Turbo lag what is it

There isn't a single solution to eliminate turbo lag, although there are a lot of strategies that can help. Most importantly, though, is building a combination that has the converter, cam, compression ratio, displacement, gearing, and even correct braking system for the turbo that's being used. If you're looking for a way to reduce turbo lag that's akin to magic, look no further than nitrous oxide.

Since a shot of nitrous makes cylinder pressures go crazy, that same energy then gets directed out of the exhaust, spooling a turbo in almost no time.

In the s, it was common to see turbocharged engines using compression ratios in the range to compensate for the heat and pressure as boost came up. But until the boost hit, you were basically driving an over-cammed, low-compression engine that made no power. Boost leaks can easily be created over time between turbo piping connections, as they are under high levels of pressure. A faulty wastegate. The turbo wastegate controls the maximum amount of pressure the turbo creates, diverting excess exhaust gasses from the turbo to stop overboosting.

A faulty boost solenoid. A boost solenoid controls the amount of boost seen by the wastegate, allowing it to open only at the desired pressure. If your solenoid is stuck open, your turbo will likely run at a dramatically lower boost level and increase lag. Lean air-fuel ratios AFRs. Not only is a lean air-fuel mixture bad for your engine, it can cause your engine to run less efficiently, increasing lag.

Low AFRs are commonly caused by faulty injectors, failing fuels systems or a malfunctioning O2 sensor. Excessive engine wear. How to avoid turbo lag The easiest way to avoid turbo lag is to have your car regularly serviced. Read More Posts. Play video. Join In Want to add something? Comments 29 Popular Latest. Dan Bucurica.

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Homemade Popeyes chicken sandwich. Typically, more boost simply means that your wastegate will release pressure at a higher threshold and thus produce more power. However, depending on the way the car has been tuned, it may be safer to have higher boost come in at higher rpm, and in these cases, adding boost would ultimately result in more lag down low. This is not typical though, as only competition vehicles tend to use their maximum boost in the latter half of the rev range.

As discussed earlier in this article, the remedy will depend on the ailment. Many factors can cause turbo lag, so look at our lists above to see if any of these is the issue you're dealing with and you can accordingly figure out how to fix the issue.

The boost threshold is the level at which your exhaust gases cause the turbo to begin creating positive intake manifold pressure. This will depend on the displacement, rpm, and volumetric efficiency of the system. Lag is when you are at an rpm high enough to start creating boost above the boost threshold but there is a time delay in you putting your foot down and the turbo generating more boost. Ultimately, the former is the level at which the turbo can begin to spin and the latter is the level at which the turbo is operating at maximum boost and providing all the power it can for that point in the rev range.

As long as the engine is running, exhaust gases will be flowing and the turbo will be spinning. However, this doesn't mean it's generating extra power all the time, as a turbo has to be spinning at a certain speed before it can create positive intake pressure.

What Is Turbo Lag? Read in this article:. What is Turbo Lag? What Causes Turbo Lag? Reasons for Excessive Turbo Lag Excessive turbo lag is a sign that a car has been tuned poorly, is running badly, or has parts not directly suited for the application - for example, an oversized turbo. Why is Turbo Lag Bad? There are several reasons that turbo lag is frowned upon: Poor throttle response - When driving a car and you put your foot on the gas, it's because you want the power at that moment.

By the power delivery being delayed, it makes it tricky to predict the behavior of a car. For example, if you need to get out of a dangerous situation by rapidly accelerating, the delay in power arriving can mean you aren't able to evade danger in time.

It upsets chassis balance - When a strong turbo finally comes into boost, the introduction of power to the driving experience can be very sudden and make a car difficult to drive.

You may apply more throttle than necessary after being falsely tricked into thinking there isn't enough power, resulting in a sudden rush that can overpower the wheels. Alternatively, and relating to the throttle response point above, if the power arrives at the wrong time and very suddenly - in the middle of a corner, for example - it can upset the balance of a car and induce understeer or oversteer.

Here are a few of the available means of counteracting turbo lag:. Anti-lag A feature that can be activated through tuning of the engine control unit ECU is anti-lag. Two-step This is often confused with anti-lag, but a two-step system is essentially a secondary rev limiter that is in action only when launching the car.

Wastegate manipulation Whether done by tightening the actuator on the wastegate or fitting a tighter spring, the wastegate is where your boost is controlled. Nitrous oxide Nitrous oxide or NOS burns at a much faster rate than regular gasoline, so injecting small amounts of this gas into the combustion chamber will result in a much more dramatic explosion and thus more power.

Twincharging We discuss the differences between a turbo and a supercharger in a separate article. Twin-Scroll Turbochargers The use of twin-scroll turbochargers is a simple, effective way to reduce the amount of turbo-lag experiences.