Free Horsepower- The Pre-Installation

March, 2009

The Pre-Installation
There are a number of things that you'll need that are not included in the kit. For example, pick up a Buggy-style throttle cable, an electric fuel pump, two No. 4 hose clamps and 3/8in. washers, an air filter and a set of deck lid spacers. Before you begin installing the Turbo City Rapid Response Turbo Kit, it is strongly recommend that you install a Kennedy Stage Two clutch, as the increase in torque from the turbo (See graph on Page XX) will definitely cause the stock clutch to slip. And a slipping clutch means no-go at the wheels.

First off, disconnect the... read full caption First off, disconnect the battery, as you will be working with the electrics and you don't want to fry anything. Shown here is the starting point. We removed the carburetor, air cleaner, intake manifold, rear engine tin, fuel pump, oil pressure sending unit (on the left side of the case) and the entire exhaust system (including the heater boxes if you don't want/need them).	The process begins with the... read full caption The process begins with the outer reaches of the exhaust system, the J-tubes (if you are removing your heater boxes) and then the header. If you are retaining your heater boxes, make sure you have the supplied flanges welded to the heater box outlet. When you get the bolts and seals on for both pieces, just finger tighten them--you'll tighten all of the bolts towards the end of the assembly.
To achieve the proper timing,... read full caption To achieve the proper timing, you'll have to modify the distributor slightly by reducing the ignition advance by approximately 10 degrees. After removing the cap and rotor, pull up the breaker plate and bend the weight stops one-half the distance of normal travel.	While the distributor cap... read full caption While the distributor cap is off, slide the Inlet Tee behind the generator stand and attach with the supplied hardware. Make sure the two vacuum line connection points are to the left of the generator stand. Tighten the clamps on the Inlet Tee pipe but leave the clamps on the end castings loose.
Prepare the oil system by... read full caption Prepare the oil system by installing the fittings for the oil drain. The case plate fits in the original fuel pump location and uses the studs from the removed fuel pump. Since we are working with oil, make sure each connection point is fortified by using Teflon tape. The oil system is critical to the longevity of your engine, so make sure the fittings are tight.		At this time, it is a good... read full caption At this time, it is a good idea to draw through the new throttle cable. Because we are working with a relocated carb, the cable needs to be able to reach it. Pull out the old cable from the pedal side, and remember to use a rag to catch any grease that comes with it. Feed in the new cable and secure it to the pedal. Let it hang to the side for now.
Now it is time for the main... read full caption Now it is time for the main event, the fitting of the turbo unit and carburetor onto the intake tee. Make sure to use the supplied gaskets and bolts, but don't tighten it down just yet.	Loosely attach the turbo housing... read full caption Loosely attach the turbo housing to the Turbo Inlet Pipe, and don't forget to include the seal.	Once the turbo unit is in... read full caption Once the turbo unit is in place, install the oil supply line from the brass T-fitting to the engine case in the oil pressure sending unit. The T-fitting allows for the sending unit and the wire to be located on the top of the T-fitting. The oil supply line attaches into the sending unit adapter. Make sure all threaded fittings are sealed with Teflon tape first.
Next, the oil drain hose needs... read full caption Next, the oil drain hose needs to be connected up using the two supplied hose clamps. It fits on the brass attachment plug on the base of the turbo housing and drops down to the drain back case plate in the original fuel pump location. The hose will need to be cut, but measure twice and cut once. It is important that each fitting is tight, as a loss of oil can adversely affect any engine.	To create a vacuum line for... read full caption To create a vacuum line for the Wastegate, one of the nipples on the Inlet Tee is connected by a rubber vacuum line and is sealed with hose clamps. The remaining nipple can easily be used for a boost gauge, but since we are only running seven pounds, we didn't feel it necessary.	With the hoses and supply... read full caption With the hoses and supply lines out of the way, we can attach the Turbo Outlet Pipe and the Exhaust Outlet Pipe. Before doing so, make sure the turbo wheel in the turbo housing spins freely with a push of your finger. Don't yet tighten down the bolts at this time.
The tightening sequence. To... read full caption The tightening sequence. To make sure all air leaks are controlled, it is a good idea to start the tightening process in two places. Begin by tightening the Inlet Tee at the base of the Compression Housing, then the two hose clamps that connect it to the end castings. Next, tighten the J-tubes (or heater boxes) and header. Next do the Turbo Outlet Pipe and Exhaust Outlet Pipe, and the final bolts to tighten connect the Turbo Inlet Pipe to the bottom of the Turbo Housing.		After removing the stock throttle... read full caption After removing the stock throttle cable stock tube that runs through the fan shroud, slide the 18inch-long 3/8in. copper tube over the installed buggy throttle cable and run it through the shroud. Place a washer on either side of the shroud and a hose clamp to hold it into place. Next you'll have to bend the tube so it curves up to meet the carburetor throttle linkage. Make sure there are no kinks that the cable could get snagged on before you attach it to the linkage and the carb.
One of the last things to... read full caption One of the last things to do before we take it for a start the motor is to attach an air filter to keep the incoming air free of debris. As well, the electronic fuel pump needs to be hooked up into the fuel system (and the line to the carb) and powered by the closest hot wire--we chose the choke wire because it is always on with the key, but your setup may be different.	The final setup. There are... read full caption The final setup. There are three things to do before you can turn the engine over. One is to go over this story again and check to make sure you did everything. Second is to make sure that all of the components have been tightened sufficiently. Third is to disconnect the distributor, disconnect the oil drain hose and turn the car over a few times to make sure oil is being pumped into through the turbo (get a bucket to catch the oil that comes through).	You're done. Turn the car... read full caption You're done. Turn the car over and let is sit at 3000rpms just long enough for everything to get hot. Shut it down and go over each bolt again to retighten them. Since burns of this degree take a while to heal, be careful. Some adjustment of the carb may be necessary, and your overall timing should be set to approximately 25 degrees. To the delight of Old Lady Higgins next door, now you're ready to lay down some major rubber in front of her house. Watch out for cops!
The Dyno Charts Don't Lie... read full caption The Dyno Charts Don't Lie The results speak for themselves. As you can see in this chart, the original engine without the turbo pulled 43.8hp with 65.7ft-lbs of torque at 4500rpms. Pretty good for a stock engine, but the turbo added 88.5 percent more power at the wheel with a pull of 82.6hp and 108.1ft.-lbs. of torque at only 4000rpm. Pretty impressive numbers considering we only turned a few bolts and added a few pipes.

