Get # Turbo Power: Is Going Turbocharged a Boost or Bust for Engine Reliability?

Whether one is a hard-core enthusiast or just a rank-and-file commuter, chances are if you are looking to upgrade your engine’s performance, you likely turn to a turbo. For many years, just about the quickest way to boost power from an internal combustion engine has been to turbocharge it. The secret lies in using some of the engine’s exhaust gases to force more air into the combustion chamber. The result is an apparently magic combination: more power and better fuel economy. The latter is achieved by allowing the engine to use more fuel to produce the same power, or to use the same amount of fuel to produce more power than before. But is it a recipe for trouble? To keep the turbochargers spinning and producing power, you have to run the engine at a higher temperature than if it were operating at the same power without one. And it has long been known that high temperatures are the enemy of reliability.

Should Reliability Be a Turbo Trouble?

The road to turbopower is often accompanied by the question – from a pitch-black edge of high octane scepticism – Will my turbocharged engine be as reliable as a naturally aspirated engine? The honest answer? It’s complicated. Once a turbocharger is bolted to your engine, it brings with it a number of new components, each with a potential Achilles heel. This inherent extra complexity is not an automatic death sentence for your turbocharged engine, but it does raise the stakes a little when it comes to maintenance.

Making the Maintenance Leap with Ease

With this performance leap in mind, it’s important to go a little in-depth on some routine maintenance. A turbocharger’s precision parts require more attention, too – more frequent oil changes and checks. That attention can push operating costs a little higher. Then there’s a phenomenon called turbo lag, a slight pause while the turbo spools up; it’s not the end of the world, but it’s something you need to get used to. On the other hand, those who do get used to it might find that turbos can get you very high indeed, but still handle with ease.

EASE OF MIND: Turbo Longevity and Manufacturer Mastery

And don’t worry. Not all turbo stories are horror stories. Car manufacturers do build quality engines. Thanks to companies such as Honda, BMW, Audi, and Ford, power from turbos can now be both reliable and awesome. Ford’s EcoBoost engines are a great example of turbo technology learning from mistakes. EcoBoosts, originally a cheap and easy way to meet gas mileage requirements, are now a shining example of modern reliability in a turbocharged engine. Stick with established engines, and stick with the turbo systems that others have proven can withstand years of racing.

Upgrading with Ease: Is Turbocharging Your Current Engine a Wise Decision?

If you’re going to go turbocharged, an upgrade path that starts with the engine you currently have (‘bolt-on’ turbocharging) brings a different set of issues. The ‘standard’ components of the engine, such as pistons and valves, might need upgrading to be able to withstand the additional pressure from the unit. Here, as well as mechanics, your current engine needs to be vulnerable to turbocharging. A mechanic can help you avoid taking the wrong path.

To Upgrade or Not to Upgrade: Weighing Performance Against Ease

Nothing about turbocharging is inherently good or bad, then. It’s not that we want more power or efficiency per se – it’s just that we want to weigh the trade-offs involved We might speculate that an individual who is satisfied with his own engine’s performance will not feel much traction when the topic of turbocharging comes up. But the person who dreams of that extra shove, while also harbouring trepidations about significantly higher maintenance rates and upfront costs, might feel the pull most of all. Turbocharging can feel successful when it results in the performance you want, without becoming difficult to manage.

Navigating the Turbo Path with Ease

By the end of our speed-reading through these implications, the question of turbo-engine reliability seems to be less of a ‘if?’ than of a ‘how?’ With proper maintenance, an all-round sensibility in turbo selection and, sure, a bit of petrolhead zeal, turbocharged engines are increasingly a winning bet – a promise of power, thrift and the (engineering) rush with virtually none of the penalty.

Understanding Ease in the Turbocharged Context

It also underpins all the other decisions in this ‘ease’ tour of the turbocharged engine: the ease of maintenance, ease of driving, and ease of choosing the right turbo system. If you want to turbocharge your ride, let ease be your guide in both the sense of ‘hassle-free’ maintenance and repairs, and the sense of the confidence and enjoyment your turbocharged engine brings to every drive. PUBLISHED: May 12, 2023 2:40 p.m. UPDATED: May 12, 2023 6:37 p.m.