Advantages and Disadvantages of Twin Turbo Kits

The first gasoline powered car was invented by Karl Benz of Germany in 1885, and only 20 years later the first turbocharger was invented by Swiss engineer, Alfred Buchi. But unlike twin turbo kits of today, the first turbocharger was not intended for cars, but for large diesel engines on ships and airplanes. They were later used on diesel trucks, but it was not until the late 1970's that the first turbocharger was successfully used on a car. Any guesses what that was? You are correct if you said a Mercedes Benz!

Since then turbo's have been added to almost any type of car, many added later in the form of turbo and twin turbo kits. Many people think these types of kits are only for guys and gals who want souped up, high powered engines that make a lot of noise. But that is not necessarily true, there are advantages and disadvantages to these kits that anybody can consider.

Advantages

• If you need increased power, then it is available for you to use. Depending upon the kit  and other add-ons, you can see up to a 40% increase in power. This can be really helpful for passing someone, going up long, steep roads, or if you live in a mountainous area.
  


• Decrease in emissions. Twin turbo kits use the exhaust (wasted energy), to create new energy (compressed air) to power the turbo. Essentially it is a form of recycling. By using the exhaust, instead of just spewing it out, you are decreasing your carbon emissions, which is good for the environment.
  


• With decreased emissions, and recycling the exhaust, you should see an increase in your gas milage, and that is always a plus! It has been estimated that you can get up to 20% better fuel economy. So you are getting both increased power and increased fuel efficiency.
  


• Twin turbo kits, since they have two turbochargers, reduces the lag time that it takes the turbine to spool up and be ready to function properly. Basically, this means that you can get up to turbo speeds quicker than a regular turbo charger.
  

Disadvantages

• They do not provide an immediate power boost when you step on the gas. It takes a moment for the boost to kick in, but as mentioned above, this amount of time is reduced with twin turbo kits. When the turbo engine does kick in, you may feel a lurch.
  


• If you have a fuel-injected engine, you may have to do other modifications to increase the fuel ratio to obtain the maximum benefit of the turbocharger. This may be necessary because sometimes in the fuel-injected engine, the system that controls the fuel to oxygen ration can malfunction and not provide enough fuel to the turbo engine. This does not always happen, but is good to be aware of as a first thing to check if you do not get the expected performance.
  

So, if you are thinking about turbo charging your car, consider the pros and cons when making you decision. But lets face it, if you have a four or six cylinder car, it would be really nice to power up hills and pass other cars, getting up to 1000hp out of your engine. Twin turbo kits could be the answer for you.