Do:
Do clean a turbo with carbon-dissolving solvent that is harmless to aluminum, such as a common carburetor cleaner.
Do wrap the Exhaust Outlet Pipe with insulation material so you don't lose any heat from the system, and it will keep your engine compartment temperature down.
Do make sure oil gets to the turbo before you start the car for the first time. Do this by disconnecting the distributor and cranking the engine for a few seconds. Check for proper oil flow by removing the oil drain tube and see if oil is being pumped through.
Do make sure the engine you are mounting your system to can handle the extra performance. Check the trans, steering and, most importantly, the brakes. Do check all piping to make sure they are clear of any foreign objects.
Do return the car to idle before shutting it down. When the engine is turned off, oil pressure drops to zero, but the turbine is still freewheeling.
Do check the spinning of the turbo wheel at each step of the tightening sequence. The connection between the housing and the compressor can become askew (it's only held together by a ring clip), and if that happens, you could run the risk of grinding the impeller or the turbo wheel into the housings (i.e. kiss your turbo goodbye).

Don't:
Don't put any hard object, such as a screwdriver, against the impeller of the turbine wheel. The slightest scratch or nick can cause an imbalance at high speeds and possible turbo failure.
Don't wrap the Header and Turbo Inlet Pipe with insulation material. It will cause the exhaust tubing to overheat and potentially fail.
Don't allow the turbo unit to come into contact with any other engine/body components while the engine is moving on its mounts or as the pan flexes.
Don't overlook your tire's speed ratings. Make sure the turbo won't out perform your tires.
Don't rev the engine too hard before the first five minutes of the first run. Leave it at idle for at least five minutes.

