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If you haven't already started building your own electric vehicle, why not add this project to your gas guzzling, turbo-charged, super car. If you are going to drive a fossil fuel burning car, it might as well be fast, and cool. - Link
DIY budget inter-cooler
Posted by Marc de Vinck |
Feb 9, 2008 03:00 AM
DIY Projects, Transportation |
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Actually, Turbochargers increase the overall efficiency of a gas motor, more so with an intercooler or water injection. For example, a 1L engine normally supplying 60 hp at 50 mpg may provide a more usable 100 hp at 45 mpg (imaginary numbers, for you get the point I'm trying to make).
Not to mention they lend well to high-octane and high-specific heat ethanol.
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over at the gas savers forums they've actually found that decreasing the intake air temperature increases your fuel usage. You get more power because the engine is running better, but gas mileage goes down because more fuel is used.
They've had some good results with "corking off" the engine bay, in effect closing off the sources of fresh air and making the engine use warm air from around the engine instead of fresh air.
of course all of this is trumped by using a smaller engine in a smaller (more aerodynamic) car. I wish that i could, but my work requires me to drive a truck.
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