What exactly is "Turbo Lag".

The time it takes the turbo to "spool" up to its max RPM and apply full boost to the intake tract after you open the throttle.

Larger turbos normally take longer to spin up to its optimum boost RPM than smaller ones, although, today, the turbos are much more efficient than the ones they used 10 years ago or more.

A lot of it has to do with the design and shape of the vanes and impeller in the turbo and how they work together with the shape of the housing.

All turbo's will have some lag, as it takes time for the engine RPM's to increase enough to put out the exhaust flow required to speed up the turbo, which in turn will put more pressure or boost into the intake tract.

Thankz 2ManyZ's. That's the info I was looking for. :classic:

You sure youve never owned a turbo. Hell of a explanation.

I've driven turbos and even a few supercharged/turbocharged diesels in the last 20 some years...... and I drive a Turbo diesel everyday......

When I was at the track there was this huge arse diesel turbo dullie no less that was running in the 13's.

Thats just insane.

I hear that some of the new OTR rigs have turbos in them now that push up to 50 lbs of boost!!!!!!:cross-eye

Sequential Twin turbo setups were created to try and overcome the turbo lag problem.

The 1st turbo is a smaller one that spools up quickly in the lower rev range to provide some power. this feed into the larger turbo which takes over in the higher rev range when the smaller turbo's wastgate is wide open.

good article on this:

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/turbo.htm