Autos: turbocharger, part0

Self-tutoring about autos: the tutor begins about turbocharging.

I’d say turbocharging is something you hear mentioned less now, compared to decades prior. Yet, it’s much more common now than in the year 2000. Back then, only about 1% of production vehicles had a turbocharger; in 2019, 34% did.

A turbocharger harnesses the pressure of the exhaust gas and uses it to pressurize the intake air: both mechanisms are on the same shaft. Therefore, in theory, a turbocharger costs no energy but contributes more power by supplying more oxygen to the engine.

There are various opinions on the power increase a turbocharger will provide, but 20 to 40 percent seems the consensus from several sources. Not all cars, in stock condition, can handle that increase: their engines may wear out more quickly than anticipated if a turbo is added by the owner. I’ve witnessed this.

Source:

auto.howstuffworks.com

energy.gov

Scotty Kilmer