Turbo normalizing for cars?

[Vince-HX]

So I have to admit it, I love/live turbos. And I have been thinking of the most ideal application of a turbocharger for maximum FE.

One thing that really caught my eye was turbo normalizers for airplanes.

"A stroke of GENIUS – turbo-normalizing technology. Traditional turbocharging boosts air pressure as high as 40 inches of manifold pressure, creating higher induction pressures and temperatures than a normally aspirated engine.The turbo-normalizing approach, however, only allows the air pressure to build to a normal 30 inches of sea level pressure. Even at 25,000 ft, the engine thinks and performs as if it's flying at sea level. The engine can do this at lower induction air temperatures and lower manifold pressures than traditional turbochargers – all using the inherently more efficient cylinder compression ratios found in normally aspirated engines."

I know that the situation is quite a bit different with cars because we don't see the massive elevation changes.

My main theory is that boosting to one atmosphere (0 on a boost gauge) could help with reducing pumping losses.

A highly efficient small framed twin scroll turbo and response tuned individual runner manifold would be used. I think with this combination I should be able to have less back pressure than the stock exhaust and any reversion between cylinders should be eliminated.

I have already approached a well respected tuner and he assured me if the manifold air pressure never went positive the stock ECU should be able to handle everything just fine (MAP car). Read - OBDII can stay OBDII


Could be a really interesting experiment. Either way My Y5 will be breathing in compressor churned air. If it doesn't have a noticeable effect I will be converting over to OBDI and completely retuning with a ported and polished Z1 head (11.8-1 compression), then if those results don't show much improvement the y5 head will be going back on and the engine will be tuned for moderate boost.


I would love to hear your guy's thoughts

And I have plenty of weird and crazy ideas where that one came from

[Bullockracing]

How would you have a single turbocharger pushing an individual runner intake? That would require one turbo per cylinder, wouldn't it?

[Vince-HX]

Sorry if I wasnt clear, I meant individual runner exhaust manifold configured for twin scroll with 1-4 and 3-2 merging.

[Bullockracing]

Makes sense to me - as long as you had a waste gate with a really puny spring in it! Have you looked at an electric supercharger? Of course, that may be pipe dream stuff, but a blower motor mounted in the intake stream could do the same thing, since you don't need big boost...

[Vince-HX]

I think a low pressure spring coupled with a electric boost control that controlled both the Wg and BOV would work but I am going to call Tial and speak to their techs on the subject.

Electric fan is a no go because it uses electricity which the alternator has to produce which may offset any FE gains. The turbo reclaims some of the exhaust's thermal energy and done the right way could increase the engine's overall efficiency.

[Joe_Bloe]

Isn't this what SAAB did with their Light Pressure Turbo?

[Vince-HX]

I think the saab still used positive pressure, like 4-5 lbs.

If i remember right the LPT engine only made 15-20 more hp but the drive ability increased and longer gearing was used.

[MazdaMatt]

Who's to say that 1bar is the optimal use of a turbo? Certainly design it for low-boost, but have it configurable up to a few psi. Sounds interesting to me, if not a VERY expensive way to save a little fuel.

Can't you buy an EV kit for about the same price as a turbo kit? (taking sold motor and stuff into account). Maybe tuning a pre-turbod car would make the most sense.

[Vince-HX]

1 bar means no tuning

Cost of this project is nearly $0, just my time.

[MazdaMatt]

The price is right! Do it!