How Much Horsepower Does a Turbo Add?

How much horsepower does a turbo add? “Adding Horsepower” to a car is a “Misconcept” a lot of people have come to believe. As a car owner, you need to understand that there is nothing you’d add to your car that would make the stock horsepower increase further.

Some mechanics and drivers may try to get you to believe that adding certain aftermarket products can increase the horsepower of your car’s engine. That’s not entirely true, and today, we’d discuss “turbochargers” and how they affect ICE vehicles positively – and negatively too.

Turbos are used by drivers who wish to unlock their car engines for much more better performance.

What is a Turbocharger?

A turbocharger, commonly called turbo, is an induction device that compresses air into the combustion chamber of internal combustion engines. Through this process, the engine tends to deliver more power.

The addition of a turbo in any vehicle is tantamount to richer air and fuel mixture inside the combustion chamber as against the natural air-fuel mixture ratio triggered by atmospheric pressure from the stock air intake channels in the car.

See Also: How Much Horsepower Does a Supercharger Add?

Can Turbochargers Improve Engine Horsepower?

The simple answer is yes. You’d most definitely notice that your car drives faster when it has a turbo installed.

Turbochargers draw power from the exhaust pipe and introduce more oxygen into the combustion chamber, and that’s what makes ICEs (Internal Combustion Engines) run with more power.

How Much Horsepower Does a Turbo Add?

Let’s say your car engine is built with 500hp as the peak, and since you’ve been driving the car, the highest HP the engine has ever utilized is 200hp.

Now, installing a turbocharger can unlock the engine and pressure it to utilize up to 400hp, or even more. That’s a 100% horsepower gain, and your car would drive much faster.

The explanation above is what a turbo does on ICE vehicles; it does not increase or add to the stock horsepower of the vehicle, it simply makes the engine use more of its stock horsepower. This is achieved by introducing oxygen-rich air into the combustion chamber.

When you add a turbocharger to a vehicle, the pressure created by the charger, which made the vehicle’s engine perform better is referred to as “Turbo Boost.” How turbochargers work is no rocket science; they add more air to combustion, which means more fuel for the engine, and subsequently, more power (HP).

Yes, there are variations of turbochargers, but the function is the same. However,  some turbos tend to be more effective than others. Before buying a turbocharger, you may need to work with a mechanic or a professional auto technician so you would buy the best one for your vehicle.

Is Getting a Turbo Worth It?

Installing a turbocharger has its advantages and disadvantages. The advantages include improved torque, improved HP, and more fuel economy. On the other hand, installing a turbocharger may imply changing a couple of things in your car – apparently, this would void the warranty on the car.

Notwithstanding, some cars come with stock turbochargers – for such cars, you don’t need to install an aftermarket option. However, put simply, adding a turbo to your vehicle is worth it when you truly need to improve the power and efficiency the engine produces.

What More?

Turbochargers are mostly installed into vehicles with a small engine – to increase power and efficiency. Most V8 engines come with factory-installed turbos and do not need any further aftermarket installation.

So, how much horsepower does a turbo add? It triggers horsepower gain, up to 100%, so that your car runs with more power and efficiency. A turbo can also improve fuel efficiency. There are different types of turbos, you’d need to choose carefully.