NJHK

I originally posted this on ECOTECForum.com but I thought I'd share it with you guys as well. Note, I also added it to the FAQ Sticky on this forum as well for future reference

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I know some people are always worried about spool timing on a turbocharger, so I made this list for you guys of how to have good spool timing on a turbocharger:

If you're worried about spool time, there are many ways of having an efficient spool time without even touching your engine...like:

1. Coating the Turbo/Exhaust Manifold - This helps by keeping the heat energy inside the manifold and out torwards your turbine where it belongs. Also benefits by keeping your manifold from cracking which could lead to even worse things.

2. Look into ball bearing turbochargers. There are single and dual ball bearing turbochargers...more pricey than the typical turbocharger (journal bearing) but if spool timing is what you're looking for, this is the way to go. You could see up to a 500 RPM difference. There are also Ceramic Bearing Turbochargers as well, but these are much more expensive but even more responsive.

Note: Dual Ball Bearing turbochargers means that there are ball bearings on each side of the center section, one on the compressor side and turbine side giving less friction during rotation of the shaft for both sides. Single Ball Bearings only have a ball bearing on one side, find out which side the ball bearing is on before purchasing a single ball bearing turbo.

3. Increase the size of your exhaust system. Problem with exhaust systems that are smaller is that they create alot of backpressure (more bends, more backpressure...smaller piping = more restriction = more backpressure). Picture this, your turbocharger is trying to spin in one direction meanwhile you have this backpressure trying to obstruct it's operation. Why do you think people run open downpipes on turbochargers? The less backpressure, the less obstruction, the freer the turbine can spin and faster it can spin cause it doesn't have the pressure to **** it up.

4. Pick the right size turbocharger - This could save you the most headache as far as spool timing, even to the point of not even having to do any of the above 3 things necessarily. Compressor Maps are your friend. If you don't know how to read compressor maps, you wouldn't be the only one...they can be tricky. If you want another way of finding out what would be ideal for the power you're aiming for on your engine, ask people who are turbocharged what they are running and what they think of the spool timing (example: ask what their max PSI is set at and what RPM they are seeing this max PSI at). By doing this, you can look more into that turbocharger, check out the specifications of it, the a/r of the turbine and ask more questions from there or make a judgement from this of where you want to go.

That's basically the simple ways of improving spool timing without even touching your engine.