One of the raddest parts of owning a turbocharged car is spooling up your turbo for a quick launch. Turbo spooling is well known to most tuners, but many newbies either don’t understand what spooling is or how to spool their turbo.
That’s where I come in!
In this guide, I’ll give you a step-by-step breakdown of how to spool your turbo and answer some of the common questions people have about spooling.
Ready to get started? Let’s jump in…
What Is Turbo Spooling?
Before we get to the guide, here’s a quick overview of what turbo spooling actually is.
In simple terms, spooling is the time it takes for a turbo to reach maximum pressure and provide a large turbo ‘boost’.
Turbochargers work by using exhaust gasses to spin two fans: the turbine fan and the compressor fan.
The turbine fan spins the compressor fan, which pressurizes (compresses) the air entering the engine.
Compressed air molecules are much more densely packed than normal air molecules, meaning more fuel can get pumped into the engine. That, of course, significantly increases horsepower and generates a large boost in performance.
However, here’s the key point:
The performance increase is only noticeable if the turbo reaches high enough pressures, i.e, when the turbo has spooled up.
That’s when the air gets highly compressed, and more fuel can be pumped in.
Spooling is getting the turbo up to these high pressures to ensure maximum boost and performance.
Does that make sense now?
How To Spool Your Turbo: 3 Step Guide
For the most part, spooling a turbo is not that difficult, but can take a little practice. There are many myths out there on the best way to spool up, but the process is essentially the same and doesn’t take much time to learn and get right.
Here’s a 3 step guide on how to spool for a great launch…
Manual Trassmision
Step 1: Put your foot on the clutch and shift into 1st.
Step 2: Now rev the engine up to 2000rpm and hold.
Step 3: Release the clutch and stamp on the gas.
Automatic Transmission
Step 1: Place your left foot on the brake and push all the way down.
Step 2: Slightly push down on the gas pedal until you reach 2000rpm – 4000rpm. Again, this will differ depending on car and turbo size (see below).
Step 3: Release the break and push your accelerator fully down.
You should feel a sharp boost of power as you accelerate away.
Important: Always turn any traction control systems off before before spooling. These systems will automatically kick in and tell the ECM to limit the revs, making it impossible to spool the turbo.
How Fast Does A Turbo To Spool?
Depending on engine and turbo size, most turbochargers will begin to spool up and provide boost between 2000 – 4000rpm.
For smaller turbos, the spool usually starts around 2000rpm.
For larger turbos, 4000rpm is typically enough.
You can also improve spool times by purchasing a better turbo impeller. These are lighter and more efficiently shaped than standard turbo impellers, resulting in better airflow into the compressor and thus faster spool-up times.
They can be pricey, however, so choose wisely.
Can You Spool A Turbo In Neutral?
You can, but it’s pointless unless you want to show off or scare passersby – which does sound kind of fun, actually. It isn’t the easiest trick to pull off either and can damage the turbo and engine if performed incorrectly.