Originally posted by F22HB
If you know what you are doing, you can minimize costs considerably. If you know what you are doing, you can make parts last a long time. If you know what you are doing, you can be plenty fast with the right parts.
A small turbo will create unnecessary heat. A larger turbo will make things safer. A small turbo will spool quickly, meaning that running off-boost when you want to conserve fuel isn't very easy. A small turbo is cheap. If you don't know any better (*knowledge*) you will buy the cheap small turbo, damage your engine, not go fast, and waste lots of fuel.
The best thing to do before building a turbo kit is learn exactly what every part does. Learn why they do what they do. Learn the negative effects and positive effects, and what decisions can be made to reduce the negative.
Compared to a high-revving NA engine, a properly designed turbo motor can be more reliable. Compared to a well cared-for stock engine, a turbo motor will probably have a shorter lifespan. However, I've known stock cheapie turbo cars (like my old beat to hell 87 Dodge Shadow) to go well over 130,000 miles with no major issues.
Key points to remember:
Engine condition (with stock internals, this is very important)
Tuning!
Proper fueling (injectors, pump, pressure, a/f ratio... that goes back to tuning)
Turbo size
Cooling system
Intercooling system
Exhaust size (you want to get that hot air out of there as quickly as you can!)
Safeguard systems (Wastegate to protect your engine, and BOV to protect your turbo)
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