Performance Racing Industry 2014: Part 1

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Here’s a shot of the boost control solenoid valve and compressor recirculation valve, which helps against compressor surge at throttle-lift.  They also can come with a speed sensor port for an optional speed sensor.

Inside the cartridge is BW’s dual ceramic ball-bearing technology for reduced turbo lag, and it appears this turbo is both oil and water cooled.  The turbine features BW’s Gamma Ti turbine wheel and shaft, which reportedly cuts inertia by 50%, further improving turbo response.  These wheels come in sizes ranging from 55- to 80-mm in to diameter.

The BW compressor wheel is CNC'd from billet aluminum.

Check out this second wastegate flap, which acts as a quick-spool valve.  That’s right, for those looking for ridiculously quick spool, this option keeps all the flow going through half of the turbo outlet while the flap is closed, which dramatically improves turbo response.  At a predetermined boost level the second flap opens to give the engine the desired top end.

This variable geometry turbo (VGT) technology isn’t new.  In fact, it was first used in a passenger car in a 1989 Shelby CSX by Garrett turbo.

Later on, the Porsche 997.1 turbos used a pair BorgWarner VTG (which stood for “Variable turbine Geometry”) turbos with moving vanes that altered the aspect ratio of the turbine housing and drastically improved the engine response.  The difference between the 996 Turbo's and the 997 Turbo’s engines response was laughable by comparison, even though the displacement remained an unchanged 3.6-liters.  But this unit from BW is the first time I’ve seen it look like a real quick spool valve, and it’s available to the aftermarket in different sizes.  Pretty trick!

BW turbos aren’t just for measly 400- and 500-horsepower quick-spooling cars, however.  If you want 1000hp, they’ve got that too.

As I'm sure you know, the folks at BorgWarner are huge into racing.  In fact, not only is Borg Warner the official turbocharger for the Verizon IndyCar series, they've got the Indy 500 Borg Warner Champions trophy named after them!