The car I refer to as my second vehicle is a 2006 Subaru WRX Limited Wagon. Like every Subaru owner I have had the pleasure of meeting, we all love our Subaru. It is easy to understand why. They are safe, one of the safest manufacturers in fact. Almost every Subaru comes with Symmetrical All-wheel drive. A proven safety feature for all types of climate. Their manufacturing facility in Indiana has a zero landfill rating by the way.They have new technologies and high crash ratings. Another benefit of this particular model is the turbocharger system.
A turbocharged engine is able to produce more power than a naturally aspirated or "N/A" engine. A turbocharger is an air pump that uses exhaust gasses to spin a turbine wheel. The turbine wheel on the exhaust or "hot side" has a matching compressor wheel on the intake or "cold side." The two are connected by the same shaft that runs through a center housing and rotating assembly (CHRA). As the turbine spins, so does the compressor wheel. The compressor wheel spins at extremely high speeds—over 20,000 RPM's—and compresses the intake air. The compressed air passes through an intercooler and is sent to the cylinders. Exhaust gas is a waste product so the energy developed by the turbine is essentially free because it does not use any of the engine's power it helps to produce. I know that sounds like a mess of tornado's wrapped up in a bag of hurricanes so let me put it this way... The faster the exhaust leaves the motor and spins the turbo, the more the air is compressed and sent into the engine. This is commonly referred to as "boost."
The "hot side" or exhaust side of a turbocharger. Careful they can get up to 1800 degrees.
The "cold side" or intake side of a turbocharger. The air intake and up pipe shown installed (Left). The intake piping and up pipe removed (Right). Note the compressor wheel on the cold side of the turbo.
Above is the stock GM intercooler. This is a device that cools the air after is it charged from the turbo. Intercoolers work just like a radiator for an engine but instead of fluid being cooled, it is the air being cooled prior to entering the cylinders. The cooler the air, the more dense it is. Cooler air means increased efficiency, horsepower and torque. The intercooler is always located after the turbocharger and before the intake manifold. The boost that is added from the turbo is preset by the auto manufacturer. Many owners have changed the set limit or upgraded to a bigger sized turbo. The advantage of upgrading is more power. The flip-side to that is you will need supporting modifications to the vehicle to handle the bigger turbo and the added horsepower. This is not something you take lightly. A bigger turbo means you will need a stronger fuel pump, possibly bigger fuel lines. An upgraded air intake is highly recommended. You will also need to upgrade your fuel injectors to be able to match the amount of fuel with the amount of increased or "charged" air. With this increase in fuel and air you will also need to reprogram the vehicles computer to recognize these changes and make corrections accurately. This is known as a tune. Some places tune on the street while the car is driving in its natural habitat. While others prefer to dyno tune a car. This means that the car sits inside or on a trailer and is strapped down to a large rolling drum. The driver follows a procedure for accelerating and a computer measures the cars performance based on input from the car and the drum. Both have their respective advantages and disadvantages, like everything in life. I would personally have my car street tuned because that is where it will be when it is being used.
The thing that I really enjoy about a turbocharged car is its ability to speed up very rapidly. This is a safety measure in my book. When I need my vehicle to accelerate quickly, I know that it can and it will. Because of my military service, I take vehicle to another level. I want to know that when the need arises, I will be able to move quickly. My first turbo car was a Subaru, my second was a turbo Buick. I can guarantee that my third will be another Subaru. Hands down the most fun car I have ever owned and safest It has paid for itself time and time again. Unstoppable in all conditions, very dependable, and very easy to work on. I am not trying to sell Subaru as a brand I promise. Even though 95% of all Subaru's sold in the last 10 years are still on the road and that says a lot for a company.
No comments:
Post a Comment