A turbo is something that makes a car fast. The end.
Except its not yet the end. That is the answer to what it does. But how does it actually work?
I might let you in on a little secret: It is witchcraft. It sucks what would happen to be wasted air and turn it into boost which translates to more power and more torque. You might not instanly feel it, but the magic is there.
Aside from the turbocharger’s wizardry, there is also the supercharger and nitrous. They also use air as the main ingredient but they treat it differently. A turbo makes do with exhaust gases while a supercharger inhales the air. We’ll go thru more detail next time so make sure you tune in. Always. Right now, here is an animation of how a turbo creates the boost that we all crave.
There are many ways to increase power. The debate about it will never end. Actually, with the advent of electric toasters with wheels, it just might. At the moment, though, the question remains: Are you the blower type, the Need For Speed nitrous disciple, the turbo junkie, or is there still no replacement for displacement?
Leave your comments below and please don’t say Tesla.