While searching for something else, I chanced upon 4 different, free, on-line software programs that are specifically for turbocharged applications.
Accessible via this website,
http://www.turbofast.com.au/javacalc.html , 1 or more of these 4 turbo-oriented calculators may be of interest to you or a performance-minded colleague who is is thinking of getting a turbo:
- "TurboPower": Estimates a turbocharged engine's power based on several inputs
- "TurboComp": Suggests recommended octanes for different boost and engine VE levels
- "TurboMatch": Recommends a specific Garrett turbocharger for a specific application
- "TurboMap": Displays different turbo flow maps based on different inputs
"TurboPower" may provide the most entertainment value just in terms of the sheer number of different possibilities it can accommodate.
"TurboComp" is comparatively uninspiring, but I like it for its practical value.
"TurboMatch" and "TurboMap" might be of particular interest to anyone creating their own turbo set-up, as opposed to just buying a "kit" (as I may do).
Aside from the amount of
time these calculators save over tying to trying to do all these calculations manually, there are some other time-savers to be aware of here in using the calculators themselves. One applies to using "TurboComp," and one applies to using "TurboMatch."
For some reason, the "TurboComp" calculator asks for the engine's bore and stroke as inputs. However, I've found that even if one inputs to "TurboComp"
any positive bore and stroke numbers, however silly they may be, it doesn't matter. The
outputs are unchanged, and in this calculator are thus independent of the engine's actual displacement. Therefore, to save yourself some time, rather than search for the precise bore and stroke of your engine, just input
any two positive numbers for bore and stroke ("1" and "1," for example, will work fine).
Also, because it may not be immediately obvious, be aware that when "TurboMatch" asks for "Engine Capacity," it's actually asking for your engine
size, and in particular your
cc engine size. Thus, for a 3.4L engine, input "3400." The default engine size for this calculator is a tiny, 300 cc engine, so unless you input a different engine size, you won't get much of anything useful for output. Accordingly, to avoid frustration and save yourself time here, don't forget to first input your engine's size in
ccs because the default engine size of only 300 cc
s won't be helpful.
Above all, please remember that none of these 4 calculators should be misconstrued as providing hard and fast predictions, merely some rough guidelines. For example, one limitation of the "TurboComp" calculator is that it apparently makes no allowance for the presence of an
intercooler, let alone how
efficient that intercooler set-up is. Nevertheless, I give this calculator's developers credit for having come up with
something as a general guideline for guesstimating the octane one needs to run with a given level of non-intercooled boost. Of course, if someone here on PFF has access to a better alternative, please feel free to post it, as I've no vested interest in "TurboComp" or any other calculator available on its website.
In any event, I hope that 1 or more of these 4 turbo-oriented calculators will be of use to those of you on PFF who are interested in pursuing the idea of a turbo.
Good luck with your turbo project!
