any1 no the top speed? and low end increase

I have 2 turbo buggies. I am currently putting the pieces together for a turbo for a 250. If you set up the tranny right you will have huge differences in the 250cc from the jump. But it will limit your top end some. Turbos typically bring on there power, high up in the rpm range since it takes some time for the turbo to spool up and produce boost. Allot is also determined by the turbo you choose, since a smaller turbo will spool up faster than a larger turbo, but the larger turbo will ultimatly put out more boost. All of this is mute however, since there are very few turbos small enough for a 250cc engine, so your choice is limited. If you understand how turbos work, putting together a turbo kit and installing it is simple and not very expensive. (I have done 2 for less than 700.00 each, and that was with all new parts, a person could do less than 500 if they scrounged a little). My understanding is the Turbo West coast has come up with works very well, so if your pocket book is larger than your mechanicle abillity then you will be very happy buying his kit. It will make a world of difference in how your buggy performs.

post a parts list for the ~$700 250 turbo setup.

As mentioned above I havnt finished the 250 yet, but the parts list will be the same no mater what size engine. You will need a turbo charger, a blow off valve, a boost gauge, and piping and rubber tubing to hook it all up. If you dont weld the connections you will need bolt clamps. You may or may not need a different fuel pump, you will need to rejet the carb, or if it is too small you might want to go with an entirely different one. Not required but will perform better at low speeds before the turbo kicks in. Many people eliminate the exhaust since the turbo quites the exhaust some and you will need some sort of an air cleaner. If you have a uni or a K&N on the carb already that will suffice. The turbo I am using cost me 227.00 on E-bay, the blow off valve was 50 bucks and the boost gauge was 25. I dont have the rest put together for the 250 yet but I would say I will spend another 250 on odds and ends. Good luck. Van

I've never driven or been a passenger in a turbo charged vehicle. So I have a question, is turbo predictable? The reason I ask is I keep hearing the term spool up. Also Van are you saying that turbo gives you power in the high rpm's (as you pick up speed you gain power).?

Greg

A turbo is a compressor that is driven off exhaust flow. As your engine increases RPM, the compressor is driven faster. You are compressing intake 5-10 psi to cram more air into the cylinder. The pressure of the turbo is limited by the setting of the blow off valve (pressure relief valve).

In low RPMs, the turbo is spinning slowly and not contributing any boost. As you ramp up your RPMs, the turbo spools (spins) up and starts providing boost. Depending on the size of the turbo, there may be a delay between RPM increase and turbo spool - This the "lag" with a turbo (a supercharger does not have lag since it is mechanically driven).

Of course a supercharger will drag on an engine when it's not being used, too. It's a tradeoff with either of them.

I drive a subaru legacy GT with turbo dailey. When I first test drove it the car felt unpredicatble because I wasn't expecting the boost. After I got used to it the car became very predictable.
When I floor the gas from a stop light it starts off like a underpowered economy car. About half a second later the turbo kicks in and you sink into the back of the seat. Because of that delay when cornering I will floor it as I approach the apex instead of easing into the throttle on the way out of a turn.

You can run an electric clutch on the supercharger to minimize drag when driving normally.

What is nice about the supercharger is that the boost is more linear than a turbo system and it is each to swap out pulleys on belt driven systems to change boost levels. Since these do not have exhaust passing through them, you also have longer life and less heat problems than turbos.

I agree with everything said above. The secret to a good turbo set-up is to properly size the turbo to the engine. As far as the delay until the boost kicks in you make that less noticeable by increaseing your low end torque thru clutch, carb and gearing mods. On a 250 you want set it up as a climbing, low end machine, in a naturally aspirated engine as you passed 3000 to 3500 rpm you would start to top out and the rest of your speed would be limited and very slow in coming. With the turbo it will keep pulling hard to redline. Of course all of this depends on set-up so it will take some trial and error to get the right carb or jetting in the stock carb, and also some trial and error with rollers to get the clutch dialed in just right. The turbo itself which creates back pressure will help some with low end as well, since when you eliminate back pressure thru a high flow exhaust you actually lose some bottom end to gain top end. Many people on here want to compare a carb exhaust, and intake mod vs. a turbo, where in truth the turbo works in unison with those other mods. It isnt one or the other. My suggestion to someone getting started is to do all the other mods first includeing a better carb, and then go with a turbo if you still are looking for more power. Van