turbo Acura RDX project
 

Driving a 4000lbs 2007 acura rdx i can maybe do 18-19mpg if i'm lucky in the city (15 mile trip, light traffic). i have hooked up my scangauge to the rdx to monitor engine load for best acceleration. i noticed that if i use 80% engine load like i used to on the subaru the car moves really fast and the boost hits 14psi (max boost) at 2500rpm. Now this seems to be a bit extreme but then again doesn't boost improve BSFC at low rpms (eliminates vacuum and pumping loss)? but i have also learned that the car runs rich anytime the turbo is working. i tried driving to work offboost once but that did not work well, i got about 17mpg on that trip which was my worst. So i have no clue how to accelerate with this car during pulse & glide. also the onboard computer has a torque meter that shows how much torque is being sent to the wheels using bars like on a cellphone. i'm guessing this is engine load too? i can maybe get rid of the scangauge because i have no good place to mount it on this car.

i also have a couple mods in mind. i'm thinking of a front mount intercooler to reduce turbo heat and insulation pad for under the hood (keep engine temps up in winter). I am also thinking of high flow cat/exhaust to reduce any restrictions that turbo cars don't like.

That is the problem with turbo gasoline engines. Unless you have a very tiny, undersized engine in a vehicle almost every thing about the turbo gasoline concept works against getting good fuel economy.
BSFC is higher on gas turbo motors, roughly 20% higher. That means it take 20% more fuel to make the same power as a N/A gas motor.

NO you have it backwards.

N/A engines need 0.5lb/hr per horsepower.
Turboed gas engines need 0.6 to 0.65lb/hr per horsepower.

ok i understand turbo engines have higher bsfc but isnt that only at wide open throttle where afr has to get really rich to control knock and temps? im interested in partial throttle or 50% throttle acceleration methods.

I have been considering a k20a swap in my CRV with a turbo on it. Smaller nominal displacement (vs 2.4L) but more on demand "displacement" with turbo.