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Re: Saab Turbos Posted by Ari [Email] (#2847) [Profile/Gallery] (more from Ari) on Tue, 17 Apr 2001 13:27:25 In Reply to: Saab Turbos, larry, Tue, 17 Apr 2001 11:43:34 Members do not see ads below this line. - Help Keep This Site Online - Signup |
The turbo starts turning once the engine comes off idle - after all, it's driven by exhaust gas, and you get exhaust gas anytime the engine is running. Just not a lot at idle. Even a light throttle settings, cruising down the highway, the turbo is working. You just notice it most above 2500 rpm when accelerating.
The effect of the turbo is mostly affected by engine speed, so RPM is what counts, not what gear the car is in. In higher gears you don't notice it as much, because you have less torque multiplication in high gears.
You don't need to worry about 'operating' the turbo. The engine controls do just fine. You just push with your right foot. As turbos and turbo engine controls have matured, the designers have worked hard to eliminate the sudden rush of turbo boost and delay of turbo lag. Basically, all you feel is a more powerful engine. In general, a turbo engine won't have the same 'low end grunt' of a big displacement engine, so you don't notice the power at very low RPM. But up above about 1500 rpm or so, you'll just notice the car moving out faster.
Where you get the most fun out of the turbo is any time you put your foot down - acceleration. Just cruising along, any car feels the same, whether it's got a V8 or a 1 liter 3-cylinder. With a turbo engine (as compared to a non-turbo Saab), you'll just find that you can accelerate much faster, that you can hold your speed on hills easier, and that on-ramps become much, much more fun.
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