4 Basic ways of having good spool timing on a Turbocharger

[NJHK]

I originally posted this on ECOTECForum.com but I thought I'd share it to you guys as well.

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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 fuck 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.

[Jeremy]

Screw spool time. A lot of us want a very late spool. Id rather have a late spool and TONS of airflow then a fast spool and a dead top end.

[NJHK]

Screw spool time. A lot of us want a very late spool. Id rather have a late spool and TONS of airflow then a fast spool and a dead top end.

Thats you, not everyone. This was made for people who want to improve spool timing on larger sized turbochargers.

[DasPirate]

Uhh, to be perfectly honest, from all that I've read here Jeremy's right in that nobody here's concerned with spool time. And the guys running turbos big enough to be concerned with it already know what to do.

[AC66Bronco]

but the rest of them might not

i say any info is good info as long as its correct

[NJHK]

Uhh, to be perfectly honest, from all that I've read here Jeremy's right in that nobody here's concerned with spool time. And the guys running turbos big enough to be concerned with it already know what to do.

Yes but the people who are PLANNING on running bigger turbos in the future or just people who don't fully understand turbocharging systems can learn from this.

Plain and simple, if you know this stuff already, than move on.

[NJHK]

but the rest of them might not

i say any info is good info as long as its correct

Thank you

[d3ad1ysp0rk]

Even if you're not "concerned" with spool time, it's still good to know how to create better spool. The only thing that limits us from going with bigger turbochargers is the fact that the powerband will be moved to close to the redline to be useful. You're in a good situation if you can make the same amount of boost, with a larger sized turbocharger, just by using these tips.

[NJHK]

Even if you're not "concerned" with spool time, it's still good to know how to create better spool. The only thing that limits us from going with bigger turbochargers is the fact that the powerband will be moved to close to the redline to be useful. You're in a good situation if you can make the same amount of boost, with a larger sized turbocharger, just by using these tips.

Exactly, thank you.

[chrispel]

Most of the guys running big turbos also run a standalone which you can tune to increase/decrease spool times.

[phat95nosdsc2]

Good info!!! For a higher hp fwd'r you want slower spool though [img]{SMILIES_PATH}/smile.gif[/img]

[d3ad1ysp0rk]

Good info!!! For a higher hp fwd'r you want slower spool though [img]{SMILIES_PATH}/smile.gif[/img]

The point is that if you do a lot to decrease spool time, you can make a larger turbo spool up just as quick as a smaller one.. which means instead of having a t3/t4 60/63 be almost perfect for the car.. maybe a gt35r would be.. which would be better.

[S.Bretz]

Re: 4 Basic ways of having good spool timing on a Turbocharg

I originally posted this on ECOTECForum.com but I thought I'd share it to you guys as well.

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

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 fuck 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.

1) It helps, be not much with spool time. I have tried both, and you really cen't notice it. And holdingin the heat will most likly cause the manifold to crack sooner.

2) as far as I know, all the BB turbos use ceraminc, I could beworng though...but you don;t need it, turbo manifold design is much more important.

3)True, but you also want smaller manifold runners on the manifold, the smaller sized increase the exhaust velocity, so the turbione houeing doen't havetodo as much work. Also, placing sharp turns in some places can kill you

4) The compressor sidehas little to do with spool, you should be more worried about the trim,a/r, and flow rates of the turbine side.

[NJHK]

Re: 4 Basic ways of having good spool timing on a Turbocharg

I originally posted this on ECOTECForum.com but I thought I'd share it to you guys as well.

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

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 fuck 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.

1) It helps, be not much with spool time. I have tried both, and you really cen't notice it. And holdingin the heat will most likly cause the manifold to crack sooner.

2) as far as I know, all the BB turbos use ceraminc, I could beworng though...but you don;t need it, turbo manifold design is much more important.

3)True, but you also want smaller manifold runners on the manifold, the smaller sized increase the exhaust velocity, so the turbione houeing doen't havetodo as much work. Also, placing sharp turns in some places can kill you

4) The compressor sidehas little to do with spool, you should be more worried about the trim,a/r, and flow rates of the turbine side.

I respect your responses and thank you.

As far as #4, I just gave an example of what you can find out from other people but what you said is true.

[S.Bretz]

I didn't know about # until boostedsl2 set me straight...but you do have to take into consideration the surge line. A bad surge line is something like the t70 compressor map, a good looking surge line would be either a 60-1 or 60-2...but those wheel designs are a bit old and stighly better effeciencies can be made with a modern desgin 61mm compressor....but most of the efficeincy increase in modern turbos comes from the improvement to the turbine side....less pressure to make the same shaft rpm, and also improvements to the total threw put of the turbine housing/wheel while at the saem time decreaseing the spool times.

Garret trys to sell the BB turbos liek they are the greatess thing in the world. DOn't get me wrong, they are great turbos, and spool up about 100-200rpms quicker, but what really make them sooo much better then a garrett turbo of the 80's or older is the improvement to the turbine wheel and how they utilize the optimum part of the turbine wheel at different exhaust velocities.