Thought I'd drop this one into the ether and see if it's something that's already been thought of (and has anyone actually put it into practice), and what people's thoughts on it are.

With the ongoing drive for ever more efficient engines with reduced emmissions, performance manufacturers seem to all be reducing engine capacity, favouring the benefits of forced induction to make up the deficit in power.

Looking back many years to the experimental days of motorsport, it was often the case where cars were powered by very small (compared with the V8s and V10s of today) capacity engines with massive turbos. The obvious downside to this was the huge turbo-lag these engines suffered from as they struggled to build sufficient exhaust pressure to make the turbo work.

Given that we now see an emergence of hybrid technology in the performance car world, has any thought been given to something like this:

Small capacity engine, big turbo. To overcome turbo-lag (which is only momentary) include electric direct drive into the gearbox (with a slipper clutch between IC engine and gearbox to deal with power drop as lag kicks in), powered via a high energy discharge system (much like a slow discharge capacitor) backed up by a generator on the gearbox, batteries (would not need to be as big as in other hybrids (they would not provide constant drive) and could be charged while cruising), and possibly a KERS style system.

This would allow consistent power through the gearbox, overcoming the problem of significant turbo-lag. I don't know how it would compare to a progressive forced-induction system (such as a supercharger or smaller sequential turbo), but I suspect with the state of modern electric drive technology, it could be more efficient.

Thoughts?

Garret have been working for some time on an electrically assisted turbocharger (others probably aswell).

You have much less mass to accelerate, smaller motor + less energy = smaller battery, less weight and less cost.

However their development backed off as a number of improved technologies combined are having the same effect.

BorgWarner have a pretty damn clever idea

Valve Event Modulated Boost



http://www.greencarcongress.com/2012/05/vemb-20120...

Bear in mind that BW turbos are wiping the floor with equivalent spec Garrets WRT spool AND top end simultaneously already, hybrid solutions may not really be required.

+ an increase in CR coupled with a cleverly designed ant-det piston and combustion chamber.

And that's been happening for 40 years or more.

Max what do you thing is holding up VGT on petrol engines? Is it really just overcoming the higher EGTs? Obviously diesels have had them for ages.

I believe it's BW's first foray into the aftermarket, so the EFRs haven't been around long but everyone I know who's used one says the same thing: quicker spool and more power than the equiv' Garrett. The really neat thing about them from an installation POV is the built-in WG and BOV.
Haven't heard of any failing personally.

I sold it ages ago

Obviously you'll be wanting to avoid the rip off merchants, Owen Developments, but I think TurboDynamics sell them at a reasonable price.

I used to use a company who bulk ordered kit from America and a GT3582R would be £1000 to my door, which was a great price. Sadly they went under last year :-(

http://www.miataturbo.net/build-threads-57/soviet-russia-car-build-you-61522/page4/

You may need to be a member to see that bit, I'm not sure

Cliffs:

EFR6258 on an MX5 makes 318wheel/hp at 18-19psi, 200ft/lbs of torque at 3k. An equivalent car with a Garrett 2871 makes 50-60wheel/tq LESS at the same rpm.

Re failures, there's an issue with the turbine wheels not being made of the correct quality and they fall off. BW are aware of the issue and are honouring all warranties and replacing turbos FOC.

Has anyone seeny honeywell axel flow turbine wheels and 'dual boost' twin sided compressor wheel? looks pretty intresting and should be pretty fast spooling.

Chris.

Me too (2.0 lump), now watching with interest on these new GTX things!