Most people think that turbos are for petrol heads with manual transmissions, but it’s not that simple. Putting a turbo in an automatic car isn’t as hard as you might think. Many transmission-equipped vehicles have aftermarket options that can handle the additional torque output of a turbo. In fact, there are even cars with auto transmissions that come stock with a turbocharged engine. Unfortunately, the complexities of adding a turbo to an automatic car are mainly related to the drivetrain and electronics. There are some unique challenges you’ll need to overcome if you want to add a boost to your transmission-equipped ride. Luckily, we have you covered on everything you need to know about putting a turbo in an automatic car!
Can you put a turbo in an automatic car?
Unfortunately, you cannot put a turbo in an automatic car. The main reason for this is that the transmission cannot handle the extra power that the turbo produces. Another reason is that the engine management system is different between turbocharged and non-turbocharged cars, so it would be very difficult to make the two compatible. If you are looking for a car with more power, you might be interested in a supercharger instead.
What’s The Difference Between An Automatic And A Manual Transmission?
- The transmission shifts gears on its own.
- The transmission is controlled by a computer that learns the driver’s driving habits and adjusts accordingly.
- There are no clutch pedals and no foot pedals, just a shifter.
- The transmission is mounted to the rear axle of the car, rather than on the front axle like in a manual-transmission car (which is why they are called “automatic”).
- The transmission has an oil cooler and can be serviced by an automatic transmission oil filter or oil cooler replacement (depending on make/model).
- The transmission has its own dedicated cooling system with its own thermostat, unlike in a manual-transmission car where it shares the engine cooling system with the engine block/head (and can get very hot).
- The transmission doesn’t need to be shifted manually in order to shift gears; it does this automatically when you put your foot down or accelerate quickly (usually upshifts and downshifts are done at different speeds).
- The transmission has a computer that controls the shift patterns and automatically shifts gears in order to prevent stalling.
- There is no clutch pedal or foot pedal; the shifter is used for shifting gears instead.
- You can’t see where the transmission is mounted unless you remove the engine cover (which, in most cases, will be necessary).
Why Would You Want To Put A Turbo In An Automatic Car?
- If you already own a turbocharged automatic car and want to add a turbocharger, the natural choice would be to add it to the transmission. However, if you don’t have a turbocharger yet, this is not an option.
- A lot of people aren’t aware that they can go into automatic car shops and get an automatic transmission installed in their car! They think they have to go out of state or pay a mechanic to install it for them. This is true in some states (California, Arizona, etc.), but not in most others (like New Jersey). Most auto shops that install automatic transmissions will do the job for free!
- Once you put a turbocharger on your car, you no longer need an automatic transmission! The only reason someone would ever remove one from his or her car would be if they wanted more power than they could get from their stock engine/transmission combo and were willing to pay for it; otherwise, why bother?
- There are many types of turbos available for different cars (depending on what kind of engine you already have), so there is no need to buy another one just because you added one more piece of equipment (unless your stock engine/transmission combo doesn’t work with your new turbo). In fact, there are many reasons why you wouldn’t want to buy another one – there will be many more choices when it comes time for installation!
How To Put A Turbo In An Car
- If you are putting a turbo into an automatic car, you need to get the new transmission installed before you install your new turbocharger. The reason for this is that the new transmission will have to be shifted into gear while the old one is still in gear. The only way to do this is to manually shift the transmission into high gear while you are on a flat surface, and then shift it down when it’s time to accelerate (or put your foot down).
- If you are putting a turbocharger on a manual car, there are two options for installing it: First, you can have it installed with the engine out of the car and then have them swap out your old transmission for another one (if applicable). This option will require that they install a special adapter plate in order for their transmission to work with your engine; an adapter plate is basically like having two different transmissions installed in your car at once! Second, if you don’t want to mess with all of that (and I highly recommend not doing so), there are some companies that can install a turbocharger on top of your existing automatic transmission. This would require them to remove one of your original transmissions and replace it with another one – but this will allow them to use any type of automatic or manual transmission they want!
- If you are putting a turbocharger on a car with a manual transmission (or are installing one on top of another transmission), you need to make sure that the transmission is in good condition. This means that it needs to be in good shape mechanically and that it has proper fluid levels and no leaks!
- There are many different types of turbochargers available for different cars, so you will need to make sure that your car’s engine will work with the one you want! The reason for this is because there are many different kinds of engines out there – some have very low (or even zero) horsepower, others have very high horsepower, and still, others have somewhere in between. It’s important to find out which kind of car your engine is before you buy a turbocharger!
- Even though your new turbocharger will make more power than your old one, it won’t necessarily mean that your vehicle will handle better! In fact, there are many factors involved when it comes to handling – they include things like tire size, tire pressure, suspension setup (air or coil), weight distribution (front/rear), and even the type of drive train(s) your car has (manual or automatic). So don’t expect everything to magically be better after installing a new turbocharger just because it makes more power; this is not how things work!
Tips For Installing A Turbo In An Automatic Car
- If you are putting a turbocharger on top of another transmission in an automatic car, you will need to make sure that the transmission is in good condition. This means that it needs to be in good shape mechanically and that it has proper fluid levels and no leaks!
- There are many different types of turbochargers available for different cars, so you will need to make sure that your car’s engine will work with the one you want! The reason for this is because there are many different kinds of engines out there – some have very low (or even zero) horsepower, others have very high horsepower, and still, others have somewhere in between. It’s important to find out which kind of car your engine is before you buy a turbocharger!
- Even though your new turbocharger will make more power than your old one, it won’t necessarily mean that your vehicle will handle better! In fact, there are many factors involved when it comes to handling – they include things like tire size, tire pressure, suspension setup (air or coil), weight distribution (front/rear), and even the type of drive train(s) your car has (manual or automatic). So don’t expect everything to magically be better after installing a new turbocharger just because it makes more power; this is not how things work!
- Even though the added power from a turbocharger can be used by both the engine and the transmission, it is important to know that not all turbochargers are created equal. The truth is that some of them are more efficient at delivering power to the wheels than others. If you want your car to make more power, you will probably need to use a turbocharger that has high volumetric efficiency (the amount of air it can compress into fuel). In addition, you will want to choose a turbocharger with high displacement (the amount of air it can compress into fuel). Think about this – if your car has a small engine but a large turbocharger, the added power from the turbo will still be fairly low. On the other hand, if your car has a large engine but a small turbocharger, the added power from the turbo will be relatively high.
- Even though your new turbocharger will make more power than your old one, it won’t necessarily mean that your vehicle will handle better! In fact, there are many factors involved when it comes to handling – they include things like tire size, tire pressure, suspension setup (air or coil), weight distribution (front/rear), and even the type of drive train(s) your car has (manual or automatic). So don’t expect everything to magically be better after installing a new turbocharger just because it makes more power; this is not how things work!
Conclusion
Turbochargers and superchargers are both effective ways to increase the power of your car, but they have their differences. A supercharger uses an engine-driven belt or screw to transfer power to the intake manifold, whereas a turbocharger relies on exhaust gases to spin a turbine that in turn spins a compressor. Manually shifting gears is a lot of fun, but it’s not for everyone. If you’ve ever wanted to turbocharge your ride but don’t want to give up your automatic transmission, now you know how to do it. All you need to do is buy a turbocharger and install it with a forced induction system.