Conclusion
The word "turbo" has a magical ring to it. Driving a turbo-powered Volkswagen not only offers a feeling of superiority on the road, but it exudes quickness, conveying a certain regal degree of performance, knowledge and efficiency. During the installation, the quip around the shop was, "Ferdinand would love this," and after driving it--as it pounced from a fast 70mph to a white-knuckle 90mph in a little less than two seconds--we would have to agree.

What is Turbo Power?
While engines suck, turbos blow. A naturally aspirated engine is basically a big air pump, a vacuum pump on the inlet side, sucking air in from the atmosphere, and a pressure pump on the exhaust side, releasing gases back to the atmosphere. As each piston is pushed down, it creates a vacuum thatsucks air into the chamber. The spark plug fires the air (once the fuel is added and pressurized) and the waste gases are spent out the exhaust. A turbocharger is basically a self-contained, motor-driven air compressor that force feeds more air into the engine, and forcing the engine to ingest more air/fuel will net more powerful combustion, ergo a predictable gain in power. So, why is considered "free"? Simply put, the turbo uses the exhaust gases (that would normally be discarded by the exhaust system) to power the turbine (hence, turbo) that then crams the air down the throat of your soon-to-be speed-loving VW. In short, it costs the engine virtually nothing to operate.

When boost exceeds wastegate pressure, the wastegate opens up the exhaust valve (bottom) in the turbine housing, allowing exhaust gases to pass by the turbo housing, slowing down the spin of the turbine.

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How Does a Turbo Work?
If you've ever burned your finger on a tailpipe, you know exhaust gases can be incredibly hot and can move with a pulsing velocity. These two energies (thermal and kinetic) together are called enthalpy. Capitalizing on the laws of thermal dynamics, a turbocharger takes advantage of this heat energy (basically exhaust) that would otherwise be wasted. A turbocharger can be broken into two halves: a compressor side and a turbine side. The compressor side consists of an impeller (or compressor wheel) and the compressor housing, while the turbine side holds the motor that drives the compressor.

Exhaust gases that would normally travel through the header and out the muffler are now redirected from the heads to the turbine wheel in the turbine housing. The guided exhaust gasses travel through the infuser (at the base of the turbine housing), which slows the gasses down and increases air pressure within the housing. This increase in pressure causes the turbine wheel to spin at a high rate of speed, and this rotating force is transferred through the turbine shaft, through the bearing housing (sometimes called the cartridge) to the impeller in the compression housing.

The spinning impeller then brings in more air through the side-draft carburetor and feeds it into the cylinders. The whole system is protected by a wastegate that controls the turbocharger's speed during deceleration and other off-throttle moments by venting potential boost out the exhaust.

Turbo Glossary
Blade: Part of the compressor impeller or turbine wheel acting upon or acted upon by air or exhaust gas
Blower: The term often applied to all forms of superchargers Blow-off Valve--(aka, wastegate) A spring-loaded valve in either intake or exhaust manifold to prevent over boosting.
Boost: Difference between barometric pressure and intake manifold pressure on a turbocharged car.
Charge: Air/fuel mixture to be burned in a combustion chamber Compression Ratio--Ratio of clearance volumes of a cylinder at top and bottom dead center.
Compressor Housing: The housing that encloses the compressor, also know as a scroll.
Compressor Impeller: The rotating portion of the compressor
Diffuser: The stationary portion of the compressor that increases the static pressure of the air or air/fuel mixture.
Enthalpy: Internal energy of a working fluid, usually stated in BTU/lbs.
Inducer: The gas-entry portion of a centrifugal-compressor rotor.
Pressure, static: Pressure measured in a housing or duct through a hole in a wall that is parallel to the direction of flow.
Supercharge: Increases density of charge by compressing it before it enters the combustion chamber.
Throat: Entry portion of turbine housing that defines nozzle area.
Turbine: Portion of the turbocharger that converts energy of the engine exhaust gases to shaft power
Turbocharger: An engine supercharger driven by an exhaust-gas turbine.