Saturn Turbos - the Definitive Aftermarket Perfomance Part Upgrade

Written by Administrator Tuesday, 30 November 1999 00:00

The key reason why automobiles were even invented was to shorten traveling times, whether by sea, land (via railroads, coaches or by foot) and by air. The cultural impact is undeniable, as the world figuratively got smaller. It didn't take long before the automobiles became a source of competition. As such, cars became faster, stronger, safer and came with all kinds of add-ons, effectively making it into its own unique lifestyle. But that wasn't enough. Consume...

The key reason why automobiles were even invented was to shorten traveling times, whether by sea, land (via railroads, coaches or by foot) and by air. The cultural impact is undeniable, as the world figuratively got smaller. It didn't take long before the automobiles became a source of competition. As such, cars became faster, stronger, safer and came with all kinds of add-ons, effectively making it into its own unique lifestyle.

But that wasn't enough. Consumers during the 1950s felt that the automobile could do so much more. Tuners or gear heads became a known collective that specialized the performance and appearance of cars. Street racing was gaining popularity and it wasn't long before someone saw the business potential. Thus, the aftermarket business was born.

The aftermarket provided a service that allowed consumers a cheaper replacement for existing Oringial Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) parts, and add-ons to tweak the style and performance of their vehicles. At present the aftermarket is still widely popular, even extending services to younger car makers like Saturn Corporation and its trademark S-line series of cars.

The ultimate and arguably the most sought after custom part would be turbochargers or turbos. Of all the possible upgrades, turbos improves the size-to-output efficiency of the car's engine. Usually consisting of linked turbine and compressor, both sharing the same axis, the turbo seeps in exhuast gases through the turbine coming from the exhaust manifold. This in turn, causes the wheel of the turbine to rotate, thus driving the compressor which compresses completely enveloping air that is pushes to the air intake of the engine.

Using a Saturn car as an example, the process works by having the Saturn turbo heighten the pressure of the the air that enters the engine's cylinder. The low pressure created by downward stroke of a piston can only draw in a certain amount of air, thus the balance of molecules of air and fuel is not set to fully optimize the engine's power. Saturn turbos in this effect, regulates the the increase of the intake pressure to œoverclock the engine.

Saturn turbos and that of other makes are easily available in shops that specialize in tuning and customization. However, some locations may not be blessed with an active tuning community or avenues which sell them. As such, aftermarket companies have started establishing an online distribution method that delivers the parts right at the buyer's doorstep.