Installing A Turbocharger: A Guide To Picking The Correct Fasteners

One of the commonest car modifications people make around the world is the addition of a turbocharger. In essence, this is a device that forces more air into the combustion chambers of the engine, which then results in a more powerful output. By making this modification, the engine will produce more power while consuming less […]

One of the commonest car modifications people make around the world is the addition of a turbocharger. In essence, this is a device that forces more air into the combustion chambers of the engine, which then results in a more powerful output. By making this modification, the engine will produce more power while consuming less fuel, which is why some see it as a great way to reduce fuel consumption.

However, it’s important to note that this is a modification that could turn out to be more expensive than you had previously anticipated. Most turbochargers work by generating air pressure that is between one and two atmospheres. This has the potential to strain your engine, leading to higher rates of failure. Choosing quality fasteners for the engine is one of the most effective things you can do to guard against this.

What are the qualities you need to look for in the fasteners?

When fixing a turbocharger in the car, the main aim when choosing fasteners is to make sure that they can withstand the pressures and heat generated by the turbocharger. Titanium carriage bolts, Inconel hex head cap screws and other fasteners made out of specialized alloys are the most effective for this type of use. Regular steel bolts and nuts could work for a while, but would eventually disintegrate due to exposure to high amounts of heat and pressure.

Don’t forget the torque

Buying high quality fasteners and then putting them in place in the incorrect manner wastes a lot of money. It results in loosening of the fasteners, which could cause catastrophic damage to the engine if this happens during normal operations. To guard against this, torque figures need to be paid attention to when using the fasteners. Remember, this is not simply a matter of the fasteners coming loose if they are put in place with too little torque. They could also abrade the threads in the material they have been inserted to, and some of them might fragment and damage other parts of the engines. All this costs a lot of money to repair.

The number of fasteners you should put in place

It is a common mistake for most motoring enthusiasts to fix the turbochargers with fewer than necessary fasteners. When installing a turbocharger, always find out the manufacturer’s installation instructions. When buying fasteners for the job, you would be better off buying more rather than less to ensure that the turbocharger is not too loose.

The chemical qualities of the fasteners

When most materials are subjected to high amounts of heat, they react with other chemicals more readily. If fasteners are made out of materials that could react with some of the chemicals likely to be found in the engine, they will fail at a faster rate than usual due to the high amount of heat. Using inert fasteners is encouraged since these don’t rust or react with most other chemicals.

As you can see, a lot of thought has to go into selecting the most ideal fasteners to be used to put a turbocharger in place.