never realized there was an issue until I took it to Norwalk and found that my supposedly 160hp car was actually making about 110hp, by calculating back from trap speed.  Then I installed a boost gauge and learned the truth.

I never found out what it would take to set an overboost code.  I know my current Volvo will throw a fit if boost goes over about 24psi, which will happen if you break the pressure tap hose while installing the engine.  But it had ALL the midrange torque 

Pete. (l33t FS) said:

Streetwiseguy said:

Japanese,  OK, although the two most popular Japanese turbo cars don't seem to have sturdy enough head gaskets for anything more than commuter work

I am curious what engines you are thinking of.  The only Japanese turbo engines I ever see out and about are Honda 1.5s.  They put that in everything.  If you see a Civic made in the past five or six years, it most likely has the 1.5 turbo.  I think 100% of CR-Vs.  It is also the base engine in the Accord.

Subaru and Mitsubishi. The little Hondas do seem decent.  Give them another 30 years.

I still don't trust Audi because of the quality issues in the 5000s in the 80's.  I have a long memory, and don't forgive easily.

Edit:  Hondas fall under another of my bigotries, which involve turbochargers required to keep up to highway speeds.  See GM 1.4T.  I tar a lot of stuff with the same brush.

Streetwiseguy said:  See GM 1.4T.  I tar a lot of stuff with the same brush.

Are the later DI ones better? It's a different motor, and I've never heard anything bad about them.

I know the the 1.4T and it's weaknesses well. The motor itself is fine, the supporting cast, not so much

In reply to Streetwiseguy :

Ah, I see approximately zero turbo Subarus and nobody buys Mitsubishi anything, here.  Must be a low altitude vs high altitude thing.

The GM (Daewoo) 1.4 seems pretty stout.  Sure the PCV system is a bit wonky, but then again, what well engineered turbo car doesn't have a wonky PCV system?  Speaking as someone who is well versed in Volvo and BMW crankcase ventilation foibles, and formerly Audi.

Pete. (l33t FS) said:

The GM (Daewoo) 1.4 seems pretty stout.  Sure the PCV system is a bit wonky,

If it's the first gen 1.4T, the only thing wonky about it is the 100% failure rate.

When it works it works very well. Until it doesn't, which is guaranteed