Turbo Charging

[Micho523]

I dont really know if this is the place to be posting this, but I am currently working on a project to turbocharge an old sears weedeater engine for use in a friends boat. Many people have told me it wont work, but I have talked to a mechenical engineer, and he seems to disagree. What do you guys think? Am I completely out of my mind, or is this a good idea? If you like i can take a few pictures of where i am at now.

[BoatDoc]

YES!!! pictures!!!!! i'm curious though, where are youg going to get such a small turbo?? i've seen the small superchargers, but i'm told that they're very inefficient and prone to damage. but i know i'd like to see what you're up to.

[Micho523]

I am actually constructing the turbo myself. I really have just started on this project, so there isnt much to see. One quick question... do you think the exhaust temp will get high enough to melt silver solder?

[Chris LaPanse]

It depends how close the turbine is to the motor. BTW-is it two stroke, or 4 stroke? If it is two stroke, it won't work. For the complete list of reasons why forced induction won't work on a 2-stroke, look here (http://www.radiocontrolzone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=124462&page=1&pp=20)

[BoatDoc]

although i've never tried any forced induction ('cept on my favorite mitsubishi!!!) i think it has possibilities. the main argument against supercharging is rotating mass. however, turbo's work on exhaust pressure. the problem here is properly matching the size of the compressor to the size of the turbine, and in turn, matching the whole turbo to the size of the engine. all tuning is based on one simple concept...get more air/fuel into the combustion chamber. if they can do it on a two-stroke diesel, they can find a way to do it on a small nitro. it may just take some time to perfect it. i know of one guy who SC'd a nitro car, and told me it was VERY effective. turbo's? who knows, its crazy enough to possibly work. yes, you will need a richer needle setting (that's where the power will come from), and yes, it will run hotter...just need better cooling. if i had the time and $$$ i'd be trying it myself!

[bugfanatic]

Forced induction on a small nitro motor.... If this really works as advertised, it would be the hottest selling thing in RC. The RC crowd is generally pretty quick to grab ahold of new technology - & if this is as efficient & safe to use in the real world as it is on paper, we would have been reading rave reviews & seeing it in all the RC mags. Remember boost bottles? Remember the Perry Pump? We (as an RC group) were quick to try them out & make them mainstream. RC car racing is VERY competitive. It's been out a while & we are still only hearing a minimal amount about it. There's probably a very good reason for that. As for me, I wouldn't waste my time, I think it's just not even close to being perfected or useable. If you really want more power, strengthen the motor from the inside & deck it &/or use more nitro. Plus, to build it yourself would be very difficult, you'd spend more time designing it out on paper to get everything correct & custom building the components then you would running the motor. A lot of people make a living & some real cash just trying to guess at the best motor-turbo design matchup. Would it be fun to try? Yes. I wish I had the time to try something like this. But, I just think maybe you don't realize what's ahead. Also, I don't know of any bearing except for maybe the ceramic bearings from Boca that could even handle the RPM's & heat of a turbo & the turbo vanes would have to be CNC cut on a 4-axis milling machine & balanced perfectly. Just mho.

[Micho523]

Lol thanks for all the negative feedback, but as I said in another post, i am a real gearhead, so i am willing to try anything mechanical, no matter the results. I will just learn from the expierince, whatever the outcome. Nothing CNC here, just good old-fashioned hand made parts with minimal balancing. This started off as a school science project that never happened, and now i really want to try it. I think if i actually pull this off, i will see results. Wether positive or negative is yet to be seen. And yes, this is a 2 stroke, although i would like to try a larger design for a small 4 stroke.

[bugfanatic]

Well if you are that eager to do it, then good for you - sorry if I was a little too negative. Keep us posted on the progress & results.

[Chris LaPanse]

i know of one guy who SC'd a nitro car, and told me it was VERY effective.
Then it must have been a 4-stroke, bc, as i mentioned b4, there are tons of reasons why forced induction won't work on a 2-stroke. For the full reasoning behind that arguement, you can slog through all twenty-some pages of it that i linked to in my previous post. If you want to try it, then more power to ya, but it will probably not work. However, on 4-stroke engines, if they are designed correctly, they can get huge boosts (no pun intended) in power from a blower/turbo. Whatever you decide to try, good luck.