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A turbocharger has two main sections – hot and cold. These two sections are covered by two housings, turbine housing and compressor housing. In the other discussion we’ve posted on Arashi Blog section, it discusses about how to choose the right sized turbine housing; in this article, we’ll discuss about the compressor A/R, which is also the size of the compressor housing. A/R is short for area/radius, its definition is the discharge, cross-sectional area divided by the radius from the turbo centerline to the centroid of that area. Don’t be annoyed by the calculation, usually A/R is specified when you...

Both turbochargers and superchargers are forced induction devices that are used to create greater power in engines. The principle is to inject compressed air of higher density into the engine cylinder. Higher oxygen level call for corresponding higher fuel to explode and boost horsepower. However, turbochargers and superchargers differ primarily in their energy source. Turbochargers source their energy from the kinetic energy of exhaust gas while superchargers are powered by connecting to the engine with a belt pulley. When exhaust gas drives turbine wheel to spin, the wheels rotate and compress air at the same time before the compressed air...

One of the most returned turbo failures we see has rubbed compressor housing and damaged heat shield/shroud. This is usually due to irregular circumstances in connection to the compressor side. In the discussion we’ll focus on air leakage. Another cause would be setting your boost too high. When you hear noises coming out from your engine, it is strongly recommended that you check all the parts connecting to the turbo especially all the pipes, make sure that all the pipes are not cracked. Once one of the pipes are cracked, air leakage, if not found in time, the pressure imbalance...

Continuing our previous discussion of prepping from a naturally aspirated to a turbocharged vehicle; in this discussion we’re going to talk about how you may prepare yourself on choosing the perfect fit upgraded turbo for a turbocharged car. We’ll cover on several things that guide you to choosing a complete turbo with all the suitable setups for your engine. First, choose the types of flanges on the new turbo, mainly the turbine inlet and turbine outlet, as you will need to also upgrade your manifold and downpipe. Common flange types in the aftermarket include T25, T3, and v-band. You may...

If you have an BMW N54 engine and would like to upgrade your turbos, you probably know it’s got a pair of turbos – front and rear, however, what you might not be aware, is that BMW has actually made two versions of rear turbos on N54 that are slightly different depending on the region you buy your vehicle from. Arashi calls the different rear turbos Rear and Rear 2. You distinguish them by the set up of its compressor housing and actuator. Actuator locations are different among the two versions of rear turbos. Before purchasing N54 upgraded turbos from